Do you remember when the pandemic awakened the inner chef within all of us? Well, the lockdown ensured that we had no option but to COOK at home. But, with life regaining normalcy, the days of banana bread, dalgona coffee, and disastrous cooking experiments at home seem like a far-off dream. My favorite restaurants are up and running, and takeaway is always there to save the day! The need to cook is barely existent, and the desire to cook is completely non-existent. However cooking your own meals is healthier, more economical, and not to mention quite therapeutic as well at times! In order to brush up on the Masterchef level cooking skills, we picked up during the lockdown, and in an attempt to encourage everyone to cook more often (me included), we’ve curated a collection of nifty kitchen appliances. With the right kitchen tools and appliances, cooking can be a fun and effortless process. The right products can reduce your prep time in half, make the little cooking tasks much easier, and help you with tedious and complicated techniques. From a rice cooker that keeps a watch over your blood pressure to a smart grill that makes grilling more efficient and mess-free – this collection of kitchen appliances promises to transform cooking from a Herculean feat to an approachable and enjoyable process! Let your inner chef take over with the help of these innovative designs!
1. The Barbecue Nx
The smart grill concept has been designed by Swapnil Yeutkar who is a Product Designer for Whirlpool India. It’s only an idea but the Barbecue Nx has the potential to be big when it becomes a reality. It goes beyond its stylish form but it doesn’t look anything like the common grills we see in the market. At first glance, it looks like a huge air fryer or a small electric oven. From another angle, it appears like an oven toaster.
Why is it noteworthy?
What makes this concept special, is that it’s a grilling machine that allows a more efficient grilling with unique low smoke technology. A centrifugal fan helps in grilling so everything is efficient. It’s what powers the grill and sends out air to the chimney via two input manifolds. There is a fire plate that ignites the fire gel as described by the design. This makes the machine ready to grill in just five minutes.
What we like
- Ready to grill within five minutes
- Separable grill that can be easily cleaned, and is user friendly for cooking veggies + meat at once
- Unique low smoke technology
What we dislike
- Not very portable
- Looks more like an air fryer, than a barbecue grill
2. The Aura refrigerator
The Aura refrigerator is a modern home appliance equipped with smart technology to optimize storage and use.
Why is it noteworthy?
As we sink deeper into the world of technology, so do our homes and home appliances. Smart technology dictates most of the controls behind modern kitchen appliances like refrigerators and dishwashers, but their overall look has largely stayed in the past. Hoping to bring the refrigerator into the modern era by reshaping its structure and technical fittings to accommodate today’s smart technology and environmental needs, Aura is a new type of refrigerator. Designed by FUHUA Design Studio, the Aura refrigerator breaks down the conventional fridge into smaller compartments to allocate the energy used and minimize its impact.
What we like
- The refrigerator automatically turns its lights off when users aren’t around
- Aura is designed for optimal organization, allowing users to easily pullout food and drink items according to their designated compartment
What we dislike
No complaints!
3. LESHAN smart rice cooker concept
For some cultures, rice is more than just a side dish, and this beautiful rice cooker idea makes it possible to cook this staple food wherever you go, for better health, of course.
Why is it noteworthy?
This smart rice cooker concept tries to take the middle road by encouraging the consumption of rice in the proper amounts. This regulation mostly happens through a mobile app, which is able to not only check particular stats but also control the operation of the rice cooker itself. That feature definitely doesn’t sound that special in light of the number of smart cookware today, but it’s the design of LESHAN that really captures the eyes and the imagination.
What we like
- Keeps a watch over your blood pressure
- Portable design
What we dislike
- The design doesn’t sound that special in light of the number of smart cookware today
4. Rëkoøk
Rëkoøk is a modular kitchen system designed for the digital nomads of today to bring their kitchen with them anywhere work takes them. Merging the design language of IKEA with a modular and interchangeable build, Rëkoøk is a portable kitchen concept designed for the digital nomads of today to feel at home wherever work takes them.
Why is it noteworthy?
Constructing Rëkoøk, product designer Edoardo Gouffran hoped to build a flatpack kitchen system that allowed digital nomads to bring their kitchen with them as they move from one space to another. Depending on the space they move into, digital nomads can configure Rëkoøk to fit their culinary and spatial needs.
What we like
- The kitchen respects the rule of the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
- Easy and quick to assemble
What we dislike
No complaints!
5. The Panasonic HomeCHEF 7-in-1 Compact Oven
The Panasonic HomeCHEF 7-in-1 Compact Oven has functions such as Steam and Steam Convection. These two promise healthier dishes since they’re able to preserve more nutrients compared to other cooking methods. That brings the number of functions to seven (hence the name), including Air Fry, Convection Bake, Slow Cook, Sanitize, and Ferment.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Panasonic HomeCHEF 7-in-1 Compact Oven is expanding its size and its features in order to also expand the number of healthy dishes one can prepare at home. Although it doesn’t completely remove the work that needs to be done to prepare these meals (not to mention the cleanup afterward), it tries to reduce the number of cooking appliances you have to juggle. It’s easy enough to downplay these conveniences, but ease of use and reducing the friction to get started go a long way in setting people on the right track to healthier living.
