10 App-Powered Appliances to Make Your Life Easier

Kimberly Wang
Jul 26, 2015

When innovation can make old things new again, you get things done better and faster. And when that innovation is in your home sweet smart home? Even better. We’re not just talking about kitchen appliances either. We’re talking home appliances that connect to your WiFi, are loaded up with new capabilities and can even be controlled with a smartphone app now being a reality (we’re living in the future, guys). We’re going to be seeing a lot of exciting new creations at Re:Make 2015 in SF (get tix here!) including the June Intelligent Oven. Life at home as you knew it is changing regularly; see some of the gadgets ahead of the curve.

1. June Intelligent Oven ($1,495): This nifty oven will ensure you never burn your cookies again. It’s loaded with a camera so you can watch what you’re baking/roasting/toasting in real time. Not only is the oven connected to a smartphone app for better control, but it also has a built-in scale and will even send you notifications when the food is ready. Plus, the app also provides you with lots of recipe ideas, so you’ll never be left without a plan for dinner again.

2. Lockitron ($99): Lockitron allows you to unlock your front door at the touch of the button. Whether you’re an Airbnb host or your roommate forgot her keys, you can use their companion app to unlock your front door anytime and anywhere. Also neat is that Lockitron will keep a running feed of who is locking and unlocking your front door, so you can keep an eye out.

3. Nest Smoke Detector ($99): When your smoke detector goes off because you accidentally burned the cookies (which wouldn’t happen if you have the June Oven), you can now silence it immediately using your Nest app. But when things are serious, the app will tell you which part of the house is dangerous to enter due to smoke or even a gas leak.

4. Quirky Aros A/C ($210): This A/C will help you save money — and not just with its eco mode. It’ll actually keep track of how much you spend on cooling every month and help you budget. It also has a programmable schedule and knows the weather forecast, and you can adjust temperatures straight from your smartphone. All together now, yaaaaaaaas.

5. Mr. Coffee 10-Cup Coffee Maker With WeMo ($150): You don’t have to get out of bed to get your coffeemaker started. And nope, you don’t even need the foresight to have programmed your coffee maker the night before. With the WeMo app, you get remote access straight to your smartphone, set a weekly schedule and adjust the brew time if you plan on sleeping in.

6. Canary Home Security System ($249): There seems to be nothing that this portable little home security system can’t do. First of all, you don’t need a technician to set it up. Secondly, this feature-packed system has a camera, motion detector, alarm, heat and humidity sensors and more. And yes, you are linked to your security system via a smartphone companion app, so you can always know that your home is safe.

7. Drop Kitchen Scale ($100): This smart little kitchen scale is one more thing that takes your cooking abilities from decent to gourmet. It connects to your iPad to help you accurately measure out ingredients, find tasty recipes and even share your creations online via their app. After all, baking is an exact science and Drop is here to help!

8. Sleep Number SleepIQ Kids Bed: It’s old news that sleep is crucial to a child’s development, and it can be hard to watch your little one tossing and turning. Sleep Number’s SleepIQ Kids Beds allow parents to control the firmness of their child’s bed, as well as measuring length of sleep. It even has an adorable feature that “checks for monsters under the bed” before you tuck the kiddies in.

9. Whirlpool Appliances With 6th Sense Live: Whirlpool now offers Wi-Fi connection and smartphone app control for several of their heavy-duty home appliances. Your dryer will alert you when your laundry load is ready. Your dishwasher will let you know everything is running smoothly. Your fridge tracks how much energy it’s using. It’s only a matter time before your stove starts asking you what you’d like to eat for dinner.

10. Crock-Pot Smart Slow Cooker With Wemo ($130): Start your dinner while you’re still at work. Just load up your crockpot with the ingredient and when the time is ready, hit cook. You can adjust the temp and the timer with the accompanying WeMo smartphone app, and a delicious, perfectly cooked meal will be waiting for you when you get home.

Excited to find out more? Get your tickets to Re:Make 2015 here!

