Smart technology allows us to turn our central heating on before we’ve left work. Or record a TV show whilst on holiday. We can even adjust our lighting and stream music without moving from our favourite armchair. Slowly, our kitchens are getting into the smart technology game too. Fancy controlling your oven whilst gathering ingredients in the supermarket? Or even getting your fridge to do the weekly shop for you? Then here are some ideas to whet your appetite for what smart technology can do for your kitchen.

Nest started as a home thermostat, however, since Google came on board, the device has expanded its reach massively. Everything from turning lights on and off when you’re out to give the illusion that you’re there, to making them flash red in an emergency, such as when a pizza is burning in the oven. The innovation also extends to your laundry. Nest can connect to some brands of washers and dryers and automatically switch to quiet mode when you come home. Ideal for people who have washers and driers in or next to their kitchen.

Belkin’s app controlled slow cooker can be turned on and off through your phone, wherever you may be, which means you don’t have to remember to turn it on before you go out, and start your lamb madras bubbling away whilst eating the boring lunch you made for yourself.

Samsung understand a kitchen is the heart of most houses, and the fridge is the heart of the kitchen, which is why the Family Hub 3.0 never misses a beat. From using cameras to check how much mayo you have left, to monitoring expiry dates, and even shopping directly for replacements, this thing really is smart.

Even if you’re more country kitchen than intelligent fridge, there’s a smart way to keep the technology you’ve got tucked away under the counter. An inbuilt charging tray can discretely slot away in your kitchen desk drawer. Its oak finish belies the five devices you can connect at any one time. Ideal for boosting your phone’s battery before you need to display the great casserole recipe your found online.

Have you ever grown a herb in a pot, forgotten to water it, and found it shrivelled away? Or gone on holiday and returned to a house plant graveyard? The reality is that nurturing plants, particularly thirsty kitchen herbs, takes time and effort we don’t always have. So let someone, or rather something else, take care of it. Intelligent planters, capable of holding a month’s worth of water, will give your herbs a regular spray, so all you have to do is snip and eat them. It’s a good deal.

Technology is finding its way more and more into our kitchens. From futuristic fridges to discreet ways to charge phones without ruining the rustic look of your food prep area, there are many ways to get smart about saving time, effort, and increasing safety.

Visit Anglia Factor’s Martlesham showroom to see what the future has in store for your kitchen.