KBB - April 2015 - 46

TRENDS

Dornbracht's Smart Water technology can be updated through the
years with customization opportunities. This concept allows users to control water temperature and volume with a simple display switch and control knobs for a more interactive experience.
"Modern technology can be complicated, or it's a novelty and doesn't
have much value," said Pat Jarvis, vice president of sales and marketing
for Dornbracht. "We are making it easy to use technology in the kitchen."

More Interaction
Designed to interact, remember and respond, technology for ovens
and cooktops is becoming more reﬁned. In induction cooktops, there is
a shift to sophisticated user interfaces that allows users to control burners
like they use their smartphones.
"Consumers are demanding highly functional and easy-to-use
controls, and previously this was impossible for the cooktop," said Karen
Elder, marketing manager at Schott North America.
New technology, like Schott's Ceran ClearTrans, allows full-color, LCD
displays to be used on the cooktop. Since consumers were dissatisﬁed
with the lack of feedback from an induction burner, the burners now have
a visual cue showing that the burner selected is actually on.
"I expect to see more appliance integration for both small and large
devices in the kitchen to help reduce clutter, while still allowing users
to have fully functioning kitchens," said Elder. "For example, expect pots
that talk to cooktops and refrigerators that send messages to the user.
With LG's HomeChat technology, the user can practically cook remotely by monitoring the status and cook time of the oven. HomeChat
takes advantage of Natural Language Processing technology and the
LINE mobile messenger so users can communicate, control, monitor and
share content with their LG home appliances.

Customized Light
This idea of the connected home is meant to simplify daily routines
and craft the home to react to personal preferences. Since the kitchen
serves as a place for cooking, entertaining, homework and many other
activities, this room in particular needs this versatility and customization.
"Dimmers for new and modern architectural LED downlights and remote control window shades are a natural ﬁt for this important room,
where the simpliﬁcation of daily tasks and routines can save a world of
time and make life easier," said David Weinstein, vice president of residential sales for Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
As the preferred choice for most modern kitchens, LED lights boast the
beneﬁts of long life, energy efﬁciency and an eco-friendly quality. Along
with producing little infrared light and close to no UV emissions, LED lights
emit very little heat, making them ideal for cooking surfaces. Individual
LEDs can be dimmed easily and are designed to focus light without the
use of an external reﬂector, allowing for undercabinet lighting, crown
molding illumination and motion-sensing lights.
"Creating technology that complements, enhances and expands a
consumer's experience or knowledge is a viable way to ensure adoption
and longevity," added Mierke. "Regardless, the future of technology in the
kitchen is an exciting new area full of possibilities, untapped potential
and opportunities." n
- By Erinn Waldo

+
K BB

1. The Enviro Water Product Combo System from Enviro Water Products protects against contaminants, sediment and scale build-up,
with substantial savings to the consumer over the lifetime of the appliance. Gold Seal Certiﬁed by the Water Quality Association, the
system features a salt-free technology and a four-stage water ﬁltration process to eliminate potential impurities. Circle No. 224 or visit
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2. One touch of a ﬁnger on the GRAFIK T dimmer from Lutron sets
the right lighting level for a kitchen. Offered in a variety of glass,
metal and plastic ﬁnishes, the dimmer minimizes problems like ﬂicker,
shimmer and pop-on, as seen with other dimmers. Circle No. 225 or
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3. From Miele, RemoteVision protects food and wine investments
with a proprietary wireless local area network of technology and application software. RemoteVision-enabled products will have a constant connection to Miele's monitoring center. When a door is left
open or a critical cooling component malfunctions, a secured transmission alerts Miele's service center, which contacts the homeowner.
Circle No. 226 or visit kbbonline.com/freeinfo
4. With a PowerPlus 30-minute wash, the Frigidaire Professional
Dishwasher cleans dishes in a quarter of the time. The PrecisionPro
Wash Zones target the hard-to-reach areas of bottles and delicate
stemware, while Orbit Power Wash Technology gives four times the
wash coverage. The dishwasher starts at $1,099. Circle No. 227 or
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KBB - April 2015

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