What do you think of smartphone-powered appliances? Tell us in the comments below!

Save the Date! Brit + Co Is Coming to NYC

Imagine a colorful world with all of your female idols speaking, creative workshops everywhere you turn, food that will make you salivate, must-see music performances and, most importantly, dozens of ‘grammable moments all around.

Historically, we’ve brought Brit + Co to life annually with Re:Make, a two-day event we’ve hosted in San Francisco attended by nearly 15,000 women.

But this year, we’re trying something new called #CreateGood! Not only will we be visiting our friends on the East Coast, but we’re also switching up the format. Instead of two days, we’ll be live for FIVE.

That’s right. This year Brit + Co will be hosting a new type of event in NYC from October 4th through 8th in the heart of SoHo: a fully immersive digital program culminating in a five-day pop-up experience with the theme of #CreateGood.

Our goal for #CreateGood is to enable women to walk away feeling like a more creative and confident version of themselves through speakers, workshops, live performances, and more. We want to show the GOOD women can achieve in all areas of their life, from good food to good style to good work and good minds.

We chose this theme because we believe it’s the right moment in time to pause and consider how we, as women, can both do good for the world, but also for ourselves.

Beyond all that, like all B+C events, we promise that there will be confetti, balloons, and color… SO MUCH COLOR. So make sure to bring your phone, because you’ll definitely want to take part in all the photo-worthy moments we’re creating.

Can’t make it to NYC in the fall? No worries. While we’d love to see you IRL, we totally understand you’ve got a busy schedule, girl. That’s why all #CreateGood content will be streamed to our audience across Brit + Co social channels for a fully digital experience. So, make sure to like and follow us STAT ;)

Stay tuned over the coming months as we share more details of our next-level lineup of activities, performers, and speakers joining us. Want to be the first to know? Sign up for our #CreateGood newsletterHERE.

Can’t wait to see y’all there!

xo, Brit

Are you planning on attending our pop-up in NYC? Let us know on Twitter using the hashtag #CreateGood. We can’t wait to party with you! And make sure to stay up-to-date on speakers, programming, and more right HERE.

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12 At-Home Latte Recipes For An Easy (& Tasty!) Morning Pick-Me-Up

On today's episode of "TikTok Made Me Do It," we'll be talking about my latest obsession: at-home latte recipes! It would be funny if I weren't joking because the running joke is social media influences people to do too much. But, there are healthy things to pick up from like spending less money at Starbucks because you've become your own barista.

With the help of my Ninja Espresso machine, I've whipped up everything from a cinnamon sugar to a matcha latte, and they've been frighteningly good coming from someone who rarely drinks coffee.

Scroll to find your next at-home latte obsession aka discover the best latte recipes that'll make you place an Instacart order tonight

Jasmine Williams

Iced Caramel & Cinnamon Sugar Latte

This was my first successful attempt at making an at-home latte recipe and it's easily become my favorite thing to drink in the morning. A ton of trial and error was involved, but I've perfected the amount of ingredients I like to use so it's super easy to make.

Ingredients:

3 Teaspoons Cinnamon Sugar

2-3 Teaspoons of Nescafé Gold Espresso Blonde, Instant Coffee

Ghiradelli Premium Caramel Sauce

Caramel Syrup (any brand works!)

Unsweetened Original Almond Milk (I Prefer Silk)

A mini hand frother (if you don't have an espresso machine at home)

Ice

Steps:

  1. Drizzle caramel sauce in your glass of choice and add ice to it.
  2. Using a separate, smaller cup, scoop in cinnamon sugar and Nescafe' Gold Espresso Blonde. Pour in a small amount of unsweetened almond milk and use a handheld frother to mix them together. Set aside once done.
  3. Take the same unsweetened almond milk and pour in a few oz. to the glass you drizzled caramel sauce in.
  4. Pour your cinnamon sugar, milk and, Nescafé Gold Espresso Blonde mixture into it.
  5. Enjoy!

