Kitchen design is constantly adapting to our changing lifestyles. Innovative technology in the form of kitchen appliances has meant greater efficiency, experience and better cooking results in the kitchen. It’s therefore important to not only be aware of the latest kitchen technology available to you during the kitchen renovation process, but also how to best incorporate this technology into your overall kitchen design.

Here we look at the latest in kitchen technology and appliances and find out how it can improve your overall kitchen experience as well as how it impacts your overall kitchen design.

These appliances will not only have your kitchen looking smart, they can make the process of cooking more enjoyable, too. 

Robert Fonti

Director, Balnei & Colina

 

 

Image Credit: Miele

Steam/Combination ovens 

A growing focus on healthy living has led to the emergence of steam cooking appliances. Cooking with steam is healthy because it retains the nutrients and moisture in your food, even making the flavours more intense. An added bonus is that steam cooking can be faster than cooking with a more traditional convection oven.  

There are three main types of steam ovens:

• Combination Steam ovens – achieve roasts and bakes that are beautifully moist on the inside and crisp on the outside. 
• Steam only ovens – beautiful steamed results for fish, veggies, desserts etc. but without the browning of convection cooking. 
• Steam injection ovens – Adds a little steam to the cooking process to help retain moisture of bakes and roasts. 

Our product recommendations:

• Miele Built-in Steam Oven DG6200
• Bosch Serie 8 Electric Wall Compact Steamer CDG634BS1
• Siemens iQ700 CS658GRS1B

 

 

Photo by Derek Swalwell

Concealed range hoods    

Evolving contemporary design has meant that appliances need to change their overall aesthetic to meet changing design trends. This has resulted in ‘bulky’ range hoods of the past disappearing from people’s kitchens. Our clients are opting for concealed range hoods that offer a streamlined look. 

This streamlined look may fit a more contemporary style but for a more traditional style kitchen such as Country or Hamptons we often still recommend a traditional, exposed range hood.  

Our product recommendations: 

• ASKO CC4727S
• Qasair Conley Under Cupboard Rangehood CON80L2B
• Ilve Under Cupboard Rangehood CU89-90

 

 

Image credit: Miele NZ

Wall stacker ovens

600mm wall oven combinations offer the latest in efficiency, flexible cooking and best align with new design trends. You can stack them in any combination you desire which allows for great flexibilty when it comes to your kitchen design.

Today, many people, whether for reasons of affordability or practicality, are foregoing larger homes in favour of smaller ones. The average Sydney block for example is 400m². This has led to a trend in design towards more compact, multi-functional kitchen appliances. 

Benefits of wall stack ovens include:

• Food flavours are retained by cooking in separate ovens - for eg no mixed flavours your cream baked potato won’t taste like lasagne
• Cooking efficiency – The average Australian family won’t use all the space in a 900mm oven on a daily basis. There tends to be small pockets of air that compromise the cooking quality when cooking a small dish in a large oven. 
• Cost efficiency – a 600mm oven uses less electricity than a 900mm oven, and if you need it you have a second oven for special occasions. 

Image Credit: Balnei & Colina

 

 

Image Credit: appliancesconnection.com

Coloured appliances

With white kitchens still in vogue, and cohesive, simple lines being a must have for new kitchen designs - homeowners are moving away from stainless steel appliances in search of new splashes of colour to add to their kitchens. 

One colour that is making its way into people’s kitchens is black. Black appliances look sleek, stylish and when combined with black cabinetry can make a real statement. A lighter alternative is grey. These are closer in appearance to stainless steel but are a matte finish and fingerprint resistant.  

There is a seemingly endless variety of colours to choose from today, Smeg and Ilve freestanding cookers for example come in over 600 colours!

 

 

Image credit: Siemens

Warming drawers

Warming drawers are handy compact kitchen appliance that keeps your food warm after it has been cooked. Warming drawers are temperature controlled so you can serve an entire meal course by course.

Usually only 600mm in depth, they are great for:

• Slow cooking
• Warming dinnerware and cups
• Design flow or combining and stacking ovens so the lines of your kitchen appear seamless

To create a kitchen design, using the latest kitchen appliances, that both beautiful and practical, we recommend you leave it to the experts. 

For more information about our kitchen design services or to book a design consultation, call 1300 450 320.

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