This month there are plenty of great new appliances and gadgets that have caught my eye…

SIMPLEHUMAN

I honestly didn’t think it was possible to fall in love with a humble kitchen bin but my new simplehuman sensor bin is the business! Not only does it look stunning in fingerprint-proof steel but it’s so hygienic and easy to use. After inserting six batteries into the back, all I do now is wave my hand over the lid and it automatically opens, so no more pedal pushing or touching any part of the bin and thanks to its unique multi-sense technology, it even reacts and adapts to your behaviour so won’t open unexpectedly or close before you’re done. As if this wasn’t enough, it even has an odour filter inside the lid and a tilt function for the inner bin, which makes it easier to pop a bin bag inside. With a five-year guarantee, it’s available as 40L, 45L and 48L sizes in rectangular and semi-round styles.

Sensor Bin by simplehuman, £199, www.simplehuman.com

RUARK

I can’t work unless I’ve got the radio humming in the background and I also have radios in the bedroom, living room and kitchen, too. Whether it’s rushing for breakfast with Chris Evans or cooking up a storm with 6 Music, there’s always music to help things along. Combining style and substance is the new Ruark R1 radio, which comes in a limited edition Osborne & Little design. For techno buffs, it has DAB/DAB+FM, Bluetooth and Digital Tick – all in a pretty patterned finish.

Ruark R1 radio in limited edition Osborne & Little fabric, £200, www.ruarkaudio.com

AEG

Culinary multitasking is no longer a problem thanks to the new MaxiSense Combi induction hob from AEG. I have an induction topped range cooker and I love its instant heat, safety and easy-clean surface. This hob, however, takes induction to a whole new level thanks to its large H47 x W30cm FreeZone area that can accommodate up to three pans at the same time. Automatic pan recognition identifies where the pan is and how big it is and be pre-programming the required temperature for each pan, you can move it around the hob as you like and the temperature setting moves with it! You can also split this area into two sections set at separate temperatures for added versatility and there are two MaxiSense zones for five pans at once.

AEG’s HKH81700FB MaxiSense Combi, £1,399, www.aeg.co.uk

MARTIN MOORE

One of the latest trends in kitchen furniture is for pops of colour within the cabinetry. “The fashion in terms of colour is for greys and off-whites,” says Richard Moore, design director at Martin Moore, “perhaps with an accent colour such as light blue or green. Customers are willing to choose a stronger shade for small touches such as a feature island or bright blue cupboard interior.”

Freestanding dresser from Martin Moore’s Architectural collection with interior painted in Med Blue, from £35,000 for a kitchen, www.martinmoore.com

BAUMATIC

In the kitchen at least, size really does matter so I was super-impressed by Baumatic’s new 16 place setting dishwasher. Yes, 16 place settings! Fully integrated with an A+AA rating, 44dB noise level and 10 litre water consumption, it comes with a soft touch digital control panel, 12 wash programmes, seven temperatures and adaptive settings for more rapid or economical options. And it’s still only 60cm wide…

Baumatic’s BDIF616 dishwasher, £499, www.baumatic.co.uk

JOHN LEWIS

Whilst I love sleek, shiny, high gloss kitchens, I also hanker after a painted Shaker style and it’s this new Carradale range from John Lewis that’s really got me dreaming about butler sinks and range cookers… In a lovely Blue Grey and part of the County Collection, the bevelled Shaker style door is available in 11 matt painted finishes and can be teamed with traditional handles for a timeless look or modern designs for a contemporary twist. A new pantry larder system unit is also on offer with bespoke shelving options and integral wine rack – now that’s my kind of larder!

The new Carradale kitchen from John Lewis, from £10,000, www.johnlewis.com

CAPLE

Caple has launched two new taps and new finishes to three models in its sink and tap portfolio, giving consumers even more choice when it comes to the finishing touch. My favourite is the Navitas single-lever with polished chrome finish, a professional-style spray tap that can really add the wow factor to worktops.

Caple’s Navitas single lever tap, £183, www.caple.co.uk

BEKO

To celebrate its 25^th anniversary in the UK, last month Beko hosted a two-day event at Wembley Stadium, the highlight of which was a sneaky peak into the kitchen of the future. One of the concept products was the Luminist hob, which features a Smart LED Indicator System, audio and optic signals and can be customised with different colours and designs. There was also a range of innovative Smart Connected Appliances from Grundig, all operated from an app, as well as Grundig Vitrual User Experience technology, which allows the user to control all their appliances from one central hub with just the touch of a finger.

Beko celebrated its 25th anniversary with a glimpse into the kitchen of the future, www.beko.co.uk

PAVARA KITCHEN SINK TIDY

I love it when someone invents something that we never knew we needed until they invent it! Sunita Gill is passionate about creating sleek, seamless, clutter-free kitchens and her Pavara kitchen sink tidy is the first-ever rotating sink tidy that conceals its contents. It reveals your washing-up liquid and hand soap at the touch of a button and with a gloss finish in black or white, it’s ideal for a high-gloss kitchen setting. Sunita is launching on Kickstarter, the online crowdfunding website, with the aim of producing the first production batch by the forth quarter of 2015 and she’s already sold out of her early bird offers in less than a week.

Sunita Gill’s Pavara kitchen sink tidy, www.pavara.co.uk