Jasmine Williams

Strawberry & Caramel Latte

Does strawberry and caramel really go together? If you ask this delicious latte, they do! I actually used the same ingredients from my Caramel & Cinnamon Sugar Latte outside of using strawberry syrup instead of caramel! The only tip I have is to avoid being heavy-handed with how much you use because it can be unbearable sweet if you're not eyeing it. Two pumps at the most should do the trick!

Half Baked Harvest

Iced Peach Lemonade Matcha Latte

Summer's only a few months away so it's time to start thinking about easy-going latte recipes that don't feel like you're preparing for a long, harsh winter. This recipe is perfect because it features two unlikely components — peach and lemonade — that sweeten its overall deal! Yum! (via Half Baked Harvest)

The Girl on Bloor

Homemade Nutella Mocha Latte

Your eyes aren't deceiving you — nutella is one of the ingredients in this yummy latte. It's almost replaced my love for hot chocolate which says a lot because no chocolatey drinks ever tasted this good to me before. Plus, the coconut whipped cream really completes the flavor profile! (via The Girl on Bloor)

P.S. It's a sweet drink so make sure you're prepared!

Averie Cooks

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Who am I to tell you pumpkin spice season is over? It's your kitchen so you get to make the rules and if that means you want to make this latte for the rest of 2025, I won't judge you. Don't be surprised if your roommates or partner ask if they get a cup because this easy recipe is delicious, and only takes 5 minutes to make! (via Averie Cooks)

Earthly Provisions

Iced Lavender Matcha Latte

You can never make too many matcha recipes because there's so many ways to have fun with them! For example, this one calls for lavender syrup which blends together with the oat milk and matcha powder you'll also be mixing together. (via Earthly Provisions)

Feel Good Foodie

Golden Milk Turmeric Latte

I highly recommend that you drink this latte recipe during golden hour in the morning. You'll love feeling the soothing milk turmeric as it gently warms your insides. (via Feel Good Foodie)

P.S. You may think you don't need to add cinnamon on top, but it adds an extra layer of warmth that's sometimes needed to prepare you for the day.

The Edgy Veg

Biscoff Latte

Cookie lattes are trending on TikTok, but I can see why. They're comforting without making you feel like you're drinking something seasonal. For instance, this vegan Biscoff Latte calls for actual biscoff spread or any cookie butter of your choosing. As fancy as that sounds, it only takes five minutes to make this tasty drink! (via The Edgy Veg)

The Endless Meal

Coconut Turmeric Latte

Not only is flu season still here, now we're moving into allergy territory. But you know what combats both? This yummy coconut turmeric drink I didn't expect to like. It has all the makings of a typical latte, but the addition of black pepper kicks things up a notch. (via The Endless Meal)

Rachl Mansfield

Magical No-Coffee Cacao Collagen Latte

This recipe's for anyone who's not the biggest fan of coffee. I've since learned that you don't actually need it to make a great latte which may be surprising. All you need is a little blend, hot water, cacao powder, collagen peptides, and dates. Yes, the fruit. (via Rachl Mansfield)

Munching with Mariyah

Homemade Iced Chai Latte

Look, it's another chai latte recipe! It seems like there's only one way to make it, but it's not! You can make a "hot" one or opt for a iced version like this! IMO it's much lighter than other lattes I've drank and doesn't have a weird aftertaste. (via Munching with Mariyah)

Half Baked Harvest

Gingerbread Chai Brûlée Latte

This recipe has Christmas drizzled and mixed all over it, but I don't mind. Like my mom loves to tell me, everyday's a gift so we should treat it like one.

It's the perfect drink to lift your spirits if you've been having a rough work week because the maple syrup, ginger, star anise, and chai tea will instantly put a smile on your face. If you think I'm bluffing, make it at home one time and tell me if you don't chuckle at least once! (via Half Baked Harvest)

Follow us on Pinterest for more fun drink recipes!

