The champagne corks have been popped and Auld Lang Syne has been sung, 2022 is well and truly upon us. Every year brings new innovations to the table and new gadgets designed to make our lives easier. So what will be the must-have gadgets for 2022?

There will be options that will make your life more convenient, provide better entertainment solutions, and makes the perfect gift item for friends and family. These are the gadgets and home appliances tipped to make a big impact in Australian homes this year.

Kitchen Appliances That Fuse Style and Function

Is it time to renovate or upgrade your tired old kitchen? There are modern innovations that can make your cooking space more functional, more efficient and better looking at the same time. With Kleenmaid appliances, style and functionality collide. Your oven, microwave and dishwasher can be built right into the cabinets and feature induction heating and ceramic cooktops. 

These appliances offer a range of additional benefits and features as well. There are safety inclusions like an automatic gas kill switch if a flame goes out, strong and stable design for decades of use and easy servicing that doesn’t require the entire appliance to be removed from your counter to access.

The Metaverse

After many false dawns, virtual reality finally seems here to stay. While the first VR headset, The Sword of Damocles, was invented in 1968 it took another five decades for the technology to finally take off with current devices like Valve Index, the Oculus Quest 2 and the HTC Vive Pro 2 becoming affordable and popular options in Australian homes. 

Virtual reality is set to become more than just a video gaming space in 2022, with social media platforms planning to create virtual metaworlds where people can interact – the first steps toward a real-life Oasis like that featured in Ready Player One. 

Facebook has already changed its name to Meta to signal its intent to broaden its horizons into the metaverse and you can expect a new wave of VR devices and wearable technology designed for this space in 2022.

Smart Hubs

We have already seen personal assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Siri and Microsoft Cortana become popular mainstays in modern homes. The next extension of this will be home hubs that will be able to control a range of functions in your house including heating, cooling, entertainment and more.

While there will be standalone hubs, one of the more unique versions was flagged at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2022 where Samsung announced its plans to release the Bespoke Family Hub refrigerator. This fridge will have all of the voice commands present in current home assistants, be able to play music, arrange your schedule, carry out Google searches and even do your shopping online for you. 

Home security improvements to protect your deliveries

In recent years we have seen home security systems improve dramatically while also becoming affordable and accessible for Australian homes. These high-definition cameras can be powered by solar and batteries and are connected to the internet for a constant stream and alerts that can be accessed on mobile devices.

However, the modern world has given rise to a new form of crime – porch pirates. Criminals who are taking advantage of the huge volumes of parcels being delivered to Australian homes. Over 21 million parcels were delivered in November alone last year and package theft has become a real issue. 

New security setups are being designed to accomodate this, giving full range of vision outside the front door including cameras located below the eye level to detect packages. You can be alerted when they arrive, see exactly where they are any potential thieves can be identified with alerts sent to authorities.

For those looking for additional security, smart doors are expected to gain traction as well. These include a range of internet-connected features including doorbell cameras, smart locks, motion sensor LED lighting and a status sensor that can send alerts if someone tries to tamper with the door.

Aged Care Devices For The Home

Wearable medical alarms and wall-mounted duress alarms have allowed older Australians to live more independently, knowing help is around the corner if they have a fall or something happens. But what about their general wellbeing?

New lighting devices are set to make health and wellness data more accessible and help keep ageing Australians in their home for longer. The Smart Health Monitoring Light uses radar technology to monitor health metrics like sleep quality, heart rate and other important biometrics. It is connected to the internet via WiFi so it can send this data in real-time to loved ones.

The Smart Health Monitoring Light will also send alerts if these biometrics change dramatically or if a person has a fall, plus the light itself will change colour for a visual alert.