I wasn't expecting to see that we've covered Kohler before since it's known for making pricey kitchen and bathroom products, but to my surprise we have. The Wisconsin company went to its first CES last year to announce Kohler Konnect and a range of smart home gadgets. This year, many of those will finally go on sale alongside an updated Numi 2.0 intelligent toilet and a new arty collection.
The Verdera Voice Lighted Mirror with Alexa is now on sale but costs a whopping $1,665 for a 24" x 33" model, with the most expensive being 40 x 33-inches for $2,165. For all of you millionaires out there who use Google Assistant instead, don't worry, a compatible version is coming soon.
The Numi Smart Toilet makes the mirrors look cheap, starting at $8,000, and there's now an upgraded 2.0 version on the way. It's got all the usual features you'd expect from any normal toilet, such as "personalized cleansing and dryer functions, heated seat, and high-quality built-in speakers" as well as important updates such as "dynamic and interactive multi-colored ambient and surround lighting" for a "fully-immersive experience." I didn't even need to make any of that up. Oh, and it's got Amazon Alexa built-in so you won't be lonely while you pee.
Other products announced last year finally have some prices for us drop our jaws at. According to CNET, the PureWarmth Heated Toilet seat will cost $160, the Sensate Touchless Kitchen Faucet will start at $660, and the DTV+ Shower System will sell for a cool $3,000.
You can't go about your business in dark, ugly room, of course, so Kohler is also introducing a separate range of artistic, luminous bathroom products. The Veil Lighted Collection comprises a toilet, bath, mirror, and three-piece vanity with complementary designs and synchronized lighting options that "mimic nature to create various moods that enhance well-being." Not only does the Veil collection support both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, it also incorporates the Philips Hue API, so you can also control it with the Hue app and connect it to other Hue lights in your bathroom. Pricing will start as low as $199 for a motion sensor and goes all the way up to $4,849 for the bathtub. You better start saving now.
Source: CNET
PRESS RELEASE
KOHLER Announces Smart Products for the Kitchen and Bathroom, Expands Voice Control, Lighting and Music Experiences through KOHLER Konnect
Kohler Introduces the Veil Lighted Bathroom Collection at CES 2019; offers more voice control options through enhancements to Verdera Voice Lighted Mirror and Numi Intelligent Toilet
KOHLER, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kohler Co., a global leader in the design and innovation of kitchen and bath products, announces enhancements to its KOHLER Konnect portfolio of smart products at CES 2019. Building on its debut at CES in 2018, Kohler extends voice control technology, improves music and lighting experiences, and introduces the Veil Lighted bathroom collection, the first-ever connected bathroom suite that works together as a system.
“For 145 years, Kohler has brought innovative and quality products to the marketplace that offer convenience and comfort in kitchen and bath spaces. KOHLER Konnect continues our industry leadership by offering whole-room solutions with more voice control, better music and sound, and dynamic lighting environments through our KOHLER Konnect portfolio.”
KOHLER Konnect, introduced at CES 2018, features innovative kitchen and bath products that use voice commands, hands-free motion control, and personalized presets managed through the KOHLER Konnect application for iOS and Android devices. Powered by the trusted and global-scale Microsoft Azure cloud platform and Azure IoT services, KOHLER Konnect offers support in select products for Amazon Alexa, the Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit. KOHLER Konnect is expanding with additional options for personalized control and whole-room solutions adding convenience, comfort, and enjoyment to the home.
“Connected technology is driving innovation in the smart home category, but connectivity alone isn’t enough. We believe in leading with design and seamlessly incorporating the right technologies so that our customers can personalize their bathroom experiences to be just right for them,” said David Kohler, President and CEO of Kohler Co. “For 145 years, Kohler has brought innovative and quality products to the marketplace that offer convenience and comfort in kitchen and bath spaces. KOHLER Konnect continues our industry leadership by offering whole-room solutions with more voice control, better music and sound, and dynamic lighting environments through our KOHLER Konnect portfolio.”
Veil Lighted Bathroom Collection: The new Veil Lighted bathroom collection brings immersive, connected lighting into the entire bathroom space. The full contemporary suite of products includes an intelligent toilet, freestanding bath, lighted mirror, and lighted three-piece vanity that work together as a system with integrated lighting. Automated synchronized lighting options mimic nature to create various moods that enhance well-being. The Veil Lighted collection gives the power of personalization directly to the user and is adjustable with voice, motion-control, a physical remote controller, or the KOHLER Konnect app. The collection embodies a beautiful modern design aesthetic and currently works with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant.
