1 February 2022
By Roger Kennedy
roger@TheCork.ie
In our modern world, the pace and speed of tech can be truly frightening and we currently live in the most technologically advanced age ever. With the seemingly incessant rise of connected devices coupled with dramatically improved design and production techniques, the range of smart home gadgets seems to increase almost by the day.
Kitchen Appliances and Tools
One area that has been ripe for the development of increasingly intelligent kit has been in the range of kitchen appliances and tools. With families spending more time than ever in the so-called heart of the home, it’s perhaps little wonder that designers and manufacturers have turned their attention to adding a little more sci-fi wow factor to our previously drab cooking utensils and equipment.
If you’re looking to upgrade your kitchen experience – or just want to make the prep and delivery of meals a little easier and streamlined – below are some of the must-have kitchen tech to make you stand out in 2022.
- Cook the perfect roast with a meat thermometer
Even the most amateur of chefs realise that meat cooks quicker on the outside than the inside – but being able to gauge when roasted meat is ready to be removed from the oven, barbecue or hotplate can be a constant challenge.
A meat thermometer gives an accurate idea of the temperature of the meat at the core (whether that be a chicken, steak or chop, etc), allowing you to know exactly when to remove the roast from the heat. Indeed, modern meat thermometers even synch with mobile apps to let you know how long to leave the meat to rest for optimal results.
- Enjoy fried food without the negative health implications
We all realise deep-fried food isn’t exactly the best for our health – but that doesn’t detract from the fact that frying can lead to some of the tastiest dishes. A modern air fryer will allow you to achieve pretty much the same results as traditional frying – but using a fraction of the oil. Air frying can crisp foods, giving it that delicious golden-brown finish yet using as much as 75% less fat.
- Self-sharpening knives
Very often the best ideas are the simplest and self-sharpening knife sets come complete with in-built sharpening stones in the knife holders – meaning each time you insert or draw them out, they’re given an automatic treatment. Never get bogged down with manual sharpening again.
- Vacuum sealers
If you’re the kind of person that ends up buying or preparing more food than they need then a vacuum sealer could be the Godsend you’re looking for. Rather than letting food go to waste – or packing it in larger containers than you need for home-freezing – try investing in a dedicated vacuum sealer. Not only will your food stay fresher for longer, you’ll also free up valuable storage space in your freezer compartment.
- Go full-on future with the IoT
For years, sci-fi programs have tried to sell us a glittering future filled with smart home devices capable of cooking and preparing food autonomously. While we might not quite be at the point of robots looking after household chores, with the considerable advances made in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and connected gadgets, we’re certainly getting somewhere close.
The so-called Internet of Things (IoT) references the current reality of intelligent devices capable of gathering, interpreting, reporting and acting upon data that could see you controlling your entire kitchen from an app – anything from washing machines to cookers, lights and heating.
