Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I have been wanting to purchase this since way before it was released - I would go to the website and dream about all the cool ways to use it. So, when I was given some money and gift certificates for my birthday, I ordered the Demy right away.
It arrived yesterday, and having played with it for several hours (including adding recipes and "cookbooks"), I have several observations.
Pros:
1. Solid construction and intuitive use. The power button is on the bottom and is easy to spot. On either side of the power button are the sockets for the usb cable (included) and the charger (also included). They both have rubber covers that can be placed over the outlet when they are not being used to prevent food getting inside.
2. Able to change font size and brightness level. There are 3 settings for each, making it nice when you're looking at the screen around a big mixing bowl, etc. You can also change the time before the Demy dims and before it "sleeps".
3. The included "gadgetry" in the software. The conversion calculator, the 3 timers, the substitution list - all are terrific. And of course, the ability to put recipes in separate folders ("cookbooks").
4. The recipe input process is fairly painless. I'm a quick typist, so I chose to input my recipes myself rather than paying to have them scanned for me, and the area to input recipes is easy to use. It's a nice, clean interface and is also easy to copy-and-paste if there are favored recipes on other websites.
Cons:
1. The cookbooks that the Demy came pre-loaded (as well as the individual recipes) cannot be deleted *at this time*. I just spoke to someone in Customer Service, and apparently this option will not be available until mid-August at the earliest.
2. The cookbooks/recipes that are already on the Demy DO NOT show up on the recipe website. So for example, one of the pre-loaded cookbooks is "Beef and Pork". If you decide you like that cookbook and want to load a favorite beef recipe into that cookbook - it doesn't work because since they don't register on the website, there is no way to add them.
3. There is no way to add/delete recipes or cookbooks right on the Demy. A small issue, but one that would be tremendously nice to have. There is also no way to search by keywords, so if you're looking for a specific recipe that doesn't have one of the ingredients in the title, you're out of luck. The index only lists recipes alphabetically.
4. There is no way to delete cookbooks you add personally. That's right - if you add a cookbook and decide you want to delete it in favor of something else, it will delete on the website but NOT on the Demy. For example, when I realized that I couldn't access the Beef and Pork cookbook, I wondered if adding an identically titled cookbook would help by taking the place of the first one, allowing me to access it. Nope. I got two identically titled cookbooks - no big deal, until I realized after deleting it on the website that it will not come off the Demy.
5. While the Demy will "sleep" after whatever preset time you program, it will not turn off, so it still sucks battery power. To actually turn the machine off, you have to hold the power button in the back until it beeps. Of course, if your machine does turn off (battery dies, etc.), then when you power it back on, rather than going back to the recipe you were using, it takes you back to the home screen, leaving you to find your place again. Small issues, but ones that would be nice if they were fixed. It would be nice to have my original place come back first, particularly if I'm in the middle of a dish.
6. Another small complaint is the process for adding recipes to the website. I either have to type them all in myself, or pay something like 50 cents per recipe to the companion site to have them loaded to the website for me. So, if like many, I get this machine to store a lot of loose recipes, that's either a bunch of typing over a long period of time, or a fair amount of money. While I'm no software guru, I would think it would be possible to scan my own recipes in, rather than typing them all by hand. And for any recipes stored on my computer, like a photo program, the software could scan my computer and create a file to load.
Quite honestly, for the price of this item, most of these things should have been taken care of before it was released. I love the idea of the Demy, and would love to keep it, but the execution of the software leaves a lot to be desired and makes it much more clunky than helpful. I am honestly thinking hard about returning it until a later date when I know that these issues (or at least the big ones) will have been fixed.
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Demy Kitchen Safe Touchscreen Recipe ReaderDesigned for cooks to have their favorite recipes at their fingertips, the Demy Kitchen Safe Touchscreen Recipe Reader from Key Ingredient holds your personal recipe collection in one compact, sleek device. Rather than risk splashing or spilling ingredients on your laptop or trying to read a smartphone's tiny screen while following a recipe, the Demy is designed to thrive in the unpredictable and often messy kitchen environment. It offers a splash-resistant design and sturdy plastic exterior that's easy to clean. Spills easily wipe off the sealed touchscreen with a damp cloth.
