It’s due time that the heart of our homes gets an upgrade into the 21st century. The age of technological advancements has been the guiding force that changed everything from how we travel to how we shop. Now it’s time for the kitchen to be improved by the newest innovations in electronics and kitchen appliances.
Technological advancements have the power to change the world. We’ve seen it happen ever since the first computer was invented, and we’ll continue to see it happen everywhere around us. The problem is no longer about what we can do. It’s about when we can do it. As chips and boards got smaller, the application of technology evolved. Before we knew it, we no longer needed pen and paper to write, a landline to call, use a fax to send a message, a TV to watch a movie, a stereo to listen to music, or a computer to send an email. Nowadays, we can do all that and so much more from our phones. We’re not saying that we got to the point when we can send a command from our phone to make a sandwich, but we can make a coffee. Notice that I didn’t say order a coffee. Yes. With the right technology implemented in your home, you’ll be able to make a coffee from your phone.
Article Summary:
- Our Ever-Changing World
- Kitchens are Getting Smarter
- Benefits of a Smart Kitchen
- The Larger they Are, the Smarter they Are
- Learning from the Big Boys – small kitchen appliances
Before you start thinking that you’ll pour coffee from your phone, don’t, that’s not technologically possible, nor is it safe. Liquids and electricity don’t go well, but we’ll see how exactly that and everything else is possible in a second. Let’s get the basics out of the way first and see how your smart home can get even smarter.
Our Ever-Changing World
We live in a time when connectivity is closer to the essence of life than it’s ever been. People born after 2000 don’t know what life was like before the internet, and those born after 2007 can’t imagine life without a smartphone because they never experienced it. The way we live our lives now would seem like something out of a sci-fi movie to people living in the 1980s, for example. It’s sometimes shocking to acknowledge how far and how fast technology has advanced, but the thing is, this development is not stopping.
Every futuristic movie we’ve seen offers ideas to developers, and while we don’t have the “Back to the Future” hoverboard yet, we do have a type of hoverboard. The name is meant to be a marketing strategy as real-life hoverboards don’t actually hover. And “Spy-kids” gave us the microwave that turns a capsule similar to a coffee capsule into a full-blown meal. We don’t have that yet, but these types of ideas have pushed innovation forwards for decades, if not centuries. The best example is the book “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” and the real-life submarine.
Living in this connected world gives us access to the best things in life. While our modern lifestyle harms the environment, the technological advancements that are part of the problem may also solve the climate crisis we are experiencing. We couldn’t live our lives the way we do now without technology’s upgrades. Whether it’s about time spent with our families, our jobs, or our busy schedules, we couldn’t juggle everything on our plates without this level of connectivity.
The heart of the home is where our families can enjoy another type of connectivity; human connectivity. We can not attain this through technology. While we can video call someone, 1,000 miles away, it’s not the same as having them by our side. The kitchen is where this type of connection still happens, and, surprisingly, our kitchens, aside from getting updated to keep up with the latest trends, were the least connected areas in our lives for a long time.
That is about to change as “smart” integrated systems are being implemented to make our human connectivity even better. When you spend less time cooking every meal for your family, you get more time to spend with them. These systems, however, will do more than that by helping us save money and effort as well.
Kitchens are Getting Smarter
Before you start testing your kitchen’s IQ level, let’s see what a smart kitchen means. The desire for innovation has been pushed by humans wanting to increase their comfort levels. A driving force started all of this, and it’s now time for innovation to reach our kitchens.
What we’ll soon refer to as smart kitchens implement the Internet of Things technology in kitchen appliances, spaces, and outlets, through connectivity protocols. Some of these protocols are widely available and known, like WiFi and Bluetooth, while others are less known but just as important as LoRaWAN. Combining these appliances and protocols will allow owners to control their kitchens remotely through their smartphones, tablets, or hubs like Alexa or Nest, among others.
The use of these smart appliances won’t only help us manage our time and money better, but they will also improve our home’s energy efficiency and safety. Your coffee machine won’t always be connected to electricity. Still, you will be able to control it by giving a command from your smartphone and have a delicious cup of coffee ready by the time you reach your kitchen in the morning. You won’t have to deal with the situation where you pour milk over your son’s cereal in the morning only to discover that it’s gone bad because the fridge will let you know it’s expired and will also order one for you ahead of time. We’re about to dive deeper but be aware that these aren’t taken out of a science fiction book or movie. These are as real as the coffee cup we mentioned.
