Over the years, I’ve tried out many smart kitchen appliances in my typical Indian home, dealing with things like sudden voltage drops, small counter spaces, dusty conditions from open windows, and our habit of cooking rich, spicy meals with lots of steps. This comes completely from my own everyday experience—what really makes preparing food easier and faster without adding extra work, works well with Indian-style recipes like curries and fries, and gives good value over time. I’ll go into more detail on each one, sharing the good points, the not-so-good ones, how they handle real Indian cooking challenges, and simple tips to help you decide.
- Smart Induction Cooktops – My Daily Go-To for Quick and Safe Cooking
Induction cooktops have become my main way of cooking most meals, and the smart ones with app controls or built-in Indian presets make everything from quick tadka to slow-simmering gravies so much simpler. Brands like Philips, Prestige, and Havells now have models with touch controls and specific settings for things like boiling milk or making dosa.
What I love is the exact temperature control—it stops milk from boiling over, heats evenly for perfect chapatis, and cooks faster than gas. Many have Indian menu options for rice, dal, or curry. You can even start it remotely via app on some models. They’re super safe with no flame, auto shut-off if no vessel is there, and cool surfaces so kids can’t burn themselves. In our fluctuating power supply, good ones handle surges well and save electricity.
But after power cuts, they might need resetting, and you need compatible vessels (most steel or cast iron work). Higher wattage ones (2000W+) heat fastest but cost more upfront.
My tip: Go for Philips or Prestige with at least 2000W and Indian presets. Perfect for rentals—no gas connection needed, and easy to move.
- Smart Air Fryers – Guilt-Free Fried Snacks and Healthier Meals
Air fryers are everywhere now, and smart digital ones with apps and presets have made healthy versions of pakoras, tikkas, fries, and even baked goods a daily thing without deep-frying mess.
They use hot air to crisp food with very little oil—up to 90% less—so samosas or chicken come out crunchy outside and juicy inside. Many have presets for Indian snacks, and apps let you set timers or get notifications while doing other chores. Sizes from 4-8L fit families, and see-through windows or digital displays make checking easy. Cleanup is simple with non-stick baskets.
In small kitchens, they save space compared to ovens. Voltage-stable models from Philips or Havells handle Indian power well.
Downsides: Not great for very large batches or super wet batters (they might not crisp evenly). Initial price is higher, but long-term oil savings add up. Some get noisy on high.
My tip: Start with Philips or Xiaomi 4-6L models—great for families. Look for dehydrate functions to make extras like banana chips or papads.
- Smart Electric Pressure Cookers / Multi-Cookers – Perfect One-Pot Meals for Busy Days
These like Geek Robocook, Instant Pot, or Prestige models do pressure cooking, slow cooking, sautéing, steaming, and more—ideal for biryani, dal, rajma, or even yogurt and cakes in one pot.
App controls and guided recipes mean you can start cooking from your phone, and delay timers are handy for coming home to ready food. Many have 15+ Indian presets for khichdi, chicken curry, or sambar. They cook faster (beans in 30-40 mins), retain nutrients, and are safer with multiple locks.
Stainless steel pots last long, and energy use is low. Great for consistent results every time.
Cleaning the heavy inner pot takes effort, and they need steady power (no inverter backup usually). Not all imported brands have strong local service.
My tip: Geek Robocook or Prestige 6L for families—versatile and reliable for daily Indian meals.
- Smart Rice Cookers – Perfect Fluffy Rice Without Watching
Rice is staple, so smart cookers with fuzzy logic give perfect basmati or sona masoori every time, adjusting water and heat automatically.
Keep-warm for hours without drying, app notifications when done, and multi modes for pongal or pulao.
Consistent even with hard water, and smaller sizes fit tight spaces.
A bit extra if you already cook rice well on stove, but brilliant for beginners or big batches.
My tip: Panasonic or Philips with induction heating—best even cooking for daily use.
- Smart Chimneys with Auto-Clean – Keep Your Kitchen Smoke-Free
For heavy Indian frying and masalas, smart chimneys with sensors, apps, or gesture controls pull out smoke and odors efficiently.
Auto-clean uses heat or water to reduce scrubbing, filterless ones are low-maintenance. Voice or motion control is handy with oily hands.
Quieter, stronger suction for spicy cooking.
Needs good installation and ducting. Higher power use.
My tip: Faber or Glen with gesture—must-have for open or modular kitchens.
- Smart Electric Kettles – Fast Chai and More
Smart kettles with temperature presets and apps boil exactly for green tea, coffee, or noodles.
Scheduled boil, keep-warm, glass bodies look nice.
Quick mornings, safe auto-off.
Some plastic ones affect taste over time.
My tip: Variable temp from Morphy Richards—great for different drinks.
- AI-Assisted Multi-Cookers (like Upliance) – Hands-Free Cooking for Everyday Sabzi
New Indian brands like Upliance use AI to stir, adjust heat, and follow recipes for curries, sabzis, or pastas automatically.
App has hundreds of recipes, it chops veggies, weighs, and cooks—no constant stirring. Adapts for healthy versions.
Frees time, consistent gravies.
Pricey, jar cleaning needs care, limited to pot dishes.
My tip: If you cook daily sabzis and can afford, Upliance is a real time-saver for working homes.
- Smart Refrigerators – Track Freshness and Plan Meals
Wi-Fi fridges with inside cameras or apps track expiry dates, especially useful for veggies, dairy, and spices.
Recipe ideas from what’s inside, door alerts.
Better zones for Indian produce.
Costly, needs reliable Wi-Fi.
My tip: Samsung or LG with family hub—for easier grocery management.
- Automatic Roti Makers – Fresh Soft Rotis Easily
Fully automatic ones like Rotimatic knead, roll, and cook rotis from flour and water—perfect for daily soft phulkas.
App adjusts for whole wheat or multi-grain, consistent puffing.
Huge time-saver, healthy options.
Bulky, expensive, cleaning routine needed.
My tip: Rotimatic for families wanting fresh rotis daily without effort.
- Smart Plugs for Regular Appliances – Cheap Way to Go Smart
Add 16A smart plugs to normal kettles, mixers, or cookers for scheduling and remote control.
Monitor energy, turn on rice cooker from phone.
Affordable start.
Limited to safe loads, Wi-Fi needed.
My tip: Wipro or similar—good for high-power Indian appliances.
FAQs
Q1. Which smart kitchen appliance should I buy first in India?
A smart induction cooktop or air fryer—biggest daily help for cooking and snacks.
Q2. Are they safe with Indian voltage fluctuations?
Yes, from good brands; add stabilizers for pricey ones.
Q3. Do they work in power cuts?
Most need constant power; few have backups.
Q4. Is app control really useful?
Yes for remote start and recipes, but basic models work fine too.
Q5. Do they save electricity?
Yes, with precise heating and timers.
Q6. Do they suit Indian recipes?
Many have Indian presets now; apps keep adding more.
Q7. How to maintain them?
Easy cleaning, updates, good service brands.
Q8. Are they worth it for Indian homes?
Yes—save time on repetitive jobs, healthier options, fit our varied cooking perfectly.
After years of using these in a real busy Indian kitchen, smart appliances really help with common issues like time shortage, oil-heavy food, and keeping things clean. They don’t replace traditional tastes but make achieving them easier in modern life. Begin with one or two that solve your biggest hassles—like an air fryer for fried foods or induction for mains—then add more. Choose based on local service, power needs, and how it fits your cooking style over fancy extras. When picked right, they make cooking fun again, healthier, and less tiring, giving more time for family and enjoying the meal.
