oday’s homes have become more sophisticated, technologically advanced and convenience
driven than ever, and the evolution of the kitchen appliance has not lagged
behind at all. Today
’s cook has it easier than ever with choices catering to the whim of every
connoisseur. If you
’re building or remodeling, look no further to find what’s cutting edge, innovative and cool in your cooking space.
Refrigeration
When it comes to upgrades, most of us start with our refrigerators, and the
newest models are super, for sure. Most of the luxury line refrigeration
manufacturers are debuting their modular column systems. This convenient style
allows the consumer and kitchen designer liberation to design their kitchens
without placement restraints for refrigerator or freezer. Both appliances can
be placed independently or together
at any location within the kitchen, eliminating the necessity for designing the
entire kitchen around traditional and bulky refrigerator/freezer combinations.
“You have the total freedom to design your kitchen any way you want with
Thermador
’s new column refrigeration,” said Chuck Bryant, Thermador’s senior refrigeration product manager. “For example, you can place different sized fresh food and freezer columns
side-by-side, or put the fresh food column adjacent to the sink for convenient
access to your fruits and vegetables. The freezer can then go on the opposite
side of the kitchen, right next to your oven, for easy thawing and cooking.
”
Thermador’s Freedom Collection features counter-depth 24 inches and 30 inches fresh food
columns, and 18 inches, 24 inches and 30 inches freezer columns, including
dispenser freezers. Additionally, unique 18 inches and 24 inches wine
preservation columns have see-through glass doors and an interior than can hold
up to 98 bottles of both red and white wine in two separate temperature zones.
Gaggenau debuts modular refrigeration in the U.S. merging professional storage
technology with cutting-edge design. Each column features an evaporator and
compressor, enabling the consumer to build a kitchen just like a professional
chef, following the kitchen workflow.
In addition, it prevents odor transfer since both refrigerator and freezer are
individual appliances and operate independently, allowing for perfect
temperatures
—the refrigerator is not cooled by the freezer air—and maintains ideal humidity levels for vegetables and fruits to stay crisp and
fresh longer. The complete glass, aluminum and stainless steel interior
prevents bacteria growth and keeps the units hygienic.
KitchenAid, a leader in advanced technology for refrigeration, offers a couple
of cool refrigeration choices including a new addition to their current
refrigerator drawer collection: a double-drawer refrigerator/freezer
combination.
“Like our drawer dishwashers and double drawer refrigerators, our new
refrigerator/freezer drawers provide another flexible and convenient option for
designing an environment that reflects individual lifestyle needs,
” says Debbie O’Connor, senior manager of brand experience for Kitchen Aid. “In addition to the variety of placement options, including kitchen islands, home
offices and family rooms, the new standard 24-inch width size of all our models
offers enhanced flexibility by allowing consumers to fit the drawers into an
existing cabinet opening.
”
It has a filtered ice-maker in the freezer drawer, and electronic controls
display the temperatures in both the upper and lower compartments. The drawers
will be available in stainless steel with a fully flush overlay model that
accepts custom panels, giving consumers the option of accenting their kitchen d
écor, matching their other appliances or blending the drawer into their kitchen
cabinetry.
Cooktops
Infrared sensors are now available on your cook top that will take the guesswork
out of cooking and deliver both precise results and time savings. Sound good?
Check out Thermador
’s groundbreaking Sensor Dome, part of their Masterpiece Deluxe Series. It is
available in a 30-inch model with four burners and one sensor and 36-inch with
five burners and one sensor or five burners with two sensors.
This retractable sensor dial utilizes an infrared beam that continuously
measures the heat from the cookware, cycling the heat on and off to maintain a
precise temperature and preventing boil over and automatically shutting the
burner off.
Also convenient with this model is the CookSmart program, which offers nine
pre-programmed temperature modes to perfectly prepare a variety of common
recipes, including pasta, potatoes and vegetables, as well as assist with deep
frying.
KitchenAid is introducing a five-burner cook top as part of the new Architect
Series II appliance collection, which is available in both a 30-inch and
36-inch.
“Whether cooking everyday meals or entertaining for a special occasion, a fifth
burner can really make cooking easier and more enjoyable, says
O’Connor. “Now cooks who don’t have the space for a 36-inch cook top can enjoy the convenience of five
burners in a smaller configuration.
”
Full-width cast-iron grates allow easy movement of cookware on the cook top
without the need to lift items from burner to burner and the grates rest low
within the cook top. A glass touch display with control lock and a glass
overlay on the controls makes the cook top both safe and easy to clean. There
is even an indicator that tells you when the cooking surfaces are still hot or
warm to the touch.
Dishwashers
Both Bosch and KitchenAid are bringing new dishwashers to your kitchen this year
that claim to be the quietest, most efficient yet. Bosch is a manufacturer that
has continuously raised the bar in energy/water efficiency, quietness and
quality. This year
’s presentation is no disappointment. In fact, its entire dishwasher collection
currently exceeds the federal energy standard by 36 percent. Now the brand is
unveiling a new category of models called Ascenta that makes its award-winning
lineup even more attainable to consumers.
“Bosch truly delivers on its promise of efficiency without compromise and is
extremely proud of its dishwashers top customer satisfaction ranking in J.D.
Power and Associates
’ major appliances study for the second consecutive year,” said Franz J. Bosshard, president and CEO. “Now with three categories of dishwashers to suit any lifestyle and need, the
Ascenta opens up our premium lineup to the mass market that wants to step up
from a plastic tub model to a more feature-rich machine featuring Bosch
’s German engineering.”
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