Whether you’re a seasoned home chef or someone who just wants dinner on the table with minimal effort, today’s smart kitchen gadgets are designed to make cooking easier, faster, and more fun. With the help of technology, you can prep, cook, and even plan your meals with less stress. From voice-controlled appliances to app-connected devices, smart kitchen gear can support your cooking goals—or help you cleverly avoid them. Understand smart tools that are changing home kitchens across America.
Smart Ovens That Think for You
The rise of smart ovens has changed how people approach meal prep. These aren’t just traditional ovens with timers—they come equipped with cameras, temperature sensors, and Wi-Fi connections that help you cook meals to perfection without constant attention.
One standout is the June Oven, which recognizes the food you place inside and automatically suggests the correct cook time and temperature. You can monitor progress from your phone, and it even alerts you when your food is done. Similarly, the Tovala Smart Oven works with QR codes on meal kits or packaged foods to cook them automatically with zero guesswork. These ovens are ideal for people who want home-cooked meals without actually needing to know how to cook.
Precision Cookers for Perfect Results
If you’ve ever struggled with overcooked steak or mushy vegetables, sous-vide precision cookers might be your new favorite tool. Devices like the Anova Precision Cooker and Breville Joule allow you to cook food in a water bath at a precisely controlled temperature, ensuring consistent, restaurant-quality results.
These tools connect to smartphone apps, where you can browse recipes and start or stop cooking with a tap. The apps walk you through timing and temperature settings so you don’t need to be a culinary expert to pull off complex dishes. Sous-vide cooking may take longer, but the hands-off nature makes it great for busy people who want set-it-and-forget-it meals that turn out perfectly every time.
App-Connected Multicookers That Do It All
The beloved pressure cooker has gone digital. Modern multicookers like the Instant Pot Pro Plus or Ninja Foodi Smart XL now come with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity, letting you program cooking functions from your phone and receive alerts when your food is ready.
These smart multicookers combine multiple appliances into one—slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté pan, and pressure cooker. That means less clutter on your counter and fewer dirty dishes. You can start a soup in the morning and finish it with remote control from your desk or living room. Some models even offer step-by-step guided recipes through their apps, so you can follow along with minimal decision-making.
Smart Scales and Meal Planners
If your goal is to eat healthier or control portions, smart kitchen scales like the Etekcity Smart Nutrition Scale or the Renpho Smart Food Scale can help. These devices link to nutrition apps that let you weigh ingredients while tracking calories, macros, and more. Instead of manually entering each item, the app calculates nutritional info in real time.
For broader meal planning, platforms like Whisk and Mealime offer grocery list generation and recipe suggestions based on your dietary goals. Some even sync with smart fridges or smart assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant, helping you plan meals based on what you already have at home. These tools remove much of the thinking and prep work from healthy eating and make it easier to stick to your goals without relying on takeout.
Voice-Enabled Assistants in the Kitchen
Smart speakers and displays like the Amazon Echo Show or Google Nest Hub can play a surprisingly helpful role in the kitchen. Ask them to read out a recipe step-by-step, set multiple timers, or convert measurements on the fly—all hands-free. Some even show instructional videos while you cook, which is especially useful when you’re trying something new.
With voice commands, you can multitask more efficiently. Stirring a sauce while setting a timer becomes seamless, and having a virtual assistant handle simple tasks lets you stay focused and organized. While they don’t cook the food for you, these assistants can certainly help you cheat your way into feeling like a more confident cook.
The Secret Ingredient Might Be Smart Tech
Whether you love experimenting in the kitchen or just want to survive dinner with minimal effort, smart kitchen gear offers helpful shortcuts and peace of mind. Tools like connected ovens, voice-enabled displays, and precision cookers can either elevate your skills or help you bypass them entirely.
The beauty of this tech is that it adapts to how you want to cook—or not cook. For some, it means a flawless roast chicken; for others, it’s heating a meal kit while binge-watching a show. In either case, smart kitchen gear can reduce stress and increase satisfaction, making mealtime feel less like a chore and more like a win.