Smart homes have been all the rage lately, and we have talked in detail in other posts about the basics of home automation, smart home security, and technologies surrounding home automation. So today I thought we should narrow down a little a focus on smart kitchen appliances and answer, are smart kitchen appliances worth the money?
If you are interested in saving money and energy with appliances that use electricity efficiently, diagnose their own faults and adapt to your daily usage and routine then smart appliances are for you. A decade ago, we would not have recommended them, but today, we believe most of them offer real value for money.
Let's take a closer and find out are smart kitchen appliances worth the money? Smart kitchen devices may be just what you’re looking for, or not, depending on your cooking needs and preferences.
What are smart home appliances?
A smart home is a home that has appliances, lighting and other electronic devices that can be controlled wirelessly but the owner with a smartphone. Smart home technology uses devices such as linking sensors, features and other appliances connected to the Internet of things. Smart home devices can work together with other compatible smart devices and communicate with one another.
Smart home technology is showing up in more devices every day, like washing machines: dryers, fridges, stoves, locks, lights and heating and air conditioning. Smart homes devices also work great with helping to monitor a home security system and can be checked and controlled remotely.
Are smart kitchen appliances worth the money?
Smart appliances use the power of the internet and other related technologies such as IFTTT to save you time, money, and effort by automating some of your kitchen functions. Other than being cool, these appliances offer a great deal of convenience. Imagine being able to control the temperature in your oven via an app while seated on your couch or even miles away!
Smart appliances are not a new idea
The idea of smart kitchen appliances did not start today; some “smart” kitchen appliances began hitting the market about a decade ago. However, back then, only microwaves and refrigerators were smart enough, but they didn’t go beyond being able to operate your fridge from a different room. Today, we see more powerful, functional, and meaningful kitchen appliances that can actually make your life easier, save you some time and even money while at it.
Perhaps the most significant addition in recent times was the ability to connect smart appliances and devices to the internet and hence being able to monitor and control them from within an app on a smartphone or tablet. Using a single app, you can actually make your coffee on the smart coffee machine, so it is ready by the time you get home from the office, check if you have enough milk left in your fridge while you’re out shopping or even upload recipes to your oven. Some appliances will also diagnose themselves and report if they have any faults, pretty cool. What is Smart Home Automation and how does it work?
Want your fridge to analyze its contents and order more food for you? Or maybe work with your oven to decide what should be cooked for lunch? For example, a smart fridge will let you know what you should be using based on expiry dates of the products in your fridge. This will help you reduce food spoilage and increase food safety and save you money too. If you have no dinner ideas, a smart fridge can also give you a recipe based on the products you have in your home.
More features are being introduced every day as more products smart products are introduced, and demand for smart functions increase. Smart kitchen appliances are no longer just a gimmick, they offer practical benefits to homeowners, which is why appliance manufacturers are investing in making them smarter. Instead of merely being a sales feature, manufacturers are now focusing on creating useful and functional smart features that users appreciate.
Notable Smart Kitchen Appliances
Smart technology surrounds all aspects of our life, and I don’t see why we can’t take advantage of the same in our cooking spaces. As mentioned above, smart kitchen appliances can save you energy, money, and offer a sense of security. Here is a quick look at some of the areas that are benefiting from smart kitchen technology;
1. Smart Washers and Dryers
Have you noticed how your washer and dryer are getting smarter every day? Not just in design but in function and technology. There Are now models that will allow you to monitor the load via an app at a distance and notify you when the load is done.
This means you don’t have to keep a constant watch or keep guessing and remained you to put the wash load in the dryer, so you don't forget. Others have special settings for different kinds of stains and will notify you when your detergent is running low or remind you when you need to clean your dryer vents. On some smart appliances, you can program it so that it runs during off-peak electricity hours.
2. Smart Dishwashers
Smart dishwashers are pretty cool if you ask me. You can lock/unlock it or turn it on from a distance, which is a handy feature for both functionality and safety. Some even have sensors that sense the number of particles and food grime on dishes and will adjust its cleaning powers and water spray appropriately.