The Demy includes a high-resolution 7-inch touchscreen with an intuitive graphical navigation interface and easily adjustable font size. The Demy only takes up as much space as a 5 by 7-inch card, and you can stand the Demy on its end--automatically flipping the screen-- to that it only takes up the space of a 3 x 5 card. Other features include three built-in timers, measurement conversion tool and a handy list of ingredient substitutions.
It stores up to 2500 of your favorite recipes, and the device syncs up to your keyingredient.com account just by plugging it into the USB on your computer. At the Key Ingredient web site, you can build your free personal recipe collection by typing in, copying and pasting, import from other sites, or select from over 100,000 tested recipes already posted on the site. The Demy includes an AC adapter and USB cable.
Features
Store up to 2500 recipes. Have all of your personal, favorite and road tested recipes right at your fingertips--all available in your kitchen. The Demy syncs up to your keyingredient.com account just by plugging it into the USB on your computer.
Two different viewing angles. The Demy only takes up as much space as a 5 x 7 card. Still need more space? Stand your Demy on end. The screen flips automatically, and it only takes up the space of a 3 x 5 card
Designed to meet the demands of a busy kitchen. The splash-resistant design and sturdy plastic exterior make it easy to clean. Spills easily wipe off the sealed touchscreen with a damp cloth.
A virtual library of every recipe in your Demy. Accessing your recipes has never been easier. Jump to any letter in your recipe collection with just one tap. You can also organize your collection into cookbooks on keyingredient.com
Adjust font size as needed. Tap Demy's "Font Size" button and enlarge text until your eyes are comfortable.
Quickly access your favorite recipes. Making a brunch or a complex holiday meal? Simply find each recipe you want and add it to your Short List. They'll be waiting for you on a short list that you can easily flip through as you cook.
Three built-in timers. No need to juggle cooking times as the Demy comes with three built-in timers, which notify you with flashes and tones as each cooking time expires.
Milliliters to teaspoons and ounces to grams. Don't remember how many ounces are in a pound? The Demy's conversion tool will quickly convert your portions from one measurement to another.
Thorough list of ingredient alternatives. No need to make the emergency trips to the grocery store or delay meal time for one missing ingredient. Quickly access a list of ingredient substitutions that will save the day.
PC Requirements
Microsoft Windows XP or Vista operating system; Apple Mac OS X 10.5 operating system or later
IE 6+, Firefox or Safari web browser
USB 2.0 port
Internet connection
What's in the Box This package includes the Demy, battery, AC adapter, USB cable, quick start guide, and warranty information. The Demy is covered by a 90-day warranty, which can be extended to 2 years with purchase of the optional Demy Care Plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get recipes on the Demy? The Demy is powered by keyingredient.com, the best site on the internet for you to find, create, share and collect your recipes. Membership is free and getting started is easy. Once you have a keyingredient.com account, you can use recipes from the Key Ingredient site or use your own recipes by typing them in or by sending your hard copy recipes to be transcribed for you using scanmyrecipes.com. Then, simply plug the Demy USB cable into your Mac or PC and the Demy automatically syncs your recipe collection from keyingredient.com.
Are my recipes kept private? You can choose to preserve your recipes as a completely private collection or you can select some or all of your recipes to be shared with a just a few selected friends or even to the public.
What does kitchen-safe mean? The Demy was created to meet the demands of a busy kitchen. Its splash-resistant design and sturdy plastic exterior make it easy to clean. Spills and smudges easily wipe off the sealed touchscreen with a damp cloth. The Demy has been tested to withstand splashes, but should never be submerged or placed under running water.
Is it dangerous to have an electric device like the Demy in the kitchen? No, the Demy has been tested safe for normal kitchen use. However, like most electric kitchen appliances, it should not be submerged or placed in running or standing water.
How do I clean the Demy? No special cloths or liquids are required to clean the Demy. A soft, damp cloth will work fine.
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