Hi-tech breakfast

2344

There are many small appliances essential to prepare a rich ‘banquet’ and start the day well

Courtesy Walt Disney Co.
Courtesy Walt Disney Co.

by Lara Colombi

For someone In Italy breakfast is a rite which is staged every morning, an interlude between sleeping and the beginning of the day that must be enjoyed quietly. For all these people, allergic to a quick coffee at the coffee shop, there are numerous products on the market that allow to cook a beautiful banquet to gather energy before working.
The best references have often very different costs, established by the variety of functionalities of use, the technical features, the modern or vintage design and the trademark.

Frother of the Vintage line of Ariete
Frother of the Vintage line of Ariete
FOR A VINTAGE LINE
The frother of the Vintage line of Ariete allows to prepare cappuccinos or shaken coffee. Thanks to the central backlit button, it is possible to activate the milk frother function with cold or hot milk. The model is equipped with a silent engine, transparent cover, disconnectable base and non-stick walls, easy to rinse. For optimum cleaning it is also possible to easily remove both the spiral used to obtain a dense foam and the spatula to be used instead for the simple heating of milk.
BLACK+DECKER toaster, mod. TAT3A004
BLACK+DECKER toaster, mod. TAT3A004
HEATING AND DEFROSTING
With stainless steel clamp, timer with seven positions with different degrees of toasting, automatic expulsion at the end of the program, the BLACK+DECKER toaster allows both to heat and to defrost slices of toast. The model is completed by a removable crumb tray. The TAT3A004 toaster is designed to heat extra-long bread slices. Featuring a wider slot than conventional models, it ensures uniform toasting thanks to the automatic positioning of the slice.

Coffee and cappuccino, at home like at the coffee shop
Of course, as traditionally, coffee at breakfast cannot miss and in the Italians’ homes automatic machines to prepare it have eroded a lot of ground of the traditional coffee machine. On the market there are many types, suitable for different tastes and needs. These products, together with kettles, recorded positive performance year on year.
Among the latest news proposed to attract the consumer’s attention, some models have been equipped with new functions, such as cup warmer technology, auto power off, memorize of preparation settings, automatic brake for dispensing and fast heating. But most of all, on the shops shelves, new references continue to appear that not only allow to prepare an excellent espresso, with pods, powder or directly from beans, but also other tasty drinks such as cappuccino.
Coffee machines are now able to prepare a dense foam similar to that of the coffee shop and numerous frothers are added to them on the shelves to froth both cold and hot milk.
The main brands then are beginning to enter the world of IoT (Internet of Things) with new proposals that provide the possibility to connect the machine to the dedicated app expanding the services offered to the consumer, who can customize his coffee remotely, to be informed on his coffee or pods supplies and can even make orders from his smartphone to avoid the risk of remaining without espresso. In short, the sector thinks to the future by equipping models with more and more technological functions without forgetting, anyway, another very important aspect: product design.
Many are the appliance that have been designed by artists and well-known designers to whom brands entrust their image. To the futuristic metallics models the retro-style ones are added, as well as other with brightly colored and with strange shapes not to dissatisfy the more eccentric customers.

HI-TECH ELEGANCE
Elegant steel kettle branded Bosch with auto power off, overheat protection, integrated resistance and limescale filter.
De'Longhi Distinta range
De’Longhi Distinta range
COMPLETE BREAKFAST
De'Longhi Distinta is the range for breakfast that includes coffee machine, toaster kettle and frother with retro-inspired design in four color variations. The espresso machine works with powder coffee or pods and is equipped with Cappuccino System which mix air, steam and milk to prepare a dense and creamy foam.

Teas and infusions for all tastes
Then there are those who prefer to enjoy an hot tea or an infusion for breakfast. Obviously we are talking about a small percentage of Italians. In fact, kettles in Italy have a lower diffusion than for example in Great Britain and the USA. This small appliance, however, continues to grow, also thanks to the many proposals of the companies that have made this little daily help more convenient and faster and, above all, economic.
The benefits are numerous and consumers have understood this. For example, kettle halves the water heating time, is transportable anywhere and can be used in any room with an electrical socket, without the need to use gas. Different model are available on the market and what most differentiates them is the material with which they are made: there are plastic, metal or glass models. The features are usually pretty basic but some versions are equipped with led lights which illuminate the container and automatic shut-off function for energy saving. Also in this case design ranges from funny and very colorful products to those minimal made with glass, up to those with retro style that recall the look of the old grandmother teapots.

