Like with everything else at CES 2024, the theme across small appliances is, you guessed it, AI. The idea is to help you cook smarter, faster, in a more personalized manner and, in many cases, all of the above. This comes in the form of both new takes on popular small appliance types along with innovative new categories altogether.
Take the GE Profile smart indoor smoker, for example, which is taking a category traditionally limited to the outdoors and making it something you can have in your own kitchen. But there was plenty more at the show worth talking about.
Revolution Macrowave
You might be familiar with the Revolution smart toaster that launched previously. Along with launching a second-generation model, Revolution also showcased its new Macrowave (no, that isn’t a spelling mistake). It’s not a microwave, but rather a smart oven that uses the same InstaGLO infrared heating technology included in the toaster. This allows it to heat found similarly to a microwave, but also convection cook and even air fry foods. InstaGLO technology adds a new level, able to crisp the outside of your food so you don’t end up with the typical issues you get with a traditional microwave: scalding hot on the inside with a cooler, even potentially soggy, outside. The idea, like many multi-functional small kitchen appliances, is to be able to replace multiple small appliances on your countertop and do more things in one unit.
Seergrills Perfecta Grille
What happens when there’s a pandemic and three engineers with a passion for outdoor cooking come together? They create a new product category, of course, and combine AI power with grilling. The Seergrills Perfecta is an AI-powered grille designed to be used outdoors that uses NeuralFire technology to quickly and intelligently cook foods at the touch of a button. Unlike traditional grills, the Seergrills Perfecta stands food upright in a vertical grill clamp-like design. It’s the company’s patented Dual Vertical Infrared Burner design, which cooks at 1,452°F from both sides and the edges, no flipping needed. Whether it’s burgers, steaks, or something else, you can cook them to perfection. There’s also a pizza peel attachment if you want to do a piping hot pie, inserting it horizontally versus vertically. You ca select the level of doneness and sear, and AI will control the burners accordingly. It features ceramic burners that move horizontally and pulse dynamically for high-speed grilling. You can cook a ribeye steak in 90 seconds and four chicken breasts in two minutes and 30 seconds. According to the company, the set-up isn’t just more convenient, it’s also up to 50% more efficient than a traditional propane barbecue, oven, or air fryer. There are five cooking modes: Grill, Pizza, Oven, Rotisserie and Chef Mode. Along with the aforementioned pizza accessory, called the PerfectaPizza, there’s also a PerfectaRotisserie.
GE Profile Indoor Smart Smoker
You can read all about this mind-blowing small appliance in our article and see it in action in our video. Basically, it’s a small countertop appliance that accomplishes smoking using pellets thanks to GE’s own Active Smoke Filtration technology that uses heat and a catalyst system. Smoke remains in the unit while a pellet capture system extinguishes the used pellets, collecting them in a water tank. You can smoke just about anything you would outside in this unit, choosing from five adjustable smoke settings. To make things even easier, there are six preset food settings for items like brisket, ribs, chicken, and salmon; and can keep food warm inside as well. Control the cook using the GE Profile Connect+ app.
ColdSnap Ice Cream Maker
Ice cream in just a few minutes? Yes, please! Coldsnap has a unique machine that’s like the Keurig of ice cream. It was actually introduced at CES several years ago but has come back hotter (rather, colder) this year. Like a Keurig coffee machine, the ColdSnap uses pods to create ice cream. They resemble thin soda cans with sensors so the machine can detect what type of pod has been inserted and adjust the settings accordingly (similarly to the Bartesian drink machine). It’s a pretty simple process. Open the flat, insert the pod, press a button, place a bowl underneath, and wait. In just a few minutes, you’ll have a delicious, frozen treat.
There are a few things that limit this machine. First, it’s quite large, so it’s no surprise the company is looking at it for commercial spaces first. Think a hotel, resort, perhaps a kids’ play place. But for larger kitchens, or if they can manage to make a smaller version, this could be the ice cream lover’s dream for the home. Second is that it only works with the proprietary pods. Though they come in many flavours, from coffee (which I tried) to salted caramel (yes, there’s an oat milk dairy-alternative option as well for the lactose-sensitive folks like me), there are only a few. They also take up a lot of space.
Nonetheless, it’s no surprise that this was one of the busiest booths in the Food Tech section at the Venetian Expo area of CES 2024. The samples they were handing out as part of the demo didn’t hurt either! (And yes, it was delicious with a slightly harder than soft serve texture.)
Barsys 360 Automatic Cocktail Maker
Cocktail machines that function like Keurig coffee makers are nothing new. Companies like Bartesian and Black & Decker have ones. But the Barsys 360 is a sight to behold. Barsys has been making its machine for a few years now, but this new version takes the design aspect to a funky new level. Featuring a 360° circular design, as the name would imply, it allows you to pour in up to six different mixers from the top funnel. This might include juices as well as alcohol, like tequila or vodka and it can hold 900mL worth in each canister, so enough to accommodate a gathering with friends. Once inserted, you can see what ingredients are inside and get recipe ideas for what to make or choose which ingredients you want to use from what’s on tap (so to speak) and see what you can make. Place the proprietary electromagnetic glass underneath, push a button, then watch the machine do all the work for you. Available in black and white and weighing about 10 lbs. (without liquid inside) it would look stunning in a home bar. It just needs a 5V 2A power supply to function and its USB power adapter can plug into a 240V/110V input.
What new appliances will you bring into your home in 2024?
Each year families across Canada find a new appliance at their local Best Buy that makes cooking fun and convenient. Check out our Appliances Buying Guide for inspiration. Also watch throughout the year for new and exciting appliances, perhaps even some of the CES 2024 appliances we mentioned above, to arrive in Canada.
