It is often said that sustainability starts at home — and where better to begin than right at the heart of the house?
Kitchen appliances typically consume the most power and water in today’s homes. Inefficiencies exacerbate the issue, using additional electricity to produce heat that is simply not needed.
Manufacturing appliances is also highly material-intensive, with the processing of some components negatively impacting the environment. Take stainless steel, for example. A step of its production process, known as pickling, can lead to air, soil and water pollution.
To update the cooking experience for the needs of an increasingly eco-conscious world, Swiss luxury appliance brand V-ZUG is pioneering innovations for kitchen appliances, making them more sustainably produced while maintaining high performance and functionality.
“For us, it’s a three-dimensional approach,” says the company’s head of sustainability Marcel Niederberger on its business model. He explains that V-ZUG takes into account not just the bottom line in terms of profit, but also its impact on people and the planet.
One way in which the company is making its products more sustainable is through the use of Circle-Green stainless steel by Outokumpu. Producing the material generates just 7% of the emissions associated with regular stainless steel production. Niederberger notes that V-ZUG is the first appliance brand to use low-carbon stainless steel.
V-ZUG is also working to create appliances for a circular economy, where nothing goes to waste and is instead cycled within the system through means such as maintenance, repair or refurbishment. “It’s very important how our R&D division, engineers and design teams develop our products,” says Niederberger.
Sustainable meets speedy
Efficiency and sustainability go hand in hand, even in the kitchen, says veteran chef Popp Alexander, the head of V-ZUG Studios in Germany.
Using the minimum amount of energy needed to cook food, for instance, means less power is needed to prepare a meal. At the same time, having multipurpose appliances reduces the need for a myriad of machines that require more materials and energy to produce — not to mention more countertop space. All this translates to better outcomes for the environment.
Alexander, who also heads the V-ZUG Gourmet Academy in Germany and Denmark, says the company’s products sit well within this nexus of efficiency and eco-friendliness.
He highlights V-ZUG’s CombiSteam V6000 oven, which blends conventional baking with the power of steam for a speedier cooking experience. “Since using our steamers, I’m able to use hobs and other appliances up to 30% less compared to my previous kitchen,” he adds. The Climate Control System, he notes, provides “just the necessary amount of steam” to cook food thoroughly.
One more benefit of using V-ZUG’s ovens, he adds, is that he rarely needs to preheat them. He estimates that some 80% of the cooking processes he uses do not require any preheating, so energy is not spent on simply warming up the oven.
Multiple functions beyond baking add another layer of convenience to the cooking experience with V-ZUG’s ovens.
Among those most used by Alexander in his Combisteam are Vacuisine, which combines the French technique of sous vide with steam — rather than a water bath — for gently cooked food that runs just about no risk of overcooking. “I frequently use the Vacuisine function, which eliminates the need for a separate appliance to cook sous vide.”
Alexander notes that V-ZUG’s cooktops similarly balance speed and effectiveness. For example, the induction hobs activate only when they detect cookware on the surface, ensuring that no energy is wasted when not in use.
Meanwhile, smart temperature control prevents excess heat generation, boosting efficiency while improving the quality of the final dish. Such functions include PowerBoost, which rapidly delivers heat, then automatically adjusts to a lower temperature so food gets hot more quickly.
Striking a balance
For homeowner Susanna Tan, planning her kitchen was about finding the perfect confluence of aesthetics, functionality and eco-friendliness.
She says she “fell in love” with the modern look and high performance of V-ZUG’s appliances, having used them while living in Melbourne. She was further drawn in upon learning about their energy-efficiency ratings and sustainability credentials.
Tan now has a range of V-ZUG appliances in her home, including the AdoraDish V6000 dishwasher and Combair V6000 Autodoor (Handleless) oven. Among her favourites is the dishwasher, which she describes as “outstanding” for its all-in-one washing and drying functions. “This not only saves water, but also reduces the need for manual labour,” she notes.
Tan also highlights the various programmes available for the AdoraDish V6000 as an “added bonus”. These include the Sprint Programme, which gets cups and saucers washed and dry in about 20 minutes, and the Party Programme, which cleans dishes in just 11 minutes.
Safety and durability were other concerns that Tan had when picking her appliances. “We wanted a brand that is trusted for safety,” she says, adding that she likes V-ZUG’s commitment to sturdy products that stand the test of time. “The fact that all V-ZUG appliances come with a 10-year warranty gives us confidence in their longevity.”
Niederberger points out that longevity and repairability, among other aspects of circular product design, “were always core” in V-ZUG’s product development process. After all, replacing appliances when they are broken or worn is not only costly and inconvenient, but also consumes precious resources.
To further the company’s goal of producing goods for the circular economy, he shares that it has also created “Design to Circularity” guidelines, which incorporate other design principles to cater to what the planet needs today.
For V-ZUG, he adds, the core consideration will always be on striking a balance between profit, planet and people. “It’s important what kind of appliances we build ... how we build our appliances, and how the consumers use them.”
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