Sam Biddle - 

The microwave is an appliance without glory. You throw in your bag of un-popped kernels, some leftover Chinese food, whatever. Your slop is reanimated by The Power of the Atom, and you save time. But this microwave is different.

Why’s it different? Mostly because it’ll be the best looking thing in your kitchen, and maybe your entire house, unless you’re rich, in which case you probably have lots of expensive and nice thing. But let’s think about how lovely this Exxcel Compact microwave oven by Bosch is.

The good nouns:

• “Exxcel” (sounds good)
• Compact (more space in your kitchen for food and knives)
• Touch control (like an iPhone)
• Electronic clock timer (don’t be late for work)
• 900 W maximum microwave power (hot food)

The thing also looks like the forthcoming Apple HDTV ought to look—plus it cooks food, unlike the forthcoming Apple HDTV. The flat black plane, the knobs, the subtle buttons—this thing is gorgeous. All appliances should be beautiful, even the cheap ones, because we have to live with them—and things we have to live with should be beautiful. It’s good for us. Unfortunately it costs around £300. [Bosch via Appliancist]