Dominic Dixon from household appliance company Cookology shares his thoughts on the future of the industry after recently attending IFA Innovation For All in Berlin.
With over 220,000 attendees, IFA is an industry-leading event across the sector, and these are his key takeaways.
AI
“AI was the buzzword of the show, although sometimes feeling ‘gimmicky’. For example, controlling a cooker hood from your phone. There were some genuine useful applications that stood out to me about where the industry is heading. Smart appliances and the ‘internet of things’ were talked about consistently only a few years ago, but there was no real uptake from consumers. However, the application of AI is being used in ways that are now more beneficial to consumers.
“This said, what we’re seeing right now is prototypes, a near-reality if you will, that are unlikely to be seen in the market either this year or next. However, I firmly believe that we will see incremental steps over the next few years with fridges that can monitor freshness and food expiry, as well as ovens with an AI-assisted cooking mode that use sensors, or food thermometers to prevent overcooking. However, a fully hands-off, self-running kitchen that cooks and cleans for you is sadly still a long way off.”
Energy efficiency
“Perhaps unsurprisingly, especially in the UK where the cost of living still remains high, there has been a focus on energy ratings across all major brands. As a whole, the major exhibitors positioned efficiency as both a regulatory and consumer priority meaning that brands are becoming more aware of potential industry changes, and future proofing themselves against any potential legislation, but also providing a real benefit to consumers across the market.”
Shifts in Brand Power
“There’s no doubt that there’s power in brand. Consumers are much more likely to invest in products that they know or trust, whilst values can align with personality, consumers are more likely to want both bang for their buck alongside a brand they can trust. Some of the bigger brands that exhibited at the IFA may have fallen victim to their own success as their stands weren’t as impressive as some of the smaller players, especially in the Chinese market. Brand loyalty naturally plays a part here, but the lesson is to not become complacent and be wary that there will always be growing competition.”
Design Trends
Dark gun metal grey was the standout colour across the expo, especially across refrigeration, and there is obviously a consumer demand for this across the market, which helps predict some of the trends of next year. Matte finishes on hobs were also one of the hot properties, they look both stylish and modern but there was also an emphasis on the scratch and mark resistance, which I believe helps showcase that consumers are looking for longevity.”
Recap
“It’s good to see the home appliance industry moving forward and incorporating AI to drive forward innovation. However, a lot of it still feels gimmicky and is unlikely to gain mass pick-up any time soon. Brands are taking efficiency seriously by both investing in and understanding customer behaviour and needs. Darker colours are likely to be in-vogue across 2026, but like all predictions, it’ll be interesting to see how this prevails.”
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