With kitchen remodels leading the way when it comes to large scale home improvements, kitchen appliances have evolved into some of the most sophisticated, technologically advanced, and convenient home appliances on the market. Here are 10 of the most cutting edge and innovative kitchen appliances to hit the scene in recent years if you’re ready to remodel your kitchen. Installing any, or all, of these wonderful inventions will transform your kitchen from something out of date to darn near futuristic in the blink of an eye or should we say a few clicks of the egg timer?
1: Steam Assist Ovens
Why Cook with Steam?
There are many reasons to cook with steam, starting with food quality. Basically, you get all the benefits of basting, water bathing, and misting, all wrapped up in one handy appliance. Dried out turkeys, chewy roasts, and crusty casseroles become a thing of the past, and because steam cooks so much quicker than dry air, you’ll cut your cooking times down significantly.
Steam Assist Ovens Offer More than Just Steam
While the steam assist feature is the main selling point on these ovens, they come with many other convenient additions. Convection heating is standard on most steam assist models, as is a fully computerized control pad that pre-determines the proper cooking temperature, and how much steam to use, for specific dishes and meats. With all these wonderful features these ovens can almost cook your dinner for you!
Energy Smart Steam Assist Ovens
Food quality should be your top concern when choosing any oven, but energy use shouldn’t be too far behind. They also use less energy than traditional electric and gas ovens because steam assist ovens speed up cook times and internally regulate food temperatures. With those benefits and other energy saving features, such as variable duration self-cleaning settings and the ability to spot clean, steam assist models are as green a choice as you’re going to find when oven shopping.
2: Induction Cooktops
Induction cooktops generate electromagnetic fields to heat up your pots and pans rather that the cooktop itself. Sounds hard to believe, but you can literally boil a pot of water on a burner and then set your hand on it moments later without experiencing any ill effects. Add to that the fact that induction cooking is up to twice as efficient as natural gas or traditional electric heating elements, and it’s easy to see why this futuristic cooking method is catching on fast.
3: Microwave Drawers
Instead of sitting on your countertop, or being installed overhead into your cabinetry, the sharp microwave drawer is installed beneath your countertop, and works just like you ‘d expect a drawer to operate. Instead of the swinging door you find on standard microwave ovens, the microwave drawer slides open, drawer style, giving you access to the oven from above.
The Sharp Microwave Drawer Saves Space
Why, you ask, would you want a microwave drawer in the first place? The first is that the drawer styling saves valuable countertop and cabinet space by being installed beneath the countertop instead of on top of it.
4: Dishwasher Drawers
Dishwasher drawers operate on the same principle as microwave drawers. Instead of a clumsy looking traditional dishwasher, you can install dishwasher drawers fitted with your own custom cabinetry. The drawers look like any other drawer in your kitchen, but pull out to reveal a functional dishwasher instead!
5: Oven Refrigerators
That might read like a typo the editor missed, but it’s an actual product that is taking the kitchen appliance industry by storm. These ovens refrigerate food during the day while you’re at work, then convert to an oven at a pre-set time so your dinner is ready for you to eat when you pull into the driveway. These units are perfect for today’s hard working professionals and busy families.
6: Built-In Rotisserie Ovens
Built in rotisserie ovens are just what they sound like. Instead of taking up valuable counterspace with that rotisserie cooker, you can have a built in rotisserie installed much like you would a more traditional oven. Imagine cooking everything from mouthwatering chicken to tender roasts without the hassle of dragging that bulky rotisserie cooker out of the pantry. It’s almost too good to be true.
7: Lift Ovens
Lift ovens have cavities that drop down like an elevator lift, rather than requiring you to open a door and place your food inside. You set whatever it is you’re cooking on the lowered tray, push a button, and the entire setup raises into the oven and starts cooking. These are convenient additions for any homeowner, but they are especially useful for the elderly and those with disabilities, since they eliminate the need to bend over and place dishes in, or remove them, from a traditional oven.
8: Computerized Refrigerators
Computerized refrigerators come with an actual computer and screen built right into the main door. You can access the internet, bring up stored recipes, and even check e-mail while you prepare dinner!
9: Water Stations
Water stations are kitchen islands outfitted with multiple sinks (usually in a circular fashion) so that you and a handful of friends can prep dinner in each other’s company. With these handy additions, there’s no need to miss out on socializing just because you ran out of time to get dinner together before your guests arrived!
10: Kitchen Entertainment Centers
Kitchen entertainment centers are transforming the time cooks spend in their kitchen. They come with a full range of radio receivers, television consoles, and CD and DVD players. They can be installed on the wall, as undercounter models, or as undercabinet additions. Any way you cut it, these all-in-one units change cooking from an isolated endeavor to a multi-media experience!
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