Trend: Solidity, tradition and new aspects of function

Materials such as high-grade steel, wood and metallic surfaces make kitchen fittings and appliances look durable and of high quality. The design of kitchens tended toward consistency and was of a very high standard in style and quality, the jury members Robert Ian Blaich, Marcello Morandini und Stefan Lengyel concluded. Today’s kitchens are rather minimalist in design, and innovations primarily came along in terms of “intelligent design and functional detail.”

In ceramics and in china the jury observed an "evolutionary" development. The quality here, too, was of a very high standard and the designs clearly took advantage of developments in recent years. Keywords such as "tradition" generally play a leading role in this year’s competition: Good design can be found in the "simple" things such as traditionally manufactured knives and cooking utensils. With regard to kitchen appliances there are innovations in material and function. The plastics used were further developed, the jury explains, and there were some highly convincing solutions in function.

Another trend: Quite a few of the well-designed products are both original and affordable and, thus, allow a broader range of customers to experience good design and sophisticated functionality.

Jurors: Robert Ian Blaich, Marcello Morandini, Stefan Lengyel

You can find the winners of "red dot: best of the best" 2004 here.