Kitchen Design
8 Clever New Kitchen Appliance Features
We didn’t know we wanted or needed these food preservation, cooking and cleanup gizmos until we saw them at KBIS 2024
The kitchen appliances introduced at the recent Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas were full of innovations aimed at making cooking and cleanup easier and healthier. Some products are available now; others are rolling out in the coming months. The features below stood out as particularly clever and useful — often thanks to smart yet simple design choices rather than hard-to-grasp high tech.
At KBIS, the brand took it a step further with a new 30-inch gas cooktop with two-in-one hinged grate to griddle. Thanks to the interlocking and hinged design, home chefs can make pancakes for breakfast, then lift the griddle to make way for dinner prep.
12 Trends in Kitchen Appliances for 2024
12 Trends in Kitchen Appliances for 2024
2. Removable Range Tray
A new slide-in range from GE that’s available this month tackles oven spills in a similarly “Why didn’t I think of that?” way. The 30-inch slide-in electric convection range with a no-preheat air fry feature has an EasyWash tray on the bottom of the oven that can be popped out and then popped into the dishwasher. No more kneeling in front of the stove and scrubbing boiled-over lasagna off the oven floor.
A new slide-in range from GE that’s available this month tackles oven spills in a similarly “Why didn’t I think of that?” way. The 30-inch slide-in electric convection range with a no-preheat air fry feature has an EasyWash tray on the bottom of the oven that can be popped out and then popped into the dishwasher. No more kneeling in front of the stove and scrubbing boiled-over lasagna off the oven floor.
3. Hood With Built-In Air Quality Monitor
As homes get more tightly sealed for energy efficiency, ventilation becomes critical to ensuring healthy indoor air. At KBIS, GE showcased a new innovation — hoods with built-in nitrogen oxide and IAQ sensors — to make it easy for homeowners to manage their air quality. That’s especially important for those with respiratory issues or allergies.
Even when the sensor-equipped hood isn’t running, it continuously monitors eight types of pollutants in the home, including dust, smoke and VOCs. When it detects a change in air quality, it sends an alert to the owner’s cellphone via the SmartHQ app. A green (good), yellow (moderate) or red (poor) air quality indicator also activates on the hood. The homeowner can then choose to turn on the hood to ventilate the pollutant from the home or ignore the alert.
This pyramid-style GE Profile smart hood with clean air sensing is one of seven sensor-equipped hoods in the GE Profile and Monogram lines that will be available in April.
As homes get more tightly sealed for energy efficiency, ventilation becomes critical to ensuring healthy indoor air. At KBIS, GE showcased a new innovation — hoods with built-in nitrogen oxide and IAQ sensors — to make it easy for homeowners to manage their air quality. That’s especially important for those with respiratory issues or allergies.
Even when the sensor-equipped hood isn’t running, it continuously monitors eight types of pollutants in the home, including dust, smoke and VOCs. When it detects a change in air quality, it sends an alert to the owner’s cellphone via the SmartHQ app. A green (good), yellow (moderate) or red (poor) air quality indicator also activates on the hood. The homeowner can then choose to turn on the hood to ventilate the pollutant from the home or ignore the alert.
This pyramid-style GE Profile smart hood with clean air sensing is one of seven sensor-equipped hoods in the GE Profile and Monogram lines that will be available in April.
4. Induction Downdraft Cooktop
Bertazzoni was among the manufacturers that displayed an induction cooktop with integrated downdraft ventilation at KBIS. (German appliance maker Bora showed several in action and announced a partnership with Whirlpool to bring its technology to JennAir and KitchenAid cooktops in 2025.) These two-in-one designs are relatively uncommon in North America despite the rising popularity of induction cooktops here — and despite their advantages. For example, they eliminate the need for bulky range hoods, and they can be placed nearly anywhere, with room for cabinets above and drawers below.
