A few years back, I made the decision to become healthier.  As part of this change, I had to learn how to cook.  The reason is simple….as healthy as today’s take-out / pre-prepared meals claim to be, they still often contain things that go against the idea of eating healthy (namely excessive salt and fat, which is why they tend to taste good!)

So, I had to learn how to cook.  As an IoT nerd and now an emerging “MasterChef” (at least in my own mind), one would think that I would have every possible kitchen-related IoT device known to man, right?  Nope….

A recent article in the Washington Post speaks about how IoT is taking over the kitchen.  It got me to wonder….will they really make me a better cook or are they just frivolous things that no one truly needs?

Smarter is not always better

First, some of the things listed won’t actually improve your cooking but are there to help with the overall management of a kitchen……including devices that help you plan your meals and reduce food waste.  Although I have to think you don’t really need them, the idea of people planning healthier meals and wasting less is an honourable one.

Another one speaks about how it can dispense the exact amount of a key ingredient (say flour) for a recipe.  Really?  Is it that much of an issue to actually measure things?  Sure, almost everyone who has made a cake more than once has lost count of how many scoops of flour, but do you need this huge thing on your counter to prevent that?

A couple of other ones talk about ways that you can become more of DIY’er, things like growing your own vegetables indoors and making your own wine.  While we don’t need to encourage people to drink more, the idea of having all year round fresh vegetables (especially in a place with long winters) probably is a good thing.

Finally, there is a device listed that helps ensure that your cooking experience is perfect, namely by ensuring that the temperatures are all correct.  However, most of us don’t have perfect ovens in our homes, so that is why I am sure that watching something cook is going to produce similar results.

The Bottom Line

Again, like golfers, cooks are always looking for the next little edge to make their end products better and this does trickle down to home cooks like me.  I also always applaud new products into the IoT market.  However, most people can get along in the kitchen quite well learning the same way I did….trial and error.  No one expects to make a perfect dish the first time, no matter what devices you have handy.