Manufacturers continue to innovate in appliance design, striving for greater energy efficiency and offering consumers fresh options for customization, from metallics to custom colors. Smart features and Wi-Fi connectivity are becoming the norm, allowing for increased connectivity to home even when homeowners aren’t physically present. And brands are paying close attention to consumers’ increasing awareness of sanitization, with antibacterial and touchless features adding convenience and helping assure consumers that their appliances are helping them stay safe and healthy.
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Feature-Rich and Efficient, the Latest Home Appliances Have Something for Everyone
Two-in-One Refrigeration From Signature Kitchen Suite
The drawers in Signature Kitchen Suite’s 24-inch under-counter two-drawer convertible refrigerator-freezer operate independently, with temperature settings from -7° F to 50° F in each drawer. Six Multi-Temp Settings are available: Pantry, Fridge, Bar, Seafood, Meat, or Freezer, and are designed to minimize temperature fluctuations within ±1.0° F to keep food fresh. The Energy Star-certified unit offers Wi-Fi capabilities for both iOS and Android, so users can monitor and adjust temperatures remotely. Panel-ready (shown) and stainless steel options are available. Click for more info
Thor Drop-in Gas Cooktops
Thor Kitchen’s Professional Drop-In Gas Cooktops come in a 30-inch or 36-inch size and are equipped with four and six burners, respectively. Both feature high-intensity 18,000 Btu burners and a sleek, built-in aesthetic with metal-constructed knobs positioned on top of the unit for easy flame control. The stainless-steel finish provides a rust-proof surface that can withstand heavy scrubbing, the company says, and the one-piece spill tray enables easy cleanup. Click for more info
Gaggenau Reimagines Kitchen Ventilation
Gaggenau, the originator of downdraft ventilation in Europe in 1976, says its 400 Series Vario Downdraft Ventilation System offers a new level of performance, with an integrated air-quality sensor that reacts automatically when it detects odor and steam and self-regulates ventilation power settings to quietly draw cooking fumes down into the countertop. The downdraft system can be placed against a wall or in an island, offering greater design flexibility and unobstructed sight lines. The modular system pairs Vario ventilation with the Vario 400 cooktop series and integrates with Home Connect to monitor filter saturation levels and adjust the air-quality sensor. One of the system's optional blowers can also be placed in the toe-kick, maximizing cabinet space or accommodating an oven underneath. A filtration saturation indicator alerts users when it's time for cleaning, and the easily removable seven-layer metal grease filter is dishwasher-safe. Available in North America beginning in Fall 2021. Click for more info
MORE INFO: Why Bringing Fresh Air Into a House Is a Big Deal
Highly Personal Options From BlueStar
While BlueStar has previously offered color-matching for appliance finishes, the company is pushing personalization a step further with the launch of BlueStar by Design. The program turns the brand's line of refrigerators and ranges into a blank canvas for custom prints, resulting in one-of-a-kind appliances that pair seamlessly with individual design plans. The BlueStar by Design process, which uses a heated overlay, comes in an easy-to-clean Satin finish and requires an eight-week lead time. (Murals Wallpaper in Scallop, shown.) Click for more info
Dacor Delivers Just Right Red or White
Dacor’s 24-inch Built-In WineStation dispenser offers a temperature-controlled, four-bottle wine dispensing and preservation system for the home. An argon gas preservation system keeps wine fresh for up to 60 days, the company says, without loss of flavor or aroma, and dual temperature zones keep both red and white wines at their recommended storage temperature for optimal serving. Users can select their desired wine and the amount: a taste, half glass, or full glass, at the touch of a button. Click for more info
Energy-Efficient Washer From Electrolux
The Electrolux EFLW427UIW 27-inch Front Load Washer boasts a range of energy-efficient features, requiring only 60 kilowatt hours per year and 4,059 gallons of water, the company says. Its LuxCare Wash System can sense the size of the load and adjust water levels and wash times accordingly. It also has options that allow users to wash on a schedule, including a 20-minute fast wash or a delayed start to run the washer during off-peak energy-use hours. Click for more info
