The white goods and smart home appliances sector is evolving from mechanical hardware towards smart assistants that add aesthetics to living spaces. Arçelik, pioneering this transformation in the global market with its R&D investments, has certified its engineering vision by winning 4 major awards at the iF Design Award 2026, the world's oldest and independent design authority. So, what makes these products, which outshone over 10,000 devices from 68 countries in Germany, so special? We have examined the Beko 36-Inch French Door Refrigerator, ushering in a new era in kitchens, and the Caffee Experto V4 coffee machine, which makes a difference with its interface.
Competition in the industrial design world is now shaped not only by what devices do, but also by energy efficiency, sustainability, and the digital interaction users have with the device. Winning an award on a platform as established as Germany's iF Design Award, with its 70-year history, proves that a product is among the world's best in the criteria of Idea, Form, Function, and Differentiation.
Devices bearing the Beko and Hitachi brands, products of Arçelik engineering, passed the rigorous tests of a jury consisting of 129 international experts, winning a total of 4 awards in the product design and user interface/user experience (UI/UX) categories. This success demonstrates the global level Turkish engineering has reached not only in hardware but also in software and design architecture.
A Technological Shield Against Food Waste: Beko 36-Inch French Door Refrigerator
Consumers' biggest expectation from smart cooling systems is technologies that maximize food shelf life while offering ample storage capacity. The Beko 36-inch Wardrobe-Style Refrigerator, which we reviewed and which won the "Product Design Award," transforms food preservation into a healthy ecosystem.
The standout technologies in the device's hardware infrastructure are:
- HarvestFresh Innovation: A special lighting module in the crisper compartment accurately simulates the 24-hour natural daylight cycle (blue, green, red light, and dark phases). This technology allows harvested fruits and vegetables to continue photosynthesis at a cellular level, preserving their vitamin A and C values for much longer.
- Aeroflow Homogeneous Cooling: Instead of blowing cold air directly onto food and drying it out, the Aeroflow system creates a balanced air shield between the shelves. This ensures even temperature distribution on every shelf, cooling food in its natural humidity.
- Odour and Humidity Optimisation: EverFresh+ and FreshGuard systems keep the humidity level inside the cabinet constantly balanced while preventing bad odours from mixing. The product's modern, clean, and understated exterior design achieves perfect integration with built-in kitchen architecture.
The Software Touch in Home Coffee Machines: Caffee Experto V4
The home coffee machine market is growing steadily, driven by consumers' desire for a professional barista experience. While hundreds of different mechanical machines are available, what sets the Caffee Experto V4 apart from its competitors and earned it the iF Design “UI/UX (User Experience)” award is its digital intelligence.
The Caffee Experto V4 frees the coffee preparation ritual from complex button combinations, transforming it into an aesthetic digital experience. Beverage options (espresso, latte, macchiato, etc.) are centrally positioned on the machine's smart display. Warm colour tones inspired by the world of coffee make the device's visual interface extremely inviting. Thanks to its simplified algorithm, the user can intuitively and intuitively adjust the strength or milk ratio of their coffee with a single touch, without any confusion.
Global Collaboration in the Premium Segment: Hitachi Skyline
The Hitachi Skyline Wardrobe-Style Refrigerator, a reflection of Arçelik's global brand management vision, has won the "Product Design Award" for its success in the premium segment.
The device maximises storage space with a hidden automatic ice maker that is not visible from the outside and an innovative water tank solution that doesn't reduce internal volume. Its bezel-less design offers smarter organisation. The honeycomb crystal surfaces and concealed lighting used in the interior design add refined luxury to the industrial design. Vacuum preservation technology stops the oxidation of sensitive foods like meat and fish, keeping them as fresh as the first day.
The IoT Revolution in Troubleshooting: Intelligent Guidance
The fact that the future of the white goods sector will be entirely software-driven is the strongest proof of this, as evidenced by Arçelik's fourth award. Their Intelligent Guidance software, which operates through the HomeWhiz IoT (Internet of Things) ecosystem, was awarded the grand prize in the UI/UX category.
This smart system saves users from reading thick user manuals and waiting for technical service. The system sends a proactive notification to the smartphone when periodic maintenance is needed (for example, descaling the coffee machine or replacing the refrigerator's carbon filter). It then provides step-by-step visual guidance via the mobile application, allowing the user to solve the problem on their own.
What is the iF Design Award and Why is it Important?
What does the iF Design Award organization mean in the global industry? This Germany-based organization, with its deep-rooted history of over 70 years, is recognized as the world's oldest and most independent design platform. In the world of industrial design, this award carries a prestige equivalent to the Oscars in the film industry.
Each year, thousands of designers, architects, engineers, and global companies from around the world submit their most ambitious designs to iF International Forum Design for evaluation by independent experts. The expert jury members do not judge products based solely on their external appearance. Products are meticulously tested according to five extremely demanding criteria: Idea, Form, Function, Differentiation, and Sustainability. Therefore, the presence of the iF Design logo on a device directly certifies to the consumer that the product is among the best, most innovative, and most user-friendly options in its class globally.
In conclusion, Arçelik, which will receive its awards in Berlin on April 27, 2026, has once again confirmed on the global stage how technology, software, and design simplify human life with these products bearing the Beko and Hitachi brands.
