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M A R C H 2 0 2 4 | 17 Appliances Appliances are reaching unprecedented heights in tech and innovation, pushing the boundaries of what was once thought possible by LAURIE JONES S avvy designers and consumers are excited about the range of appliance offerings in 2024 that can make life simpler, or suitably impress friends and clients. Michael Gnat, director of commercial sales for Midnorthern Appliance, says they are seeing a continued trend towards induc- tion cooking. "It's a bit of a learning curve to use the products, but once the consumer adapts to it, they'll wonder how they've lived without it," he says, noting the options include a full-size stove that has an induction cooktop with an electric oven. "The cooktop is what we call full surface induction, where you don't have designated burners." Gnat explains that unlike other surface cooking where there are fixed positions where the pots and pans need to be placed, this new design allows users to put pots anywhere they want. "There are only a few companies that offer full surface induction, but more will be rolling out this option as the next step in cooking." Sizes of the units come in 24-, 30-, and 36-inches wide. Gnat says induction is already being used professionally for things like a buffet where dishes are made in front of customers, like custom omelettes. Another product that continues to gain consumer appeal is ventless dryers, due to significantly improved performance from past models. "In multi-unit residential, a lot of developers are moving towards ventless laundry and it's not a matter of cost savings because ventless laundry is more expensive than vented laundry. Every builder has told me the reason why they go ventless is because they can eliminate bulkheads in the unit," says Gnat. Mark Eglington, president of Euro-Line Appliances Inc., says one of their key products for 2024 is the OpenStage refrigerator – a 24-inch, fully integrated refrigerator with BioFresh drawers by Liebherr Appliances, an industry first innovation designed to revolutionize the residential appliance market. "Imagine a regular dry storage pantry where you have the shelves that pull out so that you can get to all the little items at the back," he says. "Liebherr essentially emulated that but made it an application of a functioning refrigerator with pullout shelves or drawers. Users can access everything at the back of the fridge without having to push everything else aside to get what they're looking for." The special BioFresh compartments are ideal for fresh fruits and vegetables. "This Liebherr unit offers Hydro Breeze, another new industry leading technol- ogy that helps to provide a humidity inside these drawers technology," he says. "It's not like the spray you see in a grocery store, but rather Liebherr has patented a technology that looks like a cloud, or fog has been injected into the BioFresh compartments. It creates a humid environment without actually using moisture or water droplets on the food. That creates an elevated level of humid- ity inside those doors that fruits and veggies can use to reabsorb and stay fresh longer, reducing wastage." With the rising cost of food, it is more important than ever to preserve foods properly and save on waste. To address this, Midland Appliance now carries the Vacuum Seal Drawers from Gaggenau, Miele, and Wolf that allow consumers to keep food fresher longer by removing air from the packaging. Ideal for preserv- ing leftovers, marinades, and proteins, these drawers come in 24-inch and 30-inch widths and are compact enough to easily fit into any kitchen design. "Gaggenau was one of the first on the market, introduced in 2017," says Sylvia McDonald, client relations representative at Midland Appliance. "It offers three levels of seal. Level 1 removes 80 percent of air for delicate items such as baking and berries, Level 2 removes 95 percent for softer foods such as vegetables and fruits and leftovers, and Level 3, the strongest setting, removes 99 percent of air for proteins, marinating, and Sous Vide cooking." McDonald explains Sous Vide cooking, French for "under pressure," originat- ing from the commercial kitchens, is fast becoming a staple in home cuisine. "Food freshness is locked in with your vacuum sealer, then Sous Vide cooked slowly to produce perfect results. Pair your Vacuum drawer with a combi-steam oven Sous Vide function to prepare the perfect meal." She adds vacuum draw- ers also come with an external sealing attachment to seal jars and bottles such as olive oil and wine. The Signature Kitchen Suite has taken Sous Vide one step further with a dedicated station featuring a temperature-controlled water bath for the perfect results. "People can prepare a healthy family meal plan by sealing and Sous Vide in advance. Foods simply have to heated and served." HOME On The RANGE P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT E S Y M I D L A N D A P P L I A N C E Vacuum Seal Drawer from Gaggenau, Sous Vide cooking.

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