The idea of a smart home is great; unlimited connectivity between all of your devices, so you can sit back and relax. But it often means buying expensive new appliances that are locked to a particular ecosystem.

UK-based Smarter offers a solution. Their FridgeCam is a smart camera for inside your fridge. You can view what's inside using their Android and iOS apps. And it's not only available on your local network; the contents of your fridge are accessible on-the-go too.

Smarter's FridgeCam at IFA 2019

Their three-tiered identification system means that you can tell which products you already have, and, once they're gone from the fridge, that you need to replace them. When the FridgeCam realizes you're out of an item, it adds it to your online grocery list, and it'll appear with your next delivery, no effort required. In the UK, the company partners with the supermarket Tesco, as well as Amazon Fresh for auto-replenishment too.

Footage from Smarter's FridgeCam at IFA 2019

The FridgeCam can be retrofitted into any fridge, so you don't need to go out shopping for a new home appliance to get smart features. At IFA 2019, Smarter launched their FridgeCam Plus alongside the Powered by Smarter platform. The company partnered with AEG/Electrolux to bring the FridgeCam Plus to part of their domestic electrical lineup.

The Powered by Smarter platform means that Smarter's AI and software can now be integrated into third-party products. This is similar to how Amazon's Alexa is available in their own products like the Fire TV Stick and Echo, while also appearing on a wide variety of other devices.

Since launching in 2013, Smarter has released three products; the FridgeCam, Smarter Coffee, and iKettle. The Smarter Coffee machine is a bean to cup device, allowing you to customize your brew from your smartphone. You don't even need to use the machine to get your perfect drink; just a few taps sets the machine going.

The iKettle has been relaunched as the iKettle EDITION, now available in a variety of modern colors to match your home. Like the Smarter Coffee, the iKettle allows you to customize your boil, start the kettle with just a tap on your smartphone, and even use the wake-up mode to get a boiled kettle ready for you first thing in the morning, or as you arrive home.

The FridgeCam is available to buy now for £149.99 from Smarter's website.