Meld merges sensors with cookware and stovetops, allowing part-time chefs to cook their meals right every time. The product just launched on Kickstarter and it has already smashed its $50,000 goal.
The Meld product includes a knob and a clip. The knob sits in place of one of the stove's dial, while the clip attaches to cookware to gauge temperature.
The Meld knob can adjust or maintain the temperature of cookware and the food inside it. The knob can also be adjusted manually. With the product's companion app, available for both Android and iOS, users can issue orders on specific temperature - and the Meld will comply.
"Think of it as upgrading the cookware and range you already own helping you cook perfect meals - just like a professional chef - without the cost or years of training," says Meld.
Meld sets out to take the ambiguity out of cooking, putting an end to confusion over directions that call for medium-high heat and 10 to 15 minutes of cook time. Medium-high can vary by up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit on some stoves, Meld says it learned when researching the issue.
"We knew we needed a way to consistently determine the exact temperature along with the ability to quickly make adjustments to the burner," says Meld. "We wanted technology to eliminate the guesswork so the cook could focus on the art."
While Meld's $50,000 Kickstarter goal was achieved shortly after it was launched, they're still accepting pledges for 30 more days. The product still has a few more steps to go before it is delivered to backers in October of this year.
"We've backed many Kickstarter projects ourselves, so we know how important it is to deliver a high quality product on time," says Meld. "This is why we waited until we were ready to start mass manufacturing so as to remove as much risk and uncertainty as possible."
From there, cooking can move into the 21st century and consumers can stop "cooking like our grandparents," according to Jon Jenkins, CEO and co-founder of Meld.
"The Nest thermostat was the first widely popular device with control capability. Meld brings this same concept to the kitchen to produce perfect meals every time," Jenkins said.
