Top Smart Kitchen Gadgets

What are the top smart kitchen gadgets I should consider buying?

The top smart kitchen gadgets to consider purchasing include:

• Smart refrigerator – A smart fridge connects to wifi and can do things like send alerts if the door is left open, monitor food expiration dates, create shopping lists, and more. Top brands are Samsung Family Hub and LG InstaView.
• Smart oven – Smart ovens like the June Intelligent Oven have built-in cameras to identify food and automatically cook it perfectly using preset programs. Many have self-cleaning features too.
• Smart coffee maker – Smart coffee makers like Smarter’s iCoffee or Behmor’s Connected can be scheduled to brew coffee remotely via your smartphone. Some work with voice assistants like Alexa.
• Smart cooker – Multicookers like Instant Pot Smart WiFi can be controlled via app to pressure cook, sauté, steam, warm, and more. You can program cooking and monitor from anywhere.
• Smart kitchen assistant – Devices like the Amazon Echo Show allow you to set timers, get unit conversions, listen to music, watch recipe videos, and control other smart devices while cooking.
• Smart thermometer – Bluetooth thermometers like the Weber iGrill 3 monitor food temperature from your phone and let you know when it’s done cooking. Great for grilling and roasting.
• Smart scale – Kitchen scales like My Weigh XL connect to apps to track nutrition and calories. Some even work with voice assistants to call out weights.
• Smart utensils – Bluetooth meat thermometers, electric whisks, immersion circulators, and other gadgets can be controlled from your phone or via voice assistant.
• Smart lighting – Install smart bulbs like Philips Hue in overheads, under cabinets, and inside appliances to control lighting scenes and colors by app or voice.
• Smart knobs – Add-ons like NuWave Brio turn basic stoves into smart stoves that can monitor temperature, set timers, and sync with recipes.

What are the benefits of a smart refrigerator?

There are many benefits to owning a smart refrigerator, including:

• Hands-free control – With a smart fridge, you can adjust temperature, light settings, and more using voice commands or a smartphone app. This is helpful when cooking with messy hands!
• Notifications – Get alerts if the door is left open or the temperature rises to unsafe levels so you can prevent food spoilage and energy waste.
• Food monitoring – Interior cameras let you peek inside to check what needs to be used soon. Some fridges track expiration dates and can auto-generate a shopping list.
• Meal planning – Scan barcodes or UPCs of items you put in the fridge and the smart fridge will log them. Then get recipe suggestions based on what’s in stock.
• Entertainment – Play music, stream videos, or display photos on fridge touchscreens. Great for keeping kids entertained in the kitchen!
• Organization – Interior storage trays, adjustable shelves, and compartments make it easier to neatly organize all your refrigerated foods.
• Energy efficiency – Smart fridges have better insulation and compressors to minimize energy use. Some can even optimize cooling based on usage patterns.
• Connectivity – Sync your smart fridge with other smart appliances and your AI voice assistant to integrate into a full smart kitchen system.
• Calendars – Display a family calendar to help stay organized. Some fridges let you leave digital sticky notes too!

Overall, a smart refrigerator makes kitchen tasks simpler and gives you more control and monitoring power to reduce food waste. The hands-free access and reminders can really optimize food prep and cooking.

How do smart coffee makers and kettles make brewing coffee easier?

Smart coffee maker and kettles have features that make brewing coffee more convenient:

• Remote operation – Smart coffee makers can be controlled from your smartphone, allowing you to start the brewing process even when away from home. Just start the coffee before getting out of bed!
• Scheduling – Program your smart coffee maker to brew at specific times, like right before your morning alarm goes off. Some allow you to set different schedules for weekdays vs weekends.
• Dose control – Select your desired brew strength and cup size so you get the perfect dose of coffee without waste.
• Temperature control – Set your optimal water temp and have it maintained throughout the brew for optimal extraction. No more burnt or under-extracted coffee.
• Cycle programming – Create varying bloom times, heating cycles, and steeping based on origin, roast type, grind size, and your personal taste.
• Voice activation – Use your voice assistant like Alexa or Google Home to start brewing hands-free.
• Monitoring – Check the brewing progress remotely via app and get alerts when complete so you know when coffee is ready.
• Auto-ordering – Some smart coffee makers can automatically order beans, pods, or other supplies when you’re running low.
• Data tracking – Monitor your coffee drinking habits like cups per day or time of day. Some can track consumables usage.
• Smart kettles – Boil to precise temperatures for different tea types or coffee brew methods. Hold at temp automatically.

