Smart kitchen apps

Smart kitchen apps are the software half of connected cooking gear. The device does the cooking; the app sets temperatures, shows progress and walks you through recipes written for that device. They are mostly free to download, but they only do something useful if you own the hardware.

Cookidoo is Vorwerk's recipe platform for the Thermomix, with guided recipes that set the machine's time, temperature and speed at each step. The Anova app runs Anova's sous vide cookers and ovens, so you can start a cook from your phone and check on it from another room. MEATER's app pairs with its wireless meat thermometers and estimates when a roast or a steak will be done. The Traeger app controls the brand's WiFi-connected pellet grills. Tovala pairs a smart oven with a meal service: scan the code on a meal and the oven runs the cooking steps.

The value of these apps is precision and freedom to walk away. Sous vide and probe thermometers take the guesswork out of doneness, and a phone alert means you don't have to hover over the grill. Guided recipes are a good way to learn a new device, since they're written for its exact settings.

There are trade-offs. Some features need an account and an internet connection, and a few rely on a subscription for the recipe library. Check what the device can do without the app, in case the service changes or your WiFi drops in the middle of a cook. Many of these devices keep working with manual controls, but not all.

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Cookidoo

by Vorwerk

Vorwerk's recipe platform for the Thermomix: guided recipes that set the machine's time, temperature and speed.

  • Mobile app
  • Works in a web browser

Anova

by Anova Culinary

App for Anova sous vide cookers and ovens: start and watch a cook from your phone and follow guided recipes.

  • Mobile app

MEATER

App for MEATER wireless meat thermometers that tracks internal temperature and estimates when the cook will finish.

  • Mobile app

Tovala

Smart oven paired with a meal service: scan a meal's code and the oven runs the cooking steps.

  • Mobile app

Traeger app

by Traeger

App for Traeger's WiFi-connected pellet grills: set and watch temperatures and follow guided grilling recipes.

  • Mobile app

Food safety still applies. A probe tells you the temperature at its tip, so place it in the thickest part and away from bone. Know the safe internal temperature for what you're cooking, and for sous vide follow guidance on time and temperature, especially at lower temperatures or with poultry.

Before buying any connected device for the app, look at the app's store reviews and update history, and check how long the maker has supported older models.

If you're deciding whether to buy connected gear, think about how you cook now. A wireless probe thermometer is a small, useful step for anyone who roasts or grills. Larger appliances make more sense when you'll use the guided recipes often enough to justify the price and the space on the counter.

Questions about smart kitchen apps

Do I need the device to use these apps?

For their main features, yes. Cookidoo, Anova, MEATER, Traeger and Tovala are built around their own hardware, though some recipe content can be browsed without it.

Do smart kitchen devices work without WiFi?

Many keep manual controls or a direct Bluetooth link, but remote monitoring and some recipe features need a connection. Check before relying on the app mid-cook.

Is a wireless thermometer accurate?

It reads the temperature at the probe's tip, so placement matters. Put it in the thickest part, away from bone, and check against the safe internal temperature for that food.

Are these apps free?

The apps are generally free to download, but you pay for the hardware, and some recipe libraries such as Cookidoo's use a subscription.

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