(ARA) – Our lives are busier today than ever before. Trying to balance the demands of work and home life is no easy feat. At home, day-to-day chores like cooking and cleaning easily chip away at precious time that could be better spent on a little rest and relaxation. If you’re looking to take back some of your time at home, the kitchen is a great place to start. With a few simple tools, you can dramatically reduce your workload, making more time for the things that really matter.

1. Hands-free helper

Imagine the convenience of having a kitchen faucet that can sense what you’re trying to accomplish, and with a simple wave of the hand, immediately responds to your needs. The new Moen Arbor pulldown kitchen faucet with MotionSense utilizes advanced sensors to detect a user’s movement in two sensing zones, immediately setting water flow in motion. Simply place an object – like a cup or your hand – near the base of the faucet or wave your hand above the faucet to turn the water on and off automatically. You can also adjust the faucet’s temperature and flow the traditional way, using its convenient side handle. With MotionSense, tasks like washing dishes, filling a glass of water and preparing the evening meal can become quicker and more efficient. It’s like having a second set of hands in the kitchen – perfect for when your hands are too full or too dirty to turn on the faucet.

2.  Futuristic fridge

Until recently, the most unique tool for the outside of the fridge was the ice maker. Although still a useful item, some manufacturers have far surpassed this technology with today’s more high-tech models. The Samsung 30 cubic foot Side by Side LCD Refrigerator with apps features a WiFi-enabled 8-inch LCD touch screen, giving access to popular apps like Pandora, Epicurious, Google Calendar and the brand new Grocery Manager app, which tracks expiration dates on perishables. Whether you’re looking for a recipe, updating your calendar or listening to music, you can do it all from your refrigerator door.

3. Pressure reliever

It’s 5 p.m., your family is hungry and you have no idea what you’re going to feed them. An electric pressure cooker can help ease the pressure of a “what-do-I-do-for-dinner” situation, and requires less monitoring than a stovetop pressure cooker. These miracle machines use a moist, high-temperature environment to cook food three times faster than conventional methods. Plus, many models have the added bonus of electronic features, such as a programmable timer and the ability to brown, simmer or saute.

4. Programmed for success

Make meals more easily with the Frigidaire Professional 30-inch Slide-In Induction Hybrid Range. This smart stove features a delay start option, so you can set your oven to begin cooking on your schedule. For easy prep the day before, the range can be programmed from one to 24 hours in advance. Other innovative features include one-touch settings, allowing you to cook family favorites like chicken nuggets and pizza with the touch of a button.

5. Reliable robot

Of all the possible kitchen floor cleaning tools, robotic floor cleaners are truly the best time savers. Mops and brooms require some time and muscle on your part to do their job, but today’s robotic floor cleaners simply require a minute to program. These clever little robots do it all – from vacuuming to scrubbing – or even sanitizing.

6. Reduce refills

Dishwashers have already made our lives easier, but new models take cleaning to the next level. These handy kitchen cleaning tools are becoming more efficient and quieter than ever before. Today’s machines can hold enough liquid dishwasher detergent for several months of cycles and automatically dispense the right amount each time, based on water hardness and soil levels. Since you can also program your dishwasher to start on its own, the only thing you have to worry about when it comes to the dishes is whose turn it is to put them away.

Although you may not be able to add more hours to your day, you can easily add more time-saving tools to your life. When you spend less time in the kitchen, who knows what kinds of feats you can accomplish throughout the rest of your house – and the rest of your life.