Technology For the Kitchen 2020: the evolution of the Smart Kitchen at Salone del Mobile

 

There will be intelligent, very intelligent, appliances – of this there can be no doubt.

The present and the future for built-in appliances.

The 8th edition of FTK (Technology For the Kitchen), 2020 EuroCucina’s collateral event during Milan Design Week in June, provides aspecial opportunity to scope the latest in built-in technology and cooker hoods, showcasing innovative products, concepts and visions of the future art of conserving and cooking. 40 participants will be ranged over more than 11,000 m2.

New types of kitchen appliances will mark a major step-change in the world of built-in appliances. From 16th to 21st June in Pavilions 9-11 and 13-15 at Fiera Milano, Rho.

The future will see fridges with transparent glass panels enabling us to see what’s inside and with display functions for recipes and videos, as well as food storage tracking to alert us to products nearing their expiry dates or running low, which they can then order online themselves; ovens will be able to judge the best cooking times for different types of food, without so much input; and there will be refrigerated units for home food deliveries. There will be a continuous flow of data, guaranteeing the perfect integration of all the appliances.

This means that fridges and ovens will be able to “talk to each other” – the former will identify the available ingredients and the latter will come up with a selection of potential recipes.

A further field of study concerns the lifespan of household appliances: if appliance functionality is dependent on the installed software, this could be updated to ensure greater durability. However, even greater consumption efficiency will help extend the lifespan of these appliances.

Professionalism and multifunctionality will also improve in terms of conserving and cooking food using the same techniques and technology as those available to star chefs. We will see domestic appliances that respect and maintain the nutritional properties, consistencies, flavours, colours and smells of food, balancing temperature, humidity and power.

Great importance will be attached to user-centric experience, with kitchen operations becoming even simpler but no less absorbing and exciting. Spending time in the kitchen will be an opportunity for social, dynamic and fun interaction: sharing recipes, swapping ideas and sharing them on social media, all from the same platform.

Looks will be no less important. Ergonomics, materials, colours, beauty and quality will all be an essential part of the proposed, increasingly design-oriented solutions, with appliances catering even to the most diverse consumer tastes.