By Kevin Hunt
Chicago Tribune
I will not defend a Wi-Fi-connected can opener, doorbell or toaster, but I will defend almost everything about Belkin’s Crock-Pot Smart Slow Cooker with WeMo, except for its name.
WeMo is Belkin’s brand of home automation products that includes “smart” — as in programmable, and controllable, by a smartphone app — light switches, electrical switches, Wi-Fi cameras, a humidifier and a Mr. Coffee coffee maker. A WeMo product, at this stage of technological advancement, is smartest when compatible with the IFTTT service that automates tasks using If This Then That recipes.
Belkin’s Crock-Pot, for now, is in the remedial Smart class — not yet compatible with IFTTT and barely conversant with the WeMo app.
The WeMo app (Android, iOS and Kindle) turns the slow cooker on or off, sets or changes the slow-cook time and low-high-warm heat mode, but the highlights end there.
But when was the last time you received a smartphone notification from your slow cooker that — ding! — the cook timer has finished and “I’ll keep things warm”? This, smartphone owners, is real comfort food.
The slow cooker communicates with the WeMo app anywhere, either by Wi-Fi or a cellphone connection, but it must be set up first on your home network. The free app handles the setup after the smartphone is switched to the Crock-Pot’s Wi-Fi listing. When the cooker’s familiar Wi-Fi indicator glows green, you’re done.
The Belkin Crock-Pot communicated reliably during my tests, but what happens with unreliable Wi-Fi or areas with frequent power outages? To simulate, I first set the timer for 30 minutes, then unplugged the router. The Crock-Pot’s Wi-Fi readout turned amber, a sign of trouble. After I plugged the router back in, and rebooted, the app crashed but then resumed the programmed cooking timer.
When it completed the cycle, it shifted to the warm heat setting, but the app could not detect that over a cellular network.
To simulate a power outage, I again set the timer for 30 minutes but soon unplugged the Crock-Pot. After I plugged it back in, the Crock-Pot remained off, its programmed information lost. In that case, the food would have spoiled.
The slow cooker itself has only one control, for on/off and toggling between heat modes.
This slow cooker with a long name is actually a partnership between Belkin and Jarden Corp., owner of the venerable Crock-Pot brand. Though it’s a high-quality 6-quart slow cooker, it’s also $129.99.
I’d invest in the smart slow cooker if Belkin promises it will get smarter and integrate IFTTT soon.
