The first thing you need to know about the cooling feature is that it is a game changer! You can drop your ingredients in Mellow before leaving to work and have dinner ready when you get home.
- Tips for optimizing Mellow’s Cooling feature.
- Is it safe to leave my food in Mellow while the water gets cold?
- Do I have to add ice?
- What if I don't have ice and want to use the cooling feature?
Tips for optimizing Mellow’s cooling feature
- Always start with cold water! With our latest App release (update your App on the iOS App Store or Google Play Store) Mellow automatically knows if your initial water is cold enough to start the cooling process.
- If your initial water temperature is too high, you will need to follow the ADD ICE prompt on the Mellow App. Adding ice as instructed insures that the water will cool to refrigeration temperature within two hours.
- To optimize the cooling feature, fill Mellow to the minimum water line mark and place your food packet inside. The ingredients should be fully submerged in the water. Add more water if needed to submerge, but do not fill past the maximum water line mark. Remember the more water the longer it takes to cool!
- Avoid placing Mellow under direct sunlight.
- Always ensure ingredients have been handled properly before cooking with Mellow. It is good practice to minimize the amount of time your ingredient stays outside of the refrigerator.
- When Mellow is in cooling mode, you may notice condensation on the container, this is totally normal.
Is it safe to leave my food in Mellow while the water gets cold?
Yes! Mellow is committed to customer satisfaction, food quality, and safety, but remember that you have to do your part, too. Handle food safely and start the cooling process with cold water. Used properly, the Mellow safely cools food within two hours to refrigeration temperature and out of the “danger zone.”
Do I have to add ice?
The ADD ICE feature optimizes your Mellow’s cooling capabilities for maximum energy efficiency and reduces food safety concerns by quickly bringing the water temperature down to target and holding below 40°F until it heats at the appropriate cooking time.
The Mellow App calculates the amount of ice you need, not less, not more. If you add too much ice, this can negatively influence your desired cooking results because your food may not reach the desired cooking temperature in time.
Mellow strongly recommends that you comply with this feature and add ice as instructed. Skipping this step increases the risk of food-borne illness. As the user, Food Safety starts with you.
What if I don't have ice and want to use the cooling feature?
If you choose not to add ice or don’t have ice available, please be aware that your Mellow could take longer to cool down below the 40°F target temperature then what is recommended. We always recommend starting with cold water. After adding water, you will be alerted with the Mellow App’s initial cooling estimate but be aware there are external factors to take into consideration when calculating cooling time. This includes the room temperature of your kitchen and the initial starting temperature of the water in the Mellow reservoir. When navigating through the app and selecting your cooking time you will be given the option to ADD ICE or SKIP. Please note that skipping this step increases the risk of food-borne illness. As the user, Food Safety starts with you.