Go to the fridge for hot tea and more

A refrigerator pretty much has one job. Well, make that two: to keep food cold and colder. Even with the oncoming eventuality of smart appliances dominating the kitchen, the basic task of the fridge is in regard to food storage. Somewhere along the way, a logical extension of the refrigerator's responsibilities resulted in the creation of water and ice dispensers; a welcome addition, as a nice, cool drink of water is impossible to beat. Unless maybe you wanted hot water.

The GE Cafe Series CFE29TSDSS French Door Refrigerator with Hot Water ($3,099) incorporates a water dispenser that delivers water from 90 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit. Since having a fridge that dispenses hot water in addition to maintaining its other cold-storage duties is not immediately intuitive, a set of programmed settings can be activated: 90 degrees for warm water, 150 degrees for cocoa, 170 degrees for tea, and 185 degrees for soup. Users can also eschew the programmed settings and have hot water dispensed at a custom temperature.

The refrigerator, being the depository of food in the kitchen, has always represented a world of potential. Now, that potential extends to the door exterior. Inside, things are the same as they ever were: grab any ingredient and it will be nice and cold just as expected. But now, instead of the fridge just being responsible for keeping things like eggs, cheese, and milk at a consistent temperature, hot oatmeal and instant soup can be added into the mix.