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T3
T3
Technology
Bethan Morgan

Forget air fryers – This smart oven scans barcodes to expertly cook your meals

Tovala Smart Oven .

QUICK SUMMARY

Tovala has launched its Smart Oven and Smart Oven Pro.

Accompanying its fresh meal delivery service, the Tovala Smart Oven scans QR and barcodes to expertly cook premade and self-made meals.

Despite being a staple in almost every kitchen in the world, the humble oven is being slowly phased out in favour of smaller yet speedier appliances, like the air fryer. But now, air fryers might need to step aside too, as the Tovala Smart Oven has just taken smart kitchen appliances to the next level.

For those new to Tovala, it’s a fresh meal delivery service, designed to help you save time in the kitchen while still eating healthy. But alongside this service, Tovala has also created its own Smart Oven and Smart Oven Pro, its countertop smart oven which expertly cooks Tovala’s chef-curated meals.

How the Tovala Smart Oven works is it scans your meal’s QR code – yes, really – and its smart technology automatically calculates how long the meal takes to cook. It doesn’t necessarily have to be used with Tovala’s meal service as you can also scan barcodes on other food packaging and the Tovala Smart Oven should calculate the right cooking instructions for you.

(Image credit: Tovala)

Like an air fryer, the Tovala Smart Oven has five modes to choose from – air fry, bake, broil, toast and reheat. It should select these options for you when used alongside Tovala meals, but alternatively, you can manually select the mode, and use the Tovala Smart Oven as a normal air fryer or oven to make your own meals.

The design of the Tovala Smart Oven is toaster oven-like, and reminds me of the Our Place Wonder Oven. As a countertop appliance, it takes up minimal room in your kitchen, or at least no more than your air fryer or microwave should do.

(Image credit: Tovala)

While I understand the premise, I think the Tovala Smart Oven is a step too far for me – I can’t see myself adding a barcode scanning oven to my kitchen anytime soon! However, for those who rely on meal delivery services, the Tovala Smart Oven seems like a great fit, and it takes out the guesswork for your meals. Being able to use it manually too is also a bonus.

The Tovala Smart Oven is available to buy for $299 while the Smart Oven Pro is priced at $349. There are plenty of introductory offers available with the smart ovens, so it’s unlikely you’ll pay full price. As of writing, Tovala and its smart ovens aren’t available in the UK.

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