Cook up a storm in your kitchen with these innovative gadgets that elevate culinary skills. From a souped-up countertop food processor to a smart drink scale, these products help you perfect your recipes with ease.
The days of crumb-filled college dorm room toaster ovens are long gone with the rise of DIY meal kits and hybrid breakfast recipes that combine taste with convenience. Next-gen gadgets make the process of creating these meals a breeze with WiFi capabilities and connectivity to recipe apps.
1. Smart Air Fryer
Unlike most air fryers that require you to monitor the food while it cooks, this smart option lets you control it from anywhere with an internet connection. It comes with a free app for recipes and cooking instructions.
Our expert testers baked bagels, fried French fries and dehydrated fruit with this unit, and it delivered impressively even results. The touchscreen buttons have a bit of a learning curve, but they're easy to navigate once you figure out the icons.
2. Smart Kitchen Scale
If exercising portion control is part of your culinary ritual, a smart kitchen scale can make it easier. Some of these devices also measure the nutritional content of foods, including calories, sodium, protein, and fat.
Our favorite simple pick from Greater Goods is compact, sleek, and affordable. It has a clean design that won't clutter kitchen countertops and includes a tare button and unit conversions.
3. Automatic Soap Dispenser
Keep your hands clean with this smart soap dispenser that’s activated by a motion sensor. It dispenses the perfect amount of hand soap, dish soap, or sanitizer.
The clear container lets you see when it's time to refill and the no-drip spout helps minimize clogging and waste. A stainless steel finish is a stylish choice for your sink. The dispenser is also dishwasher-safe.
4. Smart Drink Scale
You're probably familiar with the savvy bartenders at speakeasies, who can whip up tongue-tingling drinks in a blink of an eye. Now you can bring those expert skills home with this smart device that takes the guesswork out of mixing cocktails.
Pair this digital smart scale with the accompanying app, and it will tell you exactly what ingredients to pour into your glassware and in which order. It even accommodates if you accidentally overpour an ingredient, so you don't waste anything.
5. Smart Meat Thermometer
Whether you're grilling outdoors or in an oven, this high-tech device is a must-have. It features a Signals base (available in nine colors) and multiple high-temperature cooking and air temperature probes.
It monitors ambient oven and internal meat temperatures, relaying the results to your smartphone in real time. It also has built-in Bluetooth repeaters that extend its wireless range to up to 165 feet.
6. Smart Knife
The Smart Knife is packed with a cornucopia of ingenious features wrapped around a super sharp 2.375" black oxide 420 stainless steel blade. It can pull nails, drive screws, strip wires, take measurements and even tighten nuts.
There are several sensing technologies that meet the requirements of a smart knife for meat automation, including optical methods and electromagnetic wave-based sensing. However, they have not yet been commercially developed to a point suitable for integration into robotic meat cutting systems.
7. Smart Avocado Slicer
Avocados are a delicious and healthy way to get potassium and heart-healthy fats into your diet. This smart avocado slicer makes it easy to prepare these healthy fruits for a wide variety of culinary applications.
This three-in-one tool has a serrated plastic blade on one end for splitting the peel and a pitter in the middle with metal prongs that dig into the pit and remove it cleanly—no scary knife skills required! Plus, this slicer is also top-rack dishwasher safe for easier cleanup.
8. Aroma Fork
The aroma fork kicks out different smells while you eat, totally changing the dining experience. Imagine eating custard and smelling vanilla or sipping on a glass of wine while smelling basil!
This smart fork is like the Fitbit of eating utensils. It vibrates to indicate the appropriate interval between bites (about 10 seconds) and can also upload that data to your smartphone.
9. Ottomatic Coffee Machine
Chemex’s Ottomatic is an automatic coffee maker that aims to streamline the fussy pour-over process. It pulsates the water, mimicking the pattern of a manual pour over to evenly distribute water and allow the grounds to bloom.
It also manages key brewing variables, such as time, temperature and turbulence, to facilitate even extraction. And a hot plate keeps coffee warm without burning or compromising flavor.
10. Wine Stopper
Wine-lovers will appreciate a top-quality bottle stopper that keeps opened bottles fresh. Some models even have pumps and vacuum-seal functions.
There are also models designed to avoid oxidation, which can taint the flavor of a wine. These specialized stoppers are lightweight enough to carry and use at home, picnics or restaurants.
This model has a sleek look and is easy to use for beginners. It also feels sturdy and makes a solid seal.
