There is no denying that you probably do the greatest amount of work in the kitchen. This means that you make use of this particular room at least twice a day. Now, by itself, the kitchen may not be all that special. It is the appliances that you choose to outfit this room with that really determine how well the room functions.
Most people believe that appliances are simply products that you buy just once and then use for as long as possible. These days, however, they are so much more. People now take style, technology, usability, and more into consideration. This is why you will find that there are new trends every season. If you think that it is time for a change and want to update your kitchen, you are going to want to know about the latest developments:
Smart Appliances
Technology is developing by leaps and bounds which is why people expect so much more from their kitchen appliances these days. This has led to the era of smart appliances and it is increasing in popularity constantly. One of the more common options is Bluetooth communication. This allows people to control their ovens, cooktop models, and more via apps on their smartphones. So, you can actually set your oven to pre-warm while you are on your way home, cutting down on the total cooking time! There are also gadgets that can keep a track of the food that is in your fridge and notify you when you need to go grocery shopping.
Induction Stovetops
Yet another appliance trend that has come up recently is that people are moving away from their traditional, radiant heat cookers. They are replacing these with induction stovetops. These stoves rely on heat created by electromagnetic fields. The reason that these stoves are becoming so popular is that they allow pans – and food – to heat more evenly. This makes it a lot easier to control the temperature and prevent your food from getting burned.
Touch and Swipe Controls
In a similar vein as smart appliances, manufacturers are also changing the way they design the controls, especially for cooktops. These days, people are a lot more comfortable swiping across touchscreens since most people spend their day on their phones and tablets. To accommodate this, it is not uncommon to find a greater number of appliances with this effect. This is becoming particularly widespread with induction cooking tops.
Energy Efficient Appliances
People are a lot more environmentally conscious now than ever before. This is one of the reasons that there is a greater demand for energy efficient appliances. Of course, the other advantage of this trend is that it helps you cut down on your utility bills as well. As a result, a greater number of individuals are looking for appliances with an ENERGY STAR certification. If this is a development that you wish to follow as well, you should focus on buying a refrigerator or a dishwasher with a good energy efficiency rating. This is what will help to bring the overall energy consumption down.
Built-in or Space Saving Options
People don’t have as much room in their homes as they once did. It is not unusual to find families living in smaller homes and as such, having smaller kitchens. As a result, they have to find a way to make sure that their appliances fit within this space. This is why you will find that people are choosing ovens, microwaves, and other appliances that can be placed in built-in spaces. The other tendency is to go with smaller, more compact appliances that take up less space.
Multi-Purpose Appliances
Considering that people don’t have a lot of room to work with, they are also looking to cut down on the number of appliances that they keep in their kitchen. At the same time, they still need to have certain tasks carried out. This is why you will see that more people are opting for multi-purpose appliances such as food processors that can grind, chop, mix, whisk, press, blend, and more. Then there is the Instant Pot which can cook food in numerous ways and is capable of replacing up to seven kitchen appliances.
The Battle of the Old and New
Of course, you can’t have just one trend in kitchens all around the world. This is why you will find that currently, people are choosing between ultra-modern and vintage, retro designs. On the one hand, you will find appliances with a very minimalistic design. These appliances have clean designs and very few discernible traits. While they look good, they also tend to blend in with the rest of the kitchen. Then there are the retro-style appliances. Now, these have all of the features that every modern appliance has. The only difference is that they are designed to look like something out of a vintage kitchen. These appliances are certainly statement pieces.
The Widespread Use of Neutral Tones
Another trend that is becoming more prevalent is the introduction of appliances in neutral colors. These tones tend to be in shades of white, grey, and black. One of the reasons that these hues are so popular is because they let you change the color scheme of the rest of the kitchen with ease. After all, these shades tend to go with everything and look good in most settings.
Healthy Appliances
There are so many diets out there today but one thing is for certain – more and more people are working to lead healthier lives. This means that they are more careful about what they eat and drink. This is why people are looking for appliances that can make it easier for them to eat healthily. Thus, you are likely to find people heading for veggie spiralizers, smoothie makers, and juicers as their go-to appliances.
Convection Steam Ovens
Speaking of healthier eating, people are also now more concerned with the way their food is being cooked. Now, it is all about ensuring that the nutrients in dishes are retained as much as possible. Well, this is where the convection steam oven comes in. it is able to heat up the food using steam so that the food isn’t stripped of vitamins and minerals. The convection-portion of the oven allows you to brown foods like meats while also allowing you to cook foods more quickly. As you can see, the reason that they are gaining in popularity is that they offer the best of both worlds.
Refrigerators with Specialized Storage Zones
The fridges of old essentially had a cooler section and a vegetable crisper as their main zones. Things have been revolutionized, though, with the newer models. Each of the zones is specifically temperature controlled so that they can provide optimal environments for various types of foods. This means that there will be a special section for meats, various frozen items, and more. Thus, you will be able to ensure that each of your items is stored perfectly.
Appliances with Easy-to-Clean Surfaces
People don’t have a whole lot of time to do housework. This is why appliances that are difficult to maintain aren’t as popular as they once were. What is taking over, though, are appliances that have smudge-proof or fingerprint-proof surfaces. These appliances don’t hold scuff marks well which is why they look good for longer. It also means that you don’t have to wipe down the surfaces as often.
Single Brew Coffee Makers
It is estimated that people are now drinking more caffeine than they did before. However, in an attempt to wean themselves away from cafes and coffeehouses, people are turning to single brew coffee makers instead. This is because they are easy to operate and are fuss-free, ensuring that people can get their caffeine fix even faster than ever. These single brew machines utilize pods instead of coffee grinds or beans which means that people are able to get their favorite cup of joe within seconds rather than having to wait for several minutes.
Camouflage Range Hoods
Once, it was all about gleaming range hoods, standing out proud over the stovetop. This, however, is slowly losing favor in households all over the country. What people are looking for, instead, are range hoods that aren’t as noticeable as before. This can mean that the range hood is decorated to look like a pantry cupboard or something else that fits in with the scheme. Some homeowners even choose to match their range hoods to the walls behind them. Either way, it is all about minimizing the impact of the range hood in the kitchen.
As you can see, there are so many different appliance trends that you can follow. Thus, there are a variety of ways that you can choose to update your kitchen. You can opt for appliances that are more technologically advanced or for ones that are easier to use. You also have a choice between bold and powerful designs or muted and minimalistic options. With all these options at your fingertips, the only real thing left for you to do is to decide how you want to utilize them.
