Smart Kitchen Appliances For Beginners: Everything To Know

Summary

Smart kitchen appliances offer a seamless blend of efficiency, convenience, and advanced functionality to modernize the home cooking experience. These devices range from refrigerators to slow cookers, and all reduce the time you spend using them. They offer programming options, teach you your habits over time, increase energy efficiency, and let you control them remotely. They do have high initial costs and internet dependency, but they offer many options for you to choose from, including brands such as Samsung, GE Appliances, Whirlpool, and LG. They also have a range of costs, providing even more choices for this incredible kitchen technology.

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One area where smart technology excels is the kitchen. Some think of smart devices as belonging to security or climate control, but smart kitchen appliances improve your cooking experience in various ways for various things you use. 

But first, it’s important to be clear on what smart kitchen appliances are.

Smart Kitchen Appliances For Beginners

What Are Smart Kitchen Appliances?

Just like any tech for smart homes, smart kitchen appliances make home tasks more efficient, less time-consuming, and require less overall effort. 

You can program them, they learn your preferences over time, and you can control them remotely with a variety of devices.

Unlike other smart tech, smart kitchen appliances focus on your kitchen. These include but are not limited to the following:

• Refrigerators
• Dishwashers
• Ovens
• Slow cookers
• Coffee makers
• Scales
• And more

The goal is to create a smooth, consistent cooking and cleaning process, which smart kitchen appliances do.

What Are The Benefits Of Smart Kitchen Appliances?

Think about this: you're stuck in traffic after a long day at work, and you’re hungry. Getting home is great, but you’ll still have to prepare dinner. 

But what if you could preheat your oven before you even walk through your front door? What if your refrigerator could suggest a quick, easy recipe based on what you have available?

We’ll go over more answers to this question in the pros and cons section below, but after a hard day of work, anything to help make dinner just a little bit easier while saving you from spending money on ordering in is worth it.

How Easy Is It To Use Smart Kitchen Appliances?

You can use a smart kitchen appliance if you’ve ever used a digital clock. In other words, they’re very easy to use. In fact, part of their appeal is how user-friendly they are. After all, one of their goals is to decrease how much time you spend using said appliances.

Is Your Data Safe with Smart Appliances?

Most, if not all, smart kitchen appliances require a connection to the internet, so it’s natural to wonder if your data is safe with them. Unfortunately, any device has some possible vulnerabilities. However, manufacturers are always improving security. 

We also recommend changing your passwords, making them difficult to crack, and making yourself aware of scams so you don’t become a possible victim in the future.

Are Smart Kitchen Appliances Safe to Use?

Yes, smart kitchen appliances are generally safe to use. 

However, like with all appliances, it's important to read the manual and understand the device before using it. Plus, it’s a good idea to research them beforehand. Doing so helps you avoid the few smart devices with some safety risks.

Core Features Of Smart Kitchen Appliances

Connectivity

First and foremost, all smart kitchen appliances offer a form of connectivity, often through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. This allows them to interact and connect with various devices such as your smartphone, tablet, or even smart home systems like Alexa or Google Home.

Voice And App Controls

One of the best features of smart kitchen appliances is their ability to “listen” and “do.” 

With voice controls, you can command your device to switch on or off, cook, defrost, etc., all while you're busy at work or relaxing on your deck. 

Their apps put similar power in your hands, letting you control settings, make adjustments, and offering suggestions, also all while you’re elsewhere.

They Learn

Smart kitchen appliances, like all smart home tech, can learn your preferences and start making changes on their own. This takes the work off of your hands and lets you do more of the things you enjoy. Plus, this saves you money when it comes to energy efficiency and your bill.

Other examples include brewing your coffee to perfection or grilling your steak just how you like it. 

Alerts And Notifications

Ever burnt your pie because you lost track of time? Smart kitchen appliances save your day (and the pie!) with alerts and notification features. Get real-time updates about cooking times, cleanup cycles, and more right at your fingertips, literally!

