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The Best Smart Kitchen Appliances for 2026

Cook like a top chef with connected gadgets that add high-tech convenience to your culinary repertoire. The best smart kitchen appliances we've tested can help you do everything from air fry to make coffee.

 & Will Greenwald Principal Writer, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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If you love cooking and technology, connected appliances and kitchen devices are ideal gadgets for your smart home. We've been testing smart appliances for years, putting the most high-tech countertop devices we can find through their paces in our actual homes. From air fryers to coffee makers to ice cube machines, our favorite smart kitchen devices automate parts of the cooking process, keep you updated on the progress of your food, or simply make sure you're following a recipe correctly, whether you're using your own ingredients or cooking from a meal kit. Read on for all our favorite ways to embrace smart tech in your kitchen.

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Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

  • Anova Precision Cooker
    Best for Sous Vide Cooking

    Anova Precision Cooker

    4.0 Excellent

    Pros & Cons

      • Cooks food perfectly Easy to use App control lets you monitor and automate cooking Onboard display and controls
      • Finicky Wi-Fi setup Touch controls are slightly slow for temperature adjustments

    Why We Picked It

    Sous video cooking is a simple process that makes it easy for anyone to prepare meals perfectly. You seal food in plastic and immerse it in a water bath heated to a precise temperature, made possible by immersion circulators like the Anova Precision Cooker. Thanks to both onboard controls and Wi-Fi connectivity, you can control the cooking process using the Anova itself or your phone.

    Who It's For

    The Anova Precision Cooker is an excellent immersion circulator for anyone looking to cook sous vide. The onboard controls let you cook manually, and with the app, you can automate and remotely monitor the cooking process. The Anova Precision Cooker Nano is available for a bit less money, but its 750-watt power is just over half that of this model.

    Get It Now
  • Tovala Smart Oven
    Best Smart Oven

    Tovala Smart Oven

    4.0 Excellent

    Pros & Cons

      • Multiple cooking modes
      • Good automatic cooking
      • Scans groceries for instant oven settings
      • Tovala meals cook exceptionally well
      • Doesn't fit a 12-inch frozen pizza
      • Limited selection of groceries in database

    Why We Picked It

    The Tovala Smart Oven is a super-functional, multi-purpose smart oven capable of baking, broiling, roasting, and steaming foods through app control and QR codes. Tovala's prefab meal kits are also excellent and offer some sophisticated flavors, though they're a bit pricey. Whether you subscribe to the meals or not, the Tovala works well for various cooking methods. That makes it a powerful appliance to keep on the counter.

    Who It's For

    This is an ideal cooking appliance for individuals or couples. Its multiple cooking modes and extensive, multi-step cooking programs make it incredibly useful for whipping up nearly any meal. The optional meal kits can save you a lot of time, and though expensive, they're still cheaper than most takeout.

    Specs & Configurations

    Product Category Appliances
    Product Category Connected Kitchen
    Get It Now
  • xBloom Studio
    Best Smart Coffee Maker

    xBloom Studio

    4.5 Outstanding

    Pros & Cons

      • Weighs, grinds, and pours
      • Brews excellent coffee
      • Extensive programming options
      • Well-designed, compostable pods
      • Works with loose beans and filters
      • Expensive
      • #1 basket filters can be hard to find

    Why We Picked It

    Yes, it's a $500 coffee maker—but it's a really good $500 coffee maker. The xBloom Studio is a programmable pour-over machine that can weigh, grind, and brew cups to your exact specifications. It lets you set multiple pours at precise temperatures and even distinct pouring patterns. You can save your favorites to make your personal perfect cup with a tap of a button.

    Who It's For

    This coffee maker is for anyone who wants a great pour-over cup of coffee every morning and is willing to pay a premium for it. It's expensive but offers customization you can't get with other coffee machines.

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  • Ecozy Smart Nugget Ice Maker
    Best Ice Cube Maker

    Ecozy Smart Nugget Ice Maker

    4.0 Excellent

    Pros & Cons

      • Compact
      • Makes ice quickly and quietly
      • Self-cleaning option
      • Supports voice control
      • Ice bin could be bigger

    Why We Picked It

    The Ecozy Smart Nugget ice cube maker is a relatively inexpensive way to stay stocked up on ice without dealing with spillable trays. It can make up to 35 pounds of chewable ice nuggets a day, and can let you know when you need to fill its tank. You can even turn it on and off with your voice through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

    Who It's For

    This is a worthy icemaker for anyone who doesn't have a fridge or freezer that does the job already. It's half the price of our previous pick, the GE Profile Opal 2.0, and is easy to use and maintain.

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  • Dreo ChefMaker Combi Fryer
    Best Smart Air Fryer

    Dreo ChefMaker Combi Fryer

    4.0 Excellent

    Pros & Cons

      • Versatile cooking options
      • Automated modes for many meats and vegetables
      • Supports custom multi-step cooking recipes
      • Includes a temperature probe
      • Integrated steamer
      • Dishwasher-safe basket
      • No touch screen or knob
      • Moderate learning curve
      • Can't preview or edit app-provided recipes

    Why We Picked It

    The Dreo ChefMaker looks like a high-tech air fryer, but it's more than that. It can air fry, steam, bake, and roast, and it has multiple different ways to automate the cooking process. It even has a built-in meat thermometer, so you can (sort of) sous-vide meat and then finish it with an air-fried sear.

    Who It's For

    It's definitely expensive for an air fryer, and its basket design means it isn't quite as flexible as a smart oven, but the Dreo ChefMaker is still an impressive, highly versatile way to cook just about anything on your counter.

