At this week's Smart Kitchen Summit (SKS) in Seattle, the focus was on making smart kitchen gadgets more practical. Culinary technologist Scott Heimendinger summed it up with a joke: "The world didn’t need a Wi-Fi-enabled rolling pin, and we definitely don’t need AI in a rolling pin."

Speakers at SKS stressed that smart kitchen technology should solve real problems in the kitchen, not just follow the latest tech trends. Chris Young, former CEO of ChefSteps, talked about the Joule sous vide device, which struggled because it relied too much on an app and Wi-Fi back in 2015. His new invention, the Combustion Predictive Thermometer Plus Display, has a large screen and doesn't need Wi-Fi, showing a move towards easier-to-use gadgets.

Many of the new products at the conference are designed to make cooking simpler, healthier, and more personalized, with AI playing a big role. There are still plenty of high-tech gadgets like robot chefs, but there's also a shift towards better software. Platforms like Fresco are working on a universal kitchen system that connects all your appliances and recipes.

The dream for the future is a smart kitchen that knows what's in your pantry, plans your meals, shops for what you need, and gets your appliances ready to cook. While this vision is still in development, the ideas shared at SKS show that the future of the smart kitchen is becoming clearer.

Attendees left the summit feeling optimistic about the direction of smart kitchen technology. Many noted that the focus on user-friendly, practical solutions was a refreshing change, and they are excited to see these innovations make their way into everyday kitchens. More updates and stories from the summit will be shared in the coming days.