The world of smart kitchen appliances is heating up. Brands like Tovala are promising home-cooked meals in minutes with high-tech ovens that can scan barcodes and automatically cook full meals to perfection.
It all sounds incredibly convenient, especially for busy people struggling to find time to grocery shop and cook nutritious dinners every night. But does the reality of Tovala‘s smart oven and meal delivery service actually live up to the hype?
I decided to put Tovala to the test to find out if it‘s worth the investment. In this in-depth Tovala smart oven review, I‘ll cover everything you need to know, from how the oven and app work to meal quality, pricing, and what real customers have to say.
Let‘s get cooking!
Overview of Tovala and How the Smart Oven Works
Tovala is a relative newcomer in the world of smart kitchen gadgets, founded in 2016 by a group of technologists and food lovers. Their goal was to make home cooking easier and more enjoyable without compromising on food quality.
The core of their offering is a countertop convection steam oven that can not only bake, broil, steam and toast but also scan packaged meals to automatically set the optimal cooking time and temperature.
Here‘s a quick rundown of how Tovala‘s smart oven and meal delivery service works:
- Get the Tovala oven. The oven currently costs $299, but I found a promo code to get it for just $99 with your first meal order (more details below).
- Choose a meal plan. Pick anywhere from 3-12 chef-designed meals per week, delivered fresh to your door. Meals cost $10-$15 each.
- Scan to cook. When meal time comes, just scan the barcode on the packaging and the oven automatically starts cooking using the ideal method and temperature for that specific dish.
- Enjoy restaurant-quality meals at home. Tovala‘s meals are crafted by classically trained chefs using high-quality, responsibly-sourced ingredients.
The oven itself is no slouch either. In addition to scanning and cooking Tovala meals, it features settings for baking, broiling, steaming, reheating leftovers and more. It can fit a whole chicken, 9-inch pizza, or several Tovala meals trays at once.
So in theory, Tovala provides home cooks with ultimate convenience without forcing them to resort to lifeless frozen meals or expensive takeout every night. But does it deliver on that promise? Let‘s take a closer look.
Tovala Smart Oven Benefits and Drawbacks
Tovala seems to check all the boxes in terms of convenience, quality and innovation. But I wanted to dig deeper into the key pros and cons of the Tovala smart oven and meal plan based on my research and hands-on testing.
Pros of Tovala
Effortless cooking: This is Tovala‘s biggest selling point. The oven does all the work for you – no prep, no cleanup required. Just scan a barcode and enjoy a fresh, chef-prepared meal in about 20 minutes. For time-strapped folks, it doesn‘t get much easier.
Consistent meal quality: While taste is subjective, Tovala‘s meals consistently earn rave reviews for their creative recipes and high-quality ingredients. Even better, the smart oven technology means your food is always cooked to perfection. No more dry chicken or mushy veggies!
Endless variety: With 20+ weekly menu options covering all types of global cuisine, Tovala makes it easy to avoid recipe ruts. I love having chef-curated recipes on hand for inspiration on busy nights.
Oven versatility: While designed with Tovala meals in mind, the Tovala smart oven can also bake, broil, toast, steam and reheat. You can cook frozen foods, leftovers, and anything else just like a traditional oven thanks to its multiple cooking modes.
Cons of Tovala
Upfront cost: There‘s no getting around it – $299 is a lot for a tiny countertop oven, even with the $200 discount I found. You need to factor in the ongoing cost of meals too. It adds up quickly, so Tovala is a pricier choice compared to cooking from scratch.
Learning curve: It takes time to get the hang of scanning meals, navigating oven settings, etc. The technology is impressive but not always intuitive. Expect a transition period as you learn the ins and outs.
Mixed reviews of some meals: While most dishes earn rave reviews, some get dinged for being too salty, sweet or just lacking in flavor. Personal taste plays a role, but quality control seems hit or miss at times.
Can‘t customize recipes: One downside of premade meals is that you eat what you‘re given. If you have dietary restrictions or just don‘t love part of a recipe, you don‘t have much wiggle room to make swaps.
As you can see, convenience comes at a cost – both literally in terms of the price tag and also flexibility around customizing meals. Whether the pros outweigh the cons depends on your needs and budget.
Detailed Breakdown of Tovala Oven and Meal Plan Pricing
Speaking of budget, let‘s look at what it actually costs to get started with Tovala and keep meals stocked on a weekly basis:
-
Tovala Oven: $299 regular retail price. Use code 50OFF299 at checkout to get it for $99 with your first meal order.
