Will these pimped-up kitchen appliances spell the end of the appliance garage?
Kitchen design has all been about decluttering countertops and hiding workhorse appliances from sight.
But certain brands are coming out of the kitchen closet and appliance garage with notice-me designs you won’t want to put away.
Lighting up time
Designed to be seen, the latest from American brand KitchenAid is the perfect accent to stand on your island or countertop this Halloween.
The trademarked bullet silhouette we now recognise was launched in the 1930s with the model K. It was the work of designer Egmont Arens, who was also briefly art editor of Vanity Fair magazine, and achieved celebrity status in the 1990s when chefs such as Martha Stuart and Julia Child featured the style on their TV shows.
Little has changed in the 90 years since. That is, until now. The peppercorn blue coloured piece of kit features a toughened, fluted glass bowl. Integrated LED lights make the device appear to glow-in-the-dark, casting shadows onto the surrounding surfaces.
The new Design Series Luminaire, 4.7 litre capacity, costs €999. Shop here.
Bedazzle your morning coffee routine
Nespresso x Swarovski is a collaboration between the Swiss coffee pod machine maker and Austrian fashion crystal company, Swarovski. The result is the bedazzled CitiZ, which comes in platinum and boasts a slender supermodel-type silhouette, with mirror-finish chrome sides.
It boasts original machine technology that balances water temperature, pressure and extraction time. Thanks to the 19-bar pump system, pressure remains precise throughout extraction.
The collection also includes a festive selection of coffee flavours and bold accessories to adorn necks, wrists and Christmas trees.
The capsule collection of ornaments costs €59 each. The seasonal flavours include hazelnut brownie and blueberry and cheesecake, €6.70 for original and €9.90 for Vertuo packs of 10 capsules, while milk chocolate cubes designed for dunking cost €12.
Priced at €349, directly from Nespresso, it takes the caffeine hit to a whole new level and makes a strong statement that you will want to show off. The jewellery shown can be purchased directly from Swarovski.
A style statement for the impatient toaster
Russel Hobbs has turned the humble toaster into a dip-dyed graduation of colour fashion statement with its Eclipse four-slice device. Pictured in copper, but also available in midnight blue, it’s designed to be noticed.
Toasters have been relegated to drawers and to appliance garages where they can be shut away from view.
This model needs to be seen. It also allows every member of the family to customise the depth of colour and crunch they like. The variable browning control ranges from a light bite to a crunchy slice.
The anxious and impatient toasters in your household will love its lift and look feature, which allows you to check on the appearance of your toast without having to cancel the cycle and restart it.
It costs €74.99 from DID Electrical.
Add fizz factor to cocktail hour
For bar quality sparking drinks Sage’s InFizz Fusion carbonates everything from water to cordials, fruit juice to cocktails.
Sage’s carbonated drinks maker, €169, from Harvey Norman, will make cocktail o’clock far more fun.
A premium soda maker, it is one of the few sparkling water machines designed to handle a variety of liquids.
Finished in brushed stainless steel, with a die-cast lever for a luxe look and feel, magnets hold the drip tray so it stays in place.
It is a bigger, brasher-looking model than some of the plastic-finished competitors and is pricier. But it offers a variety of fizz options from a soft sparklet to full-on fizz of the Ballygowan kind.
It comes with a one-litre bottle that you can conveniently store in the fridge to chill it. The resealable cap is designed to maintain its carbonation for days. It costs €169 from Harvey Norman.
