Five Kitchen Trends a New Homebuyer Should Know Before Ordering Kitchen Furniture

A new home buyer typically chooses kitchen furniture first and appliances last. This year's kitchen trends, however, speak in favor of the opposite order: matte finish, a range hood hidden in the cooktop, and quiet ventilation should be decided before the kitchen manufacturer confirms the drawing. Electrolux and AEG's official partner Hektaur explains what the trends mean when planning a new kitchen and how to get a five-year warranty on kitchen appliances purchased in 2026.

Matte finish cooktop with integrated range hood AEG NCP84C01AZ. Photo: AEG

1. Shine is gone

Shiny profile kitchen furniture has almost disappeared from European kitchen trade shows, and appliances are moving in the same direction. German glass-ceramic manufacturer SCHOTT began series production of matte-black cooktop glass in 2025. Electrolux justified the matte finish at Milan Design Week in April 2026 by explaining that it softens light and reduces reflections. In new apartments, the kitchen and living room are often one space, so the difference is felt every day: a matte finish does not reflect the window or ceiling lights.

When planning a new kitchen, this means one practical thing: matte is not one color. Cabinet doors, cooktop glass, range hood metal, and oven doors are made from different materials, and when placed next to each other, the difference in tones becomes immediately apparent. The safest approach is to choose the cooktop and oven from the same manufacturer and same series, and examine them side by side before ordering furniture. Each matte cooktop model is not equally durable. Electrolux and AEG matte plates have three different finishes, and the difference is indicated by the last letter in the model code. A more detailed comparison can be found in Hektaur's matte cooktop guide.

2. Matte doesn't have to be black

Matte doesn't necessarily mean black. In Electrolux's Milan showroom, the appliances were also in an off-white tone, matte and with rounded edges. In a light-colored kitchen, the range hood doesn't have to stand out as a dark stain. For example, the Electrolux LFG815W is a white 54 cm range hood that is installed inside an upper cabinet, and only the lower panel remains visible. Hob2Hood turns it on together with the cooktop if the cooktop also supports it, and AutoSense sensors adjust the airflow automatically.

White range hood integrated into upper cabinet Electrolux LFG815W. Photo: Electrolux

3. The hood disappears into the cooktop

In an open kitchen-living room, the hood hanging above the cooktop is the first thing to catch the eye when looking from the living room. A cooktop with an integrated range hood sucks steam directly from the center of the cooktop, so no hood remains above the cooktop. This works well for an island, under a window, and in an open kitchen. However, such a cooktop requires space in the cabinet below and an opening for return air, so the kitchen manufacturer must know about this before creating the drawing.

Cooktop with integrated range hood requires space in the lower cabinet. Electrolux KCC83410CT. Photo: Electrolux

For example, the Electrolux KCC83410CT and AEG NCP84C01AZ are matte 80 and 83 cm cooktops with the range hood built into the cooktop. Both are also included in the 2+3 warranty campaign. All such Electrolux and AEG models are listed under cooktops with range hoods.

4. The motor moves out of the kitchen

In an open kitchen-living room, the noise of the range hood can be heard on the sofa and behind the dining table. According to Hektaur's experience, buyers are increasingly looking for motorless range hoods. In the kitchen, there is only the filter panel, lighting, and control buttons. An EC external motor moves the air, which is located away from the kitchen: in the attic, technical room, ventilation duct, or roof. The EC motor speed can be smoothly adjusted and consumes less electricity than a standard motor. In a new house, a motorless range hood can also be connected to the building's ventilation system, including heat recovery ventilation.

A motorless range hood also leaves more space in the cabinet. For example, Pando's GRX SLIM is a 56 cm wide range hood that can be integrated into a cabinet, with a body only about 10 cm tall. It has built-in control electronics: it directs a suitable EC external motor without a separate control module and opens the ventilation damper together with the range hood. As a motorless solution, there are also ceiling-integrated range hoods and cooktops with integrated range hoods.

The motor and ventilation connection must be chosen before the kitchen is installed. In an apartment building, ask the developer if the kitchen exhaust is central and which range hood can be connected to it.

5. Appliances must last longer

The latest trend is not in design, but in law. The EU Right to Repair Directive, which member states had to begin implementing by July 31, 2026, requires manufacturers to repair products such as dishwashers and refrigerators even after the warranty period ends. As a result, the repair doesn't have to be free for the customer, but the device doesn't have to be thrown away just because the warranty has expired.

When buying a new kitchen for a new home, kitchen appliances are usually purchased all at once, so the standard two-year warranty ends for all devices at the same time. The Electrolux and AEG 2+3 campaign extends the warranty to five years if:

• the model participating in the campaign is purchased from a campaign partner by December 31, 2026,

• the device is registered in the Electrolux or AEG web form within 90 days of purchase,

• the device is used in domestic conditions.

The warranty is provided by Electrolux Estonia, who arranges repairs if necessary. Hektaur is Electrolux's official campaign partner, and you can choose from 130 models through the campaign, including ovens, cooktops, cooktops with range hoods, range hoods, dishwashers, refrigerators, wine coolers, and integrated coffee machines. The list and terms can be found on Hektaur's warranty campaign page.

What to ask the developer

If the apartment comes with the developer's kitchen package, ask for the appliance model codes before confirming the package. From the code, you can check if the cooktop is matte and what finish it has, whether the range hood is compatible with the cooktop, and what are the niche dimensions of the integrated appliances. Also ask if you can choose the appliances yourself. If you can, this is a good time to put the entire kitchen in one style. If the appliances come from the developer, ask where they were purchased and if the extended warranty has been registered, as there are only 90 days from purchase to register.

"The most problems arise when furniture has already been ordered and appliances are chosen last. Then it turns out that there's no room in the cabinet for a cooktop with a range hood, or the refrigerator doesn't fit in the niche. If you send us the kitchen drawing before ordering, we'll check the measurements."

-Jaanus Ilves, Hektaur

If you order all kitchen appliances from one place, you get delivery for all devices at the same time, which is important when moving to a new home.