Big Chill’s Custom Colors for Fall
In collaboration with MA Allen Interiors, professional-grade kitchen appliance manufacturer Big Chill has released its 2021 Fall Edit, a curated palette of custom colors available for Big Chill’s three iconic collections: Classic, Pro, and Retro. The striking selection of colors—the fourth edition of the brand's seasonal custom color program—presents a medley of hues (Carmine Red, Moss Green, Signal Blue, and Grey White) reminiscent of Parisian cafés and their signature awnings. (Retro 48-inch range shown in Carmine Red.) Click for more info
Fisher & Paykel Multifunctional Combi-Oven
Fisher & Paykel’s 24-inch Combination Steam and Convection Oven boasts a number of upgrades for 2021, including greater capacity (3 cubic feet), making it one of the largest cavity capacities on the market, the company says. The combi oven offers nine steam-oven functions including AeroTech, Dehydrate, AirFry, AeroBake, and Rapid Proof, as well as a new Sous Vide function. The oven also incorporates the brand's TFT (thin-film-transistor) technology panel, which allows users to cook by function, food type, or recipe. Installation is simplified with a drop-down water tank located behind the top-centered tech panel, so a water line isn’t needed for installation. Click for more info
GE Hands-Free Smart Oven
Part of the contemporary Café Modern Glass collection, GE's Café 30-inch Smart Built-in Convection Wall Oven boasts touchless-open technology so users can open the oven with a voice command or using an elbow. The oven also features precision cooking modes, such as dehydrate and a no-preheat air-fry option. The company says the industry-first in-oven camera can be viewed on any smart device, freeing homeowners from the need to be in the kitchen to monitor what's cooking in the oven. Click for more info
High-End Features Come to Miele’s Entry-Level Line
Miele is adding a few perks from its G7000 line of dishwashers to its more economical G5000 series, such as AutoOpen QuickIntenseWash setting, a 58-minute wash cycle, and a cavity design that features a third-level cutlery tray and FlexLine baskets that can be repositioned by the user. In addition, the unit’s decibel rating ranks lower than the brand’s previous models, making for a near-silent cycle, the company says. The G5000 series also now includes an 18-inch SlimLine model ideal for projects requiring appliances with a smaller footprint, and a new Pocket Handle model that features hidden controls with an easy-to-grip integrated handle for a sleek, unobtrusive look. Click for more info
Forza’s Mega-Cavity Range Makes Its Debut
Italian manufacturer Forza has debuted what it says is the world's first 48-inch single oven cavity range. Sporting the brand's uniquely shaped window with dramatically sculpted lines, the 7.8-cubic-foot single oven cavity has more than 40 inches of clearance and boasts a number of features, including the MaxRotisserie accessory and Infinito Grate System—a continuous grate system designed with an integrated bullnose for a larger continuous usable cooking surface. Forza's proprietary MassimoBlu Hyper Double Broiler evenly heats the oven cavity, eliminating cold spots, the company says, and the oven heats from 0 to 400° F in just 8 minutes, topping out at 536° F in 20 minutes. The cooktop has four 12,000 Btu full brass burners in the back and four 20,000 Btu dual-flame full brass burners in the front for a total of 128,000 Btu of cooktop power. Available in six colors (Ribelle Yellow, shown), as well as stainless steel. Click for more info
An Even Smarter Fridge From Samsung
The goal of Samsung's Family Hub for 2021 refrigerator is to be a central hub in the kitchen, bringing food, entertainment, and smart functionality together. To that end, the Family Hub for 2021 has evolved to include new features for convenience and connectivity, such as a full-screen dedicated board optimized for Samsung's SmartThings Cooking app, which brings Samsung kitchen appliances together to help users plan and prep meals, and an upgraded SmartThings widget that serves as a dashboard for all smart home devices. Widgets for the most frequently used functions are now also easier to use, the company says, and the music widget is larger. Click for more info