When Bertazzoni launched this sleek 36-inch professional series induction downdraft cooktop with four downdraft speeds last year, it was met with fanfare. And since smaller models are even rarer, the debut of a 30-inch model in the same series, set to be available at the end of 2024, renewed the excitement.
Bertazzoni was among the manufacturers that displayed an induction cooktop with integrated downdraft ventilation at KBIS. (German appliance maker Bora showed several in action and announced a partnership with Whirlpool to bring its technology to JennAir and KitchenAid cooktops in 2025.) These two-in-one designs are relatively uncommon in North America despite the rising popularity of induction cooktops here — and despite their advantages. For example, they eliminate the need for bulky range hoods, and they can be placed nearly anywhere, with room for cabinets above and drawers below.
When Bertazzoni launched this sleek 36-inch professional series induction downdraft cooktop with four downdraft speeds last year, it was met with fanfare. And since smaller models are even rarer, the debut of a 30-inch model in the same series, set to be available at the end of 2024, renewed the excitement.
5. Built-In Gas Detector and Safety Alarm
Canada-based Forno debuted a feature that has the potential to actually save lives: a gas leak detector called SafetyJack that attaches to the back of a gas range. Whereas most other new gas ranges can only detect a flame failure, SafetyJack allows Forno ranges to monitor gas and carbon monoxide concentrations as well. When a leak is detected, the device sounds an alarm and automatically shuts off gas flow to the range.
Canada-based Forno debuted a feature that has the potential to actually save lives: a gas leak detector called SafetyJack that attaches to the back of a gas range. Whereas most other new gas ranges can only detect a flame failure, SafetyJack allows Forno ranges to monitor gas and carbon monoxide concentrations as well. When a leak is detected, the device sounds an alarm and automatically shuts off gas flow to the range.
All Forno ranges will be equipped with SafetyJack at no extra cost by the end of 2024. First to get it will be the brand’s Capriasca series, which includes the 36-inch Capriasca French door dual-fuel range seen here.
10 Design Trends for New Kitchen and Bath Products in 2024
10 Design Trends for New Kitchen and Bath Products in 2024
6. Triple-Play Healthy Food System
Many appliance manufacturers at KBIS touted product features that can make healthy eating easier. Smeg presented its innovative and sleek Vitality System dedicated to that goal.
The jewel in the three-unit system’s crown is the blast chiller — a Best of KBIS award finalist in the Game-Changing Innovation category. The blast chiller preserves food quality by rapidly cooling it, thereby preventing bacteria growth and increasing shelf life by up to 70%. It also has hot functions and a new yogurt setting. How cool is that?
The second part is the vacuum drawer (pictured), which vacuum-seals items such as seasonal fruit to lock in flavor and nutrients. The third unit is the combi-steam oven, which combines traditional cooking functions with steam to optimize healthy food preparation. It also has a sous vide function to cook those vacuum-packed meals.
Scheduled to be available in 2025, the appliances will be sold separately and in two or three design styles.
Many appliance manufacturers at KBIS touted product features that can make healthy eating easier. Smeg presented its innovative and sleek Vitality System dedicated to that goal.
The jewel in the three-unit system’s crown is the blast chiller — a Best of KBIS award finalist in the Game-Changing Innovation category. The blast chiller preserves food quality by rapidly cooling it, thereby preventing bacteria growth and increasing shelf life by up to 70%. It also has hot functions and a new yogurt setting. How cool is that?
The second part is the vacuum drawer (pictured), which vacuum-seals items such as seasonal fruit to lock in flavor and nutrients. The third unit is the combi-steam oven, which combines traditional cooking functions with steam to optimize healthy food preparation. It also has a sous vide function to cook those vacuum-packed meals.
Scheduled to be available in 2025, the appliances will be sold separately and in two or three design styles.
7. Drop-In Dishwasher With a Fish and Veggie Wash Basket
A dinner’s worth of dishes fits in this drop-in single-unit dishwasher from Chinese appliance manufacturer Fotile, which originally launched as a two-in-one in-sink dishwasher with a side-by-side sink and dishwasher. Both the original and this new design eliminate the need for repeatedly bending over to load and unload dishes.
