January 24, 2022

For most homeowners, the kitchen is the most popular room in the house. A kitchen renovation adds value to the home, as well as an opportunity for improved organization and performance. Updating appliances can also help protect the family from contaminants and illness. Another benefit of having a beautiful kitchen is it encourages people to delve into creating more made-from-scratch meals and cook for more at-home entertaining. Here are AJ Madison’s top appliance picks for 2022, each making healthier living and meal preparation a breeze.

Convection Steam Oven. The versatile convection steam oven combines convection baking with steam. Steam ovens add moisture to food without adding oil and fat. Steam cooking is great for vegetables because it preserves their nutrients and color. Steam ovens are a fabulous appliance for reheating meals to their original quality, taste and texture. Plus, the steam mode can be used to sterilize and disinfect items like baby bottles or jars for canning. In 2022, Miele will release the 7000 Series Steam Convection Ovens, which will offer technology to preserve aromas and nutrients and ensures even temperature and humidity throughout the oven compartment. Temperatures can be adjusted to the exact degree for easy sous-vide cooking.

Smart Range with Guided Cooking Function. Families are more likely to prepare healthy meals at home if the process is easier and time efficient. Ovens and ranges with guided cooking supply step-by-step instructions to create Instagram-worthy dishes that are based on ingredient preferences, dietary needs and items that are available in the home. The Statement Series ZDP484NGTSS 48-in. Professional Dual-Fuel Smart Range from Monogram (above) features air fry and an infrared grill or stainless-steel griddle for added versatility as well as TrueTemp gas burners that can be set to an exact temperature. Control knobs offer custom color LED accent lighting.

Induction Cooktop. Induction cooktops speed up the cooking process. They are easier to keep clean and are safer for children with less hot surface areas than gas or conventional electric burners. Plus, induction cooking is better for the indoor air quality in the home. The Dacor Contemporary DTI36M977BB 36-in. Smart Induction Cooktop offers two Flex Zone burners and a large center burner to fit various cookware sizes. The Virtual Flame feature uses LED lights to create an attractive visual cue that the heat is on. Safety features include a child lock and hot surface indicator. An LCD control panel ensures easy access to cooktop functions, including pre-programmed recipes with step-by-step video instructions built right into the cooktop surface.

Refrigerator with Organizational Compartments. Keeping a clean and organized refrigerator is a wonderful way to encourage healthy meal planning. French-door refrigerators offer fresh food storage at an ergonomic height and provide enhanced visibility and access to produce crispers. Convertible fridge-to-freezer compartments maximize flexibility for entertaining. The Samsung RQ48T94B277 Kimchi 4-Door French-Door Smart Refrigerator offers a fridge-to-freezer drawer compartment and has a Super Precise Cooling feature to store, preserve and ferment kimchi and other specialty foods under their optimal conditions.

Refrigerator Drawers. Refrigerator drawers keep fresh ingredients close to where they are most needed for preparation. Marvel’s MLDR224SS61A 24-in. Built-In Refrigerator Drawer offers maximum storage capacity and include a convenient quick-grip divider to organize contents.

Herb Growing Center. With an herb growing center, fresh greens are no longer seasonal delicacies. The Viking GCV12RSS 24 Inch Micro Green and Herb Growing Cabinet is the perfect addition to the organic home kitchen. With a programmable automatic watering system and high-output growing lights, homeowners can meet their growing needs with ease. The undercounter unit features a 3.25-gallon water reservoir, digital touch screen controls, double pane tempered glass window and stainless-steel construction.

Sanitizing Dishwasher. Dishwasher sanitize settings can kill bacteria and cold and flu viruses that might survive standard wash cycles. The GE Profile PDP755SYRFS Dishwasher is the first to offer a NSF-certified sanitize cycle. Its powerful wash system is barely audible, with a super-silent 42 dBA sound rating. A Microban antimicrobial coating keeps high-usage touchpoints 99% cleaner than unprotected surfaces.

—By Jessica Petrino, educator and appliance expert, AJMadison