In the kitchen of the future, we flip apps rather than pancakes. The Internet of Things (IoT) is altering our relationship with food and the kitchen, but we believe the smart kitchen goes beyond IoT. If the goal is to increase efficiency in the kitchen by having machines do the hard work while we do less, there are design and material innovations that also factor into this equation. Here are some of the latest kitchen innovations we love.

Coffee on command

The sleepy-eyed stumble from bed to the coffee machine is a daily morning ritual for many of us. The Behmor Connected Brewer makes this process easier by allowing you to tell your Amazon compatible devices to ask Behmor to get your coffee brewing before you’ve even left your bed!

Fridges that do more than store your food

How could your fridge possibly become more essential? What if it knew when your food was due to expire, could order your groceries via voice prompt, detect the freshness of ingredients and show you recipes accordingly? In addition to these features, LG’s latest fridge, integrated with Amazon’s Alexa (an intelligent personal assistant) also has an in-built camera that allows you to view what’s in the fridge remotely via an app. The Instaview feature even allows you to see the contents of your fridge with a simple double tap on its display screen.

The evolved sink

Appliances are not the only things evolving in today’s kitchen. Small-scale “prep sinks” are now often placed in close proximity to stovetops and in kitchen islands where they can be within arm’s reach. However, a larger sink is still required for any heavy-duty cleaning. Blanco;s Apron Front constructed from silgranit are a gorgeous example that fit the bill. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, these sinks make for a practical choice due to their non-porous hygienically superior surfaces that are resistant to bacteria and dirt, as well as resilient towards impact, heat, scratches and stains.

Minimalist storage solutions

Handle-less cabinetry offers a seamless, modern look and is also the perfect no-hands solutions for the multitasking cook. The Servo Drive’s electrical motion support system is both functional and minimalist – a simple nudge of the cabinet with your hip or knee prompts drawers or doors to open automatically.

Starting with a clean slate

If the kitchen is the heart of the home, the bench top could be considered the backbone. Marble and granite may be exquisite to look at, but are not quite as forgiving when it comes to a spilt glass of wine or dropped mortar and pestle. Caeserstone’s surfaces provide an aesthetically pleasing, natural look while also being heat, stain, scratch and chip resistant.

Everything on tap

Why wait for the kettle to boil or dash out for sparkling water? With instant filtered, boiling, chilled or sparkling water, as well as regular unfiltered hot and cold water, the Zenith HydroTap® Celsius ARC C delivers all of your home water needs from one elegantly designed source.

The oven that watches itself

The June Oven is the world’s only intelligent convection oven with the capability to recognise food. The internal camera acts as a smart imaging sensor and can recognise over 25 foods, as well as recommend the best cooking preset for them. June also manages to maintain the desired cooking temperature and ensure that it’s even throughout the cooking cavity.

Connected cutlery

Mindful eating is one of the latest trends to hit the health scene, with advocates praising its benefits for both mind and body. Meet the Hapifork – a smart, connected fork that monitors your eating habits, to help with digestion and weight control. There’s even an associated coaching program to assist you in improving your eating behaviour over time.

The smart tipple

When unexpected guests call in and you’re caught without an appropriately decanted drop, the iSommelier saves the day. A device that rapidly aerates your wine using highly concentrated purified oxygen, this smart decanter takes only a few seconds to aerate wine. Integrated with an app, it can be programmed to your favourite aeration settings, as well as gather information about different winemakers.


A well-designed kitchen has always been about the sum of its parts. Many of our favourite innovations rely on automation and artificial intelligence (via personal digital assistants and app integration), and while individual elements and devices have already begun to make our lives easier, the complete smart kitchen has some ways to go. A holistic integration of design, smart materials and technology with IoT will ultimately deliver the ease, convenience and effortlessness that we seek.