Last Tuesday at KBIS 2014, Ken and I had the honor of judging the Best of KBIS entries along with fellow members of Modenus BlogTour Las Vegas. Winners were selected based on functionality, quality, durability, flexibility, aesthetics, and style. Dacor was the overall KBIS winner at the annual kitchen and bath showcase featuring the industry’s latest products and innovations. Dacor’s Discovery iQ 30-inch wall oven won Best of Show and Best of Kitchen Gold award. This is one smart oven!
Its WiFi connectivity allows home chefs to access their ovens either remotely or within their homes via a tablet or smartphone. Users can program and start their ovens on their way home from work or while they are watching a TV show in another room. The interface is easy to use, and it is the result of a collaboration between Dacor and BMW Group DesignworksUSA, an international leader in design strategy. With the built-in Discovery iQ controller, you can access the Dacor Discovery iQ cooking application. Users can prepare a wide range of dishes to perfection by selecting the desired recipe from a pre-programmed guide. The oven will set itself to warming mode when the desired cook time is reached, keeping food warm until ready to serve.
What excites me most about this technology is not just the “cool factor” Dacor set by raising the bar for cooking convenience, but I believe this technology is the start of something BIG in terms of accessibility for the disabled. One of our best friends is blind (you met Michael here), and he uses text to speech technology on his smartphone every day managing the 200+ people that report to him. Michael is an avid cook, and he cannot use many of the high-tech ovens on the market today. Technology like the Discovery iQ has the potential to allow people with disabilities to easily and safely interact with their ovens. It can make life easier for seniors as well. This makes me very happy, and I hope all the manufacturers will follow Dacor’s lead and continue to make advancements in appliances that open the doors of accessibility by making products more appealing for ALL users. They’ll certainly sell more ovens if they do. Our sincere congratulations to Dacor on this well-deserved award.
(See complete list of KBIS Kitchen and Bath Industry Show winners here)
Below is the video featuring this oven:
Disclosure–Although Ken and Grace Kelly’s invitation from #BlogTourVegas and its sponsors (including KBIS) includes airfare, amazing accommodations, excellent meals, and fantastic company, Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly, Inc. has been attending KBIS throughout our 30+ years in the industry. All thoughts and opinions on these products are entirely our own.
Posted by Grace Kelly in Trends, Technology, Products, Appliances | Showroom: © Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly, Inc., 26 Hillside Avenue, Williston Park, NY 516-746-3435 | Editors’ Finds for your kitchen | • All Rights Reserved
