Skip to main content

LG debuts the kitchen of the future with smart fridges, dishwashers, and ovens

lg-thinq-appliances-ces-2018
Image used with permission by copyright holder
LG is hoping to catapult your home into the future one room at a time — starting with your kitchen. At CES 2018, the company unveiled its concept for the connected future, and much of it appears to be predicated on a hands-free experience in one of the most central rooms of your household. And while you’ll still need to use both hands to chop and saute, you may not feel the need for four extra pairs of hands to help you do everything else in the kitchen.

With new products like the InstaView ThinQ refrigerator, the EasyClean oven range, and the QuadWash dishwasher, LG hopes to maximize efficiency and allow you to spend less time stressing in the kitchen and more time enjoying being at home.

Recommended Videos

First up is the LG InstaView ThinQ refrigerator, which boasts a 29-inch touchscreen LCD display that can either serve as a computer display or a transparent window. So whether you need to look up a recipe or look at what’s inside your fridge, you can do so with nothing more than two knocks on your fridge door.

The smart refrigerator will also recommend recipes based on what ingredients you already have at home, and once you’ve selected a recipe, the necessary information will be sent to preheat your connected oven, while the integrated Amazon Alexa feature will guide home chefs through each step of the meal. The refrigerator will also play your favorite songs from Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and other streaming services.

Thanks to LG’s Smart Tag feature, you can add stickers, tags, and expiration dates to foods in your fridge, reminding you of when you may need to buy more milk or throw out that last carton of eggs. And because your smartphone can be connected to the wide-angle PanoramaView camera inside the InstaView ThinQ, you never have to wonder if you still have enough broccoli at home — just take a peek inside the fridge from the grocery store.

Then, there’s the LG EasyClean oven, which can not only automatically preheat based on recipe selection, but can also alert you as to when it needs to be cleaned. Any time it’s getting a bit too dirty, it will send you a smartphone notification. Similarly, the LG EasyClean oven will send information to your connected QuadWash dishwasher, so even as it’s baking your latest casserole, it’s thinking about how it’s going to get that casserole dish clean.

The QuadWash dishwasher will select a longer run cycle with hotter water for a greasy dish, and a shorter cycle with cooler water for a lighter dinner. And with its four multi-motion spray arms, cleaning up after dinner regardless of what you eat should be a breeze. 

“The seamless connectivity inherent in LG’s smart kitchen solution will revolutionize the cooking and dining habits of consumers,” said Dan Song, president of LG’s Home Appliance & Air Solution Company. “By streamlining food preparation and cleanup from start to finish, LG’s use of artificial intelligence in the kitchen enhances quality of life by offering innovative solutions to everyday struggles in the kitchen.”

Pricing information and availability has not yet been made public, but we’ll update you as we hear more.

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
This tiny smart puck can control your smart home without the need for mobile apps
The Linxura with four buttons on the screen.

My home is overrun with smart gadgets, and the main way I interact with them is through my smartphone. This is usually a robust way to control my gadgets, as my phone is never far from my side -- whether I need to toggle my smart lights, adjust my air purifier, or change the thermostat, my smartphone lets me tackle most of these tasks in a matter of seconds. However, having a physical button to perform these actions would certainly be preferred. Instead of diving into apps and wading through menus and automations, a physical controller would perform actions at the press of a button, much like a remote works for a TV.

That’s the idea behind the Linxura Smart Controller -- a disc-shaped object that lets you perform a long list of actions at the press of a button. After syncing it with your smart devices, you’ll no longer need your companion mobile apps. Just tap or double-tap its outer ring, and you can toggle hundreds of different products. I’ve been testing it out in my home, and while I think it’s a fun device, it falls short in a few areas. But if you’re craving a physical remote for your smart home, there’s good reason to take a closer look at the innovative gadget.
Simple, but tedious setup

Read more
Get up to $500 off during Serta huge mattress sale on Perfect Sleeper Collection
Serta Perfect Sleeper huge mattress sale hero image

There are a lot of mattress companies out there, some new, some old, but none are more prevalent than Serta. Say what you will about the brand, but it knows how to make a damn good mattress. Case in point, the Perfect Sleeper Collection. This intelligently designed mattress not only offers pressure relief through zoned comfort and supportive memory foam but also promotes a balanced sleep temperature. Meaning, you'll never be too hot or too cold while sleeping on one of these bad boys. But here's why you really care, or should. Right now, through December 8, you can save up to $500 off select Perfect Sleeper mattresses from Serta thanks to a huge mattress sale. Getting $500 off a new mattress is nothing to scoff at, especially if you're in the market for a new one anyway.

 
Why you should shop the Serta Perfect Sleeper Collection huge mattress sale
I sleep hot. I'm basically a heater or a furnace, especially when I crawl under the covers. All of that heat just stays with me, circulating and keeping my entire body warm. It doesn't help that I also live in hot and humid Florida. So, anytime I get a chance to cool off or balance out those temperatures, I'm going to take it. The Perfect Sleeper mattress collection from Serta incorporates several temperature-controlled features. The X Hybrid mattress, for example, includes graphite-infused memory foam to promote heat distribution -- keeping you cooler throughout the night. Yes, please.

Read more
The Echo Show 5 and Echo Pop have crazy discounts today
Artwork on the Amazon Echo Show 5 2023 edition.

When it comes to smart home devices, one of the best brands in the business is Amazon. Known for its multi-generation Echo device lineup, Amazon is no stranger to interactive speakers and displays that can give you recipe advice, play your favorite music, control smart home devices, and more. We see Amazon Echo deals all the time, including these two promos:

Right now, when you order the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen) through Amazon or Best Buy, you’ll only pay $50 ($90 at full price). There’s also a great discount on the Amazon Echo Pop, which is marked down to $18 from $40!
Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen) -- $50 $90 44% off

Read more