Viking Expands Its Range of Refrigeration Options
Viking Range has added to its existing 7 Series of fully integrated built-in column refrigeration products to include an 18-inch all-freezer model; 24-inch and 30-inch all-refrigerator and all-freezer models; and a 36-inch bottom freezer refrigerator model, with plans to release 36-inch all-refrigerator and all-freezer models in the near future. The line features the brand's patented Bluezone Fresh PreservationTechnology, which uses ultraviolet-enhanced oxidation for air purification, and the units fit seamlessly into cabinetry with no visible hinges or grilles, the company says. Additional innovations include glass capacitive touch electronic controls (the same technology used for smartphone screens such as the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy series), spill-proof shelves, and an internal filtered feather-touch water dispenser. Click for more info
Wolf’s Induction Range Refresh
Wolf has completely redesigned its Induction Range to provide a sleek alternative to the professional-style range, the company says, with clean lines and an integrated full-color touch-control panel on top. Available in 30-inch or 36-inch widths, with either four or five independently controlled induction zones, the cooktop's black ceramic glass surface resists scratching and staining. The Wi-Fi–enabled oven offers Gourmet Mode, featuring nearly 50 cooking presets to ensure consistent results, as well as Wolf's proprietary Dual VertiCross convection system to ensure reliably even heat, fewer hot and cold spots, and consistent multi-rack cooking. Click for more info
All-Access Refrigeration From True Residential
True Residential's new Low-Profile Collection meets the needs of people with disabilities by providing a variety of 24-inch undercounter units that are UL-rated for both indoors and outdoors. The collection includes a refrigerator, beverage center (shown), wine cabinet, and refrigerator drawers that are 31 ⅞ inches high (rather than conventional 34 ¼ inches) to meet the height regulation for ADA-compliant countertops. While a stainless front or glass door are standard, each unit is also available in the brand’s Build Your True collection of custom finishes and hardware choices, including Juniper, True's latest custom color release. A panel-ready option is also available. The entire product line is designed with R600a, an environmentally friendly refrigeration system with a Zero Ozone Depletion Level and low global warming potential. Click for more info
Frigidaire Ups the Power in Its Wall Ovens
Frigidaire Gallery Single and Double Wall Ovens employ Total Convection, Frigidaire’s most powerful and advanced convection system, the company says, to provide more than 15 easy-to-use cooking modes including No Preheat, Air Fry, Slow Cook, Steam Bake and Roast, Convection Bake and Roast, Air Sous Vide, Dehydrate, and Bread Proof. The single and double wall ovens feature a 4.3-inch full-color digital touch screen display, larger viewing window, temperature probe, glide racks, finger-print resistant stainless steel, and an extra-large 5.3-cubic-foot oven cavity. Click for more info
Elmira Stove Works Spices Up the Palette for Its Northstar Line
Merging creative expression through food with vintage kitchen design, Elmira Stove Works has introduced Spice It Up, a new curated color offering for its Northstar appliance line. New hues include Oregano, a softly muted green color; Saffron, a vibrant golden yellow hue; Paprika, an orange-red; and Nutmeg, an earthy, subdued brown with orange and copper undertones. Northstar appliances are designed and manufactured in North America. Click for more info
Sub-Zero Goes Under-Counter
Sub-Zero's Designer Series Undercounter Refrigeration offers a diverse collection of options for preserving food, wine, beverages, and even cosmetics, the company says. Fully customizable exteriors feature an integrated door hinge and toe kick, a consistent 1/8-inch reveal, and adjustable panel-ready doors to ensure units seamlessly integrate into any space. The Wi-Fi-enabled collection includes a beverage center, refrigerator/freezer with ice maker, indoor refrigerator, outdoor refrigerator, and wine storage (shown), which has a 42-bottle capacity, full-extension racks, adjustable LED accent lighting, and UV-resistant glass. Click for more info