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  • Cosori Smart 5.8-Quart Air Fryer
    Best Cheap Air Fryer

    Cosori Smart 5.8-Quart Air Fryer

    4.0 Excellent

    Pros & Cons

      • Touch screen with numerous presets for fresh and frozen foods
      • Supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands
      • Preheats and cooks quickly
      • Bulky
      • Occasionally gets smoky
      • Screw on test unit basket came loose

    Why We Picked It

    It's still pricier than a standard air fryer, but the Cosori Smart Air Fryer costs a fraction as much as the Dreo ChefMaker while still letting you control your cooking with your voice. Its bulky size makes it less than ideal for small kitchens and it's only an air fryer rather than a multi-function appliance, but if you have the space, it's easy to recommend.

    Who It's For

    Home chefs searching for low-cost, connected convenience and reduced-fat cooking, take note: The Cosori Smart Air Fryer is easy to use, heats up much faster than an oven, crisps fresh and frozen foods with little to no added oil, and is easy to clean. It's a strong pick if you want to air fry but have other appliances to cover baking, roasting, and steaming.

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  • Meater+
    Best Smart Thermometer

    Meater+

    3.5 Good

    Pros & Cons

      • Sleek, compact design. Easy setup. App sends notifications to your phone when food is done. Compatible with Amazon Alexa.
      • Pricey. Tricky to use on the stove.

    Why We Picked It

    The Meater+ wireless meat thermometer packs internal and ambient temperature sensors into one probe. In conjunction with a companion app, it estimates your cooking time and sends a notification to your phone when your food is ready. It's super sleek and works well in the oven, though it's more difficult to use accurately on top of the stove.

    Who It's For

    Omnivores: The Meater+ makes cooking meat or fish a breeze, as long as you're doing it in the oven. If you don't need the extended range, you can also pick up the original Meater for a bit less money.

    Specs & Configurations

    Product Category Connected Kitchen
    Get It Now
    Learn More Meater+ Review
  • Instant Pot Pro Plus
    Best Smart Pressure Cooker

    Instant Pot Pro Plus

    3.5 Good

    Pros & Cons

      • Many cooking modes
      • Food comes out as intended
      • Easy to use
      • App doesn't add much functionality
      • Pricier than non-connected model

    Why We Picked It

    The Instant Pot is useful for making soups and stews in a fraction of the time that a slow cooker requires. The Instant Pot Pro Plus, Instant Brands’ latest advanced model, can do sous vide cooking, and it works with a mobile app, letting you control the cooking process from your phone.

    Who It's For

    If you're in the market for a multitasking cooker, the Instant Pot Pro Plus can do pressure cooking, slow cooking, and even sous vide. It's simple to use and delivers reliable, delicious results. The app doesn't offer many operational controls, but is useful for step-by-step recipes.

    Get It Now
The Best Smart Kitchen Appliances for 2026

Compare Specs

Select Up To 3Select Up To 2
Our Pick
Rating
4.0 Excellent
4.0 Excellent
4.5 Outstanding
4.0 Excellent
4.0 Excellent
4.0 Excellent
3.5 Good
3.5 Good
4.0 Excellent
4.0 Excellent
4.5 Outstanding
Best For
Best for Sous Vide Cooking
Best Smart Oven
Best Smart Coffee Maker
Best Ice Cube Maker
Best Smart Air Fryer
Best Cheap Air Fryer
Best Smart Thermometer
Best Smart Pressure Cooker
Best for Sous Vide Cooking
Best Smart Oven
Best Smart Coffee Maker
Product Category
Connected Kitchen, AppliancesConnected KitchenConnected Kitchen, Appliances

Buying Guide: The Best Smart Kitchen Appliances for 2026


Cooking Smart Beyond the Kitchen

For cooking in the great outdoors, head over to our picks for the best smart grilling and BBQ gadgets.

If you want to improve your skills in the kitchen without having to step foot in the grocery store, check out our list of the best meal-kit delivery services. And for haute cuisine without all the commotion, read up on the best prepared meal delivery services.

About Our Expert

Will Greenwald

Will Greenwald

Principal Writer, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I’m PCMag’s home theater and AR/VR expert, and your go-to source of information and recommendations for game consoles and accessories, smart displays, smart glasses, smart speakers, soundbars, TVs, and VR headsets. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and THX-certified home theater technician, I've served as a CES Innovation Awards judge, and while Bandai hasn’t officially certified me, I’m also proficient at building Gundam plastic models up to MG-class. I also enjoy genre fiction writing, and my urban fantasy novel, Alex Norton, Paranormal Technical Support, is currently available on Amazon.

The Technology I Use

Where to start? I have a standard IT-issued Lenovo Thinkpad for writing and editing, supplemented with an iPad Air and an 8Bitdo Retro Keyboard when I want to write on the go. I also have a Lenovo Legion Go as a platform for running Portrait Displays’ Calman software and controlling the Klein K-10A colorimeter, Murideo SIX-G signal generator, and Leo Bodnar 4K Video Signal Lag Tester I use for testing TVs. 

For gaming, I use a Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X, and a GeForce 5080-equipped MSI gaming laptop. I like collecting retro games as well, and have an Analogue Pocket and a ton of classic consoles and portables. Photography is another interest, and I use a Sony A7 IV when I’m shooting products and events, and a Fujifilm X-Pro3 for my own attempts at visual creativity. And for reading and writing, I’ve become partial to the Kobo Sage for books and the ReMarkable 2 with Type Folio.

When it comes to phones and tablets, I’m pretty platform-agnostic. I use a Google Pixel 8 for my phone and an iPad Air for a tablet. Android, iOS, and iPadOS are all totally fine, but I need a Windows PC. MacOS just isn’t for me.

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