Platform about design and technology in the kitchen, home, and bathroom industry
The Küchenmeile rush is behind us again. Time to collect and plan all the news. Because in the coming months, product launches, new fronts, grids and other innovations will follow one another. Time to judge which kitchen arrangements in the showroom need to be (partially) updated.
Traditions are there to be honored. As September approaches, so does the Küchenmeile. The many kitchen manufacturers open their doors wide and welcome the kitchen professionals who come from far and wide to be immersed in a bath of kitchen news. The "to visit" list is getting longer and longer for us, too. Because in addition to the manufacturers' Hausmesse, exhibitors at Gut Böckel, area30, House4Kitchen, Architekturwerkstatt and other top locations are also ready to show off their skills. And to top it all off, the late summer sunshine was also on hand. All top ingredients to make the Küchenmeile 2023 another topper. On the following pages you can read an anthology of our discoveries in Löhne (D) and its surroundings, in no particular order.
Three new hood models at berbel. In addition to the Ergoline Base, the entry-level model in the Ergoline series of headless hoods, two new Skyline Edge models are being added. "These eye-catchers should, no must, be seen," said Julia Mackenbach of berbel. "The new Skyline Edge Base is the base model in this collection. Naturally, it features the familiar elevator system with an adjustment height of up to 1200 mm. The lighting concept is also impressive." The powerful LED hob lighting as well as the effect lighting are adjustable to different light intensities and color temperatures so that the desired atmosphere is at your fingertips. The stylish light edge also turns the light into a design element. "Skyline
Edge Play is the highlight of the year," Mackenbach emphasizes. "A variety of new functions are available to adapt the island hood to individual needs and preferences while cooking. Operation is done without touching the hood, and adjusting functions is also done this way. Hand movements suffice, fiddling with wet or dirty fingers is no longer necessary. An elevator sensor on the side helps operate the elevator system, and the motion sensor in the center serves to turn the hob light on and off and to adjust the fan setting. Another special feature is the berbel Motion Lights, 12 light sequences that range from gradual color changes over dynamic lighting effects to calming colors. The look of the range hood is thus adaptable to one's mood or the atmosphere in the kitchen."
A significant expansion of the portfolio we saw from Samsung. Cooktops of 80 cm were already there, the manufacturer now adds a Slim Fit version. Identical performance with the additional advantage that it can be installed in worktops only 10 mm thin and that the low depth of the bottom leaves more space for drawers, for example. "Wi-Fi connectivity is a constant at Samsung and this 80 cm Slim Fit also gets it," said Nedzad Gutic, Director Home Appliances at Samsung Electronics. "Users can thus easily keep an eye on the cooktop settings and control what is happening on the cooktop via a smartphone or voice assistant." Of course, we cook with fresh ingredients and the new Samsung built-in refrigerators contribute to that, with a height of 177 cm and a volume of 264 liters. The new generation of appliances has an energy class C1, and thanks to the Cool Select+ even more energy can be saved. After all, this controls the Twin Cooling technology through five different modes. "For example, going to use the freezer compartment as a normal refrigerator compartment or turning off one of the compartments completely," Gutic lists some of the possibilities. In turn, Metal Cooling technology keeps the interior temperature as constant as possible, even with the door opening a little more often. The technology stores the cold, reducing temperature fluctuations so food stays fresh longer. The new appliances are Wi-Fi capable, control can be done via the SmartThings app. Through the AI Energy Mode, additional energy savings of up to 15% are possible.
The new finishes that Quooker recently introduced for its faucets Quooker Fusion and Quooker Flex also graced the booth at area30. "Creating a new finish is not something we do just like that," we hear at Quooker's booth. "We obviously follow the trends that emerge in the various sectors AND we listen to what the kitchen market is telling us. A trade fair like area30, and by extension the Küchenmeile, remains an exciting moment. After all, the kitchen professionals who work with our products come here to take a look. The response to the new finishes gunmetal and rose copper has been positive, which makes us particularly happy." Gunmetal is a material that combines deep dark gray with blue undertones and is gaining momentum in today's interiors. The versatile rose copper matches a variety of kitchen styles and color palettes where it always gets a different effect.
Liebherr also pays a lot of attention to sustainability, without losing sight of a stylish kitchen environment. The cooling and freezing specialist is fully committed to the groundbreaking BluRox technology that achieves permanently low energy consumption for years to come. "No insulation foam or insulation board," Jeffrey Nicolaï explains to us. "The basic product of BluRox is the volcanic rock perlite that we grind up and put in an insulation bag. That bag is then vacuumed and then incorporated into the side, back wall and door of the refrigerator or freezer. The advantages are twofold. On the one hand, this insulation method is more efficient and therefore better, and on the other hand, it saves us space. Add to that the full recyclability of this material and you know we are going full steam ahead with this. We started atypically for Liebherr with a freestanding model but with the full conviction that the entire built-in range will also follow." The high-quality BlackSteel interior also received due consideration at Liebherr. It fits in nicely with today's dark kitchen aesthetic. Both the back wall and the interior door of the appliance feature a black stainless steel surface with a brushed texture. The trim strips are also done in BlackSteel to complete the dark look.