With a smart coffee brewer or kettle, you can optimize the brewing process for convenience and customization. No more burnt pots or forgetting to set the timer – your smart coffee assistant handles it for you!

What types of kitchen appliances work with Alexa and other smart assistants?

Many popular kitchen appliances now work with Alexa, Google Assistant, and other smart assistants, including:

• Smart microwaves – Microwaves like the Amazon Basics Alexa Microwave can be controlled by voice to set timers, cook food, add time, and more.
• Smart ovens – Alexa can preheat your smart oven, set timers, and walk you through recipes when cooking. Brands like June Oven and Tovala are compatible.
• Smart refrigerators – Fridges like Samsung Family Hub respond to voice commands to display photos, play music, add items to your shopping list, and adjust temperature.
• Smart dishwashers – Control dishwasher cycles by voice and get notifications when the wash is completed on models like GE Profile.
• Smart coffee makers – Brew a pot of coffee using your voice with Alexa compatible brands like Cuisinart, Mr. Coffee, and Smarter.
• Smart blenders – Blend smoothies and control settings hands-free on blenders like Vitamix Ascent by pairing with an Echo Dot.
• Smart cookers – Multicookers like Instant Pot Smart can be told to pressure cook, sauté, or warm via voice commands.
• Smart kettles – Alexa can be used to heat water to the perfect temp for pour over, tea, aeropress, and more with kettles like Cuisinart PerfecTemp.
• Smart scales – Weigh ingredients and have them called out by voice when using smart kitchen scales by Greater Goods and Ozeri.
• Smart thermometers – Voice control your grill thermometer from brands like Maverick to monitor food temp and doneness when cooking.

With the right appliances, you can have a fully hands-free cooking experience guided entirely by the sound of your voice! It makes whipping up meals easier and multitasking a breeze.

How can smart lighting improve my kitchen and cooking experience?

Installing smart lighting in your kitchen can enhance both aesthetics and functionality:

• Under cabinet lighting – Strategically place smart LED strips underneath cabinets to provide perfect task lighting for food prep and cooking. Dimmable and color changing.
• Overhead lighting – Smart bulbs in fixtures and hanging lights above let you tune the brightness and color temperature for ambiance and utility.
• Backsplash lighting – Accent your backsplash and illuminate your workstation with strips or puck lights on shelving. Sync colors!
• Appliance lighting – Put smart bulbs inside ovens, refrigerators, and even drawers to see contents clearly and eliminate guessing.
• Scene control – Program lighting themes like “cooking mode” or “dinner party” for one-touch control. Adjust multiple lights instantly.
• Timers and automation – Schedule your lights to turn on in the morning for breakfast prep or off at night after cleanup.
• Notifications – Blink lights when timers expire or appliances finish cooking as a visual notification across the kitchen.
• Voice control – Change lighting hands-free to keep cooking and cleaning more seamlessly. Integrate with Alexa or Google Home.
• Energy savings – Smart bulbs like Philips Hue use 80% less energy than incandescent and save money.
• Safety – Motion sensors automatically turn lights on when you enter at night preventing slips or bumping into things.
• Cleaning mode – Bright white backsplash lighting helps you spot messes and debris that need cleaning after cooking.

With the right smart lighting setup, you can create perfect ambiance, simplify tasks, integrate smart features, and have more control of your kitchen’s environment.

What are the main features to look for when buying a smart multicooker?

