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Kick on the kitchen sink

A Dornbracht kitchen-sink product study features an electronic control panel. A foot sensor allows you to halt the flow of water.

Brian Krepshaw
Brian is the author of two culinary based books published via his imprint Storkburger Press. A lifelong Californian, he has been consistently exposed to some of the best food in the world. With a deep appreciation for the kitchen, he is always on the lookout for that perfect appliance that combines style and grace with the ever-popular ability to save time.
Brian Krepshaw
A push-button kitchen sink?
A push-button kitchen sink? Dornbracht

Think the sink is the last thing in the kitchen that can do with an upgrade? Think again. This electronically controlled kitchen sink is a Dornbracht product study, and doesn't look to be presently available, but that may change soon. Shown at the recent Living Kitchen 2011 trade show in Germany, the kitchen sink features push-button operation that could represent a change in how the kitchen sink is perceived.

Just as with a standard sink, water flow and temperature are easily controlled. The series of buttons expands on that by adding additional features. One of the buttons triggers the release of dish soap, while another controls the sink drain. This is where it gets interesting. A button to close the drain could be deemed wholly unnecessary, but using that control to open it is another matter. The ability to drain the basin without reaching into its contents is kind of neat.

The real kicker, however, is a foot sensor that allows one to turn the sink on and off by interrupting a beam. As you can halt the flow of water while pausing to scrub a particularly stubborn pot or pan, the feature is one that could actually be useful. Of course, such a contraption wouldn't come cheap, but the feature is one that is conceptually intriguing--maybe it's time to rethink that old kitchen sink.

Via Born Rich