Would you pay £24,000 for a fridge?

At the start of this month, the modish kitchen appliance brand Sub-Zero & Wolf proudly announced the launch of its Classic French Door fridge-freezer. This beast of a machine, featuring Nasa-inspired air purification technology and an automatic ice-maker complete with ‘party mode’, will set you back £23,868 ­– or the best part of a year’s salary for the average UK worker.

Admittedly it does look like an impressive piece of kit, what with its nano-coated glass shelves which stop spills from spreading, crisper drawers with humidity levels designed to keep food fresher for longer and shadow-reducing interior lights. And the kind of people who truly care about having a Sub-Zero & Wolf insignia on their fridge – or even knew it was a thing – are probably not too worried about its price tag. 

But while this particular product might be something of a niche purchase, it’s also indicative of a wider trend in the highest echelons of the housing market.