LG brings WashTower and heat pump to SA

LG is planning two laundry upgrades for South Africa: a bigger WashTower and a heat pump washer-dryer combo.

I got a closer look at it during the LG Home Appliance Solutions Tour in Seoul, South Korea, where Recharged attended as a guest of LG SA. The focus is on making everyday household chores a little less of a job.

LG says it plans to launch a 27-inch WashTower and a 24-inch heat pump washer-dryer combo locally in November, targeting the Black Friday shopping period. Both appliances take different approaches to the same problem: getting your washing and drying done without giving up more space than necessary.

A BIGGER WASHTOWER FOR SOUTH AFRICA

• AI All-in-one Stackable Washer Dryer Solution
• Large Capacity 25kg Washer and 20kg Dryer
• TurboCleab 360 – Rapid Wash Cycle (Washer only)
• AI Heat Pump Dryer
• Smart Pairing
• ThinQ

The WashTower combines a washing machine at the bottom and a dryer above it in a single, integrated body. Unlike an all-in-one washer-dryer, these are two separate drums, so you still move your clothes from the washer to the dryer. The difference is that it has been designed as one appliance, rather than two machines stacked together.

The 27-inch model earmarked for South Africa will come in black, with a 25kg washing capacity and a 20kg drying capacity, according to LG’s presentation in Seoul. These are fairly large capacities, making this the option to watch if you regularly work through large laundry loads.

One of its more practical features is also one of its simplest: the controls sit in the middle. Instead of reaching up to operate a dryer’s panel, you can control both machines from the central interface. LG says the 27-inch WashTower is also around 80mm shorter than a conventional stacked arrangement.

The two machines can also talk to each other. With Smart Pairing, the washer passes cycle information to the dryer, which can select a compatible drying programme. It won’t transfer your clothes for you, but it removes another decision from the process.

Then there’s AI Direct Drive, or AI DD. Rather than treating every load the same way, LG says the system adjusts washing motions according to characteristics such as load weight and fabric type. Delicates get gentler treatment, while sturdier fabrics can receive a more vigorous wash. The dryer adds sensor-based adjustments to drying time and temperature, alongside LG’s Dual Inverter HeatPump technology.

The 25/20kg WashTower Stacked Washer Dryer in black is currently on pre-order in South Africa and launching on a Black Friday deal. The full price is listed as R79 999 but there’s a 37.5% discount for the launch, which brings it to R49 999.

With those price points, LG is certainly targeting the premium market.

THE HEAT PUMP COMBO IN ONE DRUM

The other local launch is the 24-inch heat pump washer-dryer combo. An all-in-one solution where clothes go into one drum for washing and then stays there for drying.

LG confirmed the 11kg washing capacity and 6kg drying capacity for the South African market, but it has not yet launched. Stay tuned for updates when it gets here.

If you want a continuous wash-and-dry cycle without taking anything out, pay attention to the smaller drying capacity, rather than filling it with an 11kg washing load. Or you could split the load and dry some of it outdoors.

The appeal is here is convenience. You get washing and drying in the footprint of one appliance, with a flatter front designed to fit more neatly into compact spaces. An LCD dial handles programme selection and displays information, while AI DD adjusts the washing action to suit the load.

The interesting part of this appliance is how it dries. LG is using an inverter heat pump rather than the conventional heater-based drying system discussed in the media presentation. This allows lower-temperature drying, with better energy efficiency and gentler treatment of fabrics, according to LG.

For anyone choosing between the two products: the WashTower offers much larger capacities in a vertically integrated setup, while the combo prioritises a single-machine footprint and no transfer between washing and drying.

SOLARDOM BRINGS SEVERAL COOKINGS JOBS IN ONE APPLIANCE

The new SolarDOM follows a similar space-saving approach to the laundry combo, bringing microwave, grill, convection oven and air-frying functions into one appliance. If your countertop is already crowded, combining those jobs could be more useful than adding another standalone gadget.

LG lists 10 cooking modes and 60 automatic cooking options, along with top and bottom grilling. Its round interior is also designed to make cleaning easier by removing awkward corners. ThinQ connectivity adds app-based monitoring and controls, including cooking-time settings and maintenance reminders.

Recharged shared an article when it launched in September. You can catch up here:

LG introduces smart 38L SolarDOM

The SolarDOM is currently listed on the LG SA website for its Black Friday deal at R12 999 for the full black unit and R13 999 for the one with stainless steel.

The prices in our original article indicated a launch special. Both units sell for R18 999 and R19 999 respectively.