Benefits of a Smart Kitchen
Before I bombard you with all the ways in which a smart kitchen will make your life better, similar to every other smart home device you own, just think about how much time you spend in your kitchen every day. How about all the times when the meal wasn’t as perfect as you wanted it to be. Maybe a show on Netflix distracted you, and the stew got burnt, or you took the lasagna out of the oven too soon. That means a less than perfect meal if you eat it. If you don’t, it means waste, wasted time, more time spent to cook another meal, and more energy, product, or gas consumed for that meal. Are you ready to say “Farewell!” to all of that? If the answer is yes, then have fun!
Time
Our lives are on fast-forward most of the time, and we’re in a hurry to get to one place or another. Both single people and adults with families are finding it harder and harder to manage their time in such a way that they have a home-cooked meal every time they get hungry. Many of us order food, stop on the way home for take-out or settle for frozen pizza. A working parent may not always have the time to make a home-cooked meal for the family, and with how our schedules are, it’s no wonder. Smart kitchen appliances can solve all of that by making it as easy as getting the ingredients ready and pushing a button.
Less Waste
We already mentioned that your fridge could tell you when something has gone bad, but it can also allow you a sneak peek inside while you’re grocery shopping. This eliminates multiple purchases as groceries have expiration dates or constantly opening the fridge door. Having more than the necessary amount of perishables only leads to more waste, and by knowing what you need to buy when you’re shopping, you won’t have to worry about food expiring in your fridge.
Better Cooking Skills
Thanksgiving cooking will be so much easier when you don’t have to check the turkey’s temperature constantly. All that time spent going from the living room to the kitchen and back, the time you’d rather spend entertaining your Thanksgiving guests will be reduced to checking a notification on your phone. The same goes for preparing a meal. You’ll be laughing with your in-laws while your pot is stirring itself at the precise pattern and intensity required while your stove is set at the exact heat required. Also, if you need an avocado recipe for something you’ve never done before, your fridge can help you access it and give you a cooking class. Are you ready to astonish your guests with your cooking skills?
More Nutritious Meals
You’ll be able to synchronize your diet plan, fitness nutrition needs, and calorie intake on your food’s ingredients with much more ease. This information will be easily accessible on various kitchen appliances and your smartphone. Having them all connected will help you keep tabs on what you eat, how much you eat, and what you can and cannot eat, depending on your diet or nutrition plan.
Increased Safety
Without going into scenarios where the fridge turns into a man-eating robot, smart kitchen appliances are safer to use than regular ones. These appliances have built-in safety mechanisms that can notify you if anything isn’t right and shut off entirely if worst comes to worst without causing a bigger problem for your whole kitchen. Some of these appliances can be connected to gas or water valves to shut them off if necessary, and overheating can be stopped at the source without affecting other appliances. Because of these upgraded features, insurance companies offer premium discounts for people who have smart integrated kitchen systems.
The Larger they Are, the Smarter they Are
Again, we’re not talking about kitchen appliances that are Transformers on the side. These are your common kitchen appliances that just got a bit of an upgrade.
Smart Range
The first thing you need to understand about a smart range is that its primary purpose is to cook. However, while your stove can provide heat for you to cook a meal, a smart range has a smarter range than that. This appliance will connect to your home’s network (WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.) by combining the purpose of a stove and oven with the smartest technology available on the market. You’ll be relaxing on your couch watching Netflix while you adjust the temperature beneath your Creme Brulee to make sure that the top sugary part gets just the right amount of heat for the crust to form. When your ribs are tender and fall-off-the-bone delicious, but the family is still enjoying the outdoor weather, let them enjoy the time together while you set your smart range just to keep the meal warm and ready to serve without even moving away from your guests. Also, with a smart range, you won’t have to worry about preheating your oven to the right temperature before you throw the food in. As long as it knows what you’re cooking, it will set the temperature itself.
Smart Oven
Through simple navigation from your smartphone, you’ll be able to set the right temperature for the meal you’re about to prepare on your way home from work. Like that, the oven will be ready to cook as soon as you walk through the door. Also, suppose you have to run and pick up your children from practice. In that case, a smart oven can notify you when the internal temperature of the food is just right. You’ll be able to monitor the food and know when it’s ready, as well as turn off the heat while your children are getting in your car. There are smart ovens that allow you to cook two dishes simultaneously even if they require different cooking temperatures or only use half of it without using the extra energy needed to heat the whole chamber.
