Matthew Glynn, product marketing manager at Hisense, outlines the emerging kitchen tech trends he expects to shape 2027, from conversational refrigerators to predictive appliances and minimalist finishes. These developments point to kitchens becoming more intuitive, energy-aware and visually seamless.
Top kitchen tech trends for 2027
1. AI that sees and understands
Refrigerators will be able to hold conversations, offer food storage advice and proactively manage cooling based on household usage patterns. Users will be able to ask questions such as where to store fresh herbs or how long leftovers will last, while the fridge learns and fine-tunes cooling to keep food fresher for longer and use energy more efficiently.
2. Food recognition inside refrigerators
Internal cameras will identify contents to help manage freshness, reduce food waste and suggest meals based on items that need using. By recognising what’s inside, these fridges can track purchases and flag items nearing the end of their shelf life. Hisense cites the potential impact as significant given that an average household of four throws away around £1,000 of good food each year.
3. Dishwashers with cameras
Dishwashers equipped with internal cameras will recognise load composition and automatically adjust wash settings and detergent dosing. Whether washing a light set of glasses or a heavily soiled roasting tin, the appliance can tailor cycles to avoid wasted water, energy and detergent while ensuring tougher loads receive an intensive clean.
4. AI-assisted cooking with cameras
Cooking appliances will use internal cameras and AI to monitor food, identify dishes, recommend settings and automatically adjust temperatures and times. This functionality aims to reduce stress for less confident cooks and help prevent overcooking or undercooking by recognising when food is cooked to perfection.
5. AI laundry with fabric recognition
Washing machines will combine internal cameras and sensors to identify fabrics, load type and soil level, then select the best programme automatically. This reduces the risk of shrinking or fading garments and helps match the wash precisely to the load, lowering unnecessary water and energy use and extending the life of clothes and machines.
6. Multi-drum washing machines
New concepts featuring multiple drums will allow different fabric types or loads to be washed simultaneously. For busy households, this means washing darks and whites or everyday clothes and delicates at the same time rather than running consecutive cycles, addressing time and space pressures.
7. Ultra-efficient heat pump washer dryers
Washer-dryers and dryers using heat pump technology will deliver significant energy reductions while maintaining large capacities and drying performance. By recycling warm air inside the appliance rather than continuously generating new heat, these machines aim to combine convenience, performance and lower running costs.
8. Predictive appliances
Appliances will learn household routines and proactively prepare for use, for example refrigerators pre-cooling before expected door openings. By understanding daily patterns—such as when a family typically arrives home or starts dinner—appliances can be ready in advance, maintaining performance while avoiding energy spikes.
9. Handleless and minimalist aesthetics
Designs will continue to emphasise appliances that blend into living spaces with darker finishes, hidden controls and simplified fascias. As kitchens increasingly serve as social and multifunctional spaces, consumers will favour handleless, clutter-free looks where technology appears only when needed.
10. Matt Black continues to grow in cooking
Premium Matt Black finishes will remain popular across built-in ovens, hobs and compact appliances, reflecting a broader move toward darker, architectural kitchen designs. Matt Black provides a sleek, sophisticated look that pairs with different cabinetry styles and is practical in showing fewer fingerprints than glossy finishes.
Together, these trends described by Glynn point to kitchens that are more connected, anticipatory and harmonised with interior design, with technology designed to be both useful and unobtrusive.
