Ikea rolled out their design for their 2025 kitchen last spring, and it came with one kind of big surprise: no refrigerator! The design assumes that the way we grow and consume food will have to change in such a drastic way that we will not need a stand-alone fridge anymore. Say what?
The design uses cutting edge technology in the pantry to keep foods cool. It also assumes that due to water shortages and food delivery technology {they word they used is drones–yes, drones delivering your groceries}, we simply won’t consume as much meats, and therefore won’t need the same amount of fridge space. Also with the drones {I’m kind of laughing every time I type that, because secretly, I hope it’s like the maid robot, Rosie, from the Jetsons}, we can have fresh food delivered to our doors more frequently.
The design suggests using traditional methods to store items that need to be cooled, but not fridge cooled. For example, using Terracotta pots to store garlic and potatoes. Um, mind blown! I have never even heard of using terracotta pots like a root cellar situation. Did you know about this?! Meanwhile, researching terracotta pots for food storage a little more is now on my immediate to-do list. Because terracotta pottas I gotta lotta. Sorry, I coudn’t help myself. It had to be done.
While I think re-thinking the way we design kitchens in the future {making them more efficient and with less waste} is totally rad, I don’t think that 2025 is a very realistic no-fridge prediction. That’s only ten years to completely change the way people function in the kitchen. It took me ten years to get my parents off of AOL dial up and onto wireless. Change is slow.
What do you think, would you trade in your fridge for a new modern take on food prep?
~Mavis
Want to see the Ikea design prototype? Go HERE.
Marie says
Check out PCC in Kirkland! They have been using terra cotta pots to display their produce in for years. Refers really are energy hogs as they age. Personally I’m not ready to give ours the boot quite yet but do feel our “local Amazon” wants to step up their game in the greater Seattle area. One day free shipping is a dream so let’s pull those cars off of the freeways and breathe a little of the salt air again!
Karen says
Ummmm, where do I put my ice cream? Where will you freeze and hoard your left over Godiva cheesecake?
Leslie says
I wonder why food delivery drones lead to eating less meat.
Deborah from FL says
I assume they meant that since you could, in theory, have it delivered daily, no need to store it at home. No stockpiling.
Kathy says
I’m surprised they think we will still need a table and chair to sit and eat. Why not prop us up in some kind of pod and have a machine spoon the food in our mouth. I’m keeping my refrigerator, thank you! I like cold milk for one thing and I enjoy buying my own groceries.
Janet says
They must expect people to be really tall. The chairs are very low compared to the table top.
Vicki B. says
It looks like the table raises up to be counter height for working. Which is pretty cool, but I wonder how they get all four legs to raise up at the same time? It would make for something really awkward to have to raise one at a time …
And no, I’m not ready to give up a refrigerator. I can’t even see myself feeling that way in ten years. I like ice in my tea sometimes, and I don’t think a cold pantry or terra cotta pots can accommodate that.
Vicki B. says
Go check out the video for the table – seriously! The imagination behind what this table (theoretically) will be able to do is incredible. I wonder about how it will differentiate between a child sitting there with a coloring book and a pan that is set to boil, but I guess that’s what the camera is for. And then there’s the idea that a camera is helping a computer decide whether to animate a child’s drawing or cook dinner … hmmm. Maybe I’m happy with my table the way it is. Although I do sometimes wish I could raise it to counter height.
Amy E says
Ikea already makes an automatic height-adjustable desk so you can switch from sitting to standing. My friend uses one in her sewing studio–it’s great!
sheila says
So I’m not a paranoid “the sky is falling” prepper, but imho, planning for emergencies is one of the easiest and smartest things to do. I can live without Internet or phone or electricity for a day. But without some sort of food stockpile? I’ll pass, thankyouverymuch.
Delorise says
First, I don’t think the average American can afford Ikea products now or in 2025. 2nd, I don’t think the average American could afford for drones to deliver their food to their door. 3rd, I don’t see them rushing out to buy Terracotta pots for storage. A fridge is easy and convenient for food storage– let’s face it –we Americans love easy and convenient. I don’t see them going away in my lifetime—there may be improvements and changes to them–but Terracotta pots and drones– what a laugh. Wonder how much money somebody got paid to come up with the unrealistic Ikea kitchen of 2025. Keeping my fridge!
sheila says
I’m guessing you’ve never been to ikea. I’d compare their prices to Target, if not cheaper, yet typically better quality. It’s an amazing store, actually. No way to describe it really.
Lisa says
I call it the Swedish dollar store. If you can’t afford their furniture, I don’t know what furniture store you would shop at. I love the displays for living in small spaces.
Deborah from FL says
If they figure out a way to make ice and option, I’ll look into it. Until then, pass. 😉
auntie says
Hmmm…Looks like Ikea wants to take away the cooktop and oven too. Why even call it a kitchen?
Jen Y says
No – I’m not ready to give up my fridge or my meat – though most of my fridge spaces goes to fresh produce, not meat.
Sometimes I think some people don’t live in the real world.
suzanne says
If you read the article they don’t suggest doing away with cooling maybe a shift of energy to gel. Obviously that won’t work if you are lucky enough to bag an elk and deer every season ect. I like the fact that they’re stretching the minds of our youth to come up with innovative ideas for the future. It sounds fairly typical to european comment sense….Why pay to refrigerate so many foods that don’t require it. Have these foods front and center to use (not get lost) and not go to waste. Maybe I should buy stock in Amazon now. Aren’t they the new droid after all.
suzanne says
common* sorry English is not my first tongue .
Joan says
My mechanic’s workshop has more soul than that kitchen!
Cheryl says
I guess they think we will give up milk as well. During our endurance power outages (2 weeks) we had to keep a cooler with ice for the basics. Terra cotta pots won’t keep milk, mayo, leftovers. So I am not seeing this as realistic since most of us don’t have access to a cave or a spring house. By the time making st people get around to doing all that there won’t be any Ikea or grocery stores any longer.
Helen in Meridian says
SEWING ON DENIM…. you probably need to get a larger sewing machine needle. They come in sizes and there are wider, stronger needles needed for thicknesses of denim and upholstery and leather. If that doesn’t work, you need a stronger machine.
Dena says
I’ve been wishing for a second refrigerator for the garage for a few years now. Seems that when summer canning season rolls around, I need more space to keep the boxes of fruit & vegies cool if I can’t get to them immediately. The garage itself is a little cooler than the house, but my mother in law had 4 freezers/refrigs in their cavern of a garage (Depression era syndrome) & the purchased meats & grew vegies in quantities – they needed the extra holding room! Before I begin to collect food for canning, I have to vacate most of my kitchen refrig, to hold things either being prepared or in process of preparing. No refrig at all would be quite a challenge to someone who cans!