-
Meal Plan Pricing: Meals cost $12-$15 each depending on your order size. Here‘s a breakdown:
- 3 meals/week: $35 ($11.67 per meal)
- 4 meals/week: $47 ($11.75 per meal)
- 6 meals/week: $71 ($11.83 per meal)
- 8 meals/week: $95 ($11.88 per meal)
- 10 meals/week: $119 ($11.90 per meal)
- 12 meals/week: $143 ($11.92 per meal)
As you can see, larger plans come out to just pennies cheaper per meal but offer flexibility if you want more variety throughout the week.
Overall, most full-priced prepared meal delivery services cost $10 to $15 per meal, so Tovala‘s pricing is very comparable. Factor in the heavily discounted oven price, and it becomes an even better value as long as you plan to order meals regularly.
Tovala Reviews: What Real Customers Are Saying
Beyond the marketing claims and spec sheets, I wanted to dig into first-hand Tovala smart oven reviews from real customers. Here‘s a summary of the feedback I found across major review sites:
- Tovala‘s website: 4.6 out of 5 stars across 8,400+ ratings
- Amazon: 4.1 out of 5 stars across 2,000+ ratings
- Google Reviews: 4.5 out of 5 stars across 335+ ratings
- BBB: B+ rating (out of A+ to F scale) across 35+ reviews
The majority of customer feedback is very positive, with most people awarding 4 or 5 stars in their Tovala oven reviews.
In particular, happy customers praise the convenience, meal quality and oven performance. Many call the Tovala smart oven a total game changer for making healthy home-cooked meals with minimal effort.
However, I did come across a segment of owners reporting issues like:
- Meals too salty or undersalted
- Missing ingredients or entire meals
- Broken oven parts shortly after purchase
- Lackluster customer service response times
These negative Tovala smart oven reviews represent a minority of customers but show there are still some kinks in quality control and support wait times.
As a new and rapidly growing startup pushing the boundaries of food tech, it‘s not entirely surprising Tovala would have some early growing pains. But I would like to see these types of defects and delays addressed moving forward.
How Does Tovala Compare to Competitors Like June Oven?
Tovala made an early splash in the emerging smart kitchen appliance category. But plenty of tech-enabled ovens, like June Oven, have followed with their own unique features and meal plans.
So how does Tovala stack up against one of its main high-end competitors? Let‘s pit Tovala vs June Oven.
June Oven Overview
June Oven retails for $599 and comes with everything you need for smart cooking – built-in camera, precision temperature controls and even an integrated scale to show weights as you add ingredients.
It also guides you through recipes shown on its bright touchscreen display and allows remote monitoring or control from your smartphone.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | Tovala | June Oven |
|---|---|---|
| Oven & Meals Cost | $99 oven + $11-$15 per meal | $599 oven only |
| Primary Cooking Method | Steam convection | Air fry, convection, broil |
| Meal Convenience | Scan and cook prepared meals | Follow recipes on display |
| Smart Features | Scanning, automatic cook programs | Built-in camera, weight sensor |
| Payment Plan Available? | Yes | Yes |
The Verdict: Tovala offers outstanding value and meal convenience but loses points for inconsistent quality. June Oven provides next-level smart features and guidance for cooking anything but costs significantly more upfront.
Both picks have pros and cons that cater to different needs. Tovala makes sense if you want utterly effortless meals, while June Oven appeals to keen cooks who want high-tech assistance taking recipes to the next level.
Is Tovala Worth Investing In? My Final Take.
After extensive testing and research for this Tovala smart oven review, I think it makes an excellent addition for many busy households struggling to put hot, healthy meals on the table each night.
Thanks to its clever cooking technology, reliably delicious meals and current promotional pricing under $100, Tovala solves a real pain point in a user-friendly way. Yes, you can achieve similar results with traditional meal kits for less money, but nothing beats Tovala‘s sheer convenience.
However, the recurring meal costs add up quickly. Therefore I suggest treating Tovala as more of an occasional lifestyle upgrade rather than expecting it to replace your entire kitchen routine.
I also hope to see continued quality fine-tuning around issues like overly seasoned dishes and improving customer support interactions.
But considering most buyer satisfaction metrics and Tovala oven reviews score it very positively overall, I certainly believe it lives up to its hype for the most part. Just go in with realistic expectations around cost and meal customization flexibility.
Within those parameters, I confidently recommend giving Tovala‘s smart oven and chef-prepared meal delivery a try if you want to majorly level up your home cooking convenience and quality!
