ANALYSIS: SMART HOME Home Appliances


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On a similar note, Alexis Gauchet, Global


Category and Marketing Director for Kitchen at Glen Dimplex Consumer Appliances, believes adoption of smart appliances has increased rapidly because manufacturers have realised that connectivity in the home, and specifically in the kitchen, only makes sense if we define relevant and sustainable uses for the appliances and the technology we apply to them. “It’s about simplifying the process for the


consumer and recognising the benefits that the connectivity brings,” he says. In the case of Belling, the Bluetooth oven with


Zeus app not only allows consumers to remotely set, monitor and adjust cooking times, but they can save their favourite recipes and also register product warranties for easier maintenance. Mr Gauchet continues: “Moving forward, all


electrical appliances will be connected in some way and blend into home ecosystems, not just in terms of their operation but to help with servicing and maintenance to ensure they work to the best level during their life cycle – and therefore to help extend their life or even be upgraded remotely.”


Clever cooking BSH recently introduced the Siemens iQ700 voice-activated oven (pictured top middle). One particularly clever function is the user can open the door partially (to see how their dish is cooking) or fully (to add another dish) using just their voice and the Alexa or Google capabilities. Useful if their hands are full with a heavy roasting tray or a cake that’s ready to go in! Over at Electrolux, CamCook is another nifty


little feature on its built-in connected ovens – a facility within the My AEG Kitchen app (opposite, top right), which allows you to take pictures of your frequently cooked food items to store so it’s ready when you next cook the same food. Lisa Keogh, Head of Product Line Wellbeing at


Electrolux UK and Ireland, explains: “We also have CookView, an internal camera located in the handle of the oven door, which allows users


to watch a live feed of their dish via the app, so they can monitor the cooking process. “The My AEG Kitchen app is a great tool; not


only can you monitor cooking but you can control and adjust the programmes, durations and temperatures of the oven remotely. If you have a favourite recipe, you can save the cooking settings into the app and send it directly to the oven the next time to initiate the desired programme.” It’s not just ovens and hobs that benefit from


being smart. Sleek and controllable by the wave of a hand, EXG60 and EXG90 angled black glass extractors from CDA (above right) add a touch of high tech, super practical class to any kitchen. “This extractor combines style with


performance and practical features,” says CDA Consumer Marketing Manager, Carrie Bell. “Gesture control means there is no need to touch it if you have greasy or floury hands, as well as the obvious hygiene benefits that we have all become so familiar with over the last year. “We will be encouraging working showroom


displays – as seeing is believing in this particular case.” Of course, the past year has seen changes in


all our lives, and hygiene is a key concern for consumers as we move into the ‘new normal’, especially when it comes to cleaning, washing and touching surfaces around the home.


Remote control Smart appliances that are controlled remotely may now be a considered a higher priority than before the pandemic. Furthermore, connected appliances can offer support to vulnerable or shielding consumers through remote technology. “A raft of connected technology has bolstered


domestic appliances over the last 12 months, most notably the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), including voice-assisted models and app-controlled products,” comments Steve Macdonald, Business Director Home Laundry at Hoover. This can be seen the most in the laundry sector. One smart programme available today is


Hoover’s ‘Scan to Care’ function… “so consumers never ruin a wash again,” adds Mr Macdonald. “This savvy function enables users to take a photo of their garment and washing label through the hOn app, store them in a ‘virtual wardrobe’ and the machine will recommend the best cycle.” Hoover’s latest laundry line-up consists of the


H-WASH 500 range (its smartest ever laundry collection, the company says), alongside the H- DRY tumble dryers. Accompanied by the Red Dot Award-winning


hOn app, the H-WASH 500 12kg model has access to more than 40 specialist cycles through the app, where users can also save favourite programmes and settings, and it’s capable of recommending programmes and altering cycles according to load. This isn’t the only manufacturer app that


provides a helping hand to consumers. The Whirlpool 6TH SENSE Live app can alert users of any malfunction or programme failure on appliances and provides a resolution to help guide the user through the potential problem, therefore saving the need for an engineer to visit them at home. “At Whirlpool, we recorded a steady increase


in the number of users that utilised the connectivity functionality of their appliances during the pandemic,” confirms Tim Buszka, Head of Brand and Digital at Whirlpool. Smartphone apps can really assist the


consumer in their busy day-to-day lives; notifications are helpful and enable brands to communicate with customers, giving them helpful tips on how to look after the appliance to ensure they are getting the most from it. Marketing Manager – Growth


Brands at Beko, Gino Grossi, agrees, adding: “More so than just using your phone as a remote control, we are now starting to offer consumers tangible


and relevant information through the app.


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