Imetec Professional Series
Imetec Professional Series
ADJUSTABLE GRIPPERS
Imetec Professional Series, thanks to the cooking extra-large cells and modular grippers, allows an effective toasting of different types of bread offering the choice between the standard or the extra-large position. The model is equipped with timer with 10 toasting levels and removable dishwasher safe crumb tray.
Artisan kettle
Artisan kettle
ALL TYPES OF INFUSIONS
With a wide range of colors and rounded design, the double-walled Artisan kettle with a 1.5 liters capacity is suitable for the preparation of all types of infusions. The kettle cavity formed by the double walls allows to maintain the hot water for a longer time, while the outer part does not heat. Entirely built with die-cast metal, has a soft ergonomic grip.

Toast outsize
In addition to coffee, there is another necessary art to enjoy a tasty breakfast: the one to make the perfect toast, perfectly cooked, fragrant, light and at the same time tasty. To prepare it, it is necessary to have a toaster. Market offers several models divided into two broad categories: the machines with plates that work “horizontally”, or those equipped with tongs, baking instead “vertically.” The difference is not only aesthetic, but also functional. The “horizontal” products typically offer greater space between the two hot plates, allowing to heat foods with different thickness and with a wider length. The “vertical” models do not offer the same possibility traditionally, although manufacturers are working to offer consumers a higher level of customization. In fact, they are becoming more frequent on the market models with a longer slot, suitable for heating bigger bread slices. Not only that. There are also products with extra-large cooking cell and modular grippers, for an effective toasting of different types of bread. What varies, then, is the power, responsible for a faster heating of the plates and therefore of a greater speed to serve toasts for breakfast, limiting the overall energy consumption.

Saeco Incanto coffee machine
Saeco Incanto coffee machine
AN ENCHANTING COFFEE
The robust steel front with metal finishes of Saeco Incanto coffee machine, encloses a technological heart, with ceramic grinders for an optimum processing of beans. The model allows to choose among five different settings to adjust the degree of grinding and, thanks to the automatic milk frother or to the practice version with jug allows to prepare perfect cappuccinos. The ease of use is guaranteed by the Memo function that memorizes the preferred length for each drink, while through the display it is also possible to customize the intensity and temperature of the coffee.

Cappuccì by Polti
Cappuccì by Polti
CAPPUCCINO IN A FEW SECONDS
Equipped with anti-spray cover and non-stick pot, Cappuccì by Polti allows the user froth the milk, both cold and hot, in few seconds. The model allows an easy cleaning and an high energy savings thanks to automatic shutdown feature.

For the most gluttonous
We must not forget then all the small appliances that allow to prepare tasty desserts such as pancakes and waffles, for a large breakfast, in true American style. They are very versatile models, often bought as a gift for the sweet tooth, allowing the creation of multiple desserts, changing consistency, flour and filling.
The electric crepe machines on the market are equipped with non-stick coating, easy to clean with a damp cloth, thermostat and power indicator lights and automatically switching off. They heat up faster and allow to adjust the temperature to better handle the degree of cooking. Often they include spatulas and other tools useful in the preparation of the famous American sweet.
Also with regard to the waffle plates, typical preparation of North European countries, there are many variants. The various appliances on the market offer the possibility of changing the plate so as to obtain waffle with different textures. The possibility to disassemble the device also facilitates the cleaning operations, so that it is extremely simple to remove all traces of food after use. Of course there are dozens of variations on the theme: producers have given free rein to the imagination by offering plates through which it is possible to make heart-shaped or four-leaf clover waffle and so on. Finally, there are different options such as timers and plates that automatically rotate to ensure the perfect cooking level of both sides of the cake. In short, the small appliances to save time and to stop being the “coffee and go” types do not miss.

Smeg kettle
Smeg kettle
VINTAGE STEAM
The mix of technology and retro style of Smeg KLF01 electric kettle is studied to beautify the modern generation kitchens. The model has a capacity of 1.7 liters and features a support base which allows to insert it in any position. It is also equipped with a soft opening that gradually opens the cover to prevent the sudden leakage of hot steam.