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Here’s Why Brené Brown Believes Creative Women are Powerful

In case you missed it, last weekend was Brit + Co’s fourth annual Re:Make conference in San Francisco. One of our keynote speakers was a scholar, the founder of COURAGEWorks and the giver of one of the most inspirational TEDTalks of all time Dr. Brené Brown delivered a brilliant message about courage and vulnerability. Her quotes have been so inspiring, she recently collaborated with Sugarboo to launch The Brave Heart Gallery, which sells artworks of her quotes (also 20 percent of the proceeds go to a really good cause). Her most recent book RisingStrong explores how “falling gives us the power to write a daring new ending” and how processing the pain head on is can be strength. And according to Brené, when it comes being a creative woman, though not everything you do will be a success, daring to do it anyway is deeply important.

Being a creative in this day and age can at times be daunting — uncertainty about job security, the fear of rejection and staying in love with your passion after it becomes your job can be more than enough to turn people away. “When your vocation becomes your occupation, there’s always a little shift, so you have to protect it,” Brené tells us. “You have to keep the love alive so it doesn’t become just another thing you have to do, because then you can’t put the magic in it.”

And for creative women, we face an additional catalog of hurdles. “Creativity is kind of revealing a part of our soul, and we live in a pretty hostile environment,” Brené says, “so I think it’s scary to put yourself out there when there are so many critics and cynics out there today. I think that’s what make creativity scary, and I think that’s what make it powerful.” Rising in the face of adversity is certainly a strong statement. As our FLOTUS put it, “When they go low, we go high.”

And when you put yourself out there — yes, sometimes you’re going to fail. That’s okay. What you have to be careful of is letting your failures define you. “One of the big life stages at mid-life, anywhere from mid-thirties to late-fifties, the big developmental life stage is integration. We bring home all the parts of ourselves that we have orphaned because we don’t they fit in with who we’re supposed to be, we call them all home and we say, ‘This is me. The good, the bad, the tough, the beautiful.’,” Brené tells us. “I think that’s the gift of being my age, I have a very sensitive bulls–t meter so if you haven’t called everything home and made peace with those parts of us that are hard, that’s hard to be around.” And being able to pick up again after your fall — or even forgiving yourself for lingering down there too long — is all part of the process.

What do you think about Brené Brown’s advice? Tweet us @BritandCo!

(Photos courtesy of Brené Brown and Sugarboo)

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Sydney Sweeney & Brandon Sklenar’s Cheeky New Video Is Making Us Blush

Sydney Sweeney broke the internet when she announced she'd postponed her engagement. And when she clapped back at her bikini body haters. And when she went topless on Instagram. But her recent Instagram post from filming The Housemaid just broke our Brit + Co group chat because of just how many times Brandon Sklenar appeared — and one very specific video that had us squealing.

Here's a breakdown of Brandon Sklenar & Sydney Sweeney's new Instagram video.

Brandon Sklenar and Sydney Sweeney get cheeky in a new Instagram video.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sydney Sweeney (@sydney_sweeney)

Throughout Sydney Sweeney's newest Instagram post, which she calls "a very very late jan x feb photo dump," she posts some reunions with Euphoria costars Maude Apatow and Barbie Ferrera and behind the scenes from The Housemaid (where she stars opposite Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar).

I couldn't help but notice that Brandon shows up multiple times in the photo carousel: a selfie while he, Sydney, and a couple other women wear racing helmets, a photo in an arcade, and then a video where they're trying out a TikTok trend.

In the video, Brandon lifts Sydney up to sit on his shoulders while Rihanna's "Breakin' Dishes" plays in the background. They do more than a couple attempts until they get the video just right — and that includes lots of giggles from Syd, and a moment where she almost falls off his back.

"we love costars with chemistry," one X user says, while another adds, "They look so cute together."

Although, my goodness, if a man lifted me onto his shoulder that easily, I'd be in a fit of giggles too! (Although his strength makes sense given his upcoming role in The Olympian).

A third X user wonders whether the video is just a marketing strategy to drum up conversation — especially after Sydney confirmed all that chemistry with Glen Powell during Anyone But You was literally just to get the internet in a tizzy.

