'Small rice' xiaomi goes big with smart cooker

Hurt for long by superior Japanese small appliances, domestic manufacturers are unleashing improved products

Makers of home appliances in China are improving their products to win back quality-conscious Chinese consumers who go overseas on shopping sprees.

The campaign to make new, improved made-in-China products started with the electric rice cooker. Big players such as Midea Group, Gree Electric Appliances Inc and consumer electronics major Xiaomi Corp launched high-end induction heating or IH rice cookers recently.