The top features to look for in a smart multicooker include:

• Connectivity – Should connect to wifi and an app to control cooking remotely and monitor progress. Allows programming and real-time adjustments.
• Presets – Look for preset smart programs for functions like pressure cooking, sautéing, steaming, warming, and slow cooking. One touch cooking.
• Capacity – Size appropriately for your family – typically between 3 and 8 quarts. Bigger is better for meal prepping.
• Adjustable pressure – Multiple pressure settings (low, medium, high) allow more flexibility when pressure cooking.
• Delay start – Program cook times and have the multicooker start automatically later for meals ready when you want them.
• Searing/brown function – Having a sauté or browning feature allows searing meat and vegetables for better flavor.
• Steam release options – Manual steam release for quick depressurization or natural release for hands-off finish.
• Additional functions – Look for extras like air frying, sous vide, cake baking, sterilizing, and pressure canning.
• Inner pot material – Pots are typically stainless steel or nonstick coated aluminum. Stainless steel allows browning.
• Safety features – Must have lid lock, overheat protection, pressure and temperature sensors. UL certified.
• Accessories – Check for extra silicone rings, condensation collectors, steamer trays, recipe books, and measuring cups.
• Cleaning – Inner pot and lid should be dishwasher safe. Accessories may vary.

Brands like Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, and Breville make excellent smart multicookers that are packed with features to make meal prep effortless!

How can smart scales and thermometers make cooking easier and more consistent?

Smart kitchen scales and thermometers help streamline cooking and baking tasks in various ways:

• Weigh ingredients precisely for consistent measurements and ratios – especially important for baking when accuracy matters.
• Built-in sensors track calories, macros, and nutritional data for the foods you weigh. Great for meal planning.
• Sync data to your fitness app or digital recipe box to auto-log food and nutrition intake.
• Measure in multiple units like grams, ounces, pounds, milliliters for flexibility. Most have a tare function too.
• Create and store personalized recipes then program the scale to walk you through ingredient amounts.
• Get alerts on your phone when target weights or temperatures are reached.
• Use voice control to have amounts or temps called out hands-free when cooking messy foods.
• Monitor multiple cuts of meat at once with smart thermometers that track multiple probes simultaneously.
• Insert thermometer probes and walk away while internal temp is graphed over time via connected app.
• Bluetooth range allows monitoring from anywhere – keep preparing other parts of the meal.
• Set target temperatures and get alerts when food is cooked perfectly. No over or under cooking.
• Most are dishwasher safe and have detachable probes for easy cleaning.

With smart scales and thermometers, you remove the guesswork and really optimize & streamline your cooking process for consistency every time. They connect you to your food!

What are the top smart utensils and gadgets for the kitchen?

Some of the most useful smart kitchen utensils and gadgets include:

• ThermoWorks Thermapen – Ultra fast and accurate digital meat thermometer for perfect doneness.
• Hestan Cue Smart Pan – Controls pan temperature and automatically adjusts via app for precision cooking.
• Weber iGrill 3 – Dual probe thermometer monitors food from your phone, even remotely.
• Anova Precision Cooker Nano – Circulates and heats water for sous vide cooking with wireless control.
• KitchenAid Smart Display – Voice control recipes and guide you through steps. Has built in cameras for remote view.
• Tovala Smart Oven – Scan package barcodes and it will automatically steam, bake or broil using preset programs.
• Drop Kitchen Smart Scale – Extensive recipe database syncs to the scale for guided cooking. Measures in any unit.
• Behmor Connected Brew System – Control coffee brew settings like dose and temperature from your smartphone.
• Cusimax Electric Spiralizer – Quickly turn vegetables into noodles with blades for thin, wide or curly noodles.
• KOIOS Vacuum Sealer – Preserves and marinates food by sealing with 80% less air for sous vide and meal prep.

Smart gadgets take so much work out of the cooking process. They reduce effort, minimize mistakes, and let you multitask better in the kitchen!

Should I buy smart knobs to make my basic stove “smart”?

There are pros and cons to consider when deciding whether to purchase smart knobs to upgrade a basic stove:

Pros

• Relatively inexpensive way to add smart features without buying a whole new stove
• Can control temperatures remotely from your phone for added safety and convenience
• Gets notifications to your device when targets are reached or timers expire
• Allows monitoring of cook time and temp graphs to prevent under/over cooking
• Can automatically adjust temp up and down based on recipe instructions
• Works with Alexa and Google Home for voice control
• Can set safety limits and get alerts if temps exceed thresholds
• Useful for dishes that require varying heat like bread baking or confit
• Lets you preset timings/temps then walk away during simmering or searing

Cons

• Limited to basic temperature and timer functions – no guided recipes, camera viewing, etc
• Need dials that the knob attachments can securely grip onto
• Knobs powered by AAA batteries that must be replaced occasionally
• Bluetooth connection range may be limited by stove location
• Only control heat – no effect on other stove functions
• May not have fine enough heat tuning depending on the stovetop

For basic stoves, smart knobs can be a simple way to add some helpful technology. But they have limited capabilities compared to many full smart stoves and may not work with all models.

