Do you ever feel like your kitchen doesn’t work as hard as you do? If so, it might be time to consider some upgrades to your home or office kitchen appliances. But, with so many different options on the market, figuring out what smart kitchen appliances are the right fit for you can be overwhelming. Take a look at these 8 smart kitchen appliances and see if any of them might be just what you need to take your cooking game to the next level!
1) Smart Refrigerator
8 Smart Kitchen Appliances
Nowadays, we use our refrigerators to store more than just produce. We keep whole turkeys, gallons of milk, and even pounds of meat in our fridges. A good refrigerator will have reliable cooling features as well as plenty of storage space. Newer fridges have an automated ice maker with a filter system for fresh water and frost-free freezer drawers for easy access to your frozen foods. Refrigerators come in a variety of shapes and sizes so you can find the one that best suits your needs.
A variety of sensors and a dedicated smart screen make the LG CES 2017 and Samsung Family Hub great for communicating with others, making lists, and reminding others. It’s expensive, but you can use your refrigerator to manage your kitchen. Some models skip the screen but feature intriguing features like scanning the inside of your refrigerator and creating a grocery list without opening it. Some refrigerators keep technology to a minimum, such as an alert if you leave the door open or a message letting you know that when you need to change the water filter. While you can choose pretty much any level of smart technology that you prefer, we suggest keeping it simple for the refrigerator, which does not benefit as much from tons of additional smart technology. In terms of storing food, you really need one that supports different climate controls so that food lasts longer.
2) Smart Coffee Maker
Coffee lovers rejoice! There is a new way to get your coffee ready in the morning and that is by making it with a smart coffee maker. The Nespresso Latissima W800 was designed specifically for busy, on-the-go people like you. You don’t need to wait around for it to finish making your coffee when you are in a hurry to go somewhere, because it can make the perfect espresso in only 18 seconds! With just one push of a button, this appliance will grind the beans, brew espresso and prepare crema too – all automatically.
The features don’t stop there. It also has a cup warmer, so that every time you pour yourself a cup of joe, it’s steaming hot. A built-in milk frother lets you create cafe-quality lattes and cappuccinos at home and there’s even an automatic capsule ejector which eliminates the hassle of opening up the machine every time to discard your used capsules. Oh, and did we mention how easy it is to clean? And how beautiful its stainless steel exterior looks? Sounds like something worth investing in!
3) Smart Oven
8 Smart Kitchen Appliances
The Weber Spirit II E-310 LP grill offers users a large capacity, with a grilling surface measuring 390 square inches. The deep rim around the entire cooking area is made of high-temperature porcelain coated steel and features flush mounted side shelves for tools or food, this increases the surface area you have to work with by 16%. This model also comes with a push-button igniter, an electric ignition system that allows you to preheat your grill in just 20 minutes. You can easily monitor your progress with the help of the easy-read thermometer on the lid. Another feature that will make life easier is the built-in meat probe that lets you check the temperature without opening the oven door every few minutes.
4) Smart Instant Pot
The Instant Pot is so much more than a pressure cooker! This multi-function appliance can sear, slow cook, steam, and make yogurt. It also has seven different functions for browning and sautéing meats and veggies on the stovetop, and three pre-set cooking modes for beans/chili, soup/stew, or rice. We love it because it’s so versatile – perfect for any meal or occasion. Instant Pot models retail anywhere from $80 to $150.
Slow-cooking food is the best way to preserve nutrients, and a Crock-Pot does just that. You can set it up in the morning and come home hours later to a hot dinner. We recommend this one for people who want something simple but reliable – with low price tags ranging from $30-$70 dollars.
5) Smart Dehydrator
8 Smart Kitchen Appliances
If you haven’t had a chance to learn about all the wonderful things you can do with a dehydrator, we’re going to get you up to speed. This handy appliance is all about taking the water out of foods and allowing you to store them for a long time in this state. We can then use these dehydrated foods as bases for many recipes or enjoy them as they are.
Dehydrators are electric or gas powered and they use a fan that blows hot air over food on trays that we place inside it. The air on these trays will keep drying and cooking what’s on it until it removes all the water from the food. Depending on the type of food we dry, it will take between 12-24 hours.
The benefits of a dehydrator are that they use much less energy than your oven or stove top and they also don’t heat up your kitchen like those other appliances would if left running for hours at a time. The biggest downfall to using one is that it needs ample space around it because the machine needs to work hard which causes an increase in airflow around the unit. By taking good care during preparation and post-drying handling, most foods can successfully dry out using home equipment, though some raw meat products may not dry well without professional equipment designed specifically for this purpose.
6) Smart Mesh Strainer
A lot of people use a mesh strainer to make pasta, but it also works for a lot of other things in the kitchen. A mesh strainer is a kitchen tool used for sifting and straining foods that are difficult to strain any other way. They are made from a woven metal wire with two meshes, one small, and one larger. If you want to remove the liquid from fruits and vegetables or get the excess water out of chopped spinach, for instance, use this to filter them through before using them in your recipe.
The same goes for making sauces, soups, and stocks- strain these through a mesh strainer to get all the tasty bits out of the solids. It’s especially handy when using fibrous vegetables like celery or broccoli stems which can sometimes be too difficult to cut up. For example, if you’re making a vegetable soup and need to strain the veggies without cooking them beforehand (which makes them lose their nutrients), just place a mesh strainer over a bowl, fill it with strained veggies then pour the soup over it. You can also buy bags designed specifically for cheesecloth so they’re more durable than regular old cloth towels and can handle heavier items like dried beans.
7) Smart Standing Mixer
8 Smart Kitchen Appliances
A standing mixer will do the heavy lifting for you with any type of bread dough, cookie, cake, or even marshmallow fluff. Add some high-quality ingredients and let this kitchen appliance make the magic happen. It’s a real-time saver on days when you have tons of dishes to wash after dinner but still want to indulge in that sweet stuff. With a six-quart bowl and 800 watts of power, the machine is a foodie’s dream come true. The tilt-head allows you to use the beater, whisk, and dough hooks with ease. Plus, it comes with two dishwasher-safe attachments: an ice cream maker and pasta roller/cutter! You can make all sorts of homemade goodies right at home, without having to spend hours in the kitchen.
8) Smart Salad Spinner
KitchenAid’s salad spinner makes salad prep easier than ever. Load the bowl with lettuce and then turn the handle clockwise to spin, while oil and vinegar (or any other dressing) drip onto the top of your greens. It’s designed with a strainer so you don’t have to worry about washing it after. Plus, it only takes a few seconds before you’re ready to enjoy! The Salad Spinner has an 8-cup capacity, is BPA-free, dishwasher safe, and UL/ETL listed. It also features a lifetime warranty on its plastic parts. If you can’t find one in stores like Bed Bath & Beyond or Amazon, they are available at retailers such as Macy’s or Target.