What was once a premium add-on is fast becoming a mainstream expectation. The global smart kitchen market reached USD 21.8 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to USD 37.2 billion by 2030, according to Mordor Intelligence. That steady 11.3 percent annual growth reflects more than gadget fascination. It signals a structural shift in how kitchens are designed, used, and monetised.
At the heart of this change is convergence. Cooking appliances are no longer standalone products. They are becoming connected nodes in wider home energy and digital ecosystems, responding to grid signals, learning user habits, and delivering services long after the initial purchase.
From Appliances to Energy Assets
One of the biggest drivers of adoption is regulation. Governments across major markets are tightening energy-efficiency rules, forcing manufacturers to rethink product roadmaps. In the United States, new cooking-appliance standards coming into force in 2028 will cap annual energy use and ban older power-supply designs, unlocking energy savings equivalent to the consumption of 1.4 million homes.
Europe has gone further by mandating long-term spare-parts availability, encouraging modular designs and repair-led business models. Australia estimates that updated appliance standards could save consumers AUD 3.4 billion through more efficient electric products.
These policies are nudging smart kitchens into a new role. Appliances now align their operating cycles with grid demand, reducing household bills while helping utilities manage renewable energy flows. For manufacturers, being “grid-ready” is quickly becoming a competitive advantage rather than a compliance exercise.
Interoperability Becomes Non-Negotiable
Connectivity standards are reshaping the competitive landscape. Wi-Fi remains dominant, accounting for over 44 percent of market share in 2024, largely due to familiarity and ease of integration. However, newer protocols such as Thread and Matter are growing much faster, with adoption expected to rise at nearly 20 percent annually through 2030.
These standards allow appliances from different brands to communicate seamlessly, sharing energy data and usage patterns with home-management platforms. Industry alliances, including the Home Connectivity Alliance led by Samsung, LG, Haier, and Electrolux, are pushing common energy interfaces that connect kitchens directly to utility demand-response programs.
The message is clear. Closed systems are losing favour. Manufacturers that embrace open ecosystems are cutting development costs and speeding up market entry, while laggards risk higher R&D expenses and slower adoption.
AI Turns Kitchens Into Predictive Spaces
Artificial intelligence is moving smart kitchens beyond automation into anticipation. Today’s appliances do more than follow commands. They learn. AI-enabled refrigerators track inventory and suggest recipes. Ovens adjust cooking parameters based on food type and weight. In commercial kitchens, AI systems monitor consistency and quality in real time.
This shift is creating new revenue streams. Instead of one-time hardware sales, manufacturers are building platforms around AI-driven recipe services, predictive maintenance, and subscription models. These services keep consumers engaged long after installation and extend the value of the appliance lifecycle.
The result is a gradual redefinition of what a kitchen appliance represents. It is no longer just a tool. It is a service gateway.
Refrigerators Lead, But Cooktops Are Catching Up
By product category, smart refrigerators remain the backbone of the market, commanding 35 percent of revenue in 2024. Positioned as household information hubs, they anchor connected kitchens through inventory tracking, cameras, and data integration.
However, growth momentum is shifting. Smart cooktops and ranges are projected to expand at over 20 percent annually through 2030, driven by both residential upgrades and hospitality retrofits. Restaurants and hotels are adopting precision cooking equipment to reduce labour dependency, standardise quality, and control energy costs.
Dishwashers are benefiting from tighter water-efficiency mandates, while niche products such as smart coffee machines and range hoods are emerging as specialist categories.
Hospitality Accelerates Commercial Adoption
Residential users still account for the majority of demand, contributing over 57 percent of market size in 2024. Yet hospitality is the fastest-growing segment. Hotels, quick-service restaurants, and institutional kitchens are investing heavily in connected equipment that extends operating hours and improves margins.
AI-driven cooking robots and inventory-linked appliances are becoming attractive in a sector grappling with labour shortages and rising utility costs. Vendors that tailor durability, hygiene compliance, and remote diagnostics for commercial users are securing higher margins and long-term service contracts.
Pricing Pressures and Privacy Concerns
Despite strong growth, challenges remain. High upfront costs continue to limit mass-market penetration. Rising semiconductor prices, tariffs, and component inflation are pushing appliance prices higher, particularly in cost-sensitive markets.
Data privacy and cybersecurity are another concern. As kitchens add more connected endpoints, the risk surface expands. While newer standards improve encryption and local control, manufacturers face increasing scrutiny under data-protection laws in Europe and the United States. Trust, once broken, is difficult to rebuild in a space as intimate as the home.
Asia-Pacific Emerges as the Fastest-Growing Market
Regionally, North America remains the largest market, accounting for nearly 37 percent of global revenue in 2024, supported by mature smart-home infrastructure and utility incentive programs. Asia-Pacific, however, is the fastest-growing region, expected to expand at 13.5 percent annually through 2030.
Urbanisation, rising middle-class incomes, and export-driven manufacturing are fuelling adoption. China’s appliance giants are scaling rapidly, while India and Southeast Asia are emerging as key demand centres as electrification and housing growth accelerate.
The Kitchen as a Long-Term Platform
The smart kitchen story is no longer about novelty or luxury. It is about infrastructure. As energy rules tighten, AI capabilities deepen, and connectivity standards mature, kitchens are becoming long-term digital platforms embedded in everyday life.
For consumers, this means greater efficiency, safety, and personalisation. For manufacturers, it marks a shift from selling products to building ecosystems. The heart of the home is quietly becoming one of its smartest rooms.