Smart Refrigerator
Are you ready for a refrigerator that can make you coffee? I know. Me neither, but if you are, the option is available. This is probably the most updated and smart appliance available on the market at the present time because the amount of things that you can do with a smart refrigerator is closer to fantasy than reality. Refrigerators nowadays have access to an unlimited amount of information, giving them the possibility to shop in your place. Yes, you read that right. Your fridge won’t only let you know when something goes bad or give you access to see what’s inside when you’re at the store but will also be able to shop for you. They will be the center of communication for the family as well as an entertainment option as they will connect with your smart TV. Other functions include:
- Adjusting temperature remotely
- See Through glass panels in the doors
- Warning notification when the door was left open
- Alerts when the water filter needs to be replaced
- Notification when ice cube level is low
- Screen display for optimizing schedules, and other interactive options
- Compartments that can become freezers when needed.
Smart Washer and Dryer
While getting a notification on your smartphone when your laundry is done may not be the most exciting feature of smart washers and dryers, others caught our attention. Adjusting the settings remotely, from work, or diagnosing problems and helping you manage some issues through troubleshooting videos that they might encounter can help you save money on costly repairs. Some of these updated and technologically advanced appliances can disperse the exact amount of detergent or fabric softener required for each wash. The most fantastic feature of the most innovative washers is that they let you know when your detergent supply is low and order it for you, so you have it on hand when necessary. As they are connected to your home’s network system, they can communicate with each other and match their fabric settings, so your clothes are always soft and managed with the delicacy they require.
Learning from the Big Boys – small kitchen appliances
Large appliances aren’t the only ones that got smarter. While your fridge won’t actually school your smaller kitchen appliances, some of the same technology is also applied to them.
Instant Recipes
If you want to wow your guests with some of the best American recipes for a party and are unsure how to prepare it, simply ask Alexa, “Alexa, what’s the recipe for Cheese Fondue with Beer and Bourbon?”. In no time, Alexa will provide the recipe and a video teaching you how to do it. It will make it a lot easier if the ingredients are ripe and ready for picking in your garden.
Smart WiFi Instant Pot
We all know how multiple personality disorders affect people, but do you know how they affect your instant crockpot. Well, firstly, you’ll be the one controlling that personality. Whether you want it to act like a pressure cooker, rice cooker, steamer, cake maker, food warmer, or yogurt maker, you’ll get that “personality” with a press of a button. All you’ll need to do is prepare the ingredients beforehand and set the “personality” you want.
Sous Vide Cooker
Also known as an immersion circulator that requires you to place the food in a plastic pouch and put it in a water bath. The device will control the temperature making it very practical for home-cooked meals. This appliance can also be controlled remotely, so by the time you get home, your food is ready to eat.
Automatic Pan Stirrer
So you’re making a special sauce for your main course, but your guest arrived early. Instead of making them wait in the living room or have them hover around the kitchen while you continuously stir in the saucepan, why not use an automatic pan stirrer? Entertain your guests instead and let the pan do the stirring for you. WIth a smart stove, you’ll also be able to set the heat to simmer when necessary without even putting down your drink or interrupting the wanna-be hilarious anecdote from the one friend that thinks they’re funny but are sorely mistaken. Now you won’t be able to use the excuse that something is burning when you want to get out of uncomfortable situations, but at least you’ll be there to provide comfort for the others who have had to suffer through those stories time and time again.
Smart WiFi Air Fryer
Air fryers are relatively easy to use, to begin with. Because of that, all we can say is that the upgraded technology made them even easier to use. The usual remote control and monitoring functions are there as well as voice control with Alexa. Have the food ready for you whenever you are ready for it.
Conclusion
Discovering all the innovations that are happening in our homes and for the heart of the home may inspire you to do that kitchen renovation you’ve been dreaming of. The latest technological advancements presented at the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) may not all be available yet, but progress can still be seen in the field of smart kitchen appliances. You will need a hefty budget to implement all of these devices into your kitchen but browse online, and you’ll find even more.
In a few years, our kitchen will be smarter than we are because, let’s face it, our smartphones are smarter than we are. Well, they retain information that we no longer consider important enough to memorize better. If you don’t like that statement, let me know how many phone numbers you know by heart? And there you have it.
Let us know what you think about what’s happening with the technological advancements implemented in everyday kitchen appliances. Do you think these features are useless or necessary? Like & Share this article with friends and family as we move forward into the kitchen of tomorrow.
