Cooperative Living November/December 2022 - 21

Smart microwaves include scanning
technology to send product-specific
cooking instructions to the
appliance from a smart device.
CUTTINGEDGE
Not Your
Grandmother's Kitchen
Smart appliances save energy for the smart chef
by Katherine Loving, Contributing Columnist
W
hether you're a master chef
or a culinary novice, smart
appliances add convenience
to any kitchen. Smart kitchen appliances
can guide you step-by-step or even
guide the cooking themselves.
Smart appliances typically rely
only onWi-Fi, paired with a custom
smartphone application, while others
can work with common smart home
systems like Google Home or Amazon
Alexa. For smart kitchen appliances,
routines could include preheating
an oven or turning on a coffee maker.
Let's take a look at a few smart
appliances for the home chef.
COOKTOPS AND RANGES
Induction cookingworks by
delivering energy directly to specially
designed cookware, using a magnetic
field. Induction cooktops are 32%
more efficient than gas cooktops and
about 75% more efficient than electric
cooktops.
Like other smart cooktops, smart
induction models recognize when
a pan is placed on an element and
automatically turn offwhen a pan is
removed. Brands like Samsung and
Bosch offer additional smart functions
such as synchronization with a brandmatched
smart ventilation hood that
adapts to cooking intensity on the fly.
Smart ranges often feature a barcode
scanning system that allows you to
scan store-bought foods, prompting the
oven to start based on the instructions.
Smart ranges can be controlled
remotely to preheat, change and monitor
temperatures through the companion
app or an integrated home system. A few
brands offer aWi-Fi connected cooking
co-opliving.com
thermometer to allow
remote monitoring,
leaving the home chef
free to do other things
while an app keeps an
eye on cooking progress.
For novice chefs, many
smart ovens and cooktops have
guided step-by-step recipes within the
app to help control the cook time and
temperature.
COUNTERTOP OVENS
Manufacturers are adding smart
functionality to their countertop
cooking options as well. The June oven
includes an in-oven camera that allows
progress to be tracked from its app.
The app also provides progress
monitoringwith push notifications to
your phone when cooking is complete.
Tovala also offers a smaller,
countertop oven for ready-to-cook
meals. These ovens use barcode
scanning technology for both Tovala
meals and those from the grocery
store. The Tovala app also uses push
notifications to track progress.
Like Tovala, the Breville smart
oven offers guided recipes and an app
that directs cooking temperature
and function, such as air fry or bake,
as the recipe advances. The Breville
smart oven also uses its on-board chip
to monitor and stabilize
temperature from all sides for
more efficient cooking.
OTHER APPLIANCES
Other common kitchen
appliances and small devices are
getting smart, too. However, these
devices feature a smaller set of
functions.
Microwaves frommanufactures like
LG,Whirlpool, GE, Sharp and Toshiba
include the barcode scanning function
to allow product-specific cooking
instructions to be sent to the appliance.
Smart kitchen scales, air fryers and
pasta makers are also all available to
connect to your phone for guided
measuring and cooking.
Ifyou're looking for a smart kitchen
gadget that won't break the bank, try
a smart meat thermometer. These
handy little devices work with an app
to specify optimal cook time and
temperature, and they notify the chef
when the meat is ready.
As our appliances and kitchen
gadgets get smarter, home chefs will
have more options for convenience
and functionality. Bon appétit! 
Katherine Lovingwrites on consumer
and cooperative affairsfor theNational
RuralElectric CooperativeAssociation.
Above, smart coffee
makers can connect to
smart home assistants.
Induction cooktops transfer heat directly
to specially-made cookware.
November-December 2022 ● Cooperative Living ●
19
PHOTO COURTESY GE
PHOTO COURTESY SAMSUNG
PHOTO COURTESY HAMILTON BEACH
http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living November/December 2022

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