Kitchen tech is already pretty cool. We’ve got pressure cookers controlled with an app, fridges with smart screens, and voice assistants to help us with almost anything.
But this is just the beginning. By 2030, we'll see our kitchens transform from the ‘heart of the home’ into stunning hubs of home innovation. Let’s take a look at what could be in store…
Appliances that work for you…
Ever since the early days of science fiction, we’ve dreamed of gadgets that speak to us. And now we’re on the cusp of having this technology in our homes. By 2030, you’ll be able to use all your kitchen appliances with voice commands (as long as you remember to actually put the food in them first).
Ask “What’s in my fridge?” and your fridge will tell you. Running low on milk? Your fridge will automatically order more and get a fresh pint delivered to your door.
And not just the fridge, but the oven, the microwave, dishwasher, washing machine and loads of your smaller appliances too. So while you won’t exactly be able to walk into your kitchen and say “Make me a Full English”, you’ll love the time you get back from a speedier, smarter, less laborious cook and clean.
And work for each other too…
Your appliances will be able to operate each other. Choose a recipe from the fridge and it’ll tell the oven to preheat itself to the right temperature – it’ll even switch itself off when the food is cooked, so you don’t need to worry about burning the dinner.
When you’ve finished, the dishwasher will choose its own wash setting based on what you’ve cooked.
Hands-off cooking
The more intelligent the tech, the less you actually have to do. Some smart ovens already have built-in scales, cameras and thermometers to detect what you’re cooking, then set themselves to the right time and heat.
But better still, by 2030 it’ll tell you when it’s done by sending a notification to your phone (or fancy VR headset) – so you won’t even need to be in the kitchen to get the cooking done!
Spaces that work for you
Worried that all this new tech will look clunky in your perfect kitchen? Worry not. The kitchens of the future will be fully integrated – no more slotting a washing machine into a space under the counter, and awkward corner cupboards – your appliances will be part of the design and the kitchen will work around you.
Think side-by-side drawers and multi-use spaces, like sinks that rise up and down so you have more prep space when you need it.
And you won’t need to touch the tap with chicken-y hands. Gesture control lets you drop the sink and turn the tap on to a certain temperature, all with a flick of the wrist.
The future is now
Excited? Check out some of this sleek new kitchen tech.
