You might be forgiven for thinking the Internet of Things (IoT) is a relatively new phenomenon, but as a concept it was discussed as early as 1982, when a modified Coke vending machine became the first Internet-connected appliance able to report on stock levels and whether drinks were chilled or not. This vision of a network of connected objects able to collect and exchange data using embedded sensors has truly hit its stride in the 2010s and IoT seems to be on everyone’s radar, from smart homes (think Amazon’s virtual assistant, Alexa) to smart cars to IoT-enabled fitness devices like the Fitbit.
The possibilities are endless and the innovation is slowly finding its way into our kitchens as well – the idea that we can work smarter and more efficiently, while also doing so remotely is very appealing. The movement is so popular that it’s given rise to The Smart Kitchen Summit – a two-day event in Seattle, now in its third year – which brings together the world’s innovators across the home appliance, culinary, grocery, smart home/IoT and technology industries, all with the vision of exploring and creating the future together.
If you’re an early adopter, happy to spend foreign currency and in some cases prepared to wait for these to come off the production line, here are just three smart gadgets to help elevate your kitchen from run-of-the-mill to smart kitchen status:
The FridgeCam™ – why opt for a smart fridge that could set you back thousands of pounds, when the FridgeCam™ is on pre-order for only £99 with practically the same functionality. Created by Smarter, an award-winning London-based lifestyle brand, the FridgeCam™ ‘is the first wireless camera that fits inside any fridge, allowing you to see the contents from anywhere via the Smarter App. In addition [it] will also help track expiry dates, auto-replenish and suggest recipes based on the food in your fridge.’
The Drop Scale – a blue-tooth enabled kitchen scale that intuitively guides you step-by-step through finding, making and sharing delicious dishes with the help of a connected iOS app. Retailing on Amazon for around $80, the interactive recipes, simple ingredient substitutions and smart ingredient scaling will help you conquer the bake off.
The WeMo enabled Crock Pot – a device that takes the convenience of a slow cooker that one step further. WeMo, a brand owned by Belkin, which piggybacks on standard Wi-Fi; and Crock Pot, the original slow cooker brand, joined forces to create a slow cooker that allows you to check and adjust cooking times and temperatures remotely, all from your smartphone. It means you can now decide exactly when dinner will be ready, even if you happen to be running late that day – well worth the convenience at $130.
From smart bins that read the barcodes and then order items as you throw them away, and forks that vibrate when you eat too quickly, to smart plates that calculate the calories of each food group you’re about to eat; the scope of what might be is awe-inspiring. So, here’s to smart kitchens and all they entail, because anything that helps us work smarter and quicker is a winner in our books!
