We’ve all been there. You’re standing at the grocery store, wondering if you need milk. How about eggs? You don’t buy any, only to get home and realize you needed both.
If only you could have a way to check what’s in the fridge while you’re standing in the store aisle. Well, today’s technology-enabled appliances can help with just that.
Take the Samsung Family Hub refrigerator, for instance. It has three built-in cameras that give you an inside view when you open an app on your smartphone. No more wasted trips.
Innovative tech in appliances isn’t just for the “cool factor” to show off to your neighbors – it’s to help make things easier in your daily life. Large or small, new appliances are loaded with features to keep you connected, make things convenient and work the way you want them to. And people are taking advantage of the new offerings: Best Buy has seen growth in the appliance category for 22 straight quarters. Advances in technology play a big part.
As Memorial Day weekend kicks off the unofficial appliance buying season (be sure to check out Best Buy’s deals), here are some trends you’ll see this year.
Connectivity
A smartphone or tablet is all you need to control many functions on newer appliances. And more and more appliances are talking with one another or to other devices as part of the Internet of Things.
In addition to its cameras, the Samsung Family Hub has a 21-inch touchscreen on the door that allows you to watch shows, look up calendars, share photos and more.
When it comes to cooking, you can turn your oven on remotely with the Samsung Wi-Fi range, or set your pot roast to “warm” with a smart slow cooker.
Air purifiers, like these from Dyson and Blueair, allow you to monitor your house’s air quality with smartphone apps. Connected air purifiers also learn your family’s habits and self-adjust to run at high-performance.
Convenience
Appliances in and of themselves aim to make tasks easier, but new features give you more freedom to accomplish those tasks on your schedule.
Laundry is a pain point for many families, and a couple of innovative options are promising to make things easier. Pair the LG Sidekick with a compatible LG front-load washer to tackle two loads of laundry at the same time. The Sidekick is perfect for smaller loads of delicates, hand washables and workout gear, all while you’re doing larger loads.
The Samsung Addwash tackles another age-old problem. You’ve put all of little Johnny’s dirty clothes in your washer, when he suddenly runs in from outside, covered from head to toe in mud. No problem: A door within the door on this washer lets you easily add laundry after the wash cycle has already begun. The Addwash also cleans itself.
Whether you want that morning coffee or an afternoon pick up, you can schedule a brewing time that’s best for you with the Nespresso Prodigio. It will also let you know when you’re low on water, or when it’s time to order more beans. The new GE Profile Keurig refrigerator with Keurig K Cup Brewing System also lets you set a time for your drink.
Customization
We’re used to getting things how we want them, whether it’s an espresso drink or a car. It only makes sense that home appliances give you the same choices.
For those who like draft beer but don’t want to own a keg system or brew their own, there’s Fizzics. A new product to Best Buy, it uses fluid and gas technology to enhance the flavor and taste of beer. Simply put your favorite bottle or can of beer into the battery-powered Fizzics machine, and watch it come out the other end as tap beer.
Need to bake three dozen cookies for a party but aren’t sure how much of each ingredient to use? The Perfect Bake Pro Smart Scale will tell you and let you measure by weight. Put too many chocolate chips in? It will adjust everything else for you.