The Voice-Controlled Grill of the Future

By Drew Prindle February 11, 2014

Now that sensors and radios have become so ridiculously small and cheap, just about everything is becoming “smarter.”And now, thanks to a company called Lynx, that includes grills. Giving you more time to focus on drinking and destroying your friends at Polish horseshoes at your next cookout, the Lynx SmartGrill is an automated gas grill that allows you to change its settings from afar via voice commands or a mobile app. And if everything goes according to plan, this beauty should be ready for your backyard as early as next year.

Up top, this beast sports two infrared burners and two gas burners, giving you the best of both worlds in one convenient location. Additionally, tucked inside down near each of the cooking zones, you’ll find four temperature sensors that constantly give feedback to the grill’s onboard computer. With this information, the grill can self-regulate its heat and ensure that your food doesn’t overcook – even if you’re busy playing Polish horseshoes to pay attention to.

Using Lynx’s My Chef voice recognition tech, you can do stuff like preheat, change the cooking temp, or turn the grill off entirely – all without laying a finger on grill itself. Before you start grilling, it’ll ask you a series of questions about your recipe (type of meat, how well you like it cooked, etc.). Then, using its web-connected brain, it links to a database of grilling recipes and decides how long to cook the food and what grilling method is best. It’ll even tell you where to place the food on the grill to get the most consistent results.

We actually got a chance to check this badboy out firsthand at CES, and we can confirm that it lives up to all of Lynx’s claims. The voice recognition was snappy and responsive, operation was easy enough for a caveman to figure out, and the scallops and kabobs we made were cooked to absolute perfection. Lynx hasn’t yet released pricing details on the grill, but we’ll keep you posted on availability. for the time being, you can find out more here.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Culture

Drew is our resident tech nerd. He’s spent most of his life trying to be James Bond, so naturally he’s developed an…

Food & Drink

We know the most popular cocktails — Try these underrated drinks instead

Try some alternatives to the most popular cocktails

Cocktails

Recently, we wrote an article about the 10 most popular cocktails in the US. Not surprisingly, it was littered with classic drinks like the Mojito, Margarita, Old Fashioned, and Moscow Mule. But drinking cocktails isn’t a popularity contest. Just because many people seem to enjoy Espresso Martinis doesn’t mean you have to stop drinking your classic Dirty Martini.

But, if you take a moment to peruse the list of the 10 most popular drinks, you might see a few you like and others you aren’t sure about. That’s okay. Lucky for you, we’re here to help. That’s why today we’re all about the underdogs.

Food & Drink

How to start your own home bar: the tools and mixers

the best home bar glassware version 1612854960 for your 2021

So you're building up your home bar. You've got the essential spirits in. You've added a selection of liqueurs and bitters to combine them with. Now, it's time to add the finishing touches. From mixers to tools to glasswear, we're rounding up everything else you'll need to turn a corner of your kitchen into a great home bar.
Speaking of the kitchen – this is, in my experience, the absolute best place for a home bar. While I love a good bar cart for a living room (or even an office, if you have that kind of job!) these are really more decorative than a practical place to mix drinks. The problem with using bar carts for serious cocktail making is twofold: One, the surfaces are usually too low, at below hip height, so you'll be bending over uncomfortably while you try to make your drinks. That's not chic, and it's hard on your back too. Instead you want something that's counter level, hence opting for the kitchen. The second issue is access to ice and a sink. Mixing serious cocktails requires a large amount of ice and frequent washing of glasses and tools. Sure, you can get an attractive ice bucket for your bar cart, and that certainly makes a fun decorative accessory. But you'll still be running back and forth to the kitchen to use the sink all the time anyway.
If you love the style of a bar cart, I certainly wouldn't want to stop you having one. They are great fun, and stylish to boot. I have a bar cart myself in my living room, which I love and use for very simple mixed drinks like negronis (though even then, you still have to go and fetch ice every time you want a drink). It's a great place for occasional special bottles, particularly beautiful glasswear, cocktail books, and other decorative accessories.
But for serious cocktail making, you want an area of clear counter space, near to a sink and to a freezer full of ice, and with easy access to all your bottles and tools. I find a small kitchen island perfect for this purpose, tucked into a corner of the kitchen near the appliances. Store bottles and equipment on the lower shelves of the island or on wall-mounted shelves to save space, and make sure you have a lamp or decent overhead lighting so you can see what you're doing while you mix. You'll want a small chopping board as well for slicing citrus and other fruit, and a small, sharp knife that you can borrow from your kitchen equipment.
Then it's time to turn your attention to home bar tools.

Essential home bar tools

Food & Drink

Big Green Egg brings back a fan-favorite item for a limited time

However spend your evenings outdoors, the Big Green Egg Chiminea is there to help keep things warm

The Big Green Egg Chiminea.

Love good times by the fire on a chilly night? Want to enjoy a few drinks in a toasty spot after a long day at work? Of course, we all do. But throwing some logs in a pit in the ground doesn't quite do it. If you want a cozy evening, Big Green Egg brings the wow with the release of a special Chiminea to celebrate 50 years in business, and it will take your gathering around the fire to a whole new level.
The Big Green Egg update

Big Green Egg has been the go-to for outdoor grillers and smokers looking for an outdoor cooker for decades. But if you want to hang out in the fresh air without cooking, the Chiminea is what you need. Freestanding fireplaces aren't new, and Big Green Egg isn't trying to reinvent them. The vintage version from 1999 is the starting point, with upgrades worthy of a 50th anniversary.
What's cracking with this egg
If it's not broken, don't fix it, right? But even the littlest changes will make something feel fresh. For those who aren't the best at starting a fire and keeping it going, the Chiminea comes with Lava Rocks to keep the flames roaring more evenly and for longer. Made from NASA-grade ceramic, the quality isn't something to worry about, either. And, yes, it's still in that gorgeous, signature deep green color.