This efficient new model, which launched at KBIS and will be available in the next few months, has five dishwashing cycles. Plus it has a second function that seems particularly genius: It doubles as a cleaner and sanitizer for seafood and produce, effectively removing more than 90% of pesticide residue from fruits and veggies. It’s a great fit (literally and figuratively) for small kitchens, butler’s pantries and bars, especially since its flat, locking, heat-resistant lid can function as a countertop when closed.
5 Must-Have Features for a Small Kitchen
A dinner’s worth of dishes fits in this drop-in single-unit dishwasher from Chinese appliance manufacturer Fotile, which originally launched as a two-in-one in-sink dishwasher with a side-by-side sink and dishwasher. Both the original and this new design eliminate the need for repeatedly bending over to load and unload dishes.
This efficient new model, which launched at KBIS and will be available in the next few months, has five dishwashing cycles. Plus it has a second function that seems particularly genius: It doubles as a cleaner and sanitizer for seafood and produce, effectively removing more than 90% of pesticide residue from fruits and veggies. It’s a great fit (literally and figuratively) for small kitchens, butler’s pantries and bars, especially since its flat, locking, heat-resistant lid can function as a countertop when closed.
5 Must-Have Features for a Small Kitchen
8. Dishwasher Baskets and Clips for Reusable Straws and Bottles
As mentioned in our recent kitchen appliance trend story, most dishwasher innovation seen at KBIS seemed to be happening inside the machines. In that vein, the updated Miele G7000 series models, which will be available this summer, had some very specific, very nifty new design features directed at sustainability-focused consumers. The StrawClean feature was a particular standout. The basket, pictured here, securely holds reusable straws in a variety of lengths, thanks to height-adjustment features, and cleans both straight and shaped metal straws thanks to targeted circulation. Elsewhere in the machines, various and sundry silicone pads, clips and inserts provide security and targeted cleaning for lids and delicate glasses and bottles.
Miele wasn’t the only company thinking about hard-to-clean items and those little bits that fall through the cracks: Café’s new CustomFit stainless-steel-interior smart dishwasher has a straw-friendly basket, targeted jets for bottles and a top-rack lid caddy.
Tell us: Which of these features would you want in your next appliance? Let us know in the Comments.
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As mentioned in our recent kitchen appliance trend story, most dishwasher innovation seen at KBIS seemed to be happening inside the machines. In that vein, the updated Miele G7000 series models, which will be available this summer, had some very specific, very nifty new design features directed at sustainability-focused consumers. The StrawClean feature was a particular standout. The basket, pictured here, securely holds reusable straws in a variety of lengths, thanks to height-adjustment features, and cleans both straight and shaped metal straws thanks to targeted circulation. Elsewhere in the machines, various and sundry silicone pads, clips and inserts provide security and targeted cleaning for lids and delicate glasses and bottles.
Miele wasn’t the only company thinking about hard-to-clean items and those little bits that fall through the cracks: Café’s new CustomFit stainless-steel-interior smart dishwasher has a straw-friendly basket, targeted jets for bottles and a top-rack lid caddy.
Tell us: Which of these features would you want in your next appliance? Let us know in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Read more home design stories
Browse thousands of home design photos
Find a home professional
Shop for your home
One area of innovation in kitchen appliances at KBIS involved ease-of-cleaning features and surfaces — with cooktops in particular. As anyone with a gas cooktop knows, removing and cleaning under the grates can be a real bear. First, users need a clear space to set the grates down. And second, they have to avoid soiling or scratching that surface, and the cooktop itself, with the heavy grates.
Whirlpool recently introduced a simple solution to the problem with its 30-inch gas cooktop with EZ-2-Lift hinged cast-iron grates, which users can lift up so they can wipe underneath. For a deeper clean, the grates can be removed and popped in the dishwasher.
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