Smart home technology has entered the kitchen industry, and it’s clear that smart ovens you can preheat using your voice, fridges you can view recipes for, and even dishwashers that can scan and check the progress of washing dishes throughout a cycle. .
But if you don’t have the time or money to make your entire kitchen smart, you can still buy devices and gadgets to make the time you spend in the kitchen more efficient.
Also: Everything you need to start building a smart home
As someone who recently bought their first home and is decorating their kitchen, I’ve researched and collected everything you need to equip your kitchen with smart home technology. From appliances to gadgets, these products will upgrade your regular kitchen to a smart kitchen.
Smart appliances
You can add smart appliances to your home kitchen without replacing large items like the stove or refrigerator. Countertop appliances with built-in technology make cooking more accessible and more customizable. Here are some of our top picks.
This smart air fryer is voice-controlled-enabled by Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. You can use the VeSync app to remotely control the device and get cooking status notifications. It comes with 10 cooking presets such as vegetables, french fries, frozen meals, chicken and more.
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Plus, it’s dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.
You might not think you need a smart toaster, but this device will prove you wrong. The Revolution R180 toaster has over 60 different smart settings, which automatically adapt to toast everything from English muffins to pop-tarts and even a panini mode. Additionally, you can choose your toast shade to get your ideal toasted bread slice.
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Also notable is its signature touchscreen with a built-in countdown clock and a chime notification that sounds when your food is ready.
An Instant Pot is a staple in every modern kitchen, but this one takes it to the next level. The device can play the standard role of a pressure or slow cooker, but has special functions such as sous vide, yogurt maker and more. You can use your phone to control the unit and use Wi-Fi to connect to the Instant Brands Connect app
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The app has over 2,000 smart recipes that you can click and the Instant Pot will start heating up to the right heat and setting.
Sometimes, the last thing you want to do in the morning is actually brew some coffee before messing around with the coffee machine. This coffee machine does the hard work for you—you can use your voice or the SmartHQ app.
Also: The best coffee maker
You can even customize and have the maker remember your preferred coffee temperature, number of cups and even brew strength.
Bakers will love this smart mixer with features like built-in smart scale, voice control, guided recipes and front-facing digital display. But one of its best features is its Auto-Sense technology that monitors changes in the texture and viscosity of your ingredients to optimize mixing performance.
GE’s Profile Connect+ provides software updates that will allow the mixer to have new features as they are released, so it will get smarter over time.
Smart Gadgets
Sometimes, big things come in small packages and this is the case with smart kitchen gadgets. Small enough to fit in your cabinet or drawer, these are the best smart kitchen gadgets that help you prepare, cook and clean without adding clutter to your space.
Tea lovers will appreciate this smart kettle to brew the perfect cup of tea. The smart kettle can handle temperatures from 104 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit and can heat 0.8 liters of water in less than five minutes. You never have to worry about a cold cup of tea because it has Keep Warm Control that maintains a warm temperature for up to two hours.
You can set a specific time to start making it, or reschedule it in the app if you want to sleep. It is also compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
This smart scale is perfect if you’re trying to be more aware of your fat, carb or calorie intake as it analyzes food on the scale and provides a detailed report of its macros. The scale uses the Renfo Health app, which can sync with the Apple Health or Genec apps.
You can easily convert units of measurement from grams to ounces or milliliters to fluid ounces without having to do mental gymnastics.
There’s nothing like a sous vide-cooked steak, and this gadget takes it up a notch with the Anova app to set the time and temperature on your device. Its technology circulates water at a precise temperature to cook your meat just the way you like it – whether medium rare or medium well.
It has 100 watts of power and a flow rate of 8 liters per minute, heating the water faster so you can have your dinner faster.
Meat can be demanding to cook, and everyone has a preference, but this smart meat thermometer lets you keep tabs on the meat you’re cooking to make sure it’s not overcooked or undercooked. You can monitor the internal temperature and external temperature at the same time to prevent burning.
Set up custom alerts and notifications through the Meater app, and smart algorithms can estimate ideal cooking and resting times for your meals to help you plan your meals. You can use it in the smoker, on the grill, in your oven or even in the air fryer.
Take touchless technology to your kitchen sink with this Moen smart faucet. You can control this call using the app, simple hand motion or turn it on manually. But what sets this faucet apart is its customization: it can dispense the amount of water you need, whether it’s a tablespoon or a gallon. You can set the desired temperature up to 120 degrees.
There’s even the ability to create voice-enabled personalized presets for everyday tasks, like “Alexa/Hey Google, ask Moen to fill the baby’s bottle.”
A smart display
Sure, you can use a regular recipe book while cooking, but the smart display lets you access cooking videos, make video calls, set reminders and timers, and more. The best smart displays are compatible with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant and can even control some of the appliances/gadgets mentioned above.
New to this generation of the Echo Show is Visual ID, which makes it possible for the Echo Show 8 to recognize when a person approaches the device. When one of the enrolled members approaches the Echo Show 8, it will display personalized content, such as sticky notes someone else left for that person, calendars and their favorite recipes.
Review: I tested the Amazon Echo Show 8 for a week. This is its best feature (and miss).
The camera is now centered, meaning you’ll be front and center when you video call your mom about her secret chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Google Nest Hub has built-in apps like YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music and more, so you can access recipe videos or listen to music while cooking. If you have another Nest speaker in your home, you can broadcast messages such as telling the family when dinner is ready.
Review: Google Nest Hub Max: Realizing the value of the assistant
It also acts as a hub for your smart home and even connects to Samsung Smart Things if you have a Samsung Smart Home product. While cooking, you can see who’s at the door, turn on the lights in the dining room, or respond to messages.
If you want something bigger, this Echo Show has a 10.1-inch screen with an extra feature: it follows you. You can move around the kitchen, and the screen will follow you; Plus, the speakers provide directional sound, so you’ll always hear clearly even when the kitchen is loud.
Review: Echo Show 10 with Motion: What it’s like to be followed around
You can also get personalized daily recipes, set cooking timers and even add to your weekly grocery list.
You may also need…
There are also some smart gadgets and appliances that can be useful to add to your kitchen to make it smarter. Here are some recommendations.
When it comes to some kitchen appliances and gadgets, smart isn’t always best. Although it depends on your preference, tried and true tools like stand mixers and food processors are always best. It is important not to get too distracted by high-tech features and focus on the main purpose of the tool and if it serves that purpose well.
There are many different kitchen appliances on the market, but not everyone needs them. First and foremost, you should always invest in a good knife and a knife sharpener. A cast iron pan also goes a long way in cooking, and a food scale will make things like baking easier with precise food measurements.
From personal experience, I recommend investing in a quality wood cutting board as it won’t dull your knives as quickly. Also, it doubles as a charcuterie board.