On August 9, China Electronics Information Industry Development Research Institute released the Report on China’s Home‑Appliance Market in the First Half of 2021 (hereinafter referred to as the Report). According to the Report, China’s home‑appliance market rebounded at an accelerated pace in H1 2021, with retail revenue hitting RMB 429.3 billion, a year‑on‑year increase of 16.3 %. Among this total, the kitchen‑appliance market recorded retail revenue of RMB 72.5 billion, rising 27.6 % year‑on‑year. Its online retail revenue reached RMB 24.3 billion, and online penetration further climbed to 33.5 %.

The Report points out that benefiting from the long‑tail effect of the stay‑at‑home economy, the kitchen‑appliance market saw a notable recovery in the first half of the year. Products such as dishwashers, integrated stoves and built‑in appliances maintained sound growth momentum.

Integrated Cooking Centers Become the Fastest‑growing Category in the Kitchen‑appliance Market

Integrated stoves achieved explosive growth in H1 this year. The overall market size reached RMB 11.3 billion, surging 73 % year‑on‑year, ranking among the fastest‑growing kitchen‑appliance categories.

The Report indicates that steam‑bake integrated functions represent the main upgrading direction for integrated‑stove products. Range‑hood‑cooker‑disinfection integrated stoves, range‑hood‑cooker‑steam integrated stoves, and range‑hood‑cooker‑steam‑bake integrated stoves all achieved favorable market performance. Range‑hood‑cooker‑steam‑bake integrated stoves stood out especially impressively, grabbing a 57.3 % online‑market share within the RMB 10,000‑12,000 price bracket.

JD‑com data shows that retail revenue of integrated‑cooking‑center products jumped 268.4 % year‑on‑year in H1 2021, making it the fastest‑growing segment in the kitchen‑appliance market.

Intensified Competition in the Dishwasher Segment: Domestic Brands Gain the Upper Hand

Dishwashers kept gaining popularity driven by growing health‑conscious consumption. Per the Report, dishwasher retail revenue reached RMB 4.6 billion in H1 this year, up 25 % year‑on‑year.

The Report notes that product‑technology iteration has made integration a major trend for dishwashers. Models with a capacity of 10‑place‑settings or more have become mainstream. Major brands have ramped‑up investment in full‑size 13‑place‑setting built‑in and integrated dishwashers. Competition in the dishwasher market has intensified. Taking the online market as an example, domestic brands actively expanding market share have begun to gain the upper hand over foreign competitors.

Aowei Cloud‑Monitor data shows that during the online “618” shopping festival, domestic mass‑market brands represented by Midea and Haier captured 25.1 % of retail‑revenue market share; professional domestic kitchen‑appliance brands represented by Fotile and Robam took 5.6 %; foreign brands represented by Siemens and Panasonic accounted for 21.6 %.

Built‑in Multi‑function All‑in‑one Machines Generate RMB 2.5 Billion Half‑year Retail Revenue

In the first half of the year, built‑in multi‑function all‑in‑one machines, which deliver more diverse functions with smaller footprint than traditional kitchen appliances, gained dominant market advantages. Built‑in all‑in‑one machines including steam‑bake, microwave‑steam‑bake, microwave‑bake and microwave‑steam models offer consumers richer function combinations and capacity options, with rapidly rising penetration rates.

The Report states that built‑in multi‑function all‑in‑one machines posted RMB 2.5 billion retail revenue in H1, a 53 % year‑on‑year increase. Product‑upgrade priorities have shifted from capacity and inner‑liner material toward smarter cooking functions and healthier user experiences. Online star high‑growth products include Kadem electric ovens, Supor steam‑bake all‑in‑one built‑in ovens & steam‑ovens, and Robam 48L large‑capacity multi‑functional steam‑and‑bake combo appliances.

Fiercer Competition Across Kitchen‑appliance Segments; Higher Concentration among Leading Brands

From the brand‑competition perspective, the Report concludes that competition within kitchen‑appliance sub‑categories has intensified. Market‑share concentration for leading brands has risen markedly. Some new cross‑industry entrants enjoy strong momentum, while many small‑and‑medium‑sized brands face severe survival pressure.

Siemens and Midea together occupy nearly half of the dishwasher‑market share. The TOP‑10 brand list features new players such as Midea‑sub‑brand Hualing, DAOGRS, COLMO and Xiaomi. Canbo ranks No.1 in online‑retail revenue for disinfection cabinets; Mars takes the top spot in the online integrated‑stove market. Siemens, Robam, Midea, Fotile and Galanz occupy the top‑five positions in the built‑in‑appliance market.