At Salone del Mobile’s Eurocucina and FTK, we were wowed by new entries from Elica, Asko, and a surprise brand launch from Ciarko.
By Liz Shemaria
21- 26 April — Milan hosted the 64th edition of the Salone del Mobile and the biennial EuroCucina and FTK(Technology for the Kitchen), the foremost platform for kitchen design and excellence since 1974.
We browsed more than 100 exhibitors from appliances to kitchen furniture designs at the two halls of EuroCucina and FTK 2026 to uncover the innovations and trends that will set the stage for chefs in 2026 and beyond.
In an age of AI where speed and technology are integral to each moment, we found longstanding brands responding to the demand for agility and convenience in the kitchen with new products. But alongside gesture- and voice-controlled hoods, stoves, and ovens and precision temperatures, there was a continued emphasis on “invisible kitchens.”
Appliance manufacturers in 2026 are developing and designing products as much for their forward-thinking utility as for how they fit seamlessly into curated kitchens from form to color to finish. Induction hobs that appear invisible until they are used, hoods that double as skylight frames and wall sconces, and energy-efficient and precise technology combined in this year’s standout exhibitors.
Elevated hood and ventilation systems: Ciarko launches Monno
Building on its 40 years of ingenuity in hood design and production, Polish brand Ciarko is headed in a new direction with the launch of Monno at EuroCucina 2026. Ciarko is known for its white-label manufacturing for hood motors in leading European home appliance brands. Its hoods use an induction motor designed by the University of Warsaw, which is a leader in high-end ventilation with silent and energy-efficient air-filtration.
But with the launch of Monno, Ciarko is stepping into the spotlight, revealing, as it said in press materials,“the industry’s best kept secret.” Crowds gathered at Ciarko’s newly-revealed Monno booth at EuroCucina as it presented extended colorways and finishes for its wall, island (Mono W), ceiling, and under-cabinet hoods. Design language was clearly key to the Monno launch, as staff explained, but innovation was just as important.
Monno hoods are not only energy-efficient as with the Ciarko white-label hoods, they are also gesture-controlled from lights to motor speed. But it was the brand’s groundbreaking prototype Pera countertop hood that really caught our attention. Following the concept of some Monno hoods which are concealed inside a hob, Pera (which is not yet available on the market) takes the concept further with a gesture-control cylindrical hood which moves out and then around the cooking surface and then back inside an induction hob. The Pera is a solution that takes the concept of invisible to a level we didn’t see from any other brands this year and with the launch of Monno, Ciarko presented a striking example of invisible kitchens.
All-In-One Cooking with Voice Control: Elica Lhov
Elica with over 50 years of history in the design and manufacturing of kitchen appliances also took a lead in innovation.
Building on the Italian brand’s 2024 EuroCucina launch of “All You Need is Lhov” — its integrated oven, hob, and hood appliance — it expanded the Lhov technology with voice-control and its Lhov with Connex line. The integration now not only includes Bluetooth communication among the oven, hob, and hood, all controls (including opening and closing the oven) can also be managed with voice commands; and for ovens, gesture control. Elica Lhov and Connex also include a library of recipes designed by Elica engineers and technicians, in partnership with chefs, which can all be accessed via an app. Elica’s new products showed an emphasis on technology, but it’s not a surprise from the brand which launched the NikolaTesla Suit Collection in 2016, making its products adaptable for kitchens of all sizes.
Temperature Precision for Ovens and Stovetops: Asko’s Celsius and Elements
With the theme “Precision Matters,” ASKO from Sweden showcased hobs and ovens focused on technical perfection. At last year’s Salone del Mobile, Asko launched its Celsius ovens, with exact temperature control, and this year it showcased that technology for hobs.
For 2026, it also expanded Celsius ovens to the Elements series, which has already won a 2026 IF Award. The new series included a load sensor that distributes cooking power based on the quantity of food in an oven. Later in 2026, Celsius ovens will also have gesture-controlled doors.
New in hobs this year is the same precision cooking of the Celsius and Celsius Elements Ovens. With the Elements induction hobs, temperature is touch dial-controlled for precision cooking. As Asko staff explained, the precision here is equal to what would be found in a professional kitchen:
“Precision matters because it bridges the gap between domestic life and professional excellence, bringing scientific rigor and expert-level results directly into the heart of the home.”
