What's Cooking

Technology is everywhere, and no where is that more apparent than in the kitchen. Advancements in appliances in recent years have been sending designers and their clients toward a future that is already here. These advancements allow consumers to cook faster, keep food fresher longer, and track groceries and supplies, all while seamlessly blending into a serene, efficient setting that is the backdrop for a family’s daily flurry of activity.

Indeed, Jennifer Uihlein Straszewski, executive v.p. for U-Line Corp. in Milwaukee, WI, notes that today’s kitchen appliances “no longer simply chill, or cook, or clean.”

“Today’s kitchen appliances must offer convenience, technology and style that keep up with the way we live,” she notes.

John Swenson, director of brand marketing for Electrolux Home Products in Augusta, GA, explains that Electrolux has taken the concept of the evolving kitchen and its host of appliances to the next level by renaming the kitchen. In fact, the firm has “declared the space formerly known as the kitchen as the live-in room.” Electrolux sees the kitchen of tomorrow as “moving beyond the bread-and-butter basics – the room we cook and eat in – to the high-functioning heart of the home,” he elaborates.

And today’s appliances, with all of their software and technology, have made that possible, manufacturers recently interviewed by Kitchen & Bath Design News agree.

Techno-Speak

Technological advances continue to impress consumers – as long as they look good and are easy to understand and use.

“New interfaces,” says Chris Kaeser, executive v.p. for sales and marketing for Ultra 8 International in Las Vegas, NV, “allow industrial designers to do things in an effort to promote style as much as function.”

Kaeser cites the example of touch-through stainless steel control buttons. “This is really great because now there is no need for ugly dials or buttons that can junk up the product’s look,” he adds.

“We’ve learned that it’s not enough to design a great product and rest on our laurels; we need to go above and beyond with the functional details, as well,” says Swenson.

Manufacturers are going that extra mile to develop appliance controls that improve the whole kitchen experience. As an example, Swenson points to control panels that light up on command and “go dark” when not in use.

“Residential appliances are becoming ‘smart’ appliances,” says Jeff Wimberly, director of sales and marketing/residential products, for Perlick Corp. in Milwaukee, WI.

Wimberly explains that technology is incorporated into appliances such as refrigeration for an “interactive experience.” An example he cites is the refrigerator control that is essentially a computer working with the compressor to “vary its speed, maximize cooling, yet minimize energy consumption.”

He adds: “Homeowners can adjust the temperature setting to precisely meet their tastes.”

Another area of technology that is making life easier for the cook is microprocessors. They allow for the “ability to monitor temperatures in cooking and cooling equipment” in a more precise manner than ever before, according to Paul Leuthe, corporate marketing manager of Sub-Zero and Wolf in Madison, WI.

Leuthe notes that “some of the diagnostic capabilities in the [appliances] help make the service provider’s job much easier.” This means less time spent finding the problem, and savings for the consumer, he adds.

Kaeser explains that some of the most innovative features in today’s kitchen appliances are those that allow the consumer to cook more quickly. These include induction and jet impingement. Other examples include convection microwave cooking.

Allen Lombard, president of Sirius Range Hoods in Buffalo, NY, also points to new technology in hoods. From range hoods that automatically control cooking surface ventilation to state-of-the-art task lighting that can be dimmed and even accent lighting, range hoods are coming into their own.