It’s a griller’s worst nightmare — The steaks are seasoned, the corn is husked, your beer is topless, aaand the grill is fresh out of propane. You probably should’ve tested it before you invited everyone over for an impromptu backyard barbecue, but short of lifting the tank and guessing, there’s really no good way to check how much gas you have left anyway.
But this age-old problem might soon be a thing of the past if Refuel ever becomes a reality. Currently gaining steam on the invention incubator website Quirky, Refuel is a clever little scale designed to live underneath your propane tank. Once installed, it constantly measures the weight of the tank, and is programmed to change the color of an attached indicator light at the exact moment it starts to get low.
It’s still just a prototype at this point, but creator Anthony Reddington has plans to include a smartphone app with the finished product, which would allow you to check levels while you’re away from home, say, picking up barbecue supplies at the store.
Refuel’s product page on Quirky says the device is currently “in production,” but details on when it might become available to consumers are nowhere to be found. There are, however, details that suggest what the product might cost. If Refuel ever gets mass produced, the website suggests it’ll only cost around 18-25 bucks – a small price to pay for the peace of mind that comes with knowing your future barbecues will never get cut short.
Find out more here.
