Review: Smarter Kettle 2.0 and Smarter Coffee Maker
- Y Gadget
- Jan 29, 2016
- 6 min read
A smart home is something I have dreamed about and planned out in my mind for a long time. Way before the products appeared in Wired Magazine or on The Gadget Show etc. It probably first started when watching cartoons like The Jetsons or films like Back To The Future.
We probably all hoped for machines that woke us up in the morning and prepared our breakfast, right? But we are always put off by the price and the know how, or lack of know how anyway.
As with anything that is new to us, it can be kind of scary to take the first step.
Smarter, is a company that is looking to help us make that first step in to the unknown when it comes to smart home appliances.
Now with two products on the market, Smarter Coffee Maker and the 2nd generation iKettle, they are on the brink of becoming a household name.
The Decision
When I saw the first generation iKettle launch in the third quarter of 2013, I immediately wanted one. If it wasn't for that ever present voice in my head talking sense to me I probably would have bought one. Instead, I gave in to the voice and settled on the idea that it was nothing more than a gimmick. Take 2 with the launch of the iKettle 2.0 and the Smarter Coffee Maker. I had a friend on my side who had purchased the 1st generation iKettle and told me he had no regrets, but with budgets being tight, I talked myself down once more.
Finally! With an incredible Black Friday offer on the table for both the iKettle 2.0 and the Smarter Coffee maker, I couldn't fight it any longer and went for the pair!
Still, in the few days of waiting for it to be delivered, I found myself going over and over it in my head trying to convice myself I hadn't just wasted my money...
The First Cup
From opening the box to making my first cup of freshly ground coffee took less than one hour to complete. This included cleaning the usual parts (nobody wants coffee made in a jug, dusty from the factory floor), connecting to the home WiFi and setting up the app.
All together it was simple. The app has a nice clean interface with easy to follow, step by step instructions for getting you started, and no unnecessary clutter. It has exactly what you need, and nothing else.
The first thing i noticed about the coffee maker was how quickly it did its job and how quiet it was.
I had previously been using a DeLonghi coffee maker which bubbles and spurts random noises when it's brewing and when it's keeping drinks warm. the Smarter Coffee Maker, bean grinding aside, was so quite that I had to check whether or not it was brewing on the first couple of times I used it. Add this to the fact that cup for cup, it had brewed in a lot less time than the conventional coffee machine, including grinding the beans.
The iKettle seems to be oddly loud for the simple task of boiling water but you can forgive it given how fast it boils and how well it holds the heat of the water. Even without the 'Keep warm' function on.
The Tasting
It goes without saying that the taste of the coffee is down to a lot more than what machine you use to make it but it doesn't solely rely on the beans you use either.
There are a lot of variables that go in to the perfect brew and one of my concerns was that a smart coffee machine might take a few of these away. If anything, it adds more variables to help get the taste you want.
There is a knob on the top to help you decide on how fine or course you want the beans grinding. This is either a case of research or trial and error but play about with it and see what you like. You also get 3 options on the app, weak, normal and strong. This takes out so much of the guess work of a conventional machine; the number of scoops by the amount of water and size of the cup. Before, I could never get two cups that tasted the same as hard as I tried.
The Problems
Admittedly there have been very few problems with either machine but there has been a couple so it is worth mentioning.
On the first 4 or 5 days of using the iKettle and the Smarter Coffee Maker, there was couple of occasions when the iKettle would say the Kettle was not on the base or there was no water detected. I had to re-calibrate to get it going. The Coffee Maker would tell me the carafe was not detected despite being in its rightful place. To fix this, I either took out the filter and replaced it or turned it off and on again at the mains. Both seemed to do the trick.
These were small things when I first got the machines and have not showed up again since so don't let this put you off getting one.
Every now and then, the app just won't connect to the device or it will say it is connected but I will have to press Boil/Brew a number of times before anything would actually happen.
All in all, you can live with these for the benefits such as not having to get out of bed to brew fresh coffee but it is embarrassing when you're trying to show off to a friend or impress the family.
The Apps
As I mentioned earlier on, the app is well designed. It gives you control over everything you need without complicating anything. Most functions are either a binary like tap on/tap off function or a scrolling wheel (for temperature and number of cups).
The iOS app does seem to have a couple more functions in the settings than the android counterpart but this could be due to the way I set up my devices. I used an iPhone to set it up initially and signed in to an existing product with the android phone (let us know what the apps are like for you).
Even with it's limitations, the android app still gives you everything you need for a nice cuppa.
The Verdict
It goes without saying that you should only get the Smarter Coffee Maker if you really enjoy your coffee. If you like a freshly ground and brewed coffee at least a few times a week then you can't go wrong with this. At the normal price of £179.99 it isn't much more than you would normally spend on a coffee machine anyway. For the functionality and the time it will save a busy person, it is unquestionably worth the money.
The iKettle has no limitations but ultimately, it boils water. It is nice having a device that works around you, keeping the water warm, asking if you want a drink when you wake up or come home, and even controlling the temperature (you're not supposed to use boiling water for Green/Fruit Tea) but unless you are a busy on the go person, it may not be worth spending the extra money. It retails at £99.99 which is around twice the price of a decent, branded kettle. It offers some nice functions like 'Formula mode' for busy and/or forgetful mums but when it boils down to it, it is just a kettle you can boil from anywhere in the house. That said, I have a lot of trouble not recommending it.
The Conclusion
These two products open a gateway for non-smart homes. It shows what is possible, for how much, and how simple it can be.
I'm exited to see what Smarter come up with next and to see what other manufacturers can do to step their game up. If you can stretch your budget for either of these then I definitely think you should. One use and you will find yourself watching a friend or family member make you a cup of coffee with a nostalgic smirk on your face. Just like watching somebody wash their clothes in the river.
Order your Wifi iKettle and Coffee Maker from Amazon now and have it in your home ready to make fresh coffee tomorrow.
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Until next time…
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