Meet the new, smarter kitchen

It won’t do all the prep work and it won’t set the table. It also won’t hand wash any pots, pans or china in need of that kind of attention. It’s too smart for menial tasks like those.

But the smart kitchen — which is quickly becoming a staple ingredient in new-home building — will help you manage your appliance settings and performance, understand and organize your recipes, walk you through some steps of cooking, and keep inventory of refrigerator and freezer items.

Simply put, a smart kitchen is designed with features that help the

homeowner save energy and time.

Just like humans and other living things, a kitchen’s level of smarts is relative; there are varying degrees to which you and a homebuilder can elevate your kitchen’s IQ.

The basics include programmable appliances homeowners can program either on-site or remotely, from anywhere.

Ask which smart features may already be included and let your builder know of additional features you’d like installed. With enough planning, the foundational elements of your kitchen will even be able to accommodate smart-kitchen features that you add later.

Power smarts

Have the builder’s electrician install wall outlets, as possible, in places where you may use heavy appliances. Don’t forget both ends of the island. Choose wall outlets with builtin USB ports in key spots.

Don’t want to look at devices charging all day on the counter? Your builder’s cabinet company likely can offer you the option of a pullout charging drawer with built- in shock absorbing mat and power strip. That way, devices can charge in hiding.

Appliance smarts

If you want to use Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant or another home automation system, remember to add and get familiar with any apps from kitchen appliance manufacturers before move in. Some manufacturers even use open- source platforms on which you can load multiple appliances.

If you can’t imagine using such smart features, here are a few use cases that might change your mind:

Oven: You’re going to be home later than expected. Fortunately, before leaving, you anticipated this situation and put the frozen homemade lasagna in the oven. Program the oven from home or from the app to begin preheating at the optimal time. Delayed again? Simply use the app to discontinue cooking or keep the oven warm.

Dishwasher: The house is always full, so the dishwasher needs to be run at least daily. But one night, as you’re in bed reading before heading into dreamland, you realize you didn’t start the dishwasher.

Not wanting to deal with messes in the morning, and not willing to climb out of bed to go to the kitchen in the dark, you can start ( or schedule) the dishwasher right from the tablet you’re already using to read yourself bedtime stories.

Finally, the smart refrigerator: This one helps you keep grocery lists and other notes in a built-in tablet. It might even be able to capture images every time someone opens or closes the refrigerator doors. Among other tasks, it can set expiration dates for all of your kitchen staples.

Prep — and chef — smarts

Before installing a sink or a cooktop in your beautiful new island, study the plans carefully. Speak to the builder, designer and the cabinet manufacturer about options that will provide you with large, uninterrupted sections of countertop.

Freeing up the island or peninsula not only creates room to spread out during food preparation, but opens possibilities for seating around the island or peninsula. Without appliances on these prime countertops, you’ll create more space for a breakfast bar, an after- school snack area or homework space for small children.

Does your sous chef need a place to display her talents and walk you through the recipes?

If you’re among the households in which the recipe card holder and recipe book are going the way of the Rolodex, chances are that your mobile phone or tablet will be your best friend while trying new recipes or recalling old ones.

To maximize your tablet, phone or home management system for recipe support, decide if you want agility on the device itself or something built into the kitchen.

A tabletop easel or a sturdy device case allows propping up of the phone or tablet for easy viewing and listening. These can be moved from place to place within the kitchen while you work. Some device cases wrap around your primary case, so you can leave the secondary case in the kitchen when not in use.

Does your electronic sous chef need a permanent workplace in the kitchen to read out your recipes and display demos?

Connect your devices to speakers for better sound. For that matter, ask your builder about built- in surround sound in your kitchen and family room. Now that sounds smart.