Before the pandemic took place, cooking was a chore I completely avoided! But now, I honestly find it quite therapeutic! The pandemic, and all the free time that came along with it, somehow awakened my inner chef! I’m sure a lot of other inner chefs were brought to life as well. And with the third wave slowly encroaching upon the world, it may be time to deep dive into cooking once again! Especially with the right kitchen tools and appliances, cooking can be a fun and effortless process. The right products can reduce your prep time in half, make the little cooking tasks much easier, and help you with tedious and complicated techniques. From the perfect sourdough starter to a USM-inspired kettle – this collection of kitchen appliances promises to transform cooking from a Herculean feat to an approachable and enjoyable process! Let your inner chef take over with the help of these innovative and nifty designs!
1. The Supor Instant Water Dispenser
The Supor Instant Water Dispenser is an at-home appliance constructed for today’s world of remote working and WFH.
Why is it noteworthy?
Adopting an integrated design language, the Supor Instant Water Dispenser keeps a polished midcentury modern look. The gleaming metallic look gives the appliance a retro, yet timeless appearance so that it can fit into any modern kitchen or office space. In addition to its adaptable design, the Supor Instant Water Dispenser maintains a slender body so that it can fit onto any countertop no matter the amount of space available. Thanks to a seven-speed touch screen, users can also adjust the rate of water discharge so that it can pour from the faucet as quickly as three seconds.
What we like
- Can be used for anything from brewing coffee to making a pot of tea
- The seven-speed touch screen adjusts the rate of dispensing water to varying speeds
What we dislike
No complaints!
2. The Barbecue Nx
The smart grill concept has been designed by Swapnil Yeutkar who is a Product Designer for Whirlpool India. It’s only an idea but the Barbecue Nx has the potential to be big when it becomes a reality. It goes beyond its stylish form but it doesn’t look anything like the common grills we see in the market. At first glance, it looks like a huge air fryer or a small electric oven. From another angle, it appears like an oven toaster.
Why is it noteworthy?
What makes this concept special, is that it’s a grilling machine that allows a more efficient grilling with unique low smoke technology. A centrifugal fan helps in grilling so everything is efficient. It’s what powers the grill and sends out air to the chimney via two input manifolds. There is a fire plate that ignites the fire gel as described by the design. This makes the machine ready to grill in just five minutes.
What we like
- Ready to grill within five minutes
- Separable grill that can be easily cleaned, and is user friendly for cooking veggies + meat at once
- Unique low smoke technology
What we dislike
- Not very portable
- Looks more like an air fryer, than a barbecue grill
3. USM-inspired Kettle
One thing that a lot of product designers like doing is to imagine and re-imagine what other products famous brands can come up with. They bring the original aesthetic of these design-focused brands and then think of what other furniture, appliances, or basically related (sometimes even unrelated) products they can come up with. We’ve seen some pretty interesting concepts out there. If you’re a fan of the Swiss modular furniture brand USM, this is something you’d like to take a look at.
Why is it noteworthy?
The base and the body of the kettle itself are the circles while the handle is rectangular. The spout where the water pours out is where the triangle comes in. The 3D renders also show the various colors that the kettle can have, which are the basic colors that the USM Haller line has: blue, orange, red, yellow, and white. The end product concept seems to be something I would like to have in my kitchen. It’s minimalist but sleek and really embodies the idea of form following function.
What we like
- Clean + minimal aesthetics
- Variety of USM-inspired colors
What we dislike
- It’s still a concept!
4. Goldie
Fabian turned to Jennifer Yoko Olson, industrial designer, and fellow baking enthusiast. Together, they designed Goldie, an incubation chamber for your sourdough starter. Designed to hold virtually any container you’d normally culture your starter in, Goldie creates the perfect temperature and environment for your sourdough to grow, giving you an active yeast culture that results in the tastiest sourdough loaves.
Why is it noteworthy?
Designed to almost look like a glass bell jar for your sourdough starter, Goldie is a nifty electric temperature-controlled chamber that incubates your sourdough to its fullest potential. Much more compact than your oven (and requiring just a fraction of its energy), Goldie elegantly warms your starter, bringing it up to the “Goldilocks Zone” of 75-82ºF – not too hot, not too cold.
What we like
- Helps you grow the perfect sourdough starter
- An LED indicator on the platform lets you know if the incubation chamber is too cool or too hot
What we dislike
- The Sourhouse glass jars are available as add-ons
5. CucinaPro Building Brick Electric Waffle Maker
The CucinaPro Building Brick Electric Waffle Maker gives the humble breakfast food a new twist, turning the large square waffle into a series of stackable bricks! The waffle maker’s heat plate is designed to resemble a LEGO-ish mold, and the resulting waffles come with studs on the upper surface, and hollow areas on the lower surface to allow the waffle bricks to lock into each other. The patent-pending design lets you make 14 bricks of different sizes with each serving, allowing you to explore quite literally a new dimension when it comes to food. Stacked pancakes have nothing on these brick waffles!
