'DGC 5061' combination steam oven, $4499, Miele, www.miele.com.au.

The drawback with basic steam ovens is that they don't produce a golden crust on roasts or cakes. Cue combination ovens, which marry steam and dry heat. Miele's 'DGC 5061' combination steam oven can simultaneously bake a cake and roast meat. A continuous supply of fresh steam ensures there is no transfer of taste or aroma between dishes.

'EOK9630X' combination steam oven, $3489, Electrolux, electrolux.com.au

Pyrolytic self-cleaning eliminates the need for chemical cleaning products. In self-cleaning models, the oven reaches an extremely high temperature to break down grease and grime that can be wiped away afterwards, without scrubbing. Look for a model with an automatic locking function so the oven door can't be opened during the cleaning process, such as Ilve's 'Pyrolytic Built-In' oven, $3299.

Induction cooktops aren't new, but the latest versions have become even more tech-savvy. Gaggenau's 'CX 480 100' full-surface induction cooktop, $11,999, recognises the size and shape of pots and assigns heat to their exact position. A clever pot-tracking device allows you to move pots around the surface without having to change the temperature settings - the cooktop will do this for you.

'T44T43N0 Flex Induction' cooktop, $3199, Neff, www.neff.com.au
Neff's 'Flex Induction' cooktop, $3199, has a handy magnetic control dial that can be removed when the kitchen is unsupervised, and conveniently left on the fridge or rangehood for safekeeping.