If you leave your stove on, Safera Sense will yell at you
This unique gadget adds retrofit smarts to your dumb cooktop.
Safera Sense can help you prevent fires. Place the long, rectangular gadget above your stove and it will sense the heat from the burners. The thin device actually packs in over 20 sensors, including one that detects your presence. If you leave your stove on and walk away for an extended period of time, Safera Sense can put both pieces together and send you an alert.
The company behind the sensor also sells smart plugs compatible with a wide variety of ovens , so you can turn off your stove with the app if you left the burner on and left your home. Safera is even working with smart oven manufacturers to integrate this power control directly.
Given that replacing your stove with a new smart appliance can be a hefty investment, I appreciate Safera's simple, retrofit approach. Safera has been in the fire safety business for awhile, and offers a few other sensors to help keep your kitchen safe, but the Sense will be their most robust and ambitious product yet.
In addition to the motion and heat sensors, Safera Sense detects air quality and will alert you if you need to open a window. Supposedly, it's even smart enough to help you when you cook. Check the app to see how long the burner has been on, so you know how much more time your pasta needs. You'll also be able to see the spikes in temperature when you lift the lid off of a pot, so you know if your significant other is sneaking tastes.
Safera Sense was first announced this summer, and now the finished product is on display at IFA 2019. You can preorder it on the company's site if you live in Europe. A representative promised it was coming to the US soon. The price of 200 euros converts to roughly $220, £180 or AU$320. While not incredibly cheap, it's certainly more affordable than a new smart appliance and it could be a godsend if, like me, you tend to set everything on fire whenever you try to cook.