Cuckoo, Cuchen battle in humidifiers as Coway expands into robots and medical devices

Rice cooker makers are now competing in the humidifier market, a water purifier company has pushed into robots and medical devices, and a boiler manufacturer has entered the bathroom appliance space. Mid-sized home appliance companies are rolling out new product lines by leveraging the technology and retail networks built around their core products. The strategies vary: some apply proprietary technology to new categories, while others expand through original equipment manufacturing partnerships.

Cuckoo launched a heated humidifier (CH-J301FW) on Tuesday, applying pressure-control technology developed for its pressure rice cookers. The product uses a pressure-free heating method that prevents internal pressure from building up, backed by seven safety mechanisms. It heats water to 100 degrees Celsius and can run continuously for up to 11 hours using a 3-liter tank. Safety features include a spill-resistant structure, a dual locking system, a low-water sensor and a child lock.

The move puts Cuckoo in direct competition with Cuchen, which launched two humidifier models in September — a heated humidifier and an ultrasonic humidifier. Cuchen's heated humidifier also uses a 3-liter tank and heats water above 100 degrees Celsius, with a dual safety lock and a pressure-control valve. Both companies are drawing on heating and pressure-control expertise accumulated through rice cooker manufacturing to improve the safety and hygiene of their humidifiers.

Cuchen has also entered the refrigerator market. In August, the company released four refrigerator models in three capacities — 85, 89 and 205 liters — targeting single- and two-person households, office users and consumers looking for a secondary unit. It was the first time Cuchen had offered refrigerators, extending a product lineup that already includes rice cookers, induction cooktops and food waste processors. The refrigerators are supplied through an OEM arrangement with an outside manufacturer.

Coway expanded into medical devices and robots this year. In October, the company officially launched a wearable walking-assist robot developed in partnership with Wirobotics and began offering it as a rental product — the first time Coway has put a robot on its rental platform. The device weighs 1.6 kilograms and provides walking support in sync with the user's movements, with seven selectable modes for different activities such as walking outdoors and climbing stairs.

In January, Coway launched a home medical device brand called Terasol and released Terasol U, a medical device for treating urinary incontinence. In April, it added Terasol P, a personal low-frequency electrical stimulator. The moves extend Coway's product range beyond water purifiers, air purifiers, mattresses and massage chairs into medical devices and robots. Notably, the company is applying its established rental sales model to both new categories.

The new product lines are contributing to Coway's earnings. The company reported third-quarter consolidated sales of 1.43 trillion won ($1.05 billion) on Friday, up 13.7 percent from a year earlier. Operating profit rose 7.3 percent to 260.8 billion won. Domestic sales grew 2.0 percent to 754.9 billion won. Coway said sales of new home appliances, including food waste processors and wall-mounted air conditioners, helped drive the domestic revenue expansion.

Kyung Dong Navien, a boiler specialist, is also broadening its lifestyle appliance footprint. In July, the company entered the bathroom ventilation appliance market for the first time with the launch of Navien Bathcare. The product offers four functions — dehumidification, warm air, drying and exhaust — to manage moisture, odor and temperature inside bathrooms. It extends the air quality management technology the company developed through its boiler and ventilation businesses into the bathroom space.

Kyung Dong Navien followed up in September with a subscription service for Bathcare, offering regular professional maintenance and bundled discounts for customers who use it alongside existing air quality management products. The launch illustrates how the company is diversifying not only its product lineup but also its sales model.

An industry official in the rice cooker sector said the overall market has been shrinking as rice consumption declines, prompting companies to use the brand recognition and trust built in that space to expand into other product categories. "We are in the early stages of these markets, but earnings are showing a noticeable improvement," the official said.