The Japanese will soon have a refrigerator which can keep meals hot as well as cold to accommodate families who dine apart most of the time with husbands working late and children studying into the night.
Billed as a world first, the fridge, made by electronics firm Sharp, has a space of 20 litres in the middle that can be kept at 55C, just next to a box for ice cubes.
The company said ”an increasing number of people have meals alone reflecting changing family lifestyles.
”It can be used to keep dinner warm for husbands who come home late” or snacks for children coming home late from after-school activities, Sharp said in a statement.
The warm space can automatically switch into cooling mode with a pre-set timer, it added.
Total storage space comes to 455 litres in the fridge which goes on sale March 11 in Japan for 238 000 yen ($2 300).
A company survey showed that 44% of Japanese households have dinner together only at the weekend as office workers work later and children often study after school to prepare for exams. – Sapa-AFP