Household appliances have come a long way since the advent of
the mortar and pestle, but who among us could envision a
barcode-scanning microwave; a washing machine that dries clothes,
too; or a toilet so distinctive it debuted at New York City’s
Fashion Week?
Household appliances have come a long way since the advent of the mortar and pestle, but who among us could envision a barcode-scanning microwave; a washing machine that dries clothes, too; or a toilet so distinctive it debuted at New York City’s Fashion Week?
Yep, the high-tech age has finally reached the home, and not just in the impossible-infomercial-promise-made-by-some-B-list-former-celebrity sort of way. Instead, they’re useful, brilliant, slap-yourself-for-not-thinking-of-them-first advancements designed to add a bit of comfort and convenience to daily routines.
Helen, which drawer is the freezer in?
One of the biggest trends for 2005 is drawer space, as evidenced by the style-setting 2004 Chicago Kitchen and Bath Show. Refrigeration specialty company Sub-Zero rolled out it’s integrated 700 series refrigerators, freezers and combination units, which has drawer-sized compartments capable of being disguised as ordinary kitchen cabinets.
The compartments’ temperature can be precisely maintained, just like a regular refrigerator, and comes with a bevy of features, like a built-in crisper, hidden temperature controls, flush-mounted interior lighting and even a built-in icemaker in one model.
“The implications for the installation of this piece are obvious – entertainment centers, recreation rooms, master suites, boardrooms and bars are just a few that come instantly to mind,” says company literature, but it’s not the only place the new refrigerators are finding a home.
While kitchen designs have, for decades, been modeled around the idea of disguising unsightly, but necessary appliances, the latest très chic move, however, is to make them disappear altogether, and the refrigeration drawers are just the first step.
Dishwasher manufacturer Fisher & Paykel has also introduced a dual-drawer dishwasher, capable of gently sudsing fine crystal in one compartment as it scours dirtied pots and pans below with just the flick of a button. Moreover, each drawer is actually an independent unit, and can thus be placed just about anywhere.
For clients with mobility issues, the company recommends placing one on each side of the sink so that no bending is required in order to load or unload the dishwasher.
And for large kitchens with prep counters, they suggest, a single unit can be installed to directly load items like knives, bowls and dishwasher-safe cutting boards.
Prices for the refrigerators and dishwasher were not immediately available.
Price check in Gary’s kitchen
For the single guy’s kitchen there have also been improvements, because life goes on long after iron-pressed grilled cheese sandwiches and radiator-brewed coffee are acceptable.
For pocket-sized apartments, the Aroma Breakfast to Go 3-in-1 Toaster Oven offers a single-slice-sized toaster oven, a four-cup coffee maker and a burner-sized griddle plate in one compact unit, perfect for brewing a cup of Joe, toasting a bagel and frying an egg all in one fell swoop for a pocket-sized price – available at The Home Depot and Wal-Mart for between $30 and $40.
Kohler’s professional-series cooking also does double duty, functioning as washbasin and pasta pot in one. Simply fill the sink pot with water, set the cook temperature and drop in pasta with the accompanying colander.
When it’s perfectly al dente, press the drain button and the excess water is sucked right down the drain, never forcing cooks to lift a finger more than necessary again.
For the truly helpless, the Westinghouse Electrical Corporation has created – drumroll please – a microwave with built-in scanner. Rather than taking the time to read the packaging, users can simply scan their meal, and the microwave will set cook times based on the item’s UPC code.
The microwave, with a manufacturers suggested retail price of $256.99, comes with 4,000 different UPCs already installed in its memory. Users who pay a monthly service charge can receive new codes as the company updates its system.
Professionally pressed at home
For apartment and condo dwellers, trips to the laundromat could also be a thing of the past. For a refreshing change of pace, they could wake up to clean clothes instead.
That’s because LG Appliances’ washer/dryer combination models take up the space of just one machine while they wash and dry laundry with a delay start of up to 19 hours. Moreover, they’re highly efficient and don’t require an outside line to vent, just a standard 110-volt outlet.
For those with a large collection of air-dry items and a spare $1,200 to burn, the Maytag Neptune Drying System could be the answer to a prayer.
Rather than wait up to two days for clothing to dry during rainy winter and spring days, the dual-chambered drier allows one set of clothing to tumble dry the old-fashioned way, while a separate compartment allows users to hang delicate clothing on rods or rest it on mesh-covered shelves, air-drying up to 13 items in a warm, wrinkle-free environment. Best of all, the process takes hours rather than days.
And finally, a couture commode
Is it a bench? A box? Some crazed form of modern art?
Well, sort of. Fixture-maker Kohler’s latest foray into the world of minimalist chic is the uber-pricey Hatbox toilet, unveiled at New York City’s Fashion Week, held Feb. 4 through 11 in the Big Apple.
The tankless wonder gives none of the visual cues that today’s porcelain gods impart. There is no tank, no visible handle, just a smooth and sleek oval mound that contains an electrically operated flush mechanism.
Available in six colors, the price tag for this modern marvel ranges from $2,900 to $4,300.
It doesn’t sound so bad for a piece of functional art. Just be certain your guests don’t mistake it for a trash can or you could wind up with some serious plumbing problems.
