China makes more than 70 per cent of the world's kitchen appliances, handily out-competing manufacturers in Japan, Europe and the United States by offering mid-range quality at very low prices.
Over the past decade, most foreign manufacturers have outsourced production to China, focused on ultra-high-end products or gone out of business.
A handful of cities in the Pearl River Delta - Shunde, Foshan, Zhongshan, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Dongguan - produced US$2.45 billion worth of kitchen appliances, or more than 60 per cent of the mainland's output, according to a study by Global Sources, a Nasdaq-listed trade facilitator.
Shunde has become an appliance hub, where factories churn out millions of microwave ovens, rice cookers, kettles and other kitchen helpers every year.
'Shunde is No1 by far for kitchen appliances. You have the world's largest makers sitting there,' said Michael Kleist, a senior Global Sources analyst.
'The factories are huge. The high volume enables them to drive down costs with economies of scale.'