8 Innovative Home Appliances Worth Investing In To Enhance Your Quality Of Life

From smart fridges that tell you when the milk has expired to self-adjusting washers and voice-activated trash cans, here are eight best innovative home appliances to improve the quality of your life in Singapore.  

Home appliances are getting more and more sophisticated, helping us to do our tasks better and more efficiently (and in some cases, outright taking over the job).

While it can seem like a case of #FirstWorldproblems, truly innovative home appliances such as intelligent washers that can adjust to the garments in the load, or trash bins that can be operated with a voice command, can improve your life in unexpected ways. Often, you’ll find it hard to go back once you’ve had a taste of the new-and-improved. 

Take, for example, these eight household appliances that are so innovative, they’ve changed the game forever. 

Up your game with these sophisticated home appliances

Steigen Solar Ultra Automated Clothes Drying Rack

Price: S$1,199 at Steigen

The best way to dry your clothes is to ensure you put them out to catch the sunlight, taking advantage of the heat and the UV rays to dry, deodorise and sterilise your clothing. However, with all-day work schedules and unexpected downpours, this can be easier said than done. 

The Steigen Solar Ultra aims to solve this problem once and for all, by offering reliable, automated indoors clothes drying without the musty odours. 

The device is a highly advanced clothes rack that generates solar heat, which is combined with air circulation to gently and efficiently dry your wet clothes. It also generates ultrasonic waves to repel dust mites, while an in-built ioniser purifies and deodourises your garments as they dry.

And the cherry on top? The ceiling-mounted rack can be lowered and raised at the touch of a button, saving you the need to hoist wet, heavy clothes overhead. 

With the Steigen Solar Ultra, you can dry your clothes on your schedule, without resorting to bulky tumble dryers that are noisy, emit heat during operation, and jack up your power bill.

Umbra Otto Automatic Hand Soap Dispenser

Price: S$47.60 at Amazon

If there’s one good thing that came out of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is the renewed emphasis on properly washing your hands with soap and water (although I don’t know why this ever went out of style!).

Here to make this essential ritual a little easier is the Umbra Otto, which is a counter-top hand soap dispenser that automatically dispenses soap into waiting hands. 

It works exactly like all those motion-activated soap dispensers you encounter in your favourite shopping malls, only much more reliably (i.e. without all that hand-waving like you’re trying to cast a spell). 

Offering cordless battery operation, the Umbra Otto can hold up to 255ml of liquid - such as liquid soap and dish soap, and also hand sanitiser solution. The non-drip spout ensures non-clogging, mess-free use, while the understated matte finish and nickel accents complement any kitchen or bathroom aesthetic.

simplehuman Sensor Can

Price: From S$389 at simplehuman

Speaking of creating magic with a wave of the hand, have you seen these intelligent trash cans by simplehuman? 

It knows when you have rubbish to dispose of, and obediently opens. How? Through both motion-sensing and voice controls! 

I know it sounds like a ridiculous luxury, like what’s wrong with lifting the trash can lid with your hands?

But trust me, with one of these in your kitchen or bedroom, you never have to set down a bag of leaky refuse on your marble countertop just to flip open the lid of the bin, and then have to clean up the inevitable stains after. 

Sporting a sleek, lustrous finish, the Sensor Can also comes with a silver ion coating to deactivate microbes for enhanced safety and hygiene. Available in four sizes to fit all households. 

simplehuman Sensor Mirror Trio

Price: S$699 at simplehuman

We spend hours of our lives looking into the mirror, so can this humble device be better? The Sensor Mirror Trio by simplehuman says ‘yes’. 

Imagine a smart mirror that can detect when you’re in front of it and automatically switches on the light. 

And not just any harsh white light. What you’ll get is full-spectrum light calibrated to simulate daylight - output adjustable with touch controls - so you’ll see yourself at your most natural. 

But that’s not all. The Sensor Mirror Trio also features three magnification levels - 1x and 10x on one side, and 5x on the other - to allow you to really zoom in on even the most imperceptible imperfections. 

Try it and you may never want to stop looking at yourself in the mirror again (for better or for worse). 

Uutensil Stirr Automatic Pan Stirrer

Price: S$46.85 at Amazon

File this one under ‘things you never knew you need’. 

Save time and arm strength in the kitchen with this automatic pan stirrer that will keep your cooking from burning, so you can churn out the perfect risotto, porridge, roux, caramel or garlic-infused olive oil each and every time. 

This handy little device has three speed settings with LED indicators, and is designed to move around the pot or pan as it works. It is cordless and battery operated, and its detachable legs are machine-washable for utmost convenience. 

Comes in a variety of colours to brighten up any kitchen. 

Instant Pot Duo 9-in-1 Smart Cooker

Price: S$297 at Instant Pot

What do you get for the aspiring home cook who already has everything? How about a cooker that is capable of fulfilling up to nine different cooking and heating functions, so they can finally clear up the clutter on their kitchen counter?

True to its name, the Instant Pot Duo 9-in-1 is a multi-use electric pressure cooker made to replace most other common kitchen appliances, being a pressure cooker, sauté pan, steamer, slow cooker, rice cooker, food warmer, yogurt maker, steriliser, and cake maker - all in one.

Even beginner cooks will find this multifunctional cooker easy to use. Just choose one of 16 one-touch smart cooking programmes and let the Duo do the rest. 

The in-built sensors will automatically track temperature, cooking time, moisture level and even the volume of food, ensuring reliable cooking dish after dish. 

The Duo is sized for a family of five, but there are other models in the range that cater to different family sizes and needs too. 

LG AI DD Front Load Washer Dryer

Price: S$1,299 at Harvey Norman

Even though it’s common knowledge that washing different fabric types together in one cycle can lead to quicker deterioration of your garments, you still continue to do so. Sorting laundry into different loads with specific settings? Ain’t nobody got time for that! 

LG understands. With the AI DD washer dryer series, feel free to throw every piece of clothing into the same load. 

The artificial intelligence installed into the machine can make out the mix of different fabrics, and adjust its washing programme accordingly to clean your clothes without unduly straining or damaging them. 

The machine also employs proprietary LG Steam technology to remove up to 99.9% of dust mites and other allergens, which will bring much welcomed relief for those suffering from allergies.

Samsung Family Hub Smart Fridge

Price: S$6,999 at Courts

We’ve saved the ultimate upgrade for last. 

If you’re tired of yelling at your kids for leaving the fridge door open as they take their own sweet time pondering which flavour juice box to get, the Samsung Family Hub will be your salvation.

Unlike conventional fridges, the Family Hub lets you easily view the contents of your fridge anytime, and you don’t even need to get off the couch to do so! 

That’s because this smart fridge-from-the-future has three in-built cameras that connect to your mobile phone app, so all you need is a tap or two to see what’s still in your fridge. You can also use the 21.5-inch smart screen on the outside of the fridge for the same purpose. 

The machine is also capable of tracking expiry dates and giving you tailored recommendations for your shopping list (a digital version - of course) that you can sync to your smartphone. 

Besides this revolutionary way to interact with your groceries, other useful features include the ability to screencast your mobile, laptop or tablet, playing your favourite Spotify playlist, and as a digital family calendar to keep everyone updated on what’s going on.  

Charge your home appliance purchase to the right cashback card and you stand to earn attractive prizes and rewards*. 

*Terms and conditions apply.

Read these next:
How To Design A Smart Home For Less Than $1,000
18 Must-Have Gadgets In Your Room That Are Below S$50
Cost Guide: Smart Locks and Digital Locks
Smartwatch vs Fitness Tracker: Which Is Well Worth Your Money?
Ultimate Guide To Home Renovation In Singapore