The 5 Biggest Kitchen Game-Changers to Come Out of IFA Berlin 2025

There are trade shows — and then there are trade events. Having spent over a decade covering both, I can confidently say that this year’s IFA Berlin, a showcase for home tech and innovation, felt like the best of both worlds. 

The halls at Messe Berlin were abuzz with all things innovation, tech, and AI, but unlike other shows I’ve attended, there were many locals and families alike walking from booth to booth, providing invaluable real-time product feedback to companies. Students were bused in for the occasion to learn about the future of gaming, home appliances, tech, and even beauty and wellness. And at the heart of the convention center, the Sommergarten stage was a venue full of festival vibes, from live artist and DJ performances to podcasting. 

In between all the goings-on, I searched high and low for the best home products at this year’s IFA. Here’s what earned The Kitchn’s “Best in Show” seal — and what you should keep your eye out for. And just a quick note: IFA is a European trade show, so some things don’t always make it into the U.S. market right away (or at all). So keep that in mind as you build out your wish list.

Though cute and compact, this little USB-C rechargeable device might not look like much from the outside. But The Shelfy can have quite the impact on the freshness of your produce over time by killing bacteria in your fridge — saving you money and eliminating smelly odors in the process. It comes equipped with a photocatalytic washable filter, which works to remove the pollutants that quicken the food ripening process. 

Choose from three run modes (each has a different run time before recharging, so you can pick the one that’s best for your lifestyle). At its best, The Shelfy can help your fruit and veggies last up to 12 days longer. The coordinating app will also let you know when the fridge door is open, which can contribute to rotting, and it provides tips on how to improve the shelf life of common produce as well. Coming soon? A stripped-down, cheaper version of The Shelfy called Shelfy Lite. 

Steam cooking is gaining popularity thanks to its ability to better preserve food nutrients, and luxe appliance manufacturer Bosch is ready for the rush with its new space-saving and smart in-wall Steam Drawer. Think of this as a healthier alternative to a microwave that can be installed under your oven or elsewhere in the kitchen. Use it to cook up veggies, fish, poultry, meats, certain desserts, and more. A nice bonus? The unit can also be used to sanitize things like baby bottles and jars or to defrost items.

A German luxury brand best known in the United States market for its refrigeration solutions, Liebherr appliances in this category boast sophisticated food preservation tech, energy efficiency, and whisper quiet operation. Now, the brand will be introducing a new French Door design to its lineup without sacrificing any of the performance you’d come to expect from a Liebherr model. 

This means elegant refrigerators offering high capacity with flexibility (the middle drawer can go from freezer to fridge and back again when needed) as well the brand’s special HydroBreeze and BioFresh technologies, which together have homed in on just-right temperature and humidity levels to make fruits and vegetables last up to five times as long as competitor fridges. It doesn’t hurt that these models are beautiful, either. Look for them stateside as early as next year. 

High-end appliance manufacturer Miele announced that it’s getting into the backyard barbecue game with a gorgeous modular outdoor kitchen system called “Dreams.” These appliances will be crafted of hearty, all-weather materials and totally customizable for how the end user cooks, meaning you can choose the modules you want, from several gas grills to the brand’s first-ever outdoor fridge. The collection will also feature a nice selection of accessories to aid in cooking. 

The most exciting feature of the system just might be the Fire Pro IQ. This will use AI to regulate grilling temperatures automatically for perfect results — and it’ll follow whatever steps and cooking times are in the recipe a user selects. The entire concept will launch in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland next year; fingers crossed it’ll make its way elsewhere shortly after. 

Indoor herb gardening is often more complicated than it should be, and that’s exactly what the Auk Mini is trying to fix. Buy the bundle, and you’ll get everything you need to start the countertop garden of your dreams, from the actual device, which is equipped with built-in grow lights and a reservoir for water and nutrients, to basil and parsley seed packets, coco fiber, and nutrients to get those greens growing. 

This system is compact, making it great for small spaces, and it’s truly intuitive. All you have to do is sow your seeds, set the grow lights at the optimal level of about 4 inches from the beds, and add water and nutrients to the reservoir as directed. Raise the lights as your seedlings sprout, keeping that 4-inch distance, and replenish water and food as necessary. Then harvest so your plant growth doesn’t get out of control. You’ll love having herbs at the ready next to your sink or stovetop as you cook. Keep growing what you started with or bring in new seeds for new varieties.