January 19th, 2024 | 6 min. read
Learn how to design your kitchen the right way with our Book of Bad Renovations
We recently published 19 Appliances and Trends to Avoid in 2024.
Now, you should look at the best trends to consider and why.
By exploring both perspectives, you can design your kitchen more effectively or simply enjoy envisioning the possibilities.
A word of caution: I've looked service trends from last year. The final trend serves as a warning.
Let's get started.
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6 Kitchen Appliance Trends for 2024
1. Induction Appliances
Induction cooking uses magnetic heat.
It works by exciting the molecules in your pan with magnets, enabling the pan itself to cook the food directly through the glass surface.
Benefits of Induction Cooking
As regular readers know, induction is the best form of cooking for several reasons:
- It is the fastest to boil, even faster than gas.
- Induction has an infinite simmer. Gas will eventually blow out at lower temperatures (much like a cigarette lighter would at a concert).
- Cleaning is the easiest with induction because the top doesn't heat. So excess food and liquids don't become encrusted into the top.
- You do not need as much venting because of the efficiency. (Note: You still need proper ventilation for any cooking appliance).
- Induction is the most child-safe. A child cannot turn it on because the burner must sense metal to activate. The top remains cooler than the others, although it does warm from the pot.
Disadvantages of Induction Cooking
Induction does have its drawbacks. Gas is more reliable. You can't grill with induction. Also, you can't use induction like gas in a power outage.
Induction was invented in the 1930s. The early prototypes were created in the 1970s. Kenmore sold the first induction ranges in the 1980s.
So why the popularity now?
What's Behind the Popularity of Induction Appliances?
Gas Bans in Multi-Unit Housing
In new high-rise construction, many cities like Boston, New York, LA, and San Francisco banned gas ranges.
Developers buy appliances in packages, so not having a competitive induction range will cost manufacturers tens of millions of dollars in potential sales.
Supply Chain
Induction is in short supply, so the prices should have stayed relatively high.
That will change this year as the induction drivers become more widespread.
New Induction Appliances
Induction Ranges
About five years ago, many manufacturers started manufacturing 36-inch ranges.
Almost every brand markets a 36-inch induction range to replace pro gas ranges typically sold in luxury construction.
New models include Monogram, Miele, Electrolux, and Bosch (made by SMEG of Italy).
La Cornue also has an all-induction option.
Fulgor Milano and AGA are the only companies to manufacture a 48-inch range.
That will change as BlueStar and Fisher & Paykel introduce their larger ranges in 2024.
Induction Cooktops
You can buy an induction cooktop from every manufacturer.
By the end of 2024, you can buy them at lower prices.
For detailed reviews of the best induction ranges and cooktops, read the articles linked below:
2. Heat Pump Dryers
In the next five years or even sooner, it is highly likely that you will switch to using a heat pump dryer instead of a traditional one.
You would think heat pumps were invented three years ago, but that's not true.
Heat pumps were created in 1856 in Austria. That's before the Civil War for the history buffs.
HVAC has been the primary use for the heat pump since the 1970s (long after the Civil War) as a response to rising oil prices.
Electrolux manufactured the first heat pump dryers in 1997.
How Heat Pumps Operate
Your vented dryer continuously heats colder air, expelling that heat through a vent.
Heat pumps recycle air.
A compressor heats the air through an exchanger while an evaporator removes the moisture.
Benefits of Heat Pump Dryers
- Incredible efficiency 50-60% less costly to run ($175 per year savings if you use a dryer once a day)
- Ventless operation so you can place a heat pump anywhere (you also never have to clean a vent ever again)
- Lower temperatures are gentler on your clothes.
- According to our numbers, the reliability was excellent, at least last year. Then again, heat pumps are 170 years old.
Disadvantages of Heat Pump Dryers
- However, heat pumps take longer to dry and could require more service.
Why Are Heat Pumps Suddenly Popular Now?
I can't figure out why they weren't popular sooner.
Miele went all heat pump in 2019, but they only manufacture a smaller 24-inch wide compact dryer.
Companies like LG, Samsung, Electrolux, and Whirlpool have heat pump technology.
Then this happened:
The GE Profile UltraFast Combo Washer & Heat Pump Dryer
The Profile UltraFast is a washer with a heat pump all in one.
You put the clothes in dirty and pull them out clean and dry.
The GE Profile combo washer and dryer is an excellent option if you want to wash your laundry before bed or leave for the office in the morning.
However, laundry will take longer because you won't be able to reload in separate machines like the Miele or LG WashTower you would.
Samsung and LG will have competitive models to the Profile in 2024.
Read more about the best heat pump laundry sets by checking out the articles linked below:
3: How You Buy Appliance Will Change (Maybe)
The supply chain crisis of 2020-2022 is now almost officially over.
