How to have the smartest kitchen

Household WIFI enabled gadgets are no longer just a passing craze for the techno wizards amongst us – it seems they are indeed rapidly gaining popularity and proving themselves extremely reliable in saving valuable time and money!

You have probably seen the advert on TV where the house owner asks “Alexa” to play their favourite song, turn on the heating, find a program on TV and dim the lights. In fact, according to the Wi-Fi Alliance, a non-profit organization that certifies Wi-Fi enabled products, Alexa will become the blueprint for all new “smart” homes in the future – WIFI will be built into the walls. Soon the purchaser of a new build will be able to control all WIFI devices through one central hub. Alexa is rapidly gaining popularity in virtually all rooms within the home so we thought it would be fun to explore all the WIFI options available specifically in your kitchen…

BSH is the second largest globally ranked appliance manufacturer with a staggering £12.6 billion annual turnover – you will instantly recognise at least one, if not all their brands – Siemens, Neff and Bosch. According to BSH, appliances should make every day easier for all and it is therefore no surprise that they recently launched their own WIFI range which you can operate through what they call “Home Connect”. What exactly does this mean to a non-technical person? Well, Home Connect gives you the opportunity to control your WIFI appliance whilst you are out and about – you simply download and install the Home Connect App on your smart device (mobile and/or tablet) and off you go!

BSH are not the only appliance manufacturer focusing on WIFI innovations. Miele, a £3.2 billion turnover company has also produced a WIFI home network through which you can control your appliance through the miele@mobile App that you can use at home or when out and about. Miele’s focus is in energy and cost saving of appliances – ensuring that you can remotely run your dishwasher, tumble dryer and washing machine at times when electrical supply is at its most cost effective.

 OK, so you have the App installed – what can you do with it?

There are some variation between the Apps but they all have a similar concept. This is where the fun starts – Let’s say you are on your way to Waitrose but can’t remember if you have eggs in the fridge? – simply connect to your fridge via the Home Connect App and bingo, you can see everything inside it. Oh… and whilst you are shopping, you suddenly remember that you need to rush home because that roast you prepared earlier needs to be turned on so that it is ready to serve to your dinner party guests at 7.30 pm. But instead of rushing, take a minute to use your App – select the time and temperature and start the oven. This gives you plenty of time to collect the flowers you need to dress the table (assuming you remembered to put the roast in the oven before you left home!). And whilst you are doing that, you might as well check how long the washing machine cycle has left on the Miele app and also switch on the dishwasher cycle to ensure your dinner is served on sparkling crockery! Then…the pièce de résistance …on that cold miserable trip home…take a moment to tell your coffee machine to have a steamy cappuccino ready the minute you open your front door!

This all sounds absolutely fantastic but what if I were to lose my tablet or mobile?

I have this terrifying image of someone finding my device and playing havoc with my home appliances – I immediately imagine myself returning home to find the front door wide open, lights flashing, TV and music blaring and appliances screaming at me on cycle!

If you are a little cautious about safety, BSH also offer their assurances – they are extremely vigilant in their approach to security – the Home Connect system is tested by IT Security experts, TÜV Trust IT. They were so impressed with Home Connect, they awarded it the distinction of “Trusted App”. Just ensure that all your devices or hub has strong password protection!

What are the options for my gadgets?

There are a million other smaller innovators creating WIFI enabled gadgets you can control via your smart device – the Crock-Pot Wemo Smart Slow Cooker, the Mellow Sous-Vide, the Eggminder, the RangeMaster Digital Thermometer, to name but a few!

Curious about WIFI Appliances? Why not pop into our Westerham Showroom and we’ll provide you with a demonstration!