New and smart appliances for the kitchen

Thanks to digital and connectivity, we can finally accessorise our kitchen with smart and new generation appliances that really save us time, help us saving energy and also give us some extra luxury: a refrigerator that alerts us when milk is about to expire, a roner for vacuum cooking, a smart dishwasher that recommends the best washing, an automatic coffee machine to make coffee like in a bar.

Digital / smart refrigerator

New refrigerators have the same primary function as the models of 20, 30 or 40 years ago: to keep food fresh. What has changed in these models (digital or smart) are the added features that save energy and preserve food much better.

frigoriferoWhat is the smart (or digital) refrigerator used for and how does it work?
The features of these new generation refrigerators are many: they have internal cameras or sensors that allow you to know (or communicate) what is or what is missing inside them; an external display with a touch panel where you can pin what is inside and which can also function as a mini-TV or computer screen if connected to wi-fi. Finally, and above all, these refrigerators have an optimized temperature regulation for different compartments. A system that not only guarantees us to have less humidity but also not to waste energy.
A more advanced refrigerator can also be smart because – thanks to the internet connection – we will be able to browse recipes on the display. Some models are even able to scan the expiry date of foods (for example through the RFID scanning system) and send us a text message to warn us that it is time to consume them – or throw them away. Similarly, a smart refrigerator allows us – if connected to the account of our supermarket or our preferred delivery system – to order our groceries directly from the display.
Some recommended models:
The The Samsung RF56N9740SR / EF Family Hub and the Samsung Smart Side-By-Side InstaView integrated with Alex.

Kitchen Roner

The kitchen roner until a few years ago was a tool that could only be found in professional kitchens, but in recent years many models have also arrived on the market for domestic use. The main advantages are: homogeneous cooking, preserving food and nutritional properties for a long time without dispersion of flavors.

What is it for and how does it work?
A roner is used to cook food bain-marie or sous-vide (vacuum): cooking is controlled by an internal probe, the food is brought to the necessary temperature and kept constant until the end of cooking.
The operation is simple and is dictated by the shape of the roner (usually cylindrical): it must be immersed and then fixed to the container with special hooks and is equipped with a display to adjust the temperature. Some models (with stove shape) are equipped with several compartments to allow cooking at different temperatures. There are also many roners equipped with wi-fi that allow remote programming and activation.
Some recommended models:
The Anova Precision Cooker and the Inkbird Sous Vide roner .

Smart dishwasher

Smart dishwashers are useful first of all to spend less on energy bills and water. An advantage that is not only for our pockets but also for the environment.

What is it for and how does it workt?
These washing machines are really smart, indeed: before starting them, they provide us with different washing settings based on the quality and type of dishes but also on the basis of dirt, so as to obtain clean cutlery, glasses, plates and pans without waste neither electricity nor water.
Not only that, a smart dishwasher also saves us time thanks to its other functions: with delayed washing we can program the start of the wash – or activate it – remotely via smartphone – and notify us at the end of the wash. The computer also warns us when it is necessary to start the cleaning program to keep the appliance neat. No less important is the ability to remotely monitor possible failures or request immediate assistance, by accessing the appropriate app that will tell us how to repair them – a bit like the classic “Troubleshooting tool” of Windows computers.
Some recommended models:
Hoover AXI HDPN 4S603PX and Bosch Serie 6 SMU68TS06E.

Automatic coffee machines

For those who have not retired the old moka pot and are not satisfied with the pod solution, an automatic coffee machine can provide high quality coffee exactly the way we want it, as it allows us to choose quality, length and heat.

caffèA What is it for and how does it work?
Again, the function is apparently the same for all coffee machines: to make a good coffee. But there is a difference: an automatic machine is the closest to a bar machine, and thanks to its components – tank, grinding system, water tank, milk tank, display – we can start from the type of coffee we want (but be careful: not all these machines have the grinding system), decide the grinding grain, the intensity and length of the coffee. Just like at the bar. In this way we will have our espresso, cappuccino or macchiato – if the milk tank is included in the machine. In addition, this type of machine can often prepare drinks such as tea and herbal tea.
The ideal, at this point, would be to serve our coffee on an appropriate coffee table, such as Clessidra or Tweet by Target Point.
Some recommended models:
De’ Longhi Ecam Eletta, Saeco PicoBaristo Deluxe, Philips EP3246/70.

Target Point, Italian Ideas