KBB - March 2012 - (Page 22)

TRENDS Oven Smarts The latest models are tech-savvy and ultra-efficient Technology can have a democratizing effect, especially in relation to cooking. For those who pride themselves on their ability to, say, produce the perfect roast, today’s ovens may present a bit of a double-edged sword. Smarter, faster and now better at communicating, they make capable assistants to gourmet chefs. But then again, how much art and expertise are required to navigate a touch-control panel? For the rest of us who could use the help, increasing sophistication in both oven design and performance is minimizing the guesswork in meal preparation, while enhancing user convenience and experience. USER-FRIENDLY UPGRADES Some developments, however, can be appreciated by all, regardless of skill level. Features such as improved lighting for better visibility into the oven cavity, soft-close doors and drawers and additional extension racks are becoming more commonplace, noted Malte Peters, senior product manager, cooking, for Thermador, and only make life easier. Companies, such as LG, are offering convection across a broader price spectrum, and just as much of the world is operated by simply touching a screen, so too are ovens. Sleeker in look and increasingly intuitive to use, the latest touch-control panels have incorporated everything from LED backlighting to colorful, animated graphics to images of actual food or pots and pans to failsafe cooking. Equally welcome is boosted oven capacity, be it in wall models, with some offering as much as 4.8 cu. ft., or ranges. In fact, with mobility rates at a historic low and homeowners opting to work within existing kitchen footprints, space- and time-efficient double-oven ranges have “gained enough popularity to possibly become their own appliance category,” said Jennifer Golba, senior cooking brand manager at JennAir. Smaller, the dual oven compartments require less time to preheat, saving energy, yet enable users to cook at two different temperatures simultaneously, thus making it “possible to bake a cake, slow roast a turkey with all the side dishes and have all of these ready by mealtime,” Golba noted. STEAM & MORE Of course, no oven discussion would be complete without mentioning steam. Using steam to take the sweat, heat and chemicals out of cleaning an oven interior is gaining popularity, with several models on the market that offer this feature. And then there’s the steam oven. Sure, sales remain modest—Peters noted that Thermador estimates they represent 5 to 10 percent of wall oven sales among brands that offer them—and are largely to the well-heeled, but many experts are seeing growing interest. According to Nadine Hanselmann, marketing manager for Miele, a report by Research Institute for Cooking & Kitchen Intelligence (RICKI) listed steam ovens as one of 10 innovations consumers would most want in their ideal kitchen, and last year,Thermador introduced its 48-in. Pro Grand Steam Range, which incorporates a steam convection oven and incidentally won Most Innovative in the K+BB Product Innovator Awards. As suggested by Hanselmann, steam ovens will no doubt get a leg up as consumers continue to embrace healthier living, farm-to-table dining and slow food. 22 + K BB March 2012 / www.kbbonline.com / The Official Sponsor of KBIS www.kbis.com http://www.kbbonline.com http://www.kbis.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of KBB - March 2012

KBB - March 2012
Contents
Online Contents/News
Editorial
Show Director’s Note
Road to KBIS
Web Savvy
Consumer
Trends
Products
Abroad
Design
White Open
Texan Hospitality
Ad Index
Favorites

KBB - March 2012