In the wake of the Great Juicero Controversy of 2017 we are returning to the kitchen to highlight a few connected cooking gadgets which, unlike the ill-fated, Wi-Fi-enabled cold-juice press, offer bangs worthy of the bucks required to acquire them.
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The Best Part of Waking Up
Joe. Java. Black Gold. Whatever you called it, for millions the world over, their first thought each morning is of a caffeine-infused cup, making the coffee machine one of the most important devices in the home.
And while a stovetop pot and instant crystals will do in a pinch, coffee drinkers, from aficionados to the simply addicted, deserve so much better.
Here’s where Spinn comes in.
The future of in-home coffee preparation, which employs centrifugal force to brew bean juice (hence "Spinn"), satisfies the major achievement required of any smart coffee maker—it lets you order a cup from the comfort of your bed.
Via Spinn’s accompanying app, users can direct their connected coffee maker to prepare a highly customized concoction—be it espresso, americano or, after a particularly late night, a full carafe of finely tuned liquid energy.
Spinn also pairs with Alexa, so if your hands are fully occupied with rubbing your eyes each morn, you can order your Joe by speaking to your Amazon Echo.
But Spinn’s "brew from anywhere in the world" feature is just the beginning of its enviable abilities. The Wi-Fi-enabled device will recognize when you are running low on beans and automatically order from your preferred list of roasters, including local providers—ensuring that you never awake to an empty bag. The Spinn App also comes equipped with community of like-minded coffee lovers, enabling the easy exchange of bean brands and recipes from professional baristas and amateur brewologists alike.
The Spinn is available for pre-order now for $299 to $599, depending upon the model. Delivery is expected at the end of 2017.
Lovin’ Your Oven
There was a time when, to be a first-class cook one had to endure years of rigorous training from world’s best culinary institutions or at least make it to the later rounds of "Top Chef."
Fortunately, those dark days are in the past.
The June Intelligent Oven is light years ahead of your current oven set-up at a fraction of the size.
The petite cooker (12.8" x 9.6" x 19") packs a powerful punch, preheating three-times faster (thanks to carbon fiber heating elements) and cooking food 33% more quickly than conventional ovens.
But where the June Intelligent Oven really shines, and puts your oven to shame, is with its built-in camera.
More:Cooking With Convenience: The Marvels of a Modern Kitchen
Not only does the camera let you keep eyes on your food, via a corresponding smart device app, but the June will identify what you are cooking and suggest the best preparation techniques. Better still, the June is ever evolving. The connected cooker comes equipped with 50-plus cooking programs but will automatically download more presets, and recognized dishes, as they are released by the developer.
All this, and the most important for any smart home product—you can control the oven completely from your phone.
The June Intelligent Oven, which also includes a built-in digital scale and built-in meat thermometer, is available for $1,495.
In the Mix
Is it possible for a blender to offer both form and function? To be stylish and sleek while not sacrificing performance?
It truly is a question for the ages, but if any blender has come close it is the Vitamix A3500.
Equipped with a touchscreen interface, the A3500 offers a seamless and simple user experience. But it’s not just another pretty face.
The Ascent series model features five program settings, as well as a self-cleaning feature, allowing users to create a range of dishes from smoothies and soups to spreads and frozen desserts. Better still, the A3500 includes a programmable timer to prevent the over-, or under-, blending of dishes.
Best of all, the A3500 is built for the future.
It seems like everyday we’re reading another story about a blender rendered obsolete by the release of new blending container models. It truly is the scourge of our times.
The A3500 nips this in the bud with built-in wireless connectivity. Not only does the A3500 automatically read the container size you are using (and adjust its blending program accordingly), it will evolve to recognize new blending container contraptions as they are released, allowing you to construct a cadre of containers to build a bevy of blended treats.
The A3500 is available for $549.
Underwater Intelligence
You can fill your kitchen with the most cutting-edge devices on the market, but if you’re not using the cooking techniques de rigueur, then what is even the point really?
Becoming a student of sous vide cooking may sound like an intimidating prospect, but the chefs of yore never had access to Joule.
Joule makes sous vide style cooking simple via the application of smart technology.
An app-driven device, Joule gives you precise control over the temperature of the water in your pot, via the smart device of your choice. And if your hands are full preparing dessert, you can pair Joule with Alexa, keeping tabs on your submerged steak by voice alone.
Aside from placing perfect temperature tracking control in the palm of your hand, the Joule app will train you in the ways of sous vide stardom, offering visual cues to detect doneness as well as instant alerts to let you know when a dish can be pulled from the pot.
The Joule, which is the smallest sous vide device on the market, yet also the strongest heater, is available for $199.