Pros Of Smart Kitchen Appliances

Saving Time 

The modern lifestyle is a busy one, so designers build smart kitchen appliances to save us those precious minutes and hours. For example, smart fridges let you monitor your food inventory and expiration dates, saving you the time you would otherwise spend manually checking each item.

Improved Cooking Results

Not everyone is a great cook. Not everyone has time to be. 

Smart kitchen appliances allow you to enjoy the meals you love without worrying about ensuring every last little detail is perfect. 

For example, they ensure you’re not undercooking or overcooking your food.

Energy Efficiency 

Smart kitchen appliances improve your energy efficiency. 

For example, a smart dishwasher optimizes water usage by running during off-peak energy hours. 

Another example is a smart fridge monitoring its power usage and identifying when it’s using too much. 

Of course, these are only a few examples. Many smart devices do the same thing, and it’s exploring further as a way to save money on your energy bill.

Cons Of Smart Kitchen Appliances

High Upfront Cost 

Some smart kitchen appliances have a high cost initially. 

The good news is you have many pricing options, sales help provide further discounts, and many smart kitchen appliances don’t suffer from this problem. 

Dependence On An Internet Connection

Nearly all smart appliances require an internet connection. So, if your internet connection dies, you won’t be able to use them. 

It is possible to set up smart devices so they do not become so dependent on the internet, but it is a difficult and confusing task. Still, if it’s something you’d like to pursue, you can.

Best Brands for Smart Kitchen Appliances

Samsung

Many reasons position Samsung as one of the top smart kitchen appliance brands. Here’s what some of them are:

• Its SmartThings app, which connects its smart devices
• The company’s investment in research and development
• User-friendly design
• A wide range of devices

Samsung offers but isn’t limited to the following smart kitchen appliances:

• Refrigerators
• Ovens and ranges
• Dishwashers
• Microwaves
• Cooktops

GE Appliances

Like Samsung, many reasons make GE Appliances a top brand for smart kitchen appliances. These include but are not limited to:

• A long, established history in the appliance industry
• Its GE Profile and Café lines
• Its SmartHQ app
• Quality manufacturing
• Customization options

GE Appliances offers a very similar selection of products to Samsung.

Whirlpool

Whirlpool also has many reasons it’s a top smart kitchen appliance brand. Here’s what some of those reasons are:

• Energy efficiency
• Product durability
• Personalized features such as remembering frequently used settings
• Modernized and stylish product choices

Whirlpool also offers similar devices to Samsung and GE Appliances.

LG

Some of the reasons LG is one of the best smart kitchen appliance brands are:

• Its ThinQ technology, giving you control of your devices and optimizing them to act on their own as well
• AI-powered customer services, including proactive tips
• Specialized tech for each appliance, such as QuadWash technology for dishwashers and true convection for ovens
• Energy Star certification

LG also offers many products similar to the brands listed above. 

The Costs Of Smart Kitchen Appliances

The cost of smart kitchen appliances starts with pinpointing what you're buying and why. Prices can vary widely, depending on your choice.

Let’s look at an everyday smart toaster, for example. Online prices range anywhere from $50 to $400 (and likely more). Most non-smart toasters range from $20 to $40.

But with extra cost comes extra value, namely, all of the value discussed above, along with features specific to them, such as multiple browning modes and automatic time adjustment.

A smart refrigerator is another example. They range anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000 and more. So, there’s no denying they’re expensive. 

However, it all comes down to the first point: what are you buying, and why?

If you only need a coffee maker that makes coffee, and you’re not concerned with perfection, you probably don’t need a smart version. But if you need a slow cooker that offers some extra functionality, you should at least explore the option.

To help, here’s a list of some smart kitchen appliances and their average costs at the time of this writing:

• Refrigerators: $1,500 to $5,000 and up
• Toasters: $50 to $400 and up
• Ovens And Ranges: $700 to $5,000 and up
• Dishwashers: $700 to $2,000 and up
• Microwaves: $100 to $600 and up
• Coffee Makers: $100 to $300 and up
• Slow Cookers And Slow Cookers: $100 to $200 and up
• Air Fryers: $100 to $200 and up
• Blenders: $50 to $200 and up

Reference: Smart Homes For Beginners