Innovations for your kitchen and bathroom: 10 super-smart inventions
Posted on 9th March 2022
How much further can you take a fridge? An oven? A cooker hood? Wouldnât it be nice if these appliances could take the hassle out of chores. They could also speed up cooking those midweek meals. Hey, we could generally have things in our kitchens and bathrooms that would make it all a bit, well, easierâŠ?
Innovations for your kitchen and bathroom on your wish list? Mine too. Luckily for us, there were plenty of innovations to spot at the KBB Show in Birmingham. So I spent my time there getting the lowdown on them all.
I, for example, didn’t know how clever it actually is to have the same internal layout for your fridge and freezer. Then I saw it done at the show and thought ‘hey, that’s smart’.
There are also plenty of other innovations for your kitchen and bathroom that make aspects of our life easier. Think smart wardrobes that steam and air out your clothes, so they need less washing. (But the best part is you don’t need to iron them â a godsend if you ask me.) There are also fridges that keep produce fresher for longer.
The KBB Show had plenty of those ideas on show as part of the KBB Birmingham Innovation Awards. Prior to the show, the judging panel decided on the 10 finalists. Then, during the event, they picked the Judge’s Choice winner, as well as the product that took home the Best Sustainable Design trophy.
Attendees, meanwhile, voted on the People’s Choice Awards.
But enough on the background â here are this year’s incredibly clever finalists. Which of these innovations for your kitchen and bathroom would you take home?
Which of these innovations for your kitchen and bathroom is your favourite?
As Bora‘s first release in a new product category in 14 years (yes, really!) the X BO steam oven comes packed with functionality. So it’s no surprise it was the Judge’s Choice Award winner. The appliance not only uses steam cooking to help you create delicious meals, it also has a self-cleaning function. It works almost like a dishwasher and saves you having to crawl around to get the cavity sparkling clean. So smart, right? Pretty and oh-so-elegant, Mermaid’s Garden is the latest tile offering from Ca’ Pietra (and I might be just a little bit in love). Inspired by underwater landscapes, the floral tiles in shades of blue and green are great for large-scale projects. They would also work well if you wanted to create a feature wall.
Read on for more exciting innovations for your kitchen
RĂžroshetta‘s striking Sense cooker hood won the People’s Choice Award. Billed to be ‘the world’s smartest’ of its kind, it not only filters out grease and smells but also tackles two important issues in our homes: indoor air quality and fire safety. Its 11 integrated sensors measure features such as fine particles eCO2, temperature, humidity, and movement so you can breathe easy. Plus, it of course can be connected to your smartphone or smart home system. And if it senses a fire risk, it alerts you so you can check and make sure everything’s well. Such a fab innovation for your kitchen.Offering instant steaming-hot or filtered drinking water, Perrin & Rowe‘s Armstrong mini tap is the clever little sibling to the company’s larger offering â ideal if you don’t want to replace your kitchen tap but would also like to swap your kettle for a boiling-water design. It’s one of our favourite innovations for your kitchen.Once you start cooking, the Novy Easy Pro hob automatically adjusts the speed on the integrated extractor â so it always gets rid of steam and odours at the ideal level. Not only that: it also has an extra-large cooking zone, so you can use those extra-roomy dishes and casseroles to their full potential. It’s another great innovation for your kitchen.
More amazing inventions that are sure to surprise you
Liebherr‘s Peak BioFresh fridge keeps two key issues in mind: energy efficiency and food waste. How, I hear you ask? Its BioFresh safes preserve even delicate foods â think strawberries, for example â fresher for longer by giving them the ideal spot. Plus, its HydroBreeze function injects a cool mist that keeps produce fresher for longer, giving you peace of mind. The four-second spray is automatically activated every 90 minutes, so you don’t even need to do anything to sit back and rest easy. A fantastic innovation for your kitchen.Does your shower sometimes feel a little dark? (Mine for sure does.) Bathroom lighting can be tricky, what with IP ratings and zones and all, which is where Keuco‘s Royal Midas shower light comes in. Combining a shower head and a lamp, it creates a luxurious experience plenty of people will be jealous of.Fishing nets are often called one of the worst (and most deadly) types of plastic polluting our oceans. Furnipart‘s Ocean IX handles give a new, very useful life to them, as well as a range of other recycled maritime materials such as trawls and rope. That’s what earned these stylish handles the honor of winning the Best Sustainability Design accolade.
Even more incredible innovations
Roca‘s new In-Wash smart toilet with In-Tank integrates the cistern into the WC, which makes it incredibly space saving â no more mounting anything on the wall. Not only does it save space, it also gives you even more design freedom… and plenty of free wall space.Short on storage, but don’t know where to put cupboards? The LoftRobe storage solution might be one of my favourite innovations, and not only because I’m too short to reach high-up cabinets. The compartments can be raised or lowered via remote control, making use of space that’s normally left untouched.
Featured image: RĂžroshetta’s Sense cooker hood.
Loved this feature on innovations for your kitchen and bathroom? Then read our feature on smart home kitchen products that will make your life easier.
