In today's fast-paced world, where convenience meets technology, the smart kitchen stands out as a game-changer for anyone who loves cooking or entertaining. As we head into the holidays, this information is particularly useful for those who value time-saving solutions.
As you know, "smart" technology means app or WiFi connectivity, and there are countless ways to connect your home today. Smart homes, especially smart kitchens, are no longer a luxury statement but are becoming more common in homes nationwide. Things we dreamed of a few decades ago (possibly watching the Jetsons) are now changing the heart of the home—the kitchen. The advances we will share provide more efficient ways to cook, manage food storage, and clean while elevating your entertainment game.
Being the internet-connected people we are, many appliances can easily be managed by voice activation using virtual assistants such as Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant. Whether you need to preheat the oven while driving home from work or see how many apples you have left in the fridge, you can do both at the push of an icon on your phone or smartwatch. All of this helps you be more efficient while saving time.
And who doesn't need more time these days? Innovative kitchen technology is designed to give you more time to enjoy the things you love, whether it's cooking, entertaining, or simply relaxing.
So, where do we start? Ideally, any "smart" items we add to our home should streamline and simplify life. While I have heard of most of the advances, a few surprised me. Although I should say I'm relatively old-school when it comes to the kitchen, technologies are certainly making life in the kitchen simpler and more enjoyable.
Smart oven ranges by Samsung and Bosch seemed to rank the highest in ratings. Both companies offer connecting software so appliances can communicate. Samsung has AI Family Hub, and Bosch uses Home Connect, an app that intelligently connects you to your home. While brands like Samsung have smart appliance packages that allow communication, the research we studied shows that we have a bit to go before the smart kitchen is interoperable, allowing different brands to talk utilizing the same app.
A smart oven range can monitor temperature and humidity, creating the optimal cooking or baking experience. This ensures that your pumpkin bread or coffee cake is perfect this fall. Some ovens can steam, bake, broil, toast, air fry, and even dehydrate under one roof. Others allow you to control the oven using your voice—perfect for turning off the oven when you are in the middle of movie night and don't want to leave the couch. Internal cameras let you watch your cookies bake from your phone as you wrap gifts in another room.
Smart ranges include displays that play videos instructing you as you cook, and the Samsung Bespoke oven even has a 7" AI Home LCD that lets you see who's at the front door while cooking. Nice, warm ambient edge lighting can tell you the oven is on, and you can open the oven door with a simple voice command.
One notable advancement, the invisible induction cooktop. Wow!
While Europe has enjoyed induction cooktops for decades, this smart appliance is gaining traction in the U.S. as gas stoves phase out. Induction is considered a safer, faster, and more efficient way to cook, providing better consistency and an easier surface to clean. The electromagnetic technology used in induction cooking is fascinating. However, nothing amazed me more than the invisible induction cooktops by Infinity in Italy. Check them out.
Smart refrigerators are not necessarily new, but their technology continues to improve. You can do everything from tracking items in your refrigerator using an internal camera to monitoring expiration dates, minimizing waste, and keeping food fresh. It is also convenient to look at your smartphone at the grocery store to see if you need milk or other items.
You can now watch TV on the refrigerator, play Spotify or a cooking video, answer a phone call, or let your favorite pictures scroll. A simple app can manage your grocery list and meal plan and collect and categorize recipes. Some new smart refrigerators come with multiple panel styles and colors, allowing you to customize your fridge based on your mood or the occasion. You can change a freezer component to a fridge component and back based on your needs.
Smart refrigerators are eco-friendly, energy-efficient, and might just have a built-in deodorizing filter. They will REALLY prove smart when they can actually assess what you have in the fridge AND the pantry.
Smart dishwashers, well, there's only a little they can do, but we were impressed that they can diagnose issues or alert you when maintenance is required. They can set your wash cycle based on the number and type of dishes in the dishwasher. Most importantly, these smart appliances can save both water and energy.
Another item that surprised us is the Thermomix TM6, an innovative multifunctional cooking and prep tool. While a countertop device, this appliance has 28 cooking functions and a touchscreen for guided cooking. It can chop, blend, knead, steam, saute, grind, whisk, cook, and more. Having one appliance to prepare most of your food seems revolutionary.
And then, there is coffee.
Who would dare forget coffee? Personally, coffee is my favorite, but that is because I'm not the cook of our home and don't bake, but I do love coffee. Did you know you can wow your guests over the holidays by creating a coffee playlist full of barista-quality beverages and send them straight to your smart coffee maker while entertaining?
Of course, coffee makers have been able to tell you when they need to be cleaned for a while now. However, newer machines can tell you to refill your coffee beans or milk while controlling your beverage's strength, temperature, and size and determining whether you want a latte, espresso, or simple coffee. The K-Supreme Plus smart coffee maker has built-in technology (BrewID) that customizes brew settings by recognizing the K-cup and the roaster recommendations.
Alexa-enabled coffee machines can share more than a great cup of coffee; some can tell you the weather and traffic or play your favorite tunes. I especially like that you can tell the Echo Dot by your bedside to turn on your Alexa coffee in the kitchen before getting out of bed. My favorite smart coffee machine was the Miele CM6360. I'm not sure Kyle will be up for purchasing one for Christmas, but a girl can dream.
We could go on and on about so many intelligent kitchen gadgets. From precision cookers to smart, instant pots, the variety of cooking tools is astonishing. Are they all fool-proof? Not from what we researched. Sometimes, the camera in the fridge decides that your yogurt is a soft drink, and smart doesn't always mean good when making a cup of coffee. Some of the technology needs to be improved upon before investing your money. And, of course, we know some would prefer to remain untethered to the ever-increasing app and WiFi-centered world. We get it.
We have come a long way from the Jetsons. Hosting Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner where everything runs seamlessly – from preparing appetizers to perfectly cooked casseroles to playing your favorite holiday playlist and even executing barista-level coffee drinks- is an enticing way to elevate your entertaining skills.
An intelligent kitchen can transform your entertainment, making it more enjoyable and less stressful. With smart appliances and systems designed to cater to your needs, you can focus on what truly matters—creating lasting memories with your friends and family. We would love to talk if you're interested in learning more about upgrading your kitchen design and incorporating smart features.
