Sleek kitchen appliances for modern cooks to help you level up your chef skills

Before the pandemic took place, cooking was a chore I completely avoided! But now, I honestly find it quite therapeutic! I was somehow inspired by the pandemic and all of the time it gave me. It was a great time for many other inner chefs. And with the third wave slowly encroaching upon the world, it may be time to deep dive into cooking once again! Especially with the right kitchen tools and appliances, cooking can be a fun and effortless process. The best products will reduce prep time by half and make it easier to do the small tasks and more difficult ones. From the perfect sourdough starter to a USM-inspired kettle – this collection of kitchen appliances promises to transform cooking from a Herculean feat to an approachable and enjoyable process! Let your inner chef take over with the help of these innovative and nifty designs!

1. The Supor Instant Water Dispenser

The Supor Instant Water Dispenser is an at-home appliance constructed for today’s world of remote working and WFH.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Supor Instant Water Dispenser adopts an integrated design language. It maintains a mid-century modern appearance. The gleaming metallic look gives the appliance a retro, yet timeless appearance so that it can fit into any modern kitchen or office space. In addition to its adaptable design, the Supor Instant Water Dispenser maintains a slender body so that it can fit onto any countertop no matter the amount of space available. The seven-speed touch screen allows users to adjust water flow rate so it pours from the faucet in as little as three seconds.

What we like

• Can be used for anything from brewing coffee to making a pot of tea
• The seven-speed touch screen adjusts the rate of dispensing water to varying speeds

What we dislike

No complaints!

2. The Barbecue Nx

The smart grill concept has been designed by Swapnil Yeutkar who is a Product Designer for Whirlpool India. It’s only an idea but the Barbecue Nx has the potential to be big when it becomes a reality. It goes beyond its stylish form but it doesn’t look anything like the common grills we see in the market. It looks like an oven toaster or small air fryer at first. It looks like an oven toaster from another angle.

Why is it noteworthy?

This grilling device is unique because it allows for more efficient and low-smoke grilling. The centrifugal fan is used to grill efficiently. It’s what powers the grill and sends out air to the chimney via two input manifolds. There is a fire plate that ignites the fire gel as described by the design. This makes the machine ready to grill in just five minutes.

What we like

• Ready to grill within five minutes
• Separable grill that can be easily cleaned, and is user friendly for cooking veggies + meat at once
• Unique low smoke technology

What we dislike

• Not very portable
• Looks more like an air fryer, than a barbecue grill

3. 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. There are some really interesting ideas 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 handle and the base of the kettle are made from circles. 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. The design is minimalist, but it’s sleek. It really represents the concept of form following function.

What we like

• Clean + minimal aesthetics
• Variety of USM-inspired colors

What we dislike

• It’s still a concept!

4. 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

5. 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

6. Electric Chopsticks

Chopstick innovations and redesigns have been presented, but nothing like this project introduced together by Kirin Holdings and the Miyashita Laboratory (Meiji University Dr. Homei Miyashita Laboratory of the Department of Frontier Media Science, School of Interdisciplinary Mathematical Sciences). A chopstick device is equipped with an electric stimulation waveform. Together, they adjust the flavor of low-sodium foods.

Why is it noteworthy?

The chopsticks can make low-sodium food taste salty. You can enjoy your food with less sodium. This idea can benefit those who need to go on a low-sodium diet. Right now, chopsticks can be used, but other utensils can also take advantage of the system. Salty taste enhancement is possible with electrical stimulation on a utensil. The goal is to increase electric taste sensation so that more people enjoy the food they eat, even with less salt.

What we like

• The device uses a weak electrical current in transmitting sodium ions from the food to the mouth
• Creates a sense of saltiness

What we dislike

• It’s still in the prototype stage!

7. Samsung Cuisine

Samsung Cuisine features the built-in inductive heating technology of Samsung that can go up to 300-degree F and it will heat up anything you put in the oven. Sullivan explains that this portable appliance is perfect for any trip – camping, hiking, or picnic!

Why is it noteworthy?

The portable oven is simple in design, with a flat surface and the iconic button that looks like a pill. The top and bottom sections are divided. You can use the top heat container to keep food warm or to prepare them, and you can store desserts or fruits in the bottom.

What we like

• Portable design
• Built-in inductive heating technology

What we dislike

• It’s still a concept!

8. The Origin coffee maker concept

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. The East African nation is honored in this coffee maker design.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Origin coffee maker design aims to add “meaningful coffee to your cup” by reminding of the 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

9. LESHAN smart rice cooker concept

For some cultures, rice is more than just a side dish, and this beautiful rice cooker idea makes it possible to cook this staple food wherever you go, for better health, of course.

Why is it noteworthy?

This smart rice cooker idea tries to be a middle-man by encouraging rice consumption in healthy amounts. The regulation is done mostly through a smartphone app that can not only monitor stats, but also manage the rice cooker’s operation. That feature definitely doesn’t sound that special in light of the number of smart cookware today, but it’s the design of LESHAN that really captures the eyes and the imagination.

What we like

• Keeps a watch over your blood pressure
• Portable design

What we dislike

• The design doesn’t sound that special in light of the number of smart cookware today

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. This unique design evolves the already similar ovens, while adding a classic touch to the best kitchen appliance 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