You will also get alerts reminding you when the dishwasher detergent runs low or when the cycle is done. The Samsung Waterwall 24″ Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher, for instance, comes with an app for remote control and monitoring and also has a smart digital leak sensor that can detect leaks as small as one ounce.
3. Coffee Maker
If you love the idea of making your coffee just how you want it, from a distance? Here comes the smart coffee maker. Most smart coffee makers are programmable and can be added to a “Good Morning” routine of your smart home system where your coffee maker automatically brews you a cup of coffee when you wake in the morning.
With its native app or when connected to a smart home dedicated hub, you can turn it on from a distance (like on your way home from the office on a cold evening) and coffee will be ready waiting for you by the time you get home.
Latest releases smart appliances can even be connected to your Amazon account, and they will auto-reorder more coffee capsules when it runs low. Smart coffee machines give you a lot of choices in making the perfect brew, all of which are accessible from an app
4. Smart Refrigerators/Freezers
Smart refrigerators are perhaps the most prominent thing as far as smart kitchen appliances are concerned. Some smart models like the Bosch NoFrost let you check the contents of your fridge on your app via a webcam installed in one of the corners.
So when you’re shopping for food, you don’t have to keep wondering whether or not you have enough milk in stock –simply wipe out your smartphone and take a peek. Other models have a self-filling pitcher of water with sensors that tell the fridge when it needs refilling, so you can stay hydrated all the time. Want a compartment that can turn from fridge to freezer, depending on your preferences?
They are available as well. With an app on your smartphone, you get both control and information about your fridge. You can get alerts if you left your fridge door open, adjust the temperature, and monitor power usage all on your phone. Fancy models like the Samsung’s 3rd-generation Family Hub fridge comes with smart and innovative features including a prominent 21-inch tablet embedded into its right door.
Other than using it to control the refrigerator, the touchscreen gives you access to the internet, just like a regular tablet, and you can even listen to music and watch YouTube videos. It also comes with a self-contained ice maker and water dispenser.
5. Smart Stoves and Ovens
Smart stoves/ovens have taken automation to a whole new level. With a smart oven, you can now cook while at the same time playing with your kids or handling other chores around your house without a worry. All you need is to place the dish in the smart oven and use an app to instruct the stove/oven to defrost, bake, broil, and roast. Many models have timers that can on and off, and you can check the progress of your dish from an app. When the time runs out, you might get an audible alarm or text alert on your smartphone.
Some of these apps will even come with preloaded recipes that you can adjust to suit the number of your family members. Many homeowners will appreciate the idea of being able to preheat the oven from a distance. With the ability to program different temperatures for different foods and notifications when food is ready, we can confidently say a smart oven/stove is a handy/functional addition worth considering.
Perhaps the best example here is the Samsung Flex Duo smart stove. The stove is controlled through Samsung’s Smart Home app. Once it is recognized and added to the list of devices, it gives you access to all of its temperature settings and programs.
The most attractive feature in this model is the ability to transform a single oven cavity into two completely separate ovens that allow you to cook two different meals independently.
So, Are smart kitchen appliances worth the money?
Do you think the convenience brought about by smart kitchen appliances is worth the splurge? Just why haven’t so many people adopted the idea of smart kitchen appliances? Well, many homeowners are still at their early stages of accepting the overall concept of smart homes and home automation.
So consumers are more likely to invest in home security systems, and other conveniences such as smart door lock more than they would want to buy an overpriced smart refrigerator just because it has a tablet on it. The cost of most smart kitchen appliances tends to be much higher, and some homeowners believe that the extra convenience isn’t worth the price tag.
However, as more meaningful smart features are added to these appliances, and more manufacturers step into the niche, the issue of value for money and cost will soon come down. There’re already some pretty impressive, functional, and practical smart kitchen appliances on the market. If you want to stay ahead of the curve, we suggest you give some of them a try.