Ready, steady, cook

Fast worker: Imagine a microwave that doubles as an oven and weighs your food. The Neff H7871 stainless-steel built-in combination microwave works like an oven but at the speed of a microwave. Options include browning, grilling, top and bottom heat and conventional or fan-assisted cooking. It also weighs food to select the best programme for cooking or defrosting. It costs £650 from Buyers and Sellers, 120-122 Ladbroke Grove, W10 (0845 085 5585).

Old favourite: To prove you can't keep a good design down, Bodum has updated its Santos coffee maker. Originally designed in the Fifties, the latest version recently won a design award from the Chicago Museum of Modern Art. It uses the vacuum method of coffee making, whereby heated water rises up the jug into a funnel where it mixes with the coffee which drops back down into the jug after brewing for four minutes. The Santos uses an easy-clean nylon filter and works in low-energy mode, which keeps the coffee warm for up to two hours. It also has a 24-hour programmable timer. The cost is about £100. For stockists, call 01604 826888.

Hip holdall: Here's a clever idea: instead of messing up work surfaces with dripping spoons and sauce-coated whisks, pop them in Prestige's stainless-steel kitchen caddy, £9.99 with Prestige Progrip strainer spoon, £6.30, mini whisk, £3.70, and highback turner, £6.30. For stockists, call 0151 650 6565 or visit www.prestigehousewares.co.uk.

Italian job: Fancy injecting your kitchen with Italian style? Furniture retailer Viaduct has opened a kitchen area in its showroom, with units by the design and manufacturing companies, Driade and Cappellini. Choose from free-standing or fitted units, bachelor-pad kitchenettes and big professional-style kitchens. Its new Furniture Consultancy offers expertise in choosing furniture and lighting throughout the home. The service includes providing three options with detailed plans and colour images at a cost of £500, which is credited against orders of more than £5,000. Viaduct, 1-10 Summer's Street, EC1 (020 7278 8456; www.viaduct.co.uk).

Boiling point: The humble kettle is fast becoming a fashion icon. One of the latest cordless designs from Russell Hobbs lets you view water boiling for your cuppa through its glass body. It has a 1.7-litre capacity, neon indicator light and an anti-scale removable water filter. The Crystal Clear kettle is suitable for right- or left-handed use and costs £34.99. For stockists, call 0161 947 3170.

Stripe city: Design duo Annabelle Filer and Graham Cox, trading as Filer and Cox, have come up with some funky ideas. Stripy laminate kitchen surfaces, textured rubber floors, cupboards from opal acrylic and groovy leather bar stools designed by Koi, on which you can rotate 360 degrees. See more of their ideas at www.filerandcox.com or call 020 7357 7574.

Retro range: Design buffs will remember the round and elliptic shapes from the Fifties and Seventies. They're coming to the fore again now, especially with island units, where hard corners can be a nuisance. Launching at 100% Design at Earl's Court next month is the RB 1200 range by new company Raji. The cooking/dining console is an attention-grabber, designed for modern cooking/ entertaining lifestyles. It will be available in a variety of materials, hob sizes and colours. Prices from £3,500 to £6,800. Raji, Stand K37, 100% Design, Earl's Court (020 8743 6613). From 27 to 30 September (public day is on 30 September).

Kids' stuff: While you are revelling in your stylish new kitchen, young children might enjoy something designed especially for them. Trebimbi children's cutlery in the shape of little people, fits the bill. It's available in pink, blue, yellow or orange and costs £9.95 a set plus £2.50 p&p. The cutlery is part of a range of interesting kitchen products from the mail-order company The Refectory (01992 559555; www. therefectory.com).

Artworks: The Tate Gallery has inspired a collection of 10 colour paints plus a white paint for use on interior walls and ceilings, wood, metal and radiators. Colours reflect the ambience of the four galleries from the seashore blues and yellows of Tate St Ives to the urban greys and creams of Tate Liverpool. A 2.5 litre tin costs £14.98 at B&Q (0800 444 840; www.diy.com).

Clutter-buster: FK&F (formerly known as Fulham Kitchens) offers the latest architectural kitchen styles by Italian manufacturer, abc. Typical of these is the Luna kitchen, finished in a high-gloss, Armani-inspired grey lacquer. It offers a calm live/work space, hiding kitchen clutter in deep drawers and behind metallic roller shutters. A 60cm base unit costs £380. FK&F, 19 Carnwath Road, SW6 (020 7736 6458).

Sleek and shiny: You've got the stainless-steel American-style fridge and the stainless-steel washing machine. Now invest in a stainless-steel table-top dishwasher by Haier. The neat, stylish WQP4-2000 has a dropdown door and measures 54cm x 49.5cm x 44cm. It takes four place settings. Watch out for it in the shops in early October. The cost is about £249. For stockists, call 01527 578333.