Our homes are our sacred space, our safe haven. It’s where we wake up every morning and fall asleep every night. Hence, taking care of our homes, and creating a space that is clean, well-organized, and comfortable is of the utmost importance. Our homes should be designed in such a way – so as to make our day-to-day lives easier and more efficient. Adding nifty and innovative appliances to our living space is one way of achieving this goal! From air-purifying tiles that ensure you’re breathing healthy, indoor air to a Google Nest ceiling fan that ties together all your devices – these handy appliances are all you need to create the ultimate home!
1. The Google Nest ceiling fan
Just like our appliances, ceiling fans have also received smart treatment in the past. The concept Nest Ceiling fan is a productive and more interesting take on the other smart fans that can only be turned on and off through a smart assistant. This new adaptation of a ceiling fan designed for the Google Nest lineup has been conceived as an all-in-one smart hub that would tie up all the smart products you have spread across each room in the house.
Why is it noteworthy?
As a ceiling fan with a smart speaker, light, thermostat, and smoke detector onboard, the concept fan will allow you to interact through the Google Assistant/app to just one device, thus ensuring you don’t need these products installed separately anywhere in the house. Providing a perfect balance of performance and smart design, this fan in addition to offering cool air, will disperse music from your playlist in every direction of the room with a click of a button or your voice command.
What we like
- Leaves you with a single contact point to create an interesting smart home setup
- Embedded with a thermostat to automate the central heating system or an integrated smart smoke detector
What we dislike
No complaints!
2. The Missaglia tiles
When we spend a lot of time indoors and keep the windows closed for air conditioning, we feel cool and comfortable. However, that means we also need air purifying devices to make sure that we’re breathing in healthy air inside our homes. There are several kinds of air-purifying devices out there but they seem to be pretty distinctive and will most likely not blend in with your furniture. This new concept will solve that problem by designing something that looks like part of your decoration.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Missaglia tiles are square-shaped tiles with rounded corners which you can attach to your walls. More than just tiles to match your aesthetic, they’re actually air purifying devices that can capture pollutants, bacteria, and viruses that are floating around your house. But the advantage as compared to the traditional air purifiers is that it won’t take up any space in your room as you only have to attach it to the wall or any surface you want to place it in.
What we like
- Able to absorb and eliminate odors from both food as well as cleaning agents
- Won’t take up any space in your room
What we dislike
- May not match the aesthetics of all living spaces
3. Midea’s Smart Bedside Table
There is an attempt to put a mini-fridge in a position that doubles as a bedside table, but that’s mostly to conserve space, especially in hotels. Midea’s Smart Bedside Table admittedly doesn’t go that far, but it has thrown in everything else that it says is related to bedroom activities. Or at least the ones that will help you sleep more comfortably.
Why is it noteworthy?
The bedside table’s main functions are supposedly for air purification and humidification, something that’s not directly apparent when looking at the beautifully minimal piece of furniture. The “sub-functions,” however, are where things get a bit more out of hand. There’s a hidden wireless charging area on top of the table, but only near the front. The rear area of that surface actually flips open to reveal low-temperature storage with just enough room for a bottle or a few cans. The front area actually does open up to a UV sterilizing compartment for your gadgets or jewelry. There’s also a USB hub, aroma diffuser, and, thankfully, a bit of lighting.
What we like
- Quite an attractive design with its wooden body and clean design
- The front area op up to a UV sterilizing compartment for your gadgets or jewelry
What we dislike
No complaints!
4. Google Little Signals
What Google has come up with is something called the Little Signals series, a set of devices that aims to bring distraction-free notifications. They came up with a way to integrate ordinary, everyday sounds that are part of your environment to still bring you alerts but not get distracted or bothered by them. There are six devices in this experimental project for distraction-less alerts: Air, Button, Movement, Rhythm, Shadow, and Tap. Each one has different options that users can choose from which will best fit their lifestyle and needs.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Air device seems the most interesting one if you are a plant parent. It uses patterns like blow, wiggle, or spin that will affect nearby plants or objects that will be affected by “air” when you receive a notification. Of course, if you’re not paying attention much, you might miss the signals but at least there’s a way to make it less in your face. The Button device meanwhile is a bit more noticeable as it will pop up, twist, or give off a subtle chime sound. It is orange so it is will catch your attention.
What we like
- Different devices can be used for different functions
What we dislike
- It’s not yet on the market!
5. The Sebastiano
A new concept design for what they say is the “only designer robot in the world” has caught my attention as it says it will be my “home pal” and it was designed to be by my side. The Sebastiano | cleaning robot actually looks like a weighing scale without the actual scale and is covered by a cute rug. But it’s actually a cleaning device that can vacuum, sweep, and brush any surface whether it’s wood floorings or marbled floors.
