MISSISSUAGA, Ont. — RATIONAL has unveiled its brand-new iHexagon, the first cooking system to co-ordinate steam, hot air, and microwave technology with unparalleled intelligence. Following its global success with the combi-steamer and the iVario, the company has now established an entirely new product category for the third time in its history.
Markus Paschmann, RATIONAL’s Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, joined forces with company R&D experts and the iHexagon project team to unveil the new cooking system through an online keynote address. The presentation, which was released in late February, focused on the new system’s most essential feature: iClimateBoost. This new cooking assistant intelligently adapts steam, microwave and convection energy to each individual dish, which is the key to producing the best possible results in the shortest possible time.
“With the iHexagon, we’ve become the first company on the market to combine hot air, steam and microwave technologies so intelligently that the energy is distributed uniformly across all six racks,” says Paschmann, adding this ensures consistently excellent results from the first rack to the last and even allows users to prepare different foods at the same time.
The iHexagon boasts the most powerful convection technology the company had ever developed to balance out the microwave energy. A fresh steam generator supplies yet another type of heat, and the cooking system regulates the three with the intelligent precision necessary for tender, juicy, perfectly browned results.
The iHexagon is specifically aimed at customers whose business concepts emphasize both quality and speed. For one, the iHexagon is capable of producing large quantities, for example to stock buffets or prepare for the mealtime rush. For another, the blazing-fast appliance can heat individual servings in a matter of seconds, so production keeps running smoothly even during peak traffic periods — which means shorter lines and higher profits.
The iHexagon will be of particular interest to kitchens with highly standardized dishes and processes, as they can make the most of RATIONAL’s digital kitchen-management platform, ConnectedCooking. Features such as MyDisplay, through which cooking systems can be configured to show only the most important functions, can be set up through ConnectedCooking and then distributed to every appliance on the company network. These “one-touch” display options are especially helpful in kitchens without highly trained staff.
Rounding out the iHexagon concept is automatic cleaning with iCareSystem AutoDose. Cooking systems with the AutoDose feature have built-in storage for cleaning and care cartridges, keeping them safely locked away — no risk of chemical contact, no measuring errors. Occupational safety up, costs down.
The iHexagon is available now in Germany, Great Britain, and the U.S.; distribution will be opened up to other countries over time.
