A Quiet Kitchen
February 18, 2015From washing machines and vacuum cleaners to fat-reducing grills and the biggest edible cupcake you will ever see, there’s no end to the number of nifty home and tips, tricks and gadgets helping us along with our everyday routines. But as the number of devices and domestic appliances has endlessly increased, so too have sound levels and for many of us it is becoming increasingly difficult to combine modern convenience with that quiet country life.
So how do we balance out the demands of a busy life with our desire for peace, quiet and a relaxing living space? One solution lies in the new generation of silent technology. Thanks to the Noise Abatement Society and their launch of the Quiet Mark award scheme, products previously reserved for the high-end market have ditched their eye-watering price tags. A new birth of no-noise technology now sits comfortably on the shelves of high street retailers. So here are five of our favourite home, technology and kitchen tips that mean a quiet country life need only be a click away.
1. Quiet in the kitchen
- Don’t let your kettle bring you to the boil: check out the range of Quiet Mark approved kettles. The Quiet Quality Artisan Kettle from kitchenAid is perhaps the most attractive solution to the problem, while the smart Dualit Classic Kettle features a Whisper Boil™ that promises to drastically reduce unwanted boiling noise. At the cheaper end of the spectrum is the Serenity kettle from Russell Hobbs. Brushed in premium aluminium with an LCD display and 30-minute keep warm function, it combines practical functions with quality design and is guaranteed to bring you a pick-me-up coffee in peace.
2. Tumble dryers
If there’s anything worse than working your way through an ever-growing pile of laundry, it’s listening to the machine rattle away for hours at a time. There are three tumble dryers in the Quiet Mark directory – two to the credit of Panasonic, while the third is the work of trusted home department store John Lewis. All three cutting-edge machines boast impressive energy efficient ratings ,with the important no-noise technology making that load of dirty clothes finally seem a whole lot less daunting.
3. No more alarm bells
Wake up in peace with an alarm bell that doesn’t leave you stressed and panicking before the day has even begun. Look to Lumie’s range of Bodyclock wake-up lights for a ‘dawn simulator’ that promises to wake you up gradually with increasing light. It cues your body to set a healthy sleep cycle, get up, beat winter blues, and to feel alert, refreshed and energetic all day.
4. Noise-silencing stickers
Even in the countryside silence isn’t guaranteed and so the SONO offers a great solution for help blocking out outside noise and disruption. Designed by Rudolf Stefanich, this pebble-shaped device works just like a pair of noise-cancelling headphones and allows users to control, or completely eliminate, the sounds that pass through their home.
5. Air conditioning
Thanks to the ‘whisper quiet’ of Mitsubishi’s award-winning Electric Zen air conditioner, you’ll never spend another night lying awake listening to the annoying hum of that machine you had hoped would bring some comfort. Available in luxurious high black gloss, silver or white finish, with an A-rated energy saving performance, this premium product is currently the only air conditioning unit that’s ‘Quiet Mark’ certified. But is a promising move forward for no-noise heat control and hopefully we’ll soon see other manufacturers follow suit.