LG Electronics said on the 26th that its InstaView (known in Korea as Knock-On) refrigerator, introduced as a world first, has surpassed a global cumulative sales mark of 5 million units.
Since its 2016 launch, the InstaView refrigerator has sold about 5.3 million units worldwide through last month. That means roughly one unit sold every minute over the past 10 years. InstaView is a feature that turns on the interior light when the refrigerator door, finished with specially coated glass, is tapped twice, allowing users to check ingredients without opening the door. The special glass developed in-house by LG Electronics looks like a mirror under normal conditions and turns transparent when knocked, while providing insulation performance.
By region, North America accounted for about 30% of total sales, making it the largest market. In North America, where large-capacity refrigerators are favored and home-party culture is developed, the convenience of checking beverages or ingredients without opening the door and the design competitiveness have resonated with consumers.
Europe is the second-largest market, accounting for about 20% of total sales. Among European consumers, who prioritize energy efficiency, eco-friendliness, and food storage performance, features that reduce cold-air loss and maintain freshness received positive reviews. Recently, as demand for premium appliances has grown in emerging markets such as Asia and Latin America, sales have been expanding.
Over the past 10 years, the InstaView refrigerator has won the Red Dot Design Award, the iF Design Award, IDEA, and the CES Innovation Award, and it was also selected for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Minister's Award at the Good Design (GD) Award in Korea and for the "Best 100" at Japan's Good Design Award.
LG Electronics said that an analysis of global customer reviews showed that, while earlier evaluations focused mainly on the convenience of checking ingredients and the effect of reducing cold-air loss, there has recently been a rise in positive responses to sophisticated design and user experience.
Kim Jae-il, head of the Kitchen Solutions Business Unit at LG Electronics, said, "Just as the 'knock, knock' on the LG InstaView refrigerator changed how people use refrigerators, we will continue to make customers' dietary lives more convenient and enjoyable based on AI and innovative cooling and preservation technologies."