New smart oven from Tovala: how it works

Tovala created a smart oven and meal-kit service that simplifies home cooking.The oven is a countertop machine that essentially combines four types of appliances: a broiler, a steamer, an oven, and a toaster.In November it launched the newest version of the oven, and we got a chance to test it out. Here's what it was like.Meal kits have become one of the biggest trends in food retail in recent years, with dozens of new companies cropping up and even traditional retailers jumping on the bandwagon, hoping to cash in on time-strapped consumers who are seeking easy, healthy meals.But the backlash has already begun. Some say the market is oversaturated with meal-kit options, and industry innovators such as Blue Apron have found themselves losing customers.Tovala, a gourmet meal-kit service that uses a smart oven, is hoping to swoop in and woo these customers on the assumption that they still crave good food and convenience.The Tovala oven is a countertop machine that combines four types of appliances: a broiler, a steamer, an oven, and a toaster. The oven is Wi-Fi-enabled and connects to an app with hundreds of recipes. The user simply needs to select a recipe on the app or scan the barcode on one of the service's prepared meals, and the oven will then do all of the work.In February 2018 Tovala received an undisclosed amount of funding from the food giant Tyson Foods. The capital raised was to be used to support Tovala's growth, including adding staff across all departments, expanding geographically, and investing in product, operations, technology, and marketing, Tovala said in a press release at the time.In November, Tovala launched its new and improved second-generation machine, which is lighter than its predecessor and has a new function that enables users to cook without using the app. The first machine was rolled out in 2017.Find out how it works below:Jessica Tyler contributed to an earlier version of this article.