Modern kitchen gadgets: some have a screen and internet access, others don't even need a cable
Photo: Gerd BlankNow that I've made my office more secure, it's time for the kitchen, which should also be smarter. A few devices and gadgets should help that do some work for me or even open up new possibilities. That is why the range of kitchen gadgets is so wide, it ranges from a smart coffee machine to a kitchen scale with app connection to a practical lid for pots and pans.
I probably stay longer in my kitchen than in any other room in my apartment. I like to cook and bake and keep trying out new recipes. My fleet of kitchen gadgets has grown quite large over the years. In order for a new gadget to move in, it has to be really practical. So I looked at some products that are supposed to offer me technical cooking support.
The tested products at a glance
Amazon Echo Show 8 (129 euros)
Smart mini screen with loudspeaker, voice recognition and Alexa connection.AEG Explore kitchen scales (59.99 euros)
Using a smartphone app, you can determine exactly how many calories the weighed food has.Bosch ErgoMixx hand blender (139.99 euros)
With an additional attachment for the blender, food can be vacuum-sealed in appropriate bags and storage jars .Mono Multitop cooking lid (48 euros)
The lid fits on pans and pots of various sizes and serves as a cooking and dosing aid.Melitta fully automatic coffee machine Barista TS Smart (1022 euros)
A large number of coffee variations can be selected, created and prepared using a smartphone app.
That's how we tested
Installation and preparation - how quickly are the gadgets ready to use?
In use - How easy is the device or gadget to operate?
Smart features - what functions are there that make the gadget smart? How intelligent are these features really?
Benefits - What help does the gadget offer in the kitchen and does it make sense to use it?
Amazon Echo Show 8
Cooking is my great passion. But I can no longer use many of my old recipes, which I have now mastered by heart: I haven't eaten any animal foods for a few years, plus a few intolerances. That's not a problem, but it sometimes poses a challenge for me with new recipes. For example: how should I prepare scrambled eggs without eggs? By the time I found the right recipe in the cookbook or on the Internet, I was hungry.
This is where Amazon and its voice assistant Alexa come into play. The installation of the Echo Show 8 is simple: after switching on, all you have to do is select the WiFi and establish a connection with the Amazon account. After less than five minutes, the Echo Show is ready for use and finds its place on the worktop.
When asked "Alexa, how do I prepare vegan scrambled eggs?" the eight-inch screen immediately shows me several variants. As soon as I have selected a recipe by voice command or by touching the screen, I can call up the list of ingredients or be guided through the recipe step by step. If there is a video for the recipe, I can see what the result should look like.
In addition to smart features such as voice recognition, the device also functions as an internet radio, weather station and can be used for video conferences. With the so-called skills, the capabilities can be expanded to include the services of many providers. Basically it is a tablet with a reasonable sounding speaker. The Echo Show is very useful in the kitchen because, thanks to voice control, I no longer have to leaf through cookbooks with smeared fingers or operate touchscreens.
AEG Explore kitchen scale
With certain dishes, it is important to adhere exactly to the weight information for the ingredients. Therefore, a scale is an essential part of a well-equipped kitchen. I wanted one with an app connection and decided on the Explore kitchen scales from AEG. The installation is simple, it only need batteries are installed and already the scale is ready to go. For the smartphone connection you have to install the free Scale app .
The scale was annoying in use because it is one of those beep gadgets. For example, as soon as the tare key is pressed to set the weight display to zero, a high-pitched beep sounds. My dog goes insane every time. Here I would have liked a switch on the device or via the app. And otherwise? The scales show the weight exactly and the weighing surface is easy to clean.
The app actually makes the scales a bit smart: I can search for the food to be weighed in a search window. Once I have found it, not only is the weight displayed, but also nutritional values such as carbohydrates, fat, protein or fiber. The result can be saved in a digital diary.
Anyone who has to adhere to a strict diet will certainly appreciate this feature. If you don't want to pay so much attention to your diet and only weigh a few ingredients or the perfect amount of coffee powder, you will rarely use the app function. Then it would be smarter and cheaper to use one of the digital scales that my colleague Matthias Kremp recently tested.
Bosch ErgoMixx hand blender
In general, the hand blender is one of the most widely used technical devices in my kitchen. He's especially in use when I'm making soup. The Bosch ErgoMixx not only a quick preparation is possible, but also leftovers .