What we like
- The Steam and Steam Convection functions preserve more nutrients compared to other cooking methods
What we dislike
- Calling the HomeCHEF 7-in-1 “compact” might be a bit of a stretch, at least when compared to its siblings. This newest addition to the lineup is larger to accommodate the more spacious 20L capacity and bigger 800ml water tank
6. Timer Bob
I’m not much of a cook but the few times that I did find myself in the kitchen, it’s to try and follow a recipe to the letter. Most of the time that involves using timers aka my smartphone. But a lot of times also, my hands are dirty or preoccupied so it’s a hassle to have to use a device. Either my phone gets dirty or if I’m more careful, I have to go and wash my hands every once in a while and that may lead to a few missed seconds or minutes. A new product concept will help solve that problem.
Why is it noteworthy?
The device is simply named Timer Bob and is described as a “sleepy kitchen timer”. The designers wanted to put a personality to the timer since it will probably be one of your best friends in the kitchen. The device is something that you will be able to use without needing to touch it which can be convenient for the cook with messy hands. There is also some sort of interactivity between the user and the timer, hence the need to add a “personality”.
What we like
- The product has a ‘personality’
- You can use it without touching it
What we dislike
- The storyboard and explanation don’t include how the alarm works
7. The NOOK Built-in Water Purifier
Built-in water purifiers are preferred, but you can also have something that looks as inviting as the NOOK Built-in Water Purifier. Designed by South Korean Hyunbin Yan, this water purifier can be installed in the corner. It will not interfere with the rest of your sink or kitchen counter because of its slim and sleek build. It does not take much space in a small sink, so it can be the perfect choice for tiny homes or apartments.
Why is it noteworthy?
The NOOK Built-in Water Purifier’s interesting features are what make it unique. It features an attachable drip tray. In addition, there is a magnet at the bottom of the body that can be customized to the user’s preference. At first glance, it looks like a sleek coffee machine, but it is just a purifier. Water comes out when you touch the black button you see on top. The amount of water and temperature can also be set with a touch of the controller.
What we like
- Visually pleasing aesthetics, unlike regular purifiers
- Space-friendly
- Movable head, allowing you to adjust the cup size
What we dislike
- Not very easy to clean
8. The Uphold Cup
Designed on the principles of Origami, the Uphold Cup is a foldable, portable, reusable travel cup that goes from a tumbler to a flat-packed disc when not in use. The cup’s materials are food-grade, BPA-free, and can carry beverages of up to 100°C in temperature. The Uphold Cup uses polymer Polypropylene (PP) as its body material which is relatively stiff, while also providing the ability to fold multiple times (live hinging) without breaking.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Uphold cup’s unique form encourages an almost telescopic-inspired folding action. The cup, which can hold both cold and hot beverages, uses a methodical, mathematical design to allow it to open and fold the way it does. However, although its form is purely a result of its unique function, it gives the Uphold a distinct characteristic that makes it a visual and tactile delight! Sure, the cup’s primary function is to hold your liquids when you need it to, and fold down to its puck shape when you don’t… but just the interaction built into the Uphold is so incredibly engaging, I won’t be surprised if I find myself constantly opening and closing the cup just as a fidget toy!
What we like
- Portable design
- Reusable and compact
What we dislike
No complaints!
9. DADO
This minimalist-looking capsule tea machine is a concept design that can maybe someday fulfill my wish. It’s named DADO which is a term in East Asia that refers to making and drinking tea formally. The device doesn’t look like what you would use in a typical tea ceremony but the designer created something inspired by it but with a modern twist. The kettle part is inspired by what is used in traditional tea making and the minimalist design aims to bring a sense of calm and peace, things usually associated with drinking this caffeinated beverage.
Why is it noteworthy?
If you’ve used a coffee capsule machine then this follows pretty much the same procedure. There is a kettle and two cups placed on top of a “heating pad” that looks like an induction stovetop or a wireless charger. You need to fill the kettle with water in the bucket part located at the back. Then you have to preheat the cup or cups that are beside the kettle and all you have to do is press a button. In the traditional DADO, cups are pre-heated as well as part of the ceremony so that’s a pretty nice touch to add to this modern concept.
What we like
- A mix of traditional + minimal aesthetics
- Different flavors for the tea capsules
What we dislike
- Disposable capsules with a substantial carbon footprint
10. The Fresh Fridge
Ditching trendy diets for mindful eating, the Fresh Fridge designed by Tati Feruccio is paired with an array of technical features that encourage a health-conscious lifestyle. The Fresh Fridge is a sort of smart refrigerator that analyzes each user’s distinct eating and health habits to portion out nutritious meals throughout the day. The main technical detail that stands out is the Fresh Fridge’s digital interface that’s located just above the small refrigerator.
Why is it noteworthy?
Broadcasting mindful facts and cooking recipes from its screen, the digital interface is like your own personal cooking show for various meals throughout the day. Just below the interface, allocated space for meal preparation feels intuitive and makes following along with recipes while chopping up produce items easier than ever before.
What we like
- Encourages mindful eating over trendy short-term diets
- An integrated digital interface
What we dislike
- We don’t know how well would the fridge’s analyzed portions work for everyone