Why is it noteworthy?
Each CucinaPro Building Brick Electric Waffle Maker also comes with 2 serving plates designed to provide the perfect stacking/eating experience. The plates are equipped with studs that make the perfect base structure for your build, while two small containers on the side let you store your accouterments, be it maple syrup, sliced fruits, or cubes of butter.
What we like
- Gives the waffle an interesting makeover
- Lets you make 14 bricks of different sizes with each serving
What we dislike
- The redesign may not go well with those who love traditional style waffles
6. Electric Chopsticks
Chopstick innovations and redesigns have been presented, but nothing like this project introduced together by Kirin Holdings and the Miyashita Laboratory (Meiji University Dr. Homei Miyashita Laboratory of the Department of Frontier Media Science, School of Interdisciplinary Mathematical Sciences). The chopstick device comes with an electrical stimulation waveform that together work to adjust the taste of low-sodium food.
Why is it noteworthy?
The chopsticks can make low-sodium food taste salty. So you can enjoy the food more but sans the high sodium content. This idea can benefit those who need to go on a low-sodium diet. Right now, chopsticks can be used, but other utensils can also take advantage of the system. Salty taste enhancement is possible with electrical stimulation on a utensil. With the goal of improving the electric taste sensation, more people can enjoy what they eat even with reduced salt.
What we like
- The device uses a weak electrical current in transmitting sodium ions from the food to the mouth
- Creates a sense of saltiness
What we dislike
- It’s still in the prototype stage!
7. Samsung Cuisine
Samsung Cuisine features the built-in inductive heating technology of Samsung that can go up to 300-degree F and it will heat up anything you put in the oven. Sullivan explains that this portable appliance is perfect for any trip – camping, hiking, or picnic!
Why is it noteworthy?
The portable oven has clean lines, minimal form, a smooth surface, and that iconic pill-shaped button. It is divided into two sections: top and bottom. The top heating container is perfect to cook or keep your food warm, while the bottom container can be used to store fruits or desserts.
What we like
- Portable design
- Built-in inductive heating technology
What we dislike
- It’s still a concept!
8. The Origin coffee maker concept
Whenever I take my first sip of coffee in the morning, I am always thankful to whoever it was that first developed coffee and the farmers who harvested this particular blend I’m drinking. While some of the world’s best coffee is generally known to come from Brazil, Colombia, and Vietnam (my country, the Philippines, will hopefully someday be included in that list), one of the unsung heroes of the industry is Ethiopia where coffee beans have been thriving since the 7th century. This concept design for a coffee maker pays tribute to the East African country.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Origin coffee maker concept wants to bring “meaningful coffee” to your cup by reminding you of its origins. The shape of the coffee maker is inspired by the map of Ethiopia, although of course it’s not in the exact shape but is modeled after the basic outline. This way, the designer is able to “honor” the origin of coffee, although historians can’t really say that the locals who grew the beans cultivated or consumed these precious beans there.
What we like
- There are just a few buttons you need to press including the on/off and open/close buttons
- You have the option to make an espresso or an americano and there’s also a button or level for the water and the beans
What we dislike
- The finishing is not smooth though as it intentionally makes it look like it has corrosions and scratches – which may not be liked by everyone
9. LESHAN smart rice cooker concept
For some cultures, rice is more than just a side dish, and this beautiful rice cooker idea makes it possible to cook this staple food wherever you go, for better health, of course.
Why is it noteworthy?
This smart rice cooker concept tries to take the middle road by encouraging the consumption of rice in the proper amounts. This regulation mostly happens through a mobile app, which is able to not only check particular stats but also control the operation of the rice cooker itself. That feature definitely doesn’t sound that special in light of the number of smart cookware today, but it’s the design of LESHAN that really captures the eyes and the imagination.
What we like
- Keeps a watch over your blood pressure
- Portable design
What we dislike
- The design doesn’t sound that special in light of the number of smart cookware today
10. The Morphy Richards multi-oven
Move over the conventional ovens that we all have got so bored of, as the Morphy Richards multi-oven has arrived on the scene breaking the monotony of the same old cooking methods. The silver lining here is the unique design evolution of the similar-looking ovens while bringing an element of classic feel to one of the most important kitchen appliances on the planet. After all, the greatest chefs all these years won’t have been able to explore their creativity without the good old oven in their arsenal if I put it mildly.
Why is it noteworthy?
The designer gives his imagination wings with this Morphy Richards oven while mindfully keeping the practical aspect of daily use in mind. Be it baking a fresh batch of cookies, making crisp toasts, or smoking meat – this desirable oven can do it all in unprecedented style. This Morphy Richards multi oven is good for any cooking regimen and fits into any kitchen countertop design – be it conventional or ultra-modern.
What we like
- The nostalgic dials and slider buttons bring back the cherished memories of robust appliances of the golden era
What we dislike
- Not suited for those who prefer modern + sleek appliances
