Design, tech redefine home appliances

India's home appliances market is seeing a surge of new entrants—from design-led startups to D2C brands—each aiming to rewire how Indians cook, clean and live at home.

- Sowmya Ramasubramanian

Demand for smart, multifunctional and design-led appliances is rising, driven by lifestyle upgrades and tech adoption.

From glass air fryers and smart chimneys to app-enabled kitchen devices, a new wave of companies is targeting urban consumers upgrading their homes and are increasingly willing to experiment beyond established brands.

The surge is also mirrored in early-stage funding. EDT, the maker of glass air fryers, raised $1.4 million in December.

Nuuk, which makes vacuum cleaner and fans, among other products, secured $2 million from Vertex Ventures and Good Capital last August, followed by chimney maker Beyond Appliances’ $4 million round in December. Temasek-backed Atomberg, known for its fans and mixer-grinders, raised ₹212 crore in December.

Signs of this shift towards innovative and smart appliances are visible on online marketplaces as well. “Small home appliances are one of the fastest-growing categories for us, expanding at over 30% year-on-year,” Karthik Subbarayappa, director (home, kitchen & outdoors) at Amazon India, told Mint. “Strong customer inclination towards smart, AI-enabled features delivering real benefits like energy efficiency, intelligent navigation and remote access is driving most segments.”