As an extension of the Veil Lighted bathroom collection, Kohler is collaborating with Signify, maker of the leading smart lighting system for the home, Philips Hue. Kohler has integrated Hue’s API so users can also control their Philips Hue lights via the KOHLER Konnect app to provide a synchronized, full-bathroom smart lighting experience.
Verdera Voice Lighted Mirror: Verdera Voice Lighted Mirror with Amazon Alexa is available for purchase now. At CES, Kohler is announcing the next iteration of the Verdera Voice the Google Assistant built-in. Both the Verdera Voice with Amazon Alexa and Verdera Voice powered by the Google Assistant are first-to-market models, providing seamless integration of voice control into the bathroom space. The Verdera Voice is a thoughtfully designed and functional centerpiece of the smart bathroom featuring a high-quality grooming mirror, efficient adjustable LED lights for precision routines like makeup application and skin care, a motion-activated wayfinding nightlight, and hermetically sealed speakers that maximize stereo sound quality – all built-in to help reduce clutter and optimize user experiences.
Numi 2.0 Intelligent Toilet: Numi, Kohler’s most advanced intelligent toilet, offers exceptional water efficiency, personalized cleansing and dryer functions, a heated seat, and high-quality built-in speakers. The lighting features on Kohler’s flagship intelligent toilet have been upgraded from static colors to dynamic and interactive multi-colored ambient and surround lighting. Paired with the new speakers in the Numi toilet, these lighting and audio enhancements create a fully-immersive experience for homeowners. Amazon Alexa built into the product provides simple voice control of Numi’s features and access to tens of thousands of skills, as well as a seamless integration of voice control into the bathroom.
In addition to new launches and product enhancements at CES, attendees at this year’s conference will experience new demonstrations of Kohler innovations for the kitchen and bathroom that were showcased in 2018 and will be available for consumers in 2019.
Sensate Touchless Kitchen Faucet: The Sensate Touchless kitchen faucet with KOHLER Konnect allows users to turn the water on or off and dispense measured amounts of water through simple voice commands or motion-based interactions. Consumers can fill an eight-ounce cup of water or a large pot with hands-free voice control. A sensor on the faucet valve monitors water usage which is displayed on the KOHLER Konnect app for convenience.
DTV+ Shower System: Using the DTV+ system with KOHLER Konnect, consumers can create presets for sound, water, steam and lighting, delivering the ultimate customized spa-like showering experience, placing it in a category all its own. Use voice, or a wall-mounted interface to access presets, make adjustments, and use the system’s eco settings to control water usage. Consumers who already have DTV+ systems in their homes can upgrade by having a bridge module installed to their existing systems.
PerfectFill™ Technology (bath filler): PerfectFill technology can draw a bath to your preferred preset temperature and desired depth with a simple voice command or through the KOHLER Konnect app reducing time spent monitoring the bath as it fills. PerfectFill will be sold as a wall-mount or deck-mount spout, or freestanding bath filler to fit a variety of bathroom designs and also includes a valve, drain, and controller.
PureWarmth Heated Toilet Seat: The PureWarmth heated toilet seat offers a slim design with three warm temperature settings for comfort and an integrated adjustable nightlight to enhance the user’s experience. The PureWarmth heated toilet seat can be controlled using the KOHLER Konnect app to adjust temperature, timing of the heat, as well as lighting duration and ambiance.
For more details, visit www.kohler.com/smarthome or contact Kohler at 1-800-4KOHLER. Attendees at CES 2019 can explore immersive bathroom spaces that simulate real-life environments and provide a firsthand look at various scenes that tie Kohler kitchen and bath products together in meaningful ways.
Founded in 1873 and headquartered in Kohler, Wisconsin, Kohler Co. is one of America’s oldest and largest privately held companies comprised of nearly 37,000 associates. With more than 50 manufacturing locations worldwide, Kohler is a global lifestyle brand and leader in the manufacture of kitchen and bath products; engines and power systems; premier cabinetry and tile; and owner/operator of two of the world’s finest five-star hospitality and golf resort destinations in Kohler, Wisconsin, and St. Andrews, Scotland.
