With more and more of us running our lives from our smartphones, a new generation of kitchen appliances are offering connectivity at the swipe of a finger. With the smart kitchen market expected to grow by almost 25% by 2025, this year’s trend is all about combining technology with style.
So, we’ve looked at the latest appliances to bring your kitchen into the 21st century.
Born smart
There’s no shortage of gadgets for the kitchen improver or for those of us who choose to ‘build smart’ right from our first kitchen design. For clean-handed chefs and messy families alike, motion sense-equipped faucets continue to be a popular choice. For those who love to be in control and informed too, how about a smart egg tray? It will tell you how many eggs you have left and check their shelf life – and you won’t even have to open your fridge door!
Keeping it cool
Have you ever stared blankly at the refrigerators in the grocery store wondering if you’re out of milk at home? Now you don’t have to. Big brands like Samsung are setting the bar on a whole new way of organizing family life.
Their awe-inspiring Family Hub™ is available in 3 unique designs. The 4-door version gives you the option of turning the bottom right compartment from a fridge into a freezer and back again! Thanks to interior cameras which take a photo every time you close your fridge door, you can check the contents of your fridge from just about anywhere! You can also set phone notifications to let you know when you need to go shopping.
The app enables you to share calendars, photos and notes between your refrigerator and your family’s smartphones, so you can touch base anytime and anywhere. So, no more paper ‘to do’ lists or school sporting fixtures stuck to the fridge with magnets!
If you just want have some fun, take advantage of the large screen on the Family Hub to stream music and videos while you cook. Just mind your fingers when chopping!
It’s not all about technology
Efficiency is the watchword for 2018, but that doesn’t always mean getting ‘smart’. Sometimes a novel idea (or even a different slant on an old one) is all it takes. Here are a few trends which aren’t competing in the smart stakes but are well worth taking note of:
3-rack dishwashers
These offer more efficient use of space and improved utensil washing. If you’re looking for that ‘super sparkle’, models with the higher-tech washer jet mechanism are a must.
Door-within-door fridges
Why let warm air enter your entire fridge when you’re only reaching for a beer? Keep your fridge performing at maximum efficiency by storing popular items in an isolated area.
Glass-fronted fridges
See inside the fridge without having to open the door. Simple but effective!
Ovens: what’s hot and what’s not
The stand-alone “range-style” appliance is fast becoming a thing of the past. Nowadays, induction cook-tops paired with separate single wall ovens are the oven of choice for amateur chefs and busy moms alike. Using magnets to heat a pan directly, rather than indirectly, induction cooktops facilitate precise temperature control and faster cooking.
If you’re looking for style in a limited space, a wall oven with French doors is a perfect choice. For smartphone addicts, a wall oven equipped with Bluetooth will also enable you to control the functions remotely!
Steaming ahead to a healthier lifestyle
A research study carried out by Mintel in 2017 found that nearly half of Canadians feel guilty when they eat foods they consider unhealthy. It’s hardly surprising then that steam ovens rank highly on the wish lists of the health conscious. They help retain food nutrients and flavor better than conventional ovens. Better still, they cook in super quick time!
At Verbeek, we work with our partners to design and install new kitchens which include your choice of innovative appliances. For more details, call us at 519-685-1811 or drop by our kitchen showroom at 189 Exeter Rd. London, ON.