How kitchen renovations got smarter as high-end appliance features went mainstream

When Bob Cole threw a days-old, dried out pizza into his oven and minutes later enjoyed a hot, crispy, delicious lunch, he credited his Wolf steam oven. It is one of the many appliances Cole appreciates since renovating his kitchen in 2021. “I researched the best tools for how I cook,” said Cole, an avid home chef who lives in Lower Gwynedd. Those top-of-the-line appliances include a large Wolf gas range with a special wok burner, Cove dishwasher, Wolf convection steam oven, and Sub-Zero refrigerator.

Whether for a home chef creating elaborate meals or a harried parent just trying to get dinner on the table, kitchen appliances are designed to make cooking and cleanup easy and efficient.

Do you want to preheat your oven from your phone on your evening commute, or check your refrigerator’s camera to see if you need milk? There’s an app for that. Smart appliances can track cooking progress, diagnose and report issues, suggest recipes, and create a shopping list.

The global smart kitchen appliances market was valued at just under $11 billion in 2024 and is estimated to reach close to $13 billion in 2025 and $50 billion by 2033, according to market researcher Strait’s Research.

“When smart features first came out, they were a luxury in the more expensive appliance brands,” said Jace Kieffer, vice president of Kieffer’s Appliance based in Lansdale. “Now, they are even available on your entry-level items from brands like GE, Samsung, and LG, and as the years go by, the technology gets better.”

WiFi features are especially helpful with appliance maintenance and troubleshooting. A manufacturer can read an error code and analyze the data remotely to diagnose problems, identify potential issues, and develop solutions.

While all kitchen appliances include brands with smart technology, experts point to these features as game changers in the way we cook.

Refrigerators with smart technology sound an audible alert but also notify the app when the door is ajar or the temperature needs adjusting. Cameras show what foods are running low, and built-in screens offer access to calendars, grocery lists, and recipes.

Freezers with a quick-freeze setting are especially helpful when room-temperature foods are put into the freezer. Instead of those foods lowering the freezer’s temperature, the freezer will get colder to freeze them quickly.

Ovens equipped with probes monitor how food is cooking and send an alert when the food is done. Some models offer preloaded instructions for cooking times and temperatures. Put the food in the cold oven, select the desired cooking function and temperature, and the oven takes over.

The steam oven function, which injects moisture during the cooking process, is a healthy way to cook without frying. Steam ovens are especially helpful when reheating leftovers because you can control the exact temperature. Unlike a microwave oven, which continues to cook the leftovers, the steam oven will heat them to the desired temperature without continuing to cook.

“Gaggenau has a cleaning feature where you insert a cartridge, and it sprays down the oven’s interior like a car wash,” said Christie Bowman Coyle, design manager at Lindsay Kitchen & Design Studio in Chadds Ford.

Combi steam ovens have the added feature of browning. For example, you can steam a chicken and then make it crispy. Combi microwaves provide a combination of cooking capabilities, including grilling, steaming, and baking.

Air fryers, which cook using a heated convection fan, began as countertop appliances but now come integrated into ovens. Given the larger size of an oven compared to a countertop air fryer, food will take longer to cook in the full-size oven when set on air fry mode.

For stovetops, induction is the future, Kieffer said. Induction uses electromagnetic energy to directly heat cookware, rather than relying on flames or heating elements. It uses cleaner energy than gas and heats up and cools down more quickly than electricity.

Induction relies on magnets to heat the cookware, so pots and pans must be magnetic. The heat goes directly to the pot, which makes it more efficient and safer because there isn’t an element that needs to cool down. The stovetop surface doesn’t get hot, therefore reducing the risk of burns.

Dishwashers are quieter than ever before. Some models can hold multiple loads’ worth of soap that dispenses as needed and will alert you when it’s time for a refill. They come with adjustable racks, smart connectivity, and specialized cleaning cycles to adjust the wash cycle based on the load.

After 25 years, Andrea King finally needed to replace her cooktop in 2022 and her refrigerator a year later. She wasn’t interested in WiFi connectivity or lots of bells and whistles.

“I’m old-school,” said King, who lives in Center City. “As someone who’s been cooking for a long time, I don’t need all these new gadgets.”

She bought a GE cooktop with a flat surface and an electric burner that boils water in just seconds. Her favorite feature on her new Maytag refrigerator is the chime that alerts her when she leaves the door open.

WiFi, probes, and other unfamiliar features can be intimidating to people who may not be willing or interested in learning those new functions. Homeowners should prioritize features that they would use most and that would most match their style. They should also prepare a budget and consider space limitations.

“We bring clients in and do a cooking demo to show them how many of these features work,” said Carolyn Amber, lead designer at Lindsay Kitchen & Design Studio. “We curate their design to how they plan to use their kitchen.”