Did you know that the smart kitchen is supposedly on its way? Whilst we don’t think that smartphone and tablet-controlled kitchen appliances will feature in homes up and down the country just yet, it’s highly likely they soon will – opening a world of opportunity.

For now though, check out these luxury kitchen appliances tipped to be hot for 2013. They may not be absolute essentials but everyone deserves to splash out every now and again, particularly if you spend a lot of time in the kitchen.

Steam or speed oven

Although the slow cooker was handy, just throwing some ingredients together and leaving it for eight or nine hours, is a little outdated. As we definitely don’t have the time to spend hours in the kitchen every evening, speed ovens are becoming more popular.

They have been a kitchen ‘must-have’ across Europe for a few years but they are only just starting to appear in kitchens around the UK. A speed oven uses technology from the microwave and convection oven, cooking food much quicker.

Another alternative to the traditional oven is the steam oven. These are fantastic for people looking to lead a healthier lifestyle, as these ovens cut out the need for any oils or fat to cook food. Instead, super-heated steam is used to cook all sorts of food, including fish and vegetables.

Drinks fridge

Nobody likes coming home from a large grocery shop and trying to pack all your freshly bought goods into the fridge. By having a separate drinks fridge, you will have much more space for food.

There are two options proving to be popular at the moment: the wine fridge, dedicated to holding your bottles, or a beverage centre, a more family-friendly approach. Both will free up valuable space in your regular fridge and can be situated closer to the living area for added convenience.

Warming drawer

If you like to entertain, a warming drawer can be a really useful addition to the kitchen. These built-in slide-out warmers, with temperatures from 90-250˚C, are ideal for freeing up space in your regular oven. The warming drawer can be used for keeping meals warm after they have been cooked, heating up plates and crockery but also defrosting food, proving dough and melting chocolate.

Adapting your kitchen?

Would you consider indulging in one of these state of the art appliances? Go on, treat yourself and take a look at the range of kitchen appliances available from Betta Living to find out what appliances you’re missing out on.