This machine promises to cook it all -- and with Wi-Fi, too (hands on)
The Gourmia GKM9000 is a multicooker loaded with Wi-Fi, an interactive screen and a mobile app that lets you monitor your food from a distance. The gadget will make its debut alongside a bounty of kitchen appliances at the International Home + Housewares Show next month.
In a case of "more is more," a small appliance company has created countertop multicooker with more than nine functions, Wi-Fi connectivity and an Android-powered operating system in a bid to connect the kitchen to the Internet of Things.
Gourmia debuted the GKM9000 multicooker kitchen machine over the weekend at the International Home + Housewares Show, a trade show in Chicago dedicated to home goods. The Gourmia GKM9000 will include a 7-inch LCD screen that displays step-by-step video instructions to guide you through recipes and provides update on the progress of your meal. The $600 appliance also connects to a mobile app that keeps an eye on what's happening in the cooker, along with letting you download and create recipes and shopping lists. The multicooker will be available in the spring.
Small, countertop appliances have become the first step in getting the kitchen connected. They're a lot cheaper than smart large appliances such as ovens or refrigerators, and there's a larger variety of products available. Though smart large appliances are on the cusp of being the next big thing, connected countertop devices such as Wi-Fi sous vide machines and app-enabled kitchen scales have become an easy access point for folks who want a smart cooking experience.
The Gourmia GKM9000 will run on an Android operating system, so the appliance can connect with other platform, Gourmia says. The company is still working on partnerships with other platforms.
The product does have promise: Though there were a few kinks during a demonstration at the International Home + Housewares Show, the cooker successfully walked a chef through an involved recipe for pâte à choux dough. There were also helpful attachments on display such as a steam tray that sits atop the main cooker container. But you can get a decent multicooker for much less than this $600 device, so the Gourmia needs successful integration with other Internet of Things devices to convince home cooks that this is a product worth having.
Features
- Includes built-in scale that can track how much of an ingredient you're adding to walk you through recipes
- Functions include: steam, blend, puree, chop, grind, knead, whip, grate, crunch
- Can also cook pasta and rice
- 3.5-quart capacity
- Includes blade and whisk attachments