Before the first use, the hand blender must be attached to the handle with the 1000 watt motor. Unfortunately, the blade cannot be exchanged, but it looks very robust. In the test she had no problems with nuts and carrots. So far, so normal. Most of the time I cook enough that I can freeze another serving or two. In addition to a blender jar, the ErgoMixx set also includes a vacuum attachment, a storage jar and a fresh food bag.
It is easy to use: instead of the hand blender, the vacuum attachment is attached to the handle. A special one-way opening is attached to the bags and the can, onto which the attachment is held. Just start the engine and the air will be sucked out of the container.
One cannot speak of a smart feature in the classic sense here, because the mixer works without an internet connection and smartphone app. Nevertheless, the combination of two functions is implemented extremely cleverly. The vacuum seal means that food can be kept longer. Many ambitious chefs also swear by sous vide, i.e. vacuum cooking.
With the ErgoMixx, getting started with this type of preparation is quick and easy. It is also fun to use: I caught myself portioning and vacuuming all of my supplies until the bags were used up. This is exactly one of the problems with this system: Special and therefore expensive bags and storage jars are required. It's a bit like printers with ink cartridges or coffee machines with special capsule systems: you commit once - and that has its (high) price for accessories.
Mono - multitop saucepan lid
"Every pot has its lid," at least that's what they say. The designers of the Mono Multitop, on the other hand, are of the opinion that you only need one lid for all pots. Indeed, the idea is great. To prepare, the lid is simply taken out of the packaging, the operation is then almost self-explanatory. The shape of the lid is reminiscent of the Captain America shield. The slight curvature is placed on the open pot, so the lid sits securely on different pot and pan sizes .
The handle on the top creates something like a shovel. If you put ingredients in the well, they are already slightly pre-cooked by the heat of the pot underneath - before you put them into the pot at the right moment. Sounds simple, but it's a smart feature and also saves space on the work surface.
Due to the curvature, however, the lid cannot be placed easily on the work surface. In addition, the design does not match the rest of the kitchen equipment in every household - more choice would have been better here. But above all, the price for a lid is very high. Others buy several pots and lids for this.
Melitta Barista TS Smart
Finally a coffee. In the morning I love to brew my coffee fresh by hand. In the office, however, I want to fill my mug quickly without having to boil a whole pot. And when guests are there, I want to fulfill their wishes. Do you want a latte macchiato? Certainly.
A fully automatic machine is the best idea for this purpose. My choice fell on the Melitta Barista TS. The machine offers everything I want from a good machine: There are two compartments for coffee and espresso beans, and the 1.2 liter water tank is sufficiently large. And the milk can is easy to connect - and even easier to clean.
You should have some time for the initial installation. The first thing to do is set up the machine, remove the sticker, insert the filter, fill in water and coffee beans and start a few test runs and rinses. But then it starts with the private coffee shop. The highlight is the large number of different coffee recipes. Even more: thanks to an app, I can easily select my favorite hot drink via smartphone .
My colleague thought that was silly at first - until I was able to select and serve his wish "Café Créme doppio with less water and with the stronger bean" in a few seconds. Around 20 standard recipes are available in the app, which can be varied according to your own preferences using simple sliders. Under the item Freestyle, you can also put together your own favorites in no time at all.
Unfortunately, the app does not ensure that the machine cleans itself after use. The pomace with the leftover coffee fills up quickly, and the plastic container must be emptied after ten servings at the latest. Water collects in the drip tray because the lines are rinsed after each switch-on and before each switch-off. As a result, the water canister has to be refilled faster than you can say "Two espresso please".
Like any fully automatic machine, the machine needs a little care . For example, the brew group must also be taken out of the machine and cleaned regularly - even if that is relatively quick and easy. This puts the time saved a little relative to conventional brewing. However, the barista also replaces a flesh and blood coffee professional. Thanks to the app, the Melitta machine knows almost as many different recipes as its human colleague.
Of course, the barista can also be used without an app , but it's only really fun with a smartphone. But the joy of experimenting with coffee diminishes after a few days when you have found your favorite blend. Then the app is just a gimmick - or even annoying, because a Bluetooth connection has to be established before the preparation. This won't even impress guests who just want a quick, normal coffee.
What is certain is that a fully automatic machine in the office kitchen is a good decision. But does it have to be equipped with an app connection? Probably not, after all, you have to manually place a cup under it. Only when the machine brings the coffee to the desk can we talk about it again.
Icon: The mirror
