Smart Plate Reviews - What Is It?
WARNING: DO NOT BUY Smart Plate Until You Read This Review!
Is it a Scam? Does It Really Work? Check Ingredients, Side Effects and More!
Smart Plate is a device specially created for people who are looking to lose some weight or who are training a lot and calories are an important part of their life. The manufacturer claims that this system is able to effortlessly and instantly analyze everything you eat. All you will have to do is to put your food onto Smart Plate like normal. How does it work? It has three built-in load sensors able to capture the weight of your food, calculate the amount of calories you eat, and even how fast you're eating. This unusual plate also has three digital mini-cameras that can identify everything placed on its surface with the use of advanced image recognition. Then the device takes all the data and sends it to the USDA's database of more than 8,000 common foods linked to the company's database of more than 300,000 SKUs and 100,000 restaurant meals. This complex process takes only several seconds.
In return you will get complete identity of your food, its nutrient composition and calorie count. You will know not just the number of calories but also their type, as well as the form of macronutrients. Earlier, these factors could be tracked only manually. Smart Plate also claims to give you behavior recommendations meant to improve physical performance, help you lose weight; manage states related to poor eating habits, etc. This plate seems to be very promising cool, but does it really work as advertised by the company? Are the provided data useful enough? Let's dive in these questions but at first let's take a look at who manufactures Smart Plate. The company behind the product is known as Fitly based out of Philadelphia, PA. Anthony Ortiz is a founder and CEO who was inspired by his father who has gone through triple bypass heart surgery.
Customer Reviews - Does Smart Plate Really Work?
There is a limited number of customer reviews about the product online. From an aesthetic point of view, the device looks like a machine from a 1960s science fiction movie. It is made from a BPA free, non-stick, and heat-resistant plastic. This material is refrigerator, microwave, and dishwasher safe. You can wash it in the dishwasher or rinse manually. This feature is highly appreciated by users. The device is 10" in diameter and all of its three sections were made to prevent eating large portions, which can have a big impact on your figure. A load sensor is located underneath each section, which can measure up to 1,500 grams, or three pounds. The process of using Smart Plate works over four steps. The first one involves Smart Plate iOS or Android app that the device automatically connects to. Choose the "Snap It" option to take a picture of your food, click the check mark to submit it. The device's app will analyze your food and provide you the information (macronutrient content, calories, etc.) in an easy-to-read format, all in as little as 1 second. You can add the information to your journal.
As a matter of fact, the manufacturer does not disclose the core of this process but they mention the use of some proprietary algorithms able to identify foods and receive the nutrient information. Even though your Smart Plate might be able to identify whole foods (plums or pears) with 99.9% accuracy, it might take some time to learn the difference between vinaigrette and a salad with ranch dressing. If the algorithms fail to identify a food, they will provide you with a few options to choose from. This will require your mind and hand, though. After the device identifies your food, its major macronutrients (e.g. carbs, protein, sugar, etc.) will be displayed on your screen. This is expected to help you achieve your goals like losing weight or gaining muscle mass. If you suffer from some specific health conditions like hypertension or diabetes, you may need this information to maintain a proper diet. The manufacturer of Smart Plate claims that you will be able to track every meal you eat, the amount of calories you consume. But what are real owners of this device are saying about it?
It is important to mention that the company got its start through a Kickstarter campaign, where more than $110,000 was brought it by the fledgling company to start the production. Smart Plate was featured on season 7, episode 17 of Shark Tank. As a matter of fact, none of the Sharks invested, because they felt that the technology wasn't developed completely. There were a few questions about its price tag, as well as participation of third-party firms to design the device. The product has received much media attention. It was featured in such outlets as Mashable, Forbes, and many others. Since Smart Plate has been on the market not so long, it has very few actual users' reviews. It has met a lot of suspicion from the customers who doubted whether the device provided truthful information, especially when it concerned calorie counting. Many users confessed that the product wasn't worth the money it cost. To get a better idea of the users' opinion, let us take a look at the real customers' reviews left online.
"The SmartPlate can only count nutrients, but it frequently faces difficulties even in this function. It is the method of cooking you apply that can make it difficult for the device to identify which nutrients are present. Even if it identifies those nutrients accurately, all people absorb food differently. A number of factors should be taken into account here"
"I have been waiting for almost two years for a product of this kind. The manufacturer said that it would be shipped by such and such a time but it wasn't. I was really concerned about when I was going to receive my order. My Smart Plate was finally delivered but it was not what I expected to get. The device simply does not perform as advertised by the company"
"I am not satisfied with my purchase at all. First, I ordered Smartplate from the manufacturer and was waiting for it for three long weeks. When it arrived I was disappointed since the product had a lower quality than expected. When I started using it, it failed to identify my foods really often. So, I can say that it is useless and not worth the money it costs"
Where To Buy Smart Plate?
Smart Plate has been available for order since fall 2016 for $149. You will have a chance to choose between black, purple, or white colors. Each order comes with a microwavable lid and a 30-day refund policy. According to the official website, a returned product must be in good condition, not damaged or broken. Add all accessories that came with your purchase too. The product also comes with a one-year limited warranty against defects in workmanship and materials. To process a warranty claim or refund, you will need to the contact customer service. The product isn't available on Walmart, Amazon or GNC.
My Final Summary
Smart Plate is not as perfect as claimed by the manufacturer. What do I mean? Well, if your major goal is to lose weight, the system might be useful for you, though it fails to cope with the task quite often. But if you are looking for a device that does more than just calorie counting, this system will not be a good option for you. You will need to look for a more functional and smarter system. Another concern is the cost of the device. Many actual owners find it too high, especially when taking into account frequent episodes requiring manual search of the product. With this in mind, I cannot recommend Smart Plate to usage.