Get ready for automatic cooking with Alexa
Last year, we were given the AmazonBasics Microwave. This year, Amazon has followed it up by introducing the Smart Oven, which beefs the original Alexa device up considerably.
The Smart Oven is a four-in-one, according to Amazon. It’s a small convection oven, a microwave, an air fryer and a food warmer, too.
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The Amazon Smart Oven, like the Microwave, comes with Alexa compatibility, but won’t be able to hear voice commands on its own.
Alexa isn’t baked in here, so you’ll need to pair it with an Alexa-enabled device to bring it into the smart home and get it listening.
Once that’s done, though, the device should come into its own. You can still naturally use all the standard buttons and settings yourself, but with the added skill of having Alexa do it for you, too.
There are a range of pre-sets you can ask for – for example, “Alexa, cook salmon”or “Alexa, air fry French fries”.
Alexa can let you know when you need to stir or flip food, and when it’s ready to eat.
As well as this, Amazon’s foray into the world of groceries continues, and the Amazon Smart Oven is another piece of the puzzle.
Scanning the barcodes of compatible foods through a camera-sporting Echo Show device will let Alexa tell the Smart Oven to cook that food as required. You’ll never guess one of the shops listed as supporting the feature – Amazon-owned Whole Foods.
If the Smart Oven takes off, as Amazon indicated the AmazonBasics Microwave has, you can expect this feature to expand and encompass more foods and brands.
The Amazon Smart Oven is available to pre-order now, releasing on 14 November, priced at $249.99, quite a lot more than the AmazonBasics Microwave, which costs just $59.99.
The Smart Oven will also ship with an Echo Dot, though, to enable its voice features. There’s been no announcement yet about availability or pricing outside of the US.
