Kitchen technology today is learning to communicate in an entirely new way – with other devices and with people.

The premium worktop extractors made by the Belgian company Novy have long been valued for their reliability, aesthetics and low levels of noise. Now they offer even more – an InTouch function. This means that the extractor can be switched on and off and controlled from the induction hub. No more greasy fingerprints on your cooker hood! Almost all new Novy induction hobs come with this function built in.

For chefs, this first and foremost means greater ease of use. All buttons are in one place close to hand, and everything is practical and intuitive. More importantly, installation entails no extra work. Additional wiring is not needed, since the hob and the extractor communicate via radio waves. And if you would rather adjust things from the comfort of your armchair, you can do that too by using the remote control, or even from your smartphone by downloading the appropriate app.

A kitchen that listens to you

Novy’s induction hobs and worktop extractors, which are linked by Bluetooth, are in fact an example of a new breed of kitchen appliances that talk to one another. Six years ago, the Belgium-based company extended its skills and know-how to IoT (the Internet of Things) and big data so as to become a global innovation leader in its field. We are certain to see exciting new developments in this area over the next few years. And if you add in voice recognition, the only limit is your imagination.

Whereas just a couple of decades ago things like voice-activated lights and kitchen appliances were the stuff of Bond films, today it is just a matter of time until everything in the kitchen responds to voice commands, thanks to the emergence of home assistants like Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa and Microsoft’s Cortana.

Human spontaneity is leading us in this direction as well: when people started buying Alexa, they more often than not popped her in the kitchen. For now, however, such devices remain underused. They might turn on smart plugs and switches and thermostats, but imagine if it were just as easy to tell Amazon’s Echo Dot to remind you five minutes were up when boiling yourself an egg. Or to switch the hob off if you were in the shower. Or to look up a recipe for you and read it out, or send it to your smartphone. Not to mention hollering from your armchair to turn the griller on in the oven – an instruction with which Alexa would happily comply.

There can be no doubt that the kitchen will become the go-to place for technology lovers within the next few years.

More information about Novy models can be found online at www.novy.com and www.novyeesti.ee.

For an offer on Novy kitchen appliances or more details, e-mail info@holberg.ee or call +372 5550 0630.

Showroom: Aunman, Pärnu mnt 126, Tallinn