Less smoke, less mess and more fun. That promises the maker of the LUMO, a smart indoor infrared grill.

Eureka is the column for 'product designs for tomorrow' from The Engineer.

The LUMO looks like a bulky table grill, but thanks to a clever piece of culinary technology, it works differently. Food - be it a steak or a slice of salmon - is heated underneath from all sides by invisible infrared light.

Preheating is not necessary and it is impossible to grill the dish too short or too long, according to manufacturer Cozy-Time. Artificial intelligence (the manufacturer calls it an AI smart sense culinary system) uses a camera and an infrared sensor to determine for itself exactly what is on the grill, its size and weight, and which temperature settings are needed for perfect cooking.

Precision reflectors

Just as a charcoal grill works mainly through infrared heat released when charcoal burns, the LUMO also transfers energy directly to the surface and inside of the food via this heat. The infrared energy is directed directly onto the food via four precision reflectors. As the heating elements are arranged in a circular arrangement, the food is heated evenly. The outside becomes crispy, the inside juicy, says the manufacturer.

Grilling tracking with your app

Via a separate app, you can specify how you want your meat cooked: still red inside or a bit more well done. In that app, by the way, you can also follow the grilling process exactly: no need to get up from the couch for that. Cleaning would be a piece of cake.

Among consumers, the product is catching on. On Kickstarter, the requested amount was already received within two hours. From July, the LUMO will be delivered for just under three hundred euros.

Photo: LUMO