Home appliance technology is always developing and expanding. We have recently seen the introduction of many new and exciting products such as the Robot Kitchen and various smart appliances. Now, IKEA is exploring future kitchen appliances by designing a prototype that will predict how kitchens will look and operate in 2025.

The new Concept Kitchen initiatives investigates how our relationship with food will change over the next ten years. The prototype kitchen aims to show realistic depictions of how we will be storing, cooking, eating and growing food in the future. To make this possible, IKEA has teamed up with students at the School of Industrial Design at Lund University and the Eindhoven University of Technology.

One of the major discoveries that has been made involves the fridge. IKEA believes that refrigerators will become obsolete within the next ten years – due to their high energy usage. IKEA predicts that homeowners will begin storing food using other methods. This would include the use of naturally insular materials like cooling ceramic as well as using induction cooling technology.

Another prediction is that homeowners will stop making weekly trips to the grocery store. Drones will eliminate the need for us to visit the local Tesco or Sainsbury, as they will delivery fresh food on demand.

The prototype will also include other waste-reducing measures. An innovative new sink will turn water grey or black to alert the user of its quality. If the water is black, it cannot be reused because it has been contaminated. If the water is grey, it can be used again for other purposes, such as cleaning dishes or watering plants.

Other technologies in the prototype kitchen aim to make cooking and meal prep a simpler process. The smart table will scan any ingredients that you place on the table, suggesting recipes and pairing. It offers up recommendations for how to best use various foods, helping homeowners come up with delicious and healthy meal ideas.

You can learn more about IKEA’s new concept kitchen here. http://www.conceptkitchen2025.com/index.html