12 Trends in Kitchen Appliances

12 Trends in Kitchen Appliances

BY Theresa Ulrich On

French Door Ovens
French door wall ovens are a great choice in limited spaces because you don’t have to allow room for a conventional door to fold down in front.

Touch-and-Swipe Controls
Induction cooking, which heats via electromagnetic field instead of through radiant heat, is all the rage because it’s speedy and allows you masterful control over simmering. And now smartphone-inspired touch-and-swipe controls make the connection between you and your cooktop element even more intuitive.

White, Reimagined
White is back! The modern take on white appliances is all about high-tech surfaces and innovative design touches.

Steam Ovens
Steam ovens cook food much faster than conventional ovens do and help food retain its nutrients and flavor.

Sous Vide
New induction cooktop models are being outfitted with all kinds of neat tricks, like this Bluetooth-enabled sous vide accessory from GE. Sous vide, a restaurant cooking method that can be tough for home chefs to pull off, involves slow-cooking via temperature-controlled water bath, which results in tender texture and intense flavors.

Retro Design
Vintage styles are making a comeback with the help of companies like Big Chill, which developed its Retro appliance line as a fresh take on the hot colors of the 1950s.

Countertop Beer Brewing
For the small sacrifice of 20.5 inches of countertop width, you can turn your kitchen into your own custom microbrewery.

Synched Appliances
Bluetooth technology is  making its  way into the kitchen. GE’s version of Bluetooth, called ChefConnect™, allows its Profile Series range to speak to the microwave, synching up clock times and automatically turning on vents and lights when the cooktop is in use.

Specialized Fridge Storage Zones
The days of the simple crisper drawer are gone. Now, highly specialized storage zones make your refrigerator a precision tool. some refrigerators now have storage zones like, a freezer pocket for boxed pizza and a temperature-controlled drawer with a setting for thawing frozen meats.

Chewable Ice
The Opal Ice Maker is the first appliance that allows you to make soft, chewable nugget ice at home just like you find in restaurants and at fast-food chains.

Gray Tones
Gray is holding strong as a trendy kitchen color. Appliances now come in gray as an alternative to stainless steel. GE Appliances’ Slate collection has a dark brushed-metal finish that’s actually matte and fingerprint-resistant.

Industrial Style
If you do a lot of cooking at home, a look that wears well through heavy use is needed, which is why the rugged aesthetic of an industrial kitchen is gaining popularity.

(As Seen on HGTV.com)