Advanced Appliances That Simplify Cooking

by Rachel Lyon, Editorial Director for The House Designers®

Gone are the days of a simple turn dial determining the outcome of your cooking endeavors! Today’s advanced appliances offer more control in all sorts of ways to give better results with minimal effort. Whether you’re looking for a range, wall oven, or cooktop, here are some features to consider if you want a simpler cooking experience!

Efficient Heating Technology

You might be surprised that some of the best cooking innovations aren’t the most recent or high-tech. Anybody who spends enough time in the kitchen knows that relatively modest solutions can make a world of difference when using an oven or stove. So, let us introduce you to induction and convection!

Induction isn’t new, but most people still gravitate toward radiant electric or gas models when they select a cooktop. You should consider this nifty alternative if you’d like to cook faster and take the guesswork out of modulating heat! Induction cooktops use electromagnetic energy to heat cookware directly; this is much more efficient than radiant energy, which heats the surface and surrounding air before you even see a temperature change in your pan. By controlling the heat of your cookware directly, you can make temperature adjustments seamlessly.

Convection ovens are similar to conventional ovens—they have heating elements that raise the temperature in an insulated chamber—but they take it a step further by circulating the air inside. This helps ensure even heating for better cooking and baking results, so you can say goodbye to rotating casseroles and cookie sheets to account for hot spots! Ovens with a convection setting allow you to turn the circulation on as necessary and leave it off for delicate baked goods that could be disturbed by the airflow. Be sure to look for this feature when you shop!

Function-Boosting Accessories

As home cooks try their hands at more complex dishes, there are some things they just can’t do as well as a professional. Most of this has to do with the nature of residential kitchens—we don’t have additional appliances like fryers and pizza ovens—but there are ways to bridge the gap and pack more functionality into what we do have. If this sounds good to you, here are a few special accessories that can come with ovens.

• Thermometer – You’ll lose heat and extend cooking times when you open the oven to check the internal temperature of your dishes. If your oven comes with its own temperature probe, you can stick it in at the beginning and it’ll let you know the temp on the screen and/or through an app, if it’s a smart model.
• Baking stone – There are a number of meals that can’t be faithfully recreated on a metal pan or in glassware, so enter the baking stone! A ceramic surface is best for recipes that need a crispy finish, like pizza. You can buy a stone to use in any oven, but some oven models have a stone attachment that integrates for faster preheating and more precise cooking.
• Steamer – If you want to make more servings of a steamed dish at once, the oven is a better bet than your stovetop. Worried you won’t have as much control and be able to monitor it as well? This is where a dedicated attachment shines again.
• Grill – You can’t fire up a grill inside, but you can grill inside your oven! A grilling attachment can sear lines into your meal without flames. It also minimizes smoke, of course.
• Fry basket – Air frying is similar to convection baking as far as the oven is concerned, but the food involved needs maximum exposure to the circulating hot air to cook properly. A fry basket allows air to flow through from all angles for even cooking.

Think about what you like to cook and you’ll have an easier time choosing the appliance with the best accessories for your needs. And be sure to read up on what each model has to offer, because some pretty nifty features and modes can be hidden down the list!

Smart Compatibility

With smart tech integrating into more areas of our lives, it should come as no surprise that the kitchen is evolving, too. Smart kitchen appliances offer all sorts of conveniences—everything from remote preheating to guided recipes that walk you through instructions right on the screen. Perhaps you want a digital cookbook at your fingertips? Or to be able to make adjustments from your phone or through your smart home assistant so you don’t have to hover around the kitchen? Smart appliances have tons to offer and you should explore the possibilities in depth, because different brands have their own apps with different functions.

If you’re in the market for kitchen appliances, give Whirlpool®, KitchenAid®, and JennAir® a try! These brands all offer innovative options that can elevate your culinary experience. And as they’re available across a variety of price points, you can rest assured you’ll find great appliances that’ll fit your home and budget!