When is an oven like a stand mixer? When it’s KitchenAid’s SmartOven+. Much like the company’s iconic mixer, KitchenAid’s new connected built-in oven, which the announced the availability of yesterday, will feature a number of attachments that enable different types of cooking. The question now is whether people will pay a premium ($3,199) for that flexibility.
As of now, the SmartOven+ has three attachments, all of which are powered via a plug inside the oven. The SmartOven+ comes with a powered grilling attachment, which the company says offers “true grilling year-round, minimizing smoke and eliminating flares common in outdoor grills.” There is also an integrated baking stone attachment and a steam cooking attachment. Oddly, neither the steam nor the stone attachments ship with the SmartOven+, but must be requested after purchase and are shipped out to the customer at no additional cost.
In addition to different types of cooking, the SmartOven+ also has connected features such as remote control via KitchenAid’s mobile app, as well as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa integration for voice control. Through a Nest integration, you can also be alerted if you accidentally leave the oven on.
All of this versatility in the SmartOven+ ain’t cheap. The 30-inch single configuration will set you back $3,199 and the 30-inch double is $4,799. (You can get a “regular” KitchenAid single oven for $1,700 and a double for $2,700.)
When the SmartOven+ was announced at CES earlier this year, we were intrigued by the device’s modular cooking capabilities. The steam function was of particular interest to Spoon Founder, Mike Wolf, who wrote, “While I’m not sure I’m ready for a baking stone, after trying out a countertop steam oven, I’m sold on that method as a superior way to prepare many types of food. With this new KitchenAid oven, I can add it in.”
The KitchenAid stand mixers became a countertop (and wedding registry) staple because of its versatility. It’s safe to bet that KitchenAid won’t stop at these three attachments and like its mixer, more functionality will be on the way. Depending on how many attachments the company makes, $3,199 might wind up being a bargain.
Is this a combi oven?