'Disinfection' cabinet that zaps coronavirus could be the must-have gadget this Christmas

A “disinfection” cabinet that zaps coronavirus could be the must-have gadget this Christmas as manufacturers launch a range of anti-COVID appliances amid demand for professional levels of hygiene in UK households.

The cleaning cabinet uses UV light to kill bacteria and viruses on the surfaces of personal objects such as keys, mobile phones, bags and toys.

The gadget, which looks like a microwave and costs £199, has been put on the market by the electrical brand Beko.

It is part of the brand’s “Hygiene Shield” range, which also includes a fridge with a disinfection drawer and tumble dryer with a UV setting. The products were rushed into production after a poll of Beko customers in 31 countries found widespread concerns about domestic hygiene.

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The company said the products are designed to provide consumers with “peace of mind that their homes are safe and clean.”

Online electrical goods retailer AO.com said there had been a huge rise in searches for terms such as “anti-bac” and “steam clean” on its website, according to the Guardian.

Sales of steam cleaning appliances have shot up by 140% this year, compared with 2019, while demand for washing machines with 90C wash cycles and steam settings rose by 87%, according to AO.

Unilever highlighted a jump in demand for soap and cleaning products supplies during lockdown which looks set to continue.

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“Consumers are extremely uncomfortable with coming back into their homes after they’ve been outside, whether it’s shopping, something being delivered, their clothing, their shoes, their keys, their phones,” Hakan Bulgurlu, chief executive of Beko owner Arçelik, told the Guardian.

“Everybody has a little table where they put keys, hats or spare change by the door. It’s probably not the most attractive thing to put there but as soon as you arrive home you can put your keys, wallet or mobile inside to be disinfected,” he said of the UV cleaning cabinet.

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