How much do smart faucets, soap dispensers, and trash cans add to the functionality of a smart kitchen?

Smart faucets, soap dispensers, and trash cans can round out a smart kitchen with added conveniences:

Smart faucets turn on/off hands-free using motion sensors to conserve water and promote hygiene when handling food. Many allow voice-activation and app-control of temperatures and flow too.

Smart soap dispensers automatically dispense the right amount of soap when hands are near. Some use infrared to only dispense when dirty hands are present to avoid waste.

Smart trash cans have built-in sensors that open automatically when refuse is near. This reduces touching dirty lids. Some can even order their own replacement bags!

However, these gadgets aren’t essential:

• They’re minor conveniences compared to appliances that actually cook and preserve food.
• Not being able to manually control water temp/flow from a smart faucet may be inconvenient while cooking.
• Talking trash cans can be seen as gimmicky – how much functionality do they really add?
• The marginal benefits may not outweigh the added costs over standard kitchen fixtures.
• They can cause excessive dependence on technology for very basic kitchen tasks.

While nice conveniences, smart faucets, soaps, and trashcans aren’t critical. Focus first on appliances that enable cooking automation, food monitoring, and hands-free control if aiming for a high-tech kitchen. Then assess whether you want to splurge on the minor perks.

What are the downsides and risks associated with smart kitchen gadgets and appliances?

While very useful in many ways, smart kitchen tech does come with some potential downsides:

• Connectivity issues – Appliances rely on wifi which can go down and cause disruptions. Backups like off-line capability help.
• Cybersecurity risks – Internet-connected appliances could become points of entry for hackers. Be sure security is up-to-date.
• Privacy concerns – Data collection by appliance makers about usage, grocery orders, etc. makes some wary about privacy.
• Device failure – Like any electronics, smart gadgets can malfunction and need repairs or replacement. Warranties are a must.
• Power outages – Appliances that lack backup power can shut down and cause food to spoil quickly if electricity goes out.
• Learning curves – Smart appliances often have many features that require an initial time investment to understand and learn to use optimally.
• Upkeep – Things like cleaning sensors, updating firmware, recharging batteries, and replacing parts must be maintained.
• Costs – Smart appliances have hefty upfront costs and requires ongoing expenses for connectivity and repairs. Basic models tend to be cheaper.
• Limited functions – Even with all their tech, smart appliances can’t fully cook intricate meals independently without human prep and supervision.
• Over-reliance – Allowing appliances to do all the work can lead to diminishing cooking skills and knowledge over time.

While smart kitchen tech can revolutionize the cooking experience, the risks must be weighed against the benefits. Following security best practices and allowing for redundancies can help minimize the downsides.

Key Takeaways

• Smart kitchen gadgets like refrigerators, ovens, and coffee makers allow for remote operation, touchless control, food monitoring, and convenience features using your smartphone and voice assistants.
• They help optimize food storage, enable hands-free multitasking, provide usage notifications, reduce waste, and assist with meal prep.
• Smart lighting lets you tune ambiance, automate functions, and sync up colors for aesthetics and utility.
• Scales, thermometers, multicookers and utensils allow cooking with precision by tracking cook times, temperatures and steps.
• Consider connectivity, capacity, cleaning requirements, accessories, and compatibility with other smart devices when selecting appliances.
• While helpful, smart kitchen tech can also carry risks like connectivity failures, learning curves, privacy concerns, and over-reliance on automation.

Conclusion

Smart kitchen gadgets have innovative features that can really enhance home cooking and make meal prep easier. From refrigerators that track food to thermometers that monitor doneness remotely, they enable convenience and precision. Weighing the benefits against potential downsides like costs and connectivity issues allows you to make informed choices about the appliances that will be most useful. A mix of key smart tools with traditional appliances can equip the average home cook with helpful tech to optimize their culinary experience.