I am all about connecting appliances to the Internet of things; doing so helps me live more independently. Thanks to home automation and an app in my smartphone, I am able to lock/unlock doors, adjust the thermostat, turn lights on/off, and more! Now there is a new, sizzling gizmo, called Meld, that I’m looking into to further my independence. So what is Meld?
“Imagine if you didn’t have to worry about how long something needed to cook at a certain temperature on the stove. Imagine, now, that an app controls everything–and you don’t even have to adjust the flame.” This is exactly what engineer Jon Jenkins and his team are aiming for with Meld.
The individuals working on this Kickstarter product designed the smart stove knob to provide the right amount of heat for the right amount of time. This smart knob will help cooks (of all skill levels) prepare the perfect meal every single time. Meld consists of only three components: a knob, a clip/thermometer which attaches to any standard cookware, and an app on your phone. That’s it!
Meld Knob
The Meld Knob is a custom-designed replacement for one of your existing stovetop knobs. It automatically turns the burner up or down, keeping the food at the perfect temperature. The Meld Knob knows how to adjust the heat based on the temperature readings it receives wirelessly from the Meld Clip.
Meld Clip
The Meld Clip attaches to the cookware you already own to measure the temperature of what you’re cooking. It wirelessly sends temperature readings from the cookware to the Meld Knob, which then automatically adjusts the heat of the gas or electric burner.
Meld App
The Meld app will be available for both iOS and Android devices! The app contains hundreds of recipes that guide the cook from start to finish. According to their Kickstarter page, “Meld recipes are precise and therefore produce perfect results with no guesswork and little effort.”
Benefits of Meld:
- Designed with you in mind: The design of the Meld Knob + Clip works on several cooktops from inexpensive electric models to high-end, professional ranges.
- “Best Materials”: “From using specialized heat and chemical resistant materials, to top of the line coatings, to using only the best thermocouples, we wanted to build a product that could stand up to the rigors of a busy kitchen.”
- Easy installation: The Knob is simple to install on virtually any stovetop. Each Meld Knob + Clip comes with a set of adapters to ensure it works for your cooktop so no tools are required.
- Easy-to-clean: The Meld Knob removes easily and can be cleaned quickly with soapy water in the sink.
- Long battery life: Though you won’t need to replace them often, standard AAA batteries are used in this device so it’s convenient to change them out when necessary.
- Safety features: To start using the Meld Knob + Clip, you have to push in and turn the Meld Knob like you would a standard knob. Meld cannot turn the burner on for you! You can also turn the Knob off at any time, or it’ll turn off once the recipe is completed. That way users never forget to turn their burner off again! (The burner can also turn off if cookware or contents evaporate).
- Affordable: Upgrading your current stovetop could cost you hundreds of dollars. Meld is a more affordable way to upgrade your cooktop costing only $149!
The Meld Knob is estimated to begin shipping this October. To learn more, visit the Meld website.
