We've brought together our favourite examples new kitchen appliances for the contemporary home, with an emphasis on labour- and space-saving technology that should pay dividends down the road. From creative coffee to countertop composting, here are nine devices to dine in with, fitting right in with the latest kitchen trends.
New kitchen tech and gadgets to save time, space and food
DRO!D Food Vacuum by B!Pod
DRO!D is the answer to a problem you might not be aware of, but once used it’ll have a potentially revolutionary effect. Essentially, this is a ‘food vacuum’ system, consisting of a compact vacuum device and charger and an array of compatible food containers. Place leftovers or spare ingredients into a suitably sized container, plug in the vacuum and the air will be swiftly removed, arresting the decay process and making things last up to five times longer than they normally would.
It’s a straightforward process, and the bowls are pleasingly shaped and available in an array of colours and three sizes, up to 1.5 litre capacity. The vacuum device is made from recycled plastic and the whole ensemble is intended to cut food and packaging waste out of your life.
DRO!D starter pack, from £319, B!Pod, Bipod.it
Pebble by Kanu
Designed by prolific design agency Layer, the Pebble is a compact espresso machine created for the Korean coffee brand Kanu. Compressing the art of making a perfect espresso into a friendly device that doesn’t scream ‘coffee snob’, the Pebble has softly rounded edges, a simple rectilinear form factor and is available in two colours, off-white and charcoal grey.
As Layer’s Benjamin Hubert says, ‘coffee is one of life’s little joys and, with Pebble we look to elevate that experience in an affordable way’.
Pebble, more information at LAYERdesign.com, Kanu.co.kr
Breville Oracle Jet
At the other end of the scale is the Oracle Jet, a new device from Breville (the company known as Sage in the UK), an ultra-sophisticated coffee machine that offers every conceivable option and approach to the perfect. Cup. The Oracle Jet is laden down with proprietary technology, including the company’s Auto MilQ microfoam system and a fast internal heater Breville has dubbed ThermoJet.
The Orace Jet promises to deliver a wide variety of drink options, and there’s a touch screen for pre-programmed favourites. The host of other options for grinding, tamping and foaming milk also includes the ability to use soy, almond and oat milk.
Oracle Jet, coming soon, $1,999.95, details at Breville.com
Minix The Flender
Garnering a clutch of design awards across the world, yet currently only available in Asian markets, The Flender is a countertop device from South Korean company Athome’s Minix brand. Part of an ongoing trend towards ultra compact home devices, spurred on by South Korea’s demographic shift towards single-person households, The Flender is a processing unit designed to shred and compact waste food, removing smells and saving space.
Minix The Flender, further information at Minix.life
Space cookware range from Joseph Joseph
Recently Highly Commended in Wallpaper*’s 2024 Smart Space Awards, Joseph Joseph’s Space cookware is another excellent choice for the smaller kitchen. Using the company’s patented folding handle system these high quality saucepans can be stacked up in a much smaller space than most cook pots.
Space 3-piece set, £295, JosephJoseph.com
Citring One Juicer
Juicers have a bit of a bad rep when it comes to technology – the infamous Juicero Press internet-enabled smart juicer became shorthand for the inept and unnecessary application of ‘smart technology’ to dumb objects (as well as the venal and shortsighted VC money that enabled it).
The Citring One doesn’t make any wild claims or require its own app. Simply load up three oranges and the machine takes about a minute to extract the juice straight into a glass. The internal mechanism is shielded by easily removable bright yellow silicon components that can be rinsed in an instant.
Citring One, Citring.com, available via Kickstarter.com
Ninja Double Stack XL
Another Smart Space winner, Ninja’s Double Stack XL air fryer takes the popular cooking technology and shrinks its footprint with a simple design tweak. You still get the same big capacity baskets and synch functionality, but now the Ninja saves space as well as time.
Ninja Double Stack XL 9.5L Air Fryer, £269.99, NinjaKitchen.co.uk, @NinjaKitchenUK
Oyster Tempo Cooler
A high-end, high quality coolbox, Oyster’s ice free, heavily insulated cooler can also be supplemented with additional ice packs to create a portable fridge. Using their own DLTA vacuum insulation technology, the Oyster is simply styled with a slim structure to allow for more capacity. Oyster also make their coolers from recycled aluminium rather than plastic, encouraging wear and tear to be worn with pride.
Oyster Tempo Cooler, £471, OysterCooler.com
Vego Composter
Another device for the smaller home, this time making use of waste to create compost for plants inside and out. Although getting the most out of the new Vego kitchen composter unit will require a little more input – it needs the addition of special tablets to add the necessary microbes and enzymes – this could be a game changer for small scale self sufficiency.
Vego Kitchen Composter, $319, Vego.com
