Skip to main content

In the kitchen of 2025, Ikea envisions tables that heat and cool, smarter sinks

Programmable coffee makers, sleek white cabinets, and islands are all cornerstones of the kitchen in 2015, but the space could look pretty different in 10 years, if Ikea has anything to say about it. The company collaborated with Ideo, students from the School of Industrial Design Center at Lund University, and the Industrial Design department at the Eindhoven University of Technology. The end result was Concept Kitchen 2025.

Over the course of 18 months, the groups worked together to create a concept kitchen to reflect what this space may look like in a decade. Concept Kitchen 2025 will be a part of Ikea Temporary, which opened on April 9 in Milan. The goal was to find out how people will be growing food, storing it, cooking it, and eating it in 10 years.

One of the key features of Concept Kitchen 2025 is its grey water system. This is essentially a sink with two drains. It can pivot one way for “grey” water for tasks, such as plant watering, and pivot another direction to send contaminated water into sewage pipes.

Keeping reuse in mind, the Concept Kitchen 2025 also has a compost system that utilizes organic waste from the sink. Additionally, there is a system for nonorganic waste that separates items according to material. For instance, a bottle can be scanned by the system to identify its contaminants and determine how it should be disposed of.

Concept Kitchen 2025: A Table for Living

In terms of food storage, the Concept Kitchen 2025 hints that we may get a bit more casual in the future. For example, we could lean toward more “open storage” and shelves that allow us to see our food. This type of storage can also help us keep healthier options in front of us.

However, the most impressive feature of Concept Kitchen 2025 may be its “table for living.” Centered above the table is a “smart light” that has a camera that observes the ingredients you want to cook with, such as tomatoes. Once it sees what you want to use, it projects information down onto the table to assist you with meal preparation. The smart light will help you create a meal based on how much time you want to spend cooking, and it can suggest tasty ingredient combinations, too. When you’re ready to cook, it will turn the surface of the table into a burner for you.

You can even charge your mobile devices on the surface of the table, thanks to its induction technology. You can also keep a plate of food warm or cool on a specific area of the table for freshness.

While the Concept Kitchen 2025 is just that — a conceptit’s hard not to get excited over this prospective technology. Bring on the future!

Editors' Recommendations

Krystle Vermes
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Krystle Vermes is a professional writer, blogger and podcaster with a background in both online and print journalism. Her…
This EcoFlow portable power station with solar panel is $270 off
An EcoFlow River 2 portable power station sits on a camp table.

There’s some impressive savings to pounce on if you’re in the market for some smart home deals. Some backup power is a good thing to keep around the house, and today it’s a good way to save as well. The EcoFlow River 2 portable power station is seeing a discount at Best Buy, and it’s bundled with a foldable 110-watt solar panel. Together these are marked down to $305, while they would regularly cost $588. This makes for a savings of $283 and free shipping is included.

Why you should buy the EcoFlow River 2 portable power station
Portable power stations like the Jackery Explorer 1000 and the Bluetti AC180 are the heavy hitters when it comes to name recognition, but the EcoFlow River 2 portable power station knows a thing or two about chipping in around the house. It beats the industry standard for charging speeds, as it’s able to reach a full charge in only 60 minutes. That’s five times faster than other portable power stations, and it’s a huge improvement over previous EcoFlow models. This makes the River 2 an excellent power station if you live in areas that deal with periodic power outages due to weather, or if you’d like some extra power out in the yard.

Read more
How to cancel your Arlo subscription
The Arlo Essential 2nd Gen mounted outside.

Arlo is one of the most popular smart home security brands, offering a variety of cameras and sensors to keep your property safe. But if you're ready to check out other systems (such as Ring or Wyze), you'll want to cancel your Arlo subscription. Unfortunately, this can't be done using the smartphone app – instead, you'll need to head online to the official Arlo website.

Need help with the process? Here's a step-by-step walkthrough on how to cancel your Arlo subscription.

Read more
The best smart lamps of 2023
Philips hue white ambiance lamp installed on coffee table.

Looking for an innovative way to light up your home office, living room, or bedroom? Consider adding a smart lamp to your shopping list. While these products will illuminate a dark space just like a traditional lamp, they're packed with additional features – such as the option to set timers, change colors, or connect to the rest of your smart home.

The best smart lamps come from trusted brands like Philips, Govee, and Amazon, though you'll also find lesser-known companies such as Moonside and Hatch churning out incredible products. If you need help searching for the right one, here's a look at the best smart lamps for all types of rooms.

Read more