Amazon Prime Day may be winding down, but GE Appliances is keeping the party going. On Wednesday, July 18, GE will begin selling an Alexa-aware countertop microwave with scan-to-cook technology. To sweeten the deal, for a limited time the company is bundling an Amazon Echo Dot with the GE Smart Countertop Microwave.
According to GE, the scan-to-cook feature will help vast numbers of consumers who never use their microwave ovens’ presets, defrost, or power settings. Owners will simply use their smartphone camera to scan food packaging barcode from the GE Appliances Kitchen app. If the app recognizes the food item, it will send the correct cooking instructions to the microwave. At launch, the app will be preprogrammed with settings for more than 3,000 frozen, refrigerated, and shelf food items, with more items added over time.
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“GE Appliances’ research shows consumers don’t use the full capabilities of their microwaves and stick to a few buttons and time cook,” Shawn Stover, vice president of GE Appliances’ SmartHome Solutions, said in a statement. “With our new GE microwave scan-to-cook technology, your son or daughter can head off to college and cook food with the help of their phone instead of relying on mom.”
The 900-watt, stainless-steel GE Smart Countertop Microwave, model JES1097SMSS has a 0.9 cubic foot capacity. The compact unit measures 11.5-inches high, 19-inches wide, and 14.25 inches deep.
The microwave’s onboard Wi-Fi will enable Amazon Alexa connectivity. Whether you’re in another room or have both hands full, you’ll be able to control the microwave settings with voice commands after enabling the Alexa skill.
“We’re excited to work with GE Appliances to continue extending the convenience of Alexa to the kitchen,” said Christian Taubman, Amazon Smart Home Devices director. “We think customers will love the simplicity of hands-free voice control whether popping popcorn or preparing the perfect meal.”
The GE microwave is $139, but at launch you’ll be able to buy the device and an Amazon Echo Dot for $155 for a limited time.
