Appliances Offer Fresh Takes on the Latest Kitchen Trends

Foodies and techies, rejoice: In the world of kitchen appliances, innovation abounds. When embarking on a kitchen renovation or upgrading outdated equipment, your appliance needs are covered at Pacific Home and Appliance Distribution, and Riggs Distributing. The experts at these locally based companies understand how to incorporate appliances into home design, and can point you to high-quality product lines with features that work for you.

Here are some of their latest appliances and trend-spotting notes.

Riggs Distributing

As the exclusive Hawaii distributor of renowned brands Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove, Riggs Distributing is known for bringing in appliances with precise, professional-grade operations.

Kevin Carll, Hawaii branch manager for Riggs Distributing, explains that induction cooking has become “very popular” among homeowners. “Smart, sustainable and stylish, induction cooking is the wave of the future,” he shares. “Induction cooktops generate a magnetic field that induces heat directly into pots and pans, making the cookware the heat source, and the cooking more efficient and consistent.”

Chef Ivan Dubriwny, showroom and culinary manager at Riggs Distributing, demonstrates the ease of cooking on an induction stove. Riggs Distributing is the exclusive Hawaii distributor of Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, like the induction stove and refrigerator shown in the photo at the top of this article.

Wolf induction cooktops and ranges, for example, “give you total control — from strong boils to gentle melts, it always performs consistently and responds 40% faster than gas or electric [ranges],” says Carll. “After cooking, you just wipe the scratch-resistant, ceramic glass surface for easy cleanup!”

In addition to quicker cooking and cleanup times, induction ranges can provide energy savings when running on renewable energy sources like solar. Induction cooking can also keep your home cooler, which is a big plus during the hot summer months in the Islands.

Safety is a factor with induction appliances. Although cookware retains heat when on an induction stove, the cooktop surface itself doesn’t. That means peace of mind for multigenerational families in Hawaii with keiki and kupuna.

Specific cookware is required to make the most of induction cooking. Stainless steel pots and pans with sturdy bottoms are compatible with induction stoves. To test the compatibility of other pots and pans, a magnet can be used — if it sticks to the bottom, the cookware can be used on an induction stove.

Carll notes an interesting trend: Homeowners are taking appliances beyond the kitchen. Imagine a custom coffee bar setup in your bedroom, for example, with the luxury of a freshly brewed drink first thing in the morning. “More people are working from home, so putting a premium Wolf coffee system (above) in their home office allows them to enjoy exceptional coffee beverages just steps away from their desk,” says Carll. He has also seen customers incorporating Wolf warming drawers in bathrooms to keep towels and bathrobes heated, adding Sub-Zero wine columns in home bar areas, and installing Sub-Zero undercounter refrigerators in outdoor living areas. The options for appliances are endless — get in touch with Riggs Distributing for ideas, installation and maintenance.

Pacific Home and Appliance Distribution

Craig Washofsky of Pacific Home and Appliance Distribution says that “style has become an even more important part of appliance selection than ever before.” Beyond searching for appliances that meet standards of durability, craftsmanship and performance, today’s homeowners “are looking for appliances that match the creative themes of their design.” Some brands carried by Pacific Home Appliance and Distribution — like the Café collection from GE — offer options for customers to match hardware with other items in their kitchens. And chic appliances like the Monogram Forge heated ice press (above) are popular for a surprise element of style. It’s the first and only heated ice press available in the U.S. that “produces perfectly chilled spherical ice gems that won’t dilute the impeccable quality and flavor of the world’s finest spirits,” says Washofsky.

In line with the growing popularity of induction cooking, Washofsky highlights a unique range that combines all the benefits of induction, gas and convection power. Available at Pacific Home and Appliance Distribution, the Fisher & Paykel RHV3-484 model (above) “offers the greatest flexibility of any range on the market today,” says Washofsky. “No range offers more ways to cook!” The 48-inch professional-style range with an easy-to-use touchscreen interface is a dream for both savvy home chefs and beginning cooks. It has a separate larger and smaller convection oven, four gas burners, plus four induction elements on the cooktop. The range is perfect for preparing main entrees, sides and baked desserts for local-style gatherings and holiday dinners.

Editor’s Note: This article has been slightly modified from the original print version for optimal online reading. To view the full print story, subscribe to our digital edition or pick up your copy of Hawaii Home + Remodeling at one of our partner locations.