Mornings are probably the most hectic part of our daily routine! You have to get up, dress up, make breakfast for yourself (or others if you don’t live in a single-person household), prep your meals for the day, and basically, ensure your day kickstarts on an efficient and smooth note. The most important meal of the day is breakfast, and honestly, it’s the meal I’m the laziest and least enthusiastic to prepare. I’ll just grab a cup of coffee from my fav barista…thank you very much! However, I am making more efforts to ensure I have a healthy and balanced breakfast every morning, and a set of handy kitchen appliances that perfectly meet my breakfast requirements make my mornings much easier! From a refreshing slide-out toaster to a smart tea maker – here are a collection of nifty kitchen gadgets that are sure to help you start off your morning in the most fun, hassle-free and efficient manner possible.
1. The Slide Toaster
The toasting process begins in the Slide toaster with an LED ring indicating the toasting level and completion. The slide-up tray has a translucent design element to it so that you can keep an eye on the toast turning perfectly brown to your delight Level of the toast crispness can be set with an adjustment dial like all other toasters we’ve seen countless times. This is ably aided by audio indications to keep the user well informed.
Why is it noteworthy?
Harry Rigler wants to reinvent the trusted image of the toaster with a detour to the soft form design of this household kitchen appliance. That too keeping in mind the requirements of modern users, and the present as well as future design progression of kitchen interiors. Rather than being a pop-up toaster like most out there, this is the Slide toaster which rolls the toasting grill to the side like a rollable smartphone. The tray slides out – you put in the bread and slide it back in.
What we like
- Audio indications to update the user on their toast
- Unique slide-up tray
What we dislike
- The radically changed design may not be easily accepted in households
2. The Origin coffee maker
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
3. The Cheat Sheets
The Cheat Sheets are basically, and this reference couldn’t be more relevant, social distancing containers for your ingredients. You use the same baking tray, but the Cheat Sheets silicone containers sit ON the tray, giving you miniature compartments to cook your food in. Veggies like asparagus that need shorter cook times can be added in the same tray as salmon, which needs more time in the oven. Once you feel like the asparagus is done, just reach in with your baking mitten and pull just the asparagus container out of the oven and let the salmon still cook inside. It’s easy, simple, and here’s the best part – your baking tray never gets dirty!
Why is it noteworthy?
Designed for better control, the Cheat Sheets don’t just allow you to segregate separate ingredients for the same dish, they let you simultaneously cook two separate dishes together too, separating them according to flavor. The most obvious instance is in desserts, where people tend to get picky. I, for instance, am a basic vanilla and fruit junkie, while others around me usually tend to gravitate towards decadent chocolate desserts. The Cheat Sheets allow you to simultaneously cook two separate dishes in their respective containers – as opposed to using rudimentary aluminum foil dividers or running your oven for two separate cycles.
What we like
- Made from high-quality food-grade silicone
- Allow you to simultaneously cook two separate dishes in their respective containers
What we dislike
- No Complaints!
4. 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
5. DADO
This minimalist-looking capsule tea machine is a concept design that can maybe someday fulfill my wish. It’s named DADO which is a term in East Asia that refers to making and drinking tea formally. The device doesn’t look like what you would use in a typical tea ceremony but the designer created something inspired by it but with a modern twist. The kettle part is inspired by what is used in traditional tea making and the minimalist design aims to bring a sense of calm and peace, things usually associated with drinking this caffeinated beverage.
Why is it noteworthy?
If you’ve used a coffee capsule machine then this follows pretty much the same procedure. There is a kettle and two cups placed on top of a “heating pad” that looks like an induction stovetop or a wireless charger. You need to fill the kettle with water in the bucket part located at the back. Then you have to preheat the cup or cups that are beside the kettle and all you have to do is press a button. In the traditional DADO, cups are pre-heated as well as part of the ceremony so that’s a pretty nice touch to add to this modern concept.
What we like
- A mix of traditional + minimal aesthetics
- Different flavors for the tea capsules
What we dislike
- Disposable capsules with a substantial carbon footprint
6. 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
7. The Bariseur
In its second edition, the beverage-brewing alarm clock comes with an updated design featuring a better brewing system using a one-of-a-kind immersion brewer that works equally well with tea or coffee. Rather than brewing your drink right into the cup, the immersion brewer keeps your beverage contained in a chamber, allowing you to pour yourself a cuppa whenever you need it. The smell, however, wafts out pretty effortlessly, allowing you to wake up to the aroma of coffee beans or aromatic tea.
Why is it noteworthy?
Bariseur’s ability to cross over into the multisensory realm makes waking up an absolute treat, because not only does it wake you up with sound, it tantalizes your nostrils with the smell of fresh coffee, getting you out of bed with something to look forward to, and probably a sunnier disposition too.
What we like
- Comes with a mini-fridge to keep a small glass of milk refrigerated for you to pour into your coffee or tea
- The immersion brewer is detachable, so you can brew multiple cups in a day
What we dislike
- No Complaints!
8. 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!
9. The Flair 58
Created to let you manually brew your own coffee, the Flair 58 is an espresso maker that requires a bit of elbow grease. A lever-operated design lets you physically ‘pump’ your espresso, while a pressure gauge lets you know whether you’re hitting the exact 9 bars needed to make a delightfully brewed cup.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Flair 58, as its name suggests, comes outfitted with an industry-standard 58mm portafilter, allowing you to use existing filters/tampers with your device. If you’re the kind of person to obsess over the coffee they drink (as are a lot of people), the Flair 58 is the perfect addition to your coffee-making ritual, giving you the ability to make a cup that’s as artisanal and fresh as it gets!
What we like
- The aluminum, complete with a black anodized finish, withstands years upon years of constant and consistent use, so your coffee tastes stunning even a decade from when you buy the Flair 58
- The Flair 58 offers 3 temperature settings to choose from
What we dislike
- No Complaints!
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
