Are you an avid home cook? Did you furnish your kitchen with a La Germania or Sub-Zero gas stove? Well, if you take your cooking and food seriously, don’t settle for less. High performance kitchens have been trending of late.
Maximise your kitchen’s potential with these 10 tips for a high-performance kitchen from Bosch.
![bosch_ve_1x1_dwk98pr60_master-1024x1024-1 BOSCH’s Series 8 wall-mounted cooker hood](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bosch_ve_1x1_dwk98pr60_master-1024x1024-1.jpg)
1. Install a cooker hood instead of extraction fan
Consider installing a cooker hood instead of an extractor fan for better air quality when space is at a premium. These days, cooker hoods can do double duty with superior extractor functions and are easier to install rather than extractor fans which require hacking.
BOSCH’s Series 8 wall-mounted cooker hood (DWK98PR60B) is an excellent example, with a remarkable extraction power of 964m3/h and a grease filtration of over 85 per cent.
Its PerfectAir sensor also offers automatic extractor control for high performance with low noise. When you’ve finished cooking, the fan continues to run until the kitchen air is fresh and clear.
![series-8-built-in-oven-with-added-steam-and-microwave-function-60-x-60-cm-stainless-steel-hng6764s1_best_in_test_master-1024x768-1 Cooking Christmas Dinner: 20 Kitchen appliances to make cooking easier](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/series-8-built-in-oven-with-added-steam-and-microwave-function-60-x-60-cm-stainless-steel-hng6764s1_best_in_test_master-1024x768-1.jpg)
2. Use your microwave efficiently by reheating food properly
Enjoy your leftovers and cut down on reheating disasters by learning how to reheat food properly. For example, when reheating pizza or baked goods, place a cup of water in the microwave next to them, adding moisture to the air and ensuring they come out fluffy.
As for pasta, before you hit the power button, shape it into a doughnut shape. Having a hole in the middle will stop it from burning around the perimeter while staying ice cold in the middle.
If you’re reheating bread, drape the rolls or buns with a moist paper towel before setting the microwave to a low-power setting.
![bosch_pcp_-ms6cb61v1_ergomixx_handblender_vacuum_lifestyle_1_global_master-1024x682-1 BOSCH’s Hand blender ErgoMixx](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bosch_pcp_-ms6cb61v1_ergomixx_handblender_vacuum_lifestyle_1_global_master-1024x682-1.jpg)
3. Cut down on food waste. Use vacuum containers & zipper bags
We’ve all been there, you only need half a lemon for a recipe, and you’re not sure what to do with the other half, or you find you’ve defrosted too much chicken when someone tells you they’re not coming back for dinner.
Sure, you can keep them in a plastic container, but chances are these may go bad before you get around to using them. To cut down on wastage, why not store them in vacuum containers or zipper bags? The lack of oxygen will help preserve them for longer, not to mention more hygienically.
Not only can BOSCH’s Hand blender ErgoMixx (MS6CB61V5) be used for processing smoothies and soups, the useful appliance has a fresh vacuum system to keep food (and leftovers) fresh for longer.
All that’s required is to attach the vacuum pump to the hand blender with a simple click, allowing you to preserve fresh food, leftovers or snacks in vacuum containers and zipper bags.
![h_d_090922147777-3-copy-1024x683-1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/h_d_090922147777-3-copy-1024x683-1.jpg)
4. Store everyday ingredients correctly in your fridge
If your ketchup smells funky or the dates are mouldy, you are likely storing them wrongly. Especially in our hot and humid climate, some everyday ingredients must be put away in the fridge or freezer to keep well.
Condiments that contain very high levels of acidity, sugar, or salt are fine to store in the pantry, but wet condiments, like mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, and maple syrup, should be kept in the refrigerator.
Nuts and seeds may look hardy, but when introduced to oxygen, heat, and light, they can quickly begin to spoil.
To avoid this, transfer them into an airtight container and place them in the fridge as soon as possible. Extend the same treatment to dates and other dried fruits.
An excellent place to ensure the longevity of your groceries is BOSCH’s Series 6 with French doors and a bottom freezer (KFN96APEAG). This appliance has a VitaFresh XXL <0°C> feature, which keeps food fresh for longer in extra-large climate- controlled fridge drawers. It also has a Metal Backwall with Multi Airflow, which prevents uneven cooling in your fridge.
![rap_prf_french_door_refrigerator_stage_drawer_models_master-1024x454-1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/rap_prf_french_door_refrigerator_stage_drawer_models_master-1024x454-1.jpg)
5. Maintain your wooden kitchen accessories
Wooden spoons and cutting board add a touch of rustic charm and aesthetic quality to any kitchen, as well as an excellent background for taking those pictures for social media. But remember to keep your wooden kitchen accessories looking and performing well and bacteria-free by spending some time maintaining them.