Why is it noteworthy?
Another thing that may appeal to those who dislike those noisy old-school vacuum cleaners is that it is designed to be basically noiseless. So even if you’re watching a show or listening to your podcast, the cleaning motion of the robot should not disturb you, at least sound-wise. But it will apparently suddenly speak when the dust bin is already full and inform you that you need to empty it. The bin itself is triangular shaped and detachable so you won’t have any trouble getting rid of all that collected dust.
What we like
When it’s not in use, it is programmed to go back to its charging port so you won’t trip on it
What we dislike
- There’s no app to help control it when it’s moving around
- It’s still a concept
6. H5
H5 is a multifunctional vacuum cleaner designed for small spaces that can break down into four parts that fit into a compact charging bin for easy storage.
Why is it noteworthy?
While living tiny is all the rage nowadays, it takes some skill to keep small city spaces clean. Especially when you live in an old apartment building or with pets, vacuuming becomes a daily chore. While vacuuming small spaces goes by quickly, storing a bulky vacuum cleaner becomes a nuisance just as quickly. To keep small spaces clean without the pain of storing big cleaning appliances, industrial designer Yipeng Zhu ideated a space-saving multifunctional vacuum cleaner called H5 that shrinks down to almost a ⅓ of its height.
What we like
- H5 keeps an overall slim build when assembled and when disassembled so it doesn’t take up too much space in storage
- H5 comes with three different vacuum heads that can be switched out for various cleaning needs
What we dislike
- It’s still a concept
7. Mt. Week
Mt. Week is a household clock appliance that takes the shape of a mountain to visualize the journey of a seven-day workweek.
Why is it noteworthy?
There are few things more universally exciting than reaching the weekend after a long, arduous work week. It’s like reaching a mountain’s summit after spending the morning and afternoon traversing its trails and footpaths. There’s nothing like that first gulp of water, overlooking the valleys and tree canopies below, or that first cup of coffee on a slow Sunday morning. Taking the mountain motif to its ultimate end, a team of designers conceptualized Mt. Week, a cone-shaped clock appliance that denotes the motions of a week’s journey.
What we like
- Takes the form of an upside-down triangle for its time-controlled magnetic sphere to wind toward the appliance’s apex
- The integrated magnetic rail mimics the curving nature of trailheads
What we dislike
No complaints!
8. BrushPro
BrushPro is extremely convenient to use compared to its forerunners. The extendable handle allows you to reach narrow spaces without having to perform advanced yoga poses on the floor and minimizes your direct contact with the dirty brush. The handle also has slits that give the brush head some flexibility while cleaning – a great universal design that takes into account the experience of the differently-abled demographic as well.
Why is it noteworthy?
The brush head includes rubber as well as fiber for more efficient cleaning. Another brilliant detail is the slot for the detergent bottle, so you can simply refill and reuse the detergent bottle instead of buying more plastic spray bottles – it also frees up your hand as it combines both cleaning products in one!
What we like
- A slot for the detergent bottle
- Combines two cleaning products in one
What we dislike
No complaints!
9. ROOT
Called ROOT, this Humidity Conditioner for CAIRS is ideal for places that have dry winters and humid summers. A humidifier must be available to keep the humidity at an ideal level, especially indoors. Having such a device can prevent dry skin during winter and the uncomfortable and sweaty feeling during summer.
Why is it noteworthy?
ROOT does the job of keeping the optimum level of humidity. It also works as an air cleaner and purifier, which we really need, especially these days. An air purifier dehumidifier is a home appliance that many people can benefit from. It sucks in air from the bottom and then releases the purified air from the top.
What we like
- Based on a traditional Korean brazier
- Helps create a comfortable surrounding for the people
What we dislike
No complaints!
10. The Narwal T10
There is a growing number of robots invading our homes, but not in the nefarious way that many sci-fi flicks would have us believe. These robots roam around our rooms, picking up dirt, dust, and hair and sometimes even wiping off stains. Robot vacuum cleaners now come in all shapes and sizes, and it has become a bit more difficult to pick one unless they have some special feature or gimmick. The Narwal T10, the company’s first stab at a robot cleaner, advertises one such special skill, and we set it loose on the floor to check if it makes the cut.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Narwal T10 will immediately strike one as something so different from your usual robot vac, even the ones with 2-in-1 mopping and vacuuming functions. For one, both its base and the robot itself are coated in white, a color that’s most often associated with cleanliness and sanitation. It also gives off a better minimalist vibe, though that may come at the expense of dirt and stains being more visible on the product’s surface.
What we like
- 2-in-1 mopping and vacuuming functions
What we dislike
- You will need to empty the dust bin more often than not because of its small capacity