Earlier this year, Mellow teased their second generation appliance even as it was putting the remaining inventory of their troubled gen 1 on fire sale. And now, in advance of a Kickstarter campaign to be launched next week, the company has unveiled details of the new product which will be called the Mellow Duo.
The most noticeable difference between the original and the Duo is the second generation has not one but two cooking vats to drop food into (hence the name, Duo). According to the company, this will allow a Duo to prepare up a sizeable 10 portions in a cooking session.
Not surprisingly, the new version also has a built-in refrigeration system like the original. As many will remember, it was this feature that both set the appliance apart early on and got it into some hot (or not quite cold enough) water. WIRED’s Joe Ray gave it a 1 out of 10 in his review of the product, finding that the first Mellow didn’t bring the food’s temperature low enough or hold it there to keep food out of the “danger zone” where bacteria can grow.
Mellow worked quickly to fix the issue and deployed a new app, and now with the Duo the company say they’ve gone even further, improving the cooling technology by “shortening the time between setting the machine up and when ingredients can be added and remain safely refrigerated.” According to the new product’s specs, the refrigerator cools the food to 39 degrees.
The Mellow Duo in action
Will Mellow be able to course correct after a troubled first generation and succeed with the launch of the Duo? Possibly. Despite its issues, the original Mellow does have a fairly active user base, mostly likely because its ability to chill and cook is something that appeals to some. While others are beginning to introduce products like the Suvie, for the time being the Mellow remains the only dedicated sous vide appliance with built-in refrigeration.
Interestingly, unlike its predecessor, the Mellow Duo will debut on Kickstarter. Crowdfunding always carries certain risk for a company, and success often depends on whether the campaign can get quickly out of the gate in its first 48 hours, so we’ll be watching closely next week to see how the Duo performs.
The new product will retail for $399, but backers will have a chance to pick one up for $299 when the Kickstarter campaign begins next week.
See specs for the new Mellow Duo below:
Appliance Size:
Height: 16.1 inches (410 mm)
Width: 7.5 inches (190 mm)
Depth: 14.1 inches (360 mm)
Water Bath Size:
Vat Large:
Height: 11.6 inches (294 mm)
Width: 7.5 inches (190 mm)
Depth: 6.9 inches (360 mm)
Vat Small:
Height: 11.6 inches (294 mm)
Width: 7.5 inches (190 mm)
Depth: 14.1 inches (176 mm)
Maximum Cooking Capacity:
8.5 Liters
About 10 regular portions
Heating Power:
1000 Watt
Cooling Power:
178 Watt
System Requirements:
Wi-Fi connection
iOS 9 or later or Android 4.4 or later device
Temperature Stability:
+/- 1°F at 140°F
Temperature Range:
39°F (at 84°F room temp.) to 194°F
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