Laudatory Vincent van den Berg of Wave Kitchen Products is enthusiastic about "the most photographed appliance of the past few days. He leads us to a striking kitchen island above which three black "buckets" hang in a rather playful manner. "This is a prototype," Van den Berg explains. "I took my inspiration for the Buckets, which is after all the name of this range hood, from the lighting world. The nice thing is that the two that hang above the cooktop combine extraction and lighting. The one on the right, the one above the sink, is just lighting fixture. Such fun compositions are perfectly possible. Let the range hood be a piece of furniture, consciously choose eye-catchers instead of tucking them away. And create fun compositions with "just" light fixtures to create an aesthetic whole in kitchen and living room. The plasma filter present also guarantees that we blow clean air back into the kitchen."
Are you in the mood for a nice dinner party and therefore inviting some friends and family over? No worries, with the V-ZUG CombiSteamer V6000 Grand steam oven you have an extra wide appliance to prepare larger dishes. Simultaneous preparation of several dishes is also perfectly possible in this wide partner in crime. The handy AutoFry function detects the size and texture of each dish and immediately determines the right cooking method, duration and temperature. In addition, the PowerSteam ensures fast cooking time without losing flavors. "The Grand was already at the front of Architekturwerkstatt during last year's Küchenmeile," confirms Don Wijnschenk of V-ZUG. "The attentive visitor does see a difference from last year. For we are adding a new color to the V6000 top segment to which our Grand also belongs. In addition to Platinum and Black, there is now Pearl. And with the CoffeeCenter V6000 coffee machine, any desired coffee variety is ready in no time after service. The V6000 is also available in the same colors for a homogeneous aesthetic."
A trip to Herford, and more specifically BORA's new site, was also on the planning of many a kitchen professional. And with the slogan "More than cooking," BORA managed to surprise us with more than "just" this beautiful new building. We know them, of course, for their cooktops with integrated extractor, and two years ago they added the professional steam oven for the home, the BORA X BO. The Küchenmeile 2023 proved to be another step in the evolution of BORA as an appliance or even total manufacturer. Because all at once, BORA added the BORA Cool and BORA Freeze (cooling and freezing), the BORA Horizon and BORA Stars (lighting) and the BORA QVac (integrated vacuum cleaner) to the range.
"It is a more than logical step for us, and of course the product development happened BORA-style," said Birgit Höss of BORA. "Both design and technology received the necessary attention. With our refrigerator and freezer, we ensure fresh air in the appliances with an odor filter. In addition, we worked out an advanced air circulation concept to keep the temperatures in the appliance stable. The fridge-freezer works with two separate refrigeration circuits. In this way, we prevent air exchange and odor transfer between the two rooms. With the BORA Horizon and BORA Stars, we are responding to the growing attention to good lighting in the kitchen. The linear BORA Horizon and the vertical BORA Stars provide optimum lighting during cooking and a pleasant atmosphere during and after dinner. And the handy and integrated vacuuming device BORA QVac allows users to preserve food up to three times longer. Down with food waste!"
When two well-known players in the kitchen industry join forces, innovation lurks just around the corner. This was evident in the invitation extended by Ballerina Küchen and Häfele to a joint press conference. After all, on the agenda was the presentation of a "world first. The Legrabox Pure Wood was given the spotlight. "No drawer with the look of wood," the two manufacturers chorused. "But the metal frame of the Legrabox that, thanks to a complex process, is coated with a veneer of high-quality oak. Ditto for the back wall and shelf. The advantages of the Legrabox remain, of course."
Sachsenküchen's exhibition theme "New Inspirations" caught the eye. The manufacturer counted a whopping 33% more visitors than last year. "We are proud that we have become a regular stop on many kitchen professionals' tours," said Robin Deuster of Sachsenküchen. "Our exhibition space at the Kitchen Center in Löhne was completely redesigned and we reached out to visitors with numerous ideas and possibilities to get started later. Hence the New Inspirations theme." Sachsenküchen divided the showroom into several "apartments" in which new ideas, materials or other new developments were each given a place. And right in the first box, we discovered the Face Line Concept that plays with planning depths and front overhangs. Concealed light profiles further enhance this effect. In combination with the new Connect shelf system, also possible to equip with vertical light profiles, a holistic living concept with a high degree of design independence is created. "And that's what it's all about," says Deuster. "We want to provide kitchen planners with the possibilities to design unique and very personal kitchens again and again."