Bosch and Miele's dishwashers are now plentiful after being almost nonexistent for practically three years.
Sub-Zero and Wolf is the last company with issues. Their lead times will be under a month by the middle of the year.
So you don't have to order an appliance twelve months before you need it.
The Best Time to Buy Appliances
The best time to buy appliances is during promotional holidays such as:
- Black Friday
- Labor Day
- Memorial Day
- July 4th
- Presidents' Day
Sales usually last for at least two weeks during these holidays, and you can save anywhere from 10-35% off on appliances.
These are predictable times for sales, so it's best to wait for these holidays to get the best deals.
But maybe that's not always the case.
GE and LG have stipulated a more even pricing structure for 2024.
We will see.
Buying Tip: Look at delivery and installation charges, as they will differ significantly between stores, even more so than the appliances.
4. Larger Counter-Depth Refrigerators
My least liked video is "Why You Should Not Buy a Counter-Depth Refrigerator."
People were legitimately unhappy.
However, at one time, you paid $1,000 more for less cubic footage.
The video just said to place a refrigerator at the end, build the cabinets out, and have extra cubic feet.
The LG Counter-Depth MAX French door refrigerator changed all that.
You can now buy a 26.5 cubic foot counter depth refrigerator or 4-5 cubic feet bigger than the standard.
Now, the Counter-Depth MAX is available in six models.
The price is also less expensive at $1,799-$1,999 than a standard 23 cubic foot counter depth refrigerator at an average of $3,000.
Samsung has already introduced its version. Expect other manufacturers to do the same.
5. The New Premium Color is White
My dad used to tell me everything comes around if you live long enough.
The Café is popular in white (shown above). Samsung now has white. LG and KitchenAid will also offer a gloss white in 2024.
Another new hot accent finish is polished brass.
You can even buy these Monogram refrigerator doors in brass.
I should be more sentimental.
White and polished brass were the hot finishes when I started at Yale in 1986.
But should we robotically buy white because everyone else is?
No, we should not.
Our recent color survey conducted on YouTube reveals a different preference.
Among 413 respondents, black was the most popular: 44% preferred matte black, while 12% chose gloss black.
White, however, was a close second, garnering 38% of the votes.
Here's a breakdown of the survey results:
- Matte Black: 44%
- Gloss Black: 12%
- White: 38%
- Blue: 5%
- Red and Orange: 1%
Look at the blue, red, and orange.
These colors aren't popular, at least according to the survey.
However, 75% of BlueStar ranges sold at Yale are in a custom color.
If you're looking to add a unique touch to your kitchen, consider adding a pop of color with your range instead of your refrigerator.
The range is often the focal point of the kitchen, so opting for a vibrant green, orange, or blue range can create a visually stunning and personalized look.
Just be cautious of choosing brown or black stainless steel finishes, as they have been known to peel over time.
Read More: Best Alternatives to Stainless Steel for Your Kitchen
6. Not a Good Appliance Trend: Appliance Service
Service is a bigger problem than ever.
I may be dating myself, but there was a woodworking shop in high school and even camp.
At Needham High, we had an auto shop for kids who wanted to repair cars.
Those classes don't exist.
Neither do appliance repair schools. The last one closed at least ten years ago.
So, the industry has a people problem like most trades.
I bet you love your plumber now.
The Fall Out from the Supply Chain
Last year, we delivered 9% fewer appliances than in 2022, yet we serviced about 10% more.
In some categories, like dishwashers, first-year service rates doubled.
The issues stem from companies using new vendors and parts to fix their broken supply chains.
Either way, you will need help getting ANYTHING fixed in the next few years.
Extended warranties won't help because most have no service departments, so you are alone.
I lump installation with service because appliance installation is more complicated than ever.
Your contractor and many others may start pushing back on your appliance store for installation.
Read More: Why Your New Appliance Won't Be Repaired
Key Takeaways
You will buy a heat pump dryer soon.
In fact, heat pumps and all-in-one laundry will be the most popular trend this year.
Stainless will still dominate because of selection and price, but more people will choose white, black, and other vibrant finishes.
Vibrant means anything other than white, black, or stainless.
Unfortunately, the last trend of needing more repair services will affect more people than the other trends, so prepare accordingly.
Know where to find the best service in your area before you have a problem.
Because you will have a problem.
Additional Resources
Want more information on the worst renovation mistakes to avoid? Get The Book of Bad Renovations to learn how to avoid a renovation failure. Well over 1 million people have read and trusted a Yale Guide.
Related Articles:
Looking for answers about how not to design your kitchen?
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A Note About Pricing
Pricing on this blog is for reference only and may include time sensitive rebates. We make every attempt to provide accurate pricing at time of publishing. Please call the stores for most accurate price.
