The fabulous appliances and smart home gear of Europe's massive tech show
An exciting look at the intelligent, app-connected and just plain impressive appliances we saw on parade at IFA 2016 in Berlin.
AEG SenseCook Oven
Every year all manner of home appliance manufacturers and technology companies from across the globe travel to Berlin for the IFA trade show. There they unveil and showcase their creations for the world to see and hopefully buy. Couldn't make the trip? Not to worry. Here's the best of the smart home tech we saw, beginning with this oven.
Designed to simplify the home cooking process, the SenseCook from Electrolux subsidiary AEG uses standard temperature probes and a clever interface to demystify meal prep.
AEG 9000 Series Washing Machine
The AEG 9000 series is the company's latest flagship laundry product. AEG decked this washer out with loads of advanced technology, including Wi-Fi smarts and a water softener for gentler cycles.
This laundry app hopes help out
The AEG 9000 series washer links to the My AEG mobile app, which provides extra laundry help.
Bosch 360-degree Indoor Camera
Able to swivel a full 360 degrees around, the Bosch 360 indoor camera is like no ordinary security cam.
A look into the Bosch 360's eye
The top of the cylindrical Bosch 360 Eye houses its camera lens. It can record HD video automatically when it detects movement or hunker down into its body when you'd like some privacy.
Bosch AutoCook
Here's a multicooker appliance that really stands out. The Bosch AutoCook offers a large menu of cooking programs plus a printed book of recipes.
Many ways to cook meals
The Bosch Autocook comes with 50 cooking programs baked right in.
App offers culinary advice
A companion mobile app provides extra cooking help.
Bosch Eyes Outdoor Camera
Equipped with a camera, light and motion sensor, the Bosch Eyes Outdoor camera acts as your front porch watchdog.
Light to see who's there
If the Bosch Eyes Outdoor senses movement it can turn on its light to better transmit images and video to your phone.
Bosch OptiMum Kitchen Machine
The Bosch kitchen mixer includes a built-in scale to accurately measure your baking ingredients. The countertop appliance also boasts smart sensors that can automatically detect when your eggs or dough are mixed to the correct consistency.
Bosch PerfectDry dishwasher
Here to rid the world of wet dishes is the Bosch PerfectDry. This dishwasher, the company claims, will always give you bone-dry tableware when the cleaning cycle ends.
Controls on the door
The top edge of the Bosch PerfectDry dishwasher sports its control panel and display.
Compact enough for tight spaces
Using a smaller format than full width dishwashers, the Bosch PerfectDry is compact enough to squeeze into tight kitchens. That's more of a concern here in Europe, where houses are smaller and apartments more common.
Utensils go in the top rack
Even though it doesn't take up much room, the PerfectDry dishwasher makes room for a top rack exclusively for cleaning silverware and other utensils.
Minerals inside to dry with speed
A special ingredient, a mineral called zeolite, helps the Bosch PerfectDry to remove moisture from tableware by the time the cycle is done. Apparently zeolite is ultra absorbent plus retains heat for increased water evaporation.
Bosch Twinguard smoke detector
Inside the Bosch Twinguard smoke detector are not just one but two main sensors for sniffing out danger in the home. The gadget has a photoelectric smoke detector, a staple of traditional units, along with a nose for measuring air purity.
This smoke detector looks hot
The Bosch Twinguard certainly doesn't look like your typical smoke detector from decades past. Matching its exterior, the home safety device is smart enough to talk to home Wi-Fi networks and supports IFTTT to communicate with a wider world of internet-connected household objects, products and platforms.
Dyson vacuum rolls, doesn't fall
Built with the same principle of an old "weeble" toy, the new Dyson Cinetic Big Ball vacuum cleaner may wobble but has a low center of gravity, so it won't fall.
LG Smart Instaview Door-in-Door Fridge
Not to be outdone by Samsung, LG has unveiled its own smart refrigerator equipped with a huge touchscreen display. Called the Smart Instaview Door-in-Door, this fancy icebox can act like a gigantic tablet running the Microsoft Cortana voice assistant.
A fridge with lots of windows
Essentially a refrigerator and personal computer in one appliance, the Smart Instaview runs the full Windows 10 operating system. As such you can view and interact with animated tiles, which represent software apps.
Complete control over food chilling
Like other sophisticated refrigerators, smart or otherwise, LG's Smart Instaview allows you to set its internal temperature right down to single degree increments.
Yes, it's a fridge too
Along with its impressive array of technology, the LG Smart Instaview Door-in-Door appliance's still keeps food and drink cold and fresh.
Miele Blizzard CX1
Appliance maker Miele has traditionally been reluctant to jump on the bagless vacuum trend, citing poorer performance as its main reason. At IFA 2016, however, the company changed course and unveiled its first cyclonic upright vacuum, the Blizzard CX1.
The canister upright vac updated
The Blizzard CX1 is a canister vacuum that uses an internal mono-cyclone design. According to Miele the approach relies on one tornado-like tunnel of air to trap dirt and dust as it vacuums.
Revamped for quiet operation, power
On the outside, the angular design and flat surface of the Miele Blizzard CX1 harkens back to the 1980s when bagless vacuums first hit the market. On the inside, however, is an updated system which Miele says delivers more suction but less noise than current canister vacs.
Get smart robotic vacuuming for much less
Priced at half what many other robot vacuum cleaners cost, the new Neato D3 Connected is certainly affordable. The budget robovac also boasts a Wi-Fi radio and links to a companion mobile app.
More floor cleaning features and control
Top of the line, the Neato D5 Connected is the company's flagship robot vacuum model. Despite a reasonable price, the gadget is designed to sweep floors with laser precision and draws power from an advanced lithium-ion battery. The machine also connects to home Wi-Fi and can be control via a mobile app.
Europe gets a slimmer Samsung smart fridge
Samsung brought a new version of its Family Hub Smart Fridge to Berlin too. This model is essentially half the size of the US product. Regardless, the appliance has all the internet-connected abilities of its large cousin -- albeit less room for groceries.