For wooden spoons, don’t ever stick them into a dishwasher. Instead, boil them in a pot of water regularly, then leave them lying in the sun to dry. When it comes to cutting boards, scrub the wooden surface with coarse salt and massage with half a lemon. Once a month, condition it by scrubbing it with food-grade mineral oil.
![m06_bsh_kueche_designfit_stripe_02_cmyk-1024x724-1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/m06_bsh_kueche_designfit_stripe_02_cmyk-1024x724-1.jpg)
6. Buy a self-cleaning oven
An oven that cleans itself sounds like a blessing that shouldn’t be questioned, but it’s essential to understand how it works and saves time and energy.
Self-cleaning ovens use high heat to break down and burn up food remnants and built-up grease, so avoid potential foul odours and smoke by removing any visible pieces of food or liquids before turning on the heat.
Extra-heavy insulation helps the oven reach high temperatures during a self-cleaning cycle, reducing the energy used during regular cooking. Additional energy savings can be realised by running the self-cleaning function right after cooking so that heat already built up and retained is also used as part of the cleaning process.
The BOSCH Series 8 built-in oven (HBG6764S6B) has a Pyrolytic self-cleaning, which automatically cleans the oven without the need for chemicals. Once the oven has cooled down, simply wipe out the bit of ash, and you’re done.
![touchselect_display_master-1024x767-1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/touchselect_display_master-1024x767-1.jpg)
7. Learn how to modify recipes for induction hobs
While induction won’t make your food cook faster, it does heat cookware placed on its “cooking zones” evenly and almost instantly.
As such, there’s little to no downtime between actual cooking, resulting in you running around or overcooking your food if you’re trying to chop, prep, and dig for spices while the cooktop is doing its work. In short, plan and finish your prep before you even turn on your hob.
BOSCH’s Series 4 induction hob (PUE611BB5J) requires 3kW, which is suitable for HDB flats.
Its Power Boost allows up to 35 per cent faster heating and helps you get quick and easy meals on the table even quicker. The Quick Start function also detects where you have placed the cookware, and after switching it on, it automatically selects the corresponding cooking zone on the control interface.
![calvin-ho-1024x675-1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/calvin-ho-1024x675-1.jpg)
8. Organise your storage so everything is within reach
We’ve all been culprits of buying more spices and sauces, baking ingredients and condiments, using them once and forgetting all about them. Whether in the fridge or cupboard, it’s often a case of out-of-sight, out of mind.
Stop this wasteful and uneconomical habit by organising your items on a turntable. You can also place a regular turntable in the fridge to provide easier access to your bottles of sauces or jams.
Pull-out bins are also heaven-sent so that you can stack your items all the way to the back yet have them within easy reach. Clear organiser bins with handles are handy for freeing up the produce drawer, while their handles make it super easy to take them in and out.
![bo_u_11_ua6_mum5_mum59340gb_picture_nkf_visual_resized_master-1024x768-1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bo_u_11_ua6_mum5_mum59340gb_picture_nkf_visual_resized_master-1024x768-1.jpg)
9. Buy multi-functional appliances to reduce storage
When space is at a premium, invest in appliances, which can be used in many ways. Bonus points if they look great, so you can even display them on your kitchen counter.
BOSCH’s Kitchen machine (MUM59340GB) ticks off all these boxes. A powerful kitchen machine with an award-winning design, the MUM5 is a real all-rounder and easy to use. Its extremely powerful 1.000- watt motor makes it suitable even for very heavy doughs.
Furthermore, it ensures perfect baking results with its professional patisserie set of a high-quality whisk, stirrer and kneading hook. The machine is also highly versatile due to a wide range of accessories, including an ice- cream maker, grain mill, multi mixer, cookie attachment, meat grinder, mixer and more.
![dw_freestanding_dishwasher_con_02_master-1024x780-1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/dw_freestanding_dishwasher_con_02_master-1024x780-1.jpg)
10. Clean utensils and dishes better with dishwashers
Dishwashers use much hotter water to wash dishes, killing most of the bacteria that could grow on your dirty dishes. While dishwashers are not free of bacteria, which are found near the rubber sealing around the dishwasher parts, this bacterium is not the least bit harmful to humans. Washing dishes by hand has far more bacteria because it lives on the rag, sponge or towel you use repeatedly.
BOSCH’s Series 8 free-standing dishwasher (SMS8YCI01E) with its Hygiene Plus Option ensures the highest standard of hygienic cleaning. For families with young children or allergy sufferers, where an antibacterial clean is particularly important, this feature increases and sustains the rinsing temperature to 70°C for 10 minutes to remove remaining bacteria.