Get Started With Cinder

Frequently Asked Questions

• Do I need to stir my food?

  Nope, no stirring required. Because Cinder's plates heat evenly and precisely, most foods you would cook on the Cinder don't require stirring. Just put the food in Cinder, set the temperature, and let it do its job.

• Can I cook from frozen?

  Yes, you can place frozen food directly on your Cinder. Cinder defrosts your food at a low temperature until it reaches 32°F, then it begins cooking like normal.

• What cooking techniques can Cinder accomplish?

  Because Cinder has both top and bottom grill plates, you can use it either by closing the lid like a countertop grill or panini press, or you can use it open like a pan or griddle.

  This means you can grill, broil, pan-fry, sauté, roast, sear, warm, and defrost. (Cinder is not ideal for baking, boiling or simmering liquid, or steaming.)

• Can I cook multiple foods at once?

  If every item requires the same final temperature, absolutely.

  Because Cinder holds food at the target temperature indefinitely, even foods that take varying times to cook can be cooked simultaneously — nothing will overcook or dry out while you wait for the rest to finish.

  If the foods require different final temperatures, it's best to cook them in succession.

• How do I clean the Cinder?

  Thanks to the non-stick plates, all you do is wipe down the grills with a damp paper towel and occasionally wash the drip tray whenever it fills up. (Cinder keeps all the moisture inside your food, so there's almost never anything to empty.)

• Can I leave Cinder unattended?

  Yes! The Cinder Precision Grill will cook your food unattended, letting you focus on side dishes (or chatty guests). You can even run out to the gym and have your post-workout meal ready for you when get home.

  Cinder keeps your food at the target temperature for up to two hours with no loss in taste or texture.

• How long can I leave my food?

  Most meats, including beef, chicken, or fish can hold for around 2 hours with no loss in quality.

• Do I need to use the app when cooking with Cinder?

  No, the Cinder Grill can be used without the app — just set the temperature manually by turning the dial and waiting until Cinder beeps to let you know your food is ready.

  However, the Cinder app provides a better set-it-and-forget process: Select the food you're cooking from a list, choose your desired doneness (e.g. rare, medium, well done), and Cinder will not only estimate how long cooking will take (P.S. Cinder is faster than sous-vide), but it'll notify you when your food has reached temperature.

  That's all there is to it. We've kept the app dead simple. It gets out of your way.

  The Cinder App is currently available for iPad and iPhone, and the Android app will be developed once we hit our Indiegogo fundraising goal.

• What foods can I cook with Cinder?

  Anything you could put in a frying pan, grill, griddle, or shallow stovetop pan, you can put in Cinder: proteins from duck breast to seared scallops, and vegetables from caramelized apples to silky-smooth caramelized onions.

  Here are some of our favorite things to Cinder:

  • Meat:

    Fresh, marinated, spiced, and frozen. Beef, pork, poultry, fish, Seafood are sooo good.

  • Tofu:

    Tofu steaks and marinated tofu stir-fry.

  • Eggs:

    Want to taste the perfect sunny-side-up egg or omelette?

  • Vegetables:

    Fresh eggplant, squash, garlic, and brussel sprouts

  • Onions

    and peppers: Grilled, fajita-style charred, or caramelized.

  • Potatoes:

    Homefries and hashbrowns

  • Desserts:

    Apple pie filling, grilled peaches

  • Sandwiches:

    Grilled cheese, paninis

• How does the Cinder app know when the food is ready?

  Cinder measures the thickness of your food based on the top grill's displacement when closed. Then the app takes your food type and target doneness into consideration when monitoring the internal chamber temperature.

  The notification that your food has reached temperature is based on real-time data. Cinder runs a patent-pending algorithm to determine when this occurs.