The biggest kitchen design trend of the last few years, apart from the now ubiquitous kitchen island, has involved technology. People are spending more and more on ‘connected’ kitchens which incorporate smart, internet-connected appliances and high-tech gadgets all designed to make our lives easier. But do they really work, or are they just a waste of money?
Let’s take a look at some of the most useful kitchen tech, and the gadgets that you’re best steering clear of…
Useful kitchen tech
Do you really need it?
The smart fridge is a classic example of connected kitchen technology that may just be a step too far, and for too much money. Smart fridges offer a range of features, from automatically reordering groceries you’ve running low on to letting you look inside the fridge when you’re outside the home, so you don’t end up buying something you already have. While these features are undoubtedly cool and not without their uses, are they really worth spending an extra few thousand pounds on, simply to save you a very minor amount of inconvenience?
You may by now have a wish list of gadgets and smart appliances you’d love to have in your new kitchen, but you also need to make sure that it will work on a practical level. Do you have the space available and does the layout and configuration of your kitchen allow for all of these new features? The best way to find out is to speak to a kitchen fitting expert such as A&J Kitchens, who have vast experience in fitting kitchens of all kinds from traditional to high-tech. If there’s a way to make it work, the team at A&J will find it.
Let’s take a look at some of the most useful kitchen tech, and the gadgets that you’re best steering clear of…
Useful kitchen tech
- Motion activated appliances. When you’re cooking, you nearly always have messy hands. If you then have to open drawers, cupboards, bins and turn on taps, you’re going to get that mess everywhere. Taps, bins and more that activate using motion sensors can save you lots of cleaning, as well as being more convenient.
- Smart coffee machines. The advantage of a smart coffee machine is that if you get the right one, you can use an app on your smartphone to start it making coffee as soon as you’ve woken up. By the time you’re dressed and downstairs, the coffee is ready to drink. This can be a real time-saver in your morning routine, and it also gives you barista-quality coffee without having to do any of the messy preparations yourself.
- Smartphone controlled devices. In the years to come, nearly all devices will be compatible with apps on your smartphone, from kettles to ovens. This can be more useful than you think, as it’ll allow you to turn the oven temperature down on a slow-cooking casserole while you’re out or put the kettle on just in time for your return. These are small improvements to convenience, but they’ll all add up.
Do you really need it?
The smart fridge is a classic example of connected kitchen technology that may just be a step too far, and for too much money. Smart fridges offer a range of features, from automatically reordering groceries you’ve running low on to letting you look inside the fridge when you’re outside the home, so you don’t end up buying something you already have. While these features are undoubtedly cool and not without their uses, are they really worth spending an extra few thousand pounds on, simply to save you a very minor amount of inconvenience?
You may by now have a wish list of gadgets and smart appliances you’d love to have in your new kitchen, but you also need to make sure that it will work on a practical level. Do you have the space available and does the layout and configuration of your kitchen allow for all of these new features? The best way to find out is to speak to a kitchen fitting expert such as A&J Kitchens, who have vast experience in fitting kitchens of all kinds from traditional to high-tech. If there’s a way to make it work, the team at A&J will find it.
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