Smart cheesemaker Fromaggio launches on Kickstarter

The smart kitchen has come a long way. We've seen smart beer-making bots, Wi-Fi connected Instant Pots and food recognizing ovens. Now, a company called Fromaggio wants to bring a smart cheese-making machine to your countertop, too. The price on Kickstarter: $249.

We first spotted Fromaggio's smart cheesemaker at CES 2019, and even tasted a few samples. The team behind Fromaggio claims that the machine's cheese is healthier, more authentic and more natural than what you can purchase in a store. That's a pretty high bar given that there are high-end cheeses available at nearly every major grocery chain in the US. 

Fromaggio is designed to be easy for anyone to use in their own home. To make a cheese, you pour in milk, culture and rennet (that's curdled milk), then choose which cheese you'd like to make from a default setting. You can also create custom settings for getting your cheese just the way you like it. 

You'll play with those settings in the Fromaggio mobile app, and the machine itself includes an LCD display, too. The app connects to the cheesemaker via Bluetooth and also includes ingredient ordering and recipe-sharing sections.  

Once you've set your preferences, Fromaggio heats the milk, mixes, cuts the curd, drains the whey and presses the cheese. You can make a range of cheeses from soft ricotta or mozzarella to firmer cheeses like cheddar or Parmesan. There's also a yogurt option, along with options for making tofu and for sous vide cooking. 

How long does it take to make cheese with Fromaggio? The company claims as little as 30 minutes for fresh cheeses like mozzarella, and up to 48 hours for more complex, hard cheeses. 

Removable parts are designed to make cleaning and maintenance simple, but we should point out that it will be up to you to control food safety. You should always make sure the device is clean and sanitary before making any cheese. If you're planning on purchasing Fromaggio, you should also be aware that consumption of fresh raw milk cheeses aged less than 60 days is considered potentially dangerous by the FDA and is the responsibility of the user.

And, as always with crowdfunding campaigns, you should be sure to familiarize yourself with Kickstarter's terms and conditions before pledging your money. Keep in mind that not all crowdfunding projects deliver on time and as promised. Please note that CNET's reporting on crowdfunding campaigns is not an endorsement of the project or its creators. 

Warnings aside, the idea of creating fresh, tasty cheese at home is incredibly tempting. Fromaggio is available on Kickstarter for a promotional price of $249. That's at a 56 percent discount from the full MSRP, making its final price around $565. We'll keep our eye on Fromaggio as it moves through the fundraising process and toward its March 2020 shipping date.