"I wanted to make sure that we were actively having a conversation with the audience as we were promoting this film," she told The New York Times. "Because at the end of the day, they’re the ones who created the entire narrative."

"Once [the movie] did become a success, a lot of the interviews were just questions about [the rumors], so I don’t know if we necessarily were planning on ever talking about the strategy behind any of it," she added in a conversation with Vanity Fair. "We just had very specific questions and when you say no to a question, people think that you’re a b—ch, so."

Are you excited to see Sydney Sweeney & Brandon Sklenar in The Housemaid? And check out the 10 Most-Anticipated Book-To-Film Adaptations We Can't Wait To See In 2025.

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8 "Lucky" Baby Names That Are Good As Gold For 2025

With St. Patrick's Day right around the corner, plenty of people are already celebrating Irish culture and trying to bring a little extra fortune into their lives.

One charming way to tap into the spirit is by naming your little one something lucky. Here are eight of the most adorable baby names that have luck-related meanings.

Scroll to see all the lucky baby names we love for 2025!

1. Evangeline

Zura Modebadze

Evangeline is Greek in origin and derived from the words "eu" and "angelma," meaning "good news" or "good tidings."

This name has gained popularity in the U.S. because it carries a sense of hope and prosperity, making it a wonderful choice for parents welcoming a little girl.

2. Felix

Yan Krukau

With Latin roots, Felix is a timeless baby boy name that means "happy" and "fortunate." If you want to bless your child with a life full of joy, this name definitely conveys positivity and good fortune.

Felix also dates back to the 1st century BC and has ties to the New Testament, as well as several popes. It remains a popular pick in North America, South America, and Africa.

3. Gwyneth

Anna Bondarenko

The name Gwyneth is Welsh in origin and derived from the word "gwynaeth," which means "happiness." It embodies cheerfulness, and "Gwynnie" can even be used as a cute nickname.

It's no secret that actress Gwyneth Paltrow has popularized this name, but it also carries a bit of fantasy, thanks to characters like the priestess Gwyneth Berdara in the beloved book series "A Court of Thorns and Roses."

4. Merritt

Карина Суховерхая

When spelled a bit differently as "Merit," this baby name of Latin origin holds multiple meanings, including "valuable," "worthy," and "deserving of praise." Otherwise, "Merritt," which is British, actually means "boundary gate."

Either way, a baby boy with this name will be lucky, as the ability to set healthy boundaries (and stick to them) is a very sought-after trait.

5. Felicity

Travis Grossen

Derived from Latin, Felicity is another charming name that means "happy" and "good fortune." It's perfect for a little one you hope will bring joy to those around her.

The TV show "Felicity" added to this name's popularity, as well as the release of the American Girl doll Felicity Merriman. Some cute nickname options include Flick and Fee.

6. Asher

Holly Landkammer

While Asher, a name with religious ties, has traditionally been given to boys, it's growing in favoritism as a girl's name as well.

In the Hebrew Bible, Asher is the eighth son of Jacob and the founder of one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Jacob blessed Asher before his death, and Moses said, "May Asher be blessed above other sons."

That's why this name is often said to mean "happy" and "blessed." It's a lucky choice that's particularly popular among Jewish families.

7. Destiny

Subin Cherian

Do you feel like your daughter was meant to be? If so, Destiny may be a delightful fit. Derived from the Old French word "destinée" and the Latin "destinare," it translates to "fate" or "one's certain fortune."

In addition to its divine connections, Destiny also has ties to Hollywood. You may not know that Miley Cyrus' given name was actually Destiny when she was born in 1992. Plus, we obviously can't forget about the iconic girl group Destiny's Child.

8. Chance

Sergey Makashin

Last but not least is Chance, a strong name with British roots and a meaning of "good fortune." Originally a diminutive of Chauncey, it's also tied to the title Chancellor, which is given to high-ranking government officials.

So, to set your little one up for a life full of opportunities and luck, you can't go wrong with choosing Chance as a baby name.

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