The smart appliance market has an annual growth rate of almost 10%. It’s no wonder it seems like every day there's a new and innovative smart appliance being introduced, each promising to revolutionize our daily routines and enhance our living spaces.
Staying ahead of the curve and choosing the right smart home devices can be overwhelming. If you're considering a smart fridge or simply want to learn more about them, this guide will help you navigate the complexities and find the perfect appliance for your needs.
A smart refrigerator is a connected appliance that integrates advanced technology to enhance its usage beyond basic cooling and food preservation. These fridges often feature a touchscreen display, view ports, multiple temperature settings, soft-close hinges, built-in cameras, and even Wi-Fi connectivity to enable a wide range of features like inventory management, recipe ideas, and grocery ordering–we’ll get into these more later.
Some newer smart fridge models allow for greater customization, like the 29 cu. ft. Smart InstaView® Door-in-Door® Standard-Depth MAX™ 4-Door French Door Refrigerator with MyColor™ from LG, which lets users choose from 5 colors for the InstaView® window. Others, like the Bespoke 4-Door Flex™ Refrigerator (29 cu. ft.) with AI Family Hub™+ and AI Vision Inside™ from Samsung integrate AI technology to help automatically detect what’s inside your fridge and allow you and your family to share pictures, videos, and drawings on the smart display. The latter also has Alexa built-in so you can buy grocery essentials from Amazon directly from your fridge–talk about convenience.
Inventory management: Many smart refrigerators come with some type of inventory management feature that uses internal cameras or sensors to track what’s inside. This feature allows you to view the contents remotely from a smart phone and receive notifications when items are running low or expiring.
Meal planning and recipes: Some models offer meal planning tools and recipe suggestions based on available ingredients in your fridge.
Grocery ordering: Some smart refrigerators integrate with grocery delivery services, allowing you to order items directly from the fridge's touchscreen, by voice command, or automatically when you run out of an item.
Entertainment: Aside from the smart display screen, some smart fridges come with built-in speakers to stream music or podcasts while cooking.
Family hub: Smart fridges can function as a family hub, with features like shared calendars, to-do lists, and the ability to display photos or artwork.
Energy efficiency: Most smart models come with some type of advancement in energy efficiency over traditional refrigerators. For example, optimizing energy usage based on your habits and usage patterns. (Smart water heaters can do this too!)
Reduced food waste: By tracking expiration dates and providing meal planning suggestions, smart refrigerators can help you reduce food waste.
Convenience: Features like remote inventory management and grocery ordering can save time and effort.
Enhanced cooking experience: Features like recipe suggestions and built-in entertainment can make cooking more enjoyable.
Cost: Smart refrigerators are typically more expensive than traditional models.
Data privacy: Some users may have concerns about the data collected by smart refrigerators.
Reliability: As with any technology, smart refrigerators may experience glitches or connectivity issues.
Need for features: Consider whether you truly need the features offered by a smart refrigerator.
Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to purchase a smart fridge depends on your individual needs and priorities. If you value convenience, enjoy technological advancements, and are willing to invest in a premium appliance, a smart fridge may be a worthwhile addition to your kitchen. However, if you are budget-conscious, concerned about privacy, or prefer simplicity, a traditional refrigerator may be a more suitable option.
