Kitchen Technology for Fabulous Food
Since the 1950s visions of the automated ‘kitchen of the future’, we’ve been fascinated with the idea of applying technology to food preparation. With our busy lifestyles it’s understandable that we want to prepare food fast, but there’s more to technology than putting a ready-meal in a microwave; with the aid of modern gadgets we can prepare healthy and nutritious meals with the minimum of fuss and effort.
But of course it would be easy to fill up your kitchen with great-looking devices that you never use. We’ve come up with our list of the top ten kitchen gadgets that will be useful for everyone.
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1 Instant Pot
This multi-use device combines a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, and more into one handy-dandy machine. There’s a reason why this machine has a cult following. The Instant Pot is the jack-of-all-trades, allowing the user to make easy dinners while avoiding the hassle of dirtying up multiple pots and pans. From yogurts to pork chops, the possibilities are endless.
2 Air Fryer
Gone are the days of fatty deep-fried foods. Although onion rings, French fries, and chicken nuggets give you a quick hit of serotonin, these-high calorie snacks also add to your waistline. An air fryer can give you that crunchy fried taste without the addition of hot oils and extra calories from fat.
3 Spiralizer
Used on vegetables like zucchini, carrots, and cucumbers, vegetable spiralizers are a great and cheap tool that can help you get more vegetables in your life. Substitute your pasta noodles and rice noodles with veggie noodles created by a spiralizer to create a healthier, lower-calorie dish that somewhat resembles your original pasta recipe.
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4 Digital scale
Though some recipes measure ingredients in cups and tablespoons, most chefs agree that measuring ingredients through weight is the most precise method. A digital scale is also beneficial for people wanting to practice portion control or meal prepping. It’s much easier to track your macros when you are eating the same portions throughout the week.
5 Blender
For soups, sauces, smoothies and more, blenders are a must-have appliance in the kitchen. Some ‘smart’ blenders even connect to Bluetooth which allows the users to track nutritional information through the blender’s app. Now you will know exactly how many calories are in your next fruit smoothie.
Barbecuing
Outdoor food preparation is a whole art in itself, and even here technology is coming to the aid of the cook. Modern barbecues can burn hardwood pellets for eco-friendly cooking, use modulated fans to deliver consistent results, and connect via Wi-Fi to temperature and timer apps and recipe databases, so you can guarantee perfect results every time!
6 Toaster oven
A combination toaster and a microwave, a toaster oven gives you the best of both worlds, allowing you toast everything you would have prepared in the toaster, but opening up more possibilities like pizza, pastries, cheese sandwiches, and more.
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7 Electric Kettle
A must-have appliance in every British household, an electric kettle is the easiest and most efficient way to boil water for a quick cup of afternoon tea. But modern electric kettles can also simmer broths and soups, heat baby food, simmer fish and poultry dishes and keep water hot all day.
8 Silicone muffin pan
For bakers, this is a game changer. Though metal pans may work fine, silicone pans are non-stick which allow your baked goods to pop out of the pan a whole lot easier without the need for grease or butter. Additionally, the silicone material allows the pan to fold and bend, taking up less space than a fixed metal pan.
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9 Box grater
A simple yet staple item to have in the kitchen. Pre-packaged shredded cheese usually contains a starch coating to prevent sticking together. This adds extra unnecessary carbs in your meals. Instead, purchase a block of cheese and grate it yourself to ensure that you know exactly what is going into your meals. Plus, you can use the box grater to grate a lot more than just cheese.
10 Bread maker
It’s become a favourite pastime in lockdown, but breadmaking can be satisfying and worthwhile any time of year. Modern breadmakers can also make jams, yoghurts and doughs, and with the right accessories, even ice-cream. ■
This feature – Kitchen Technology for Fabulous Food – was originally published in Property & Home with Martin Roberts, Winter 2020 issue – read more here.
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