I'm not sure what I think about this new site from TurboChef. It's an incredibly rich Flash interface that describes the features of an ultra-premium appliance in fine detail, there are clever transitions that play with the cooking metaphor, and it offers the Web equivalent of a cooking show with celebrity chef Charlie Trotter.
But it still seems soul-less. If I was designing the site, it would be less about the technology (a nod to the Dyson vacuum?) and more about the emotional benefits - you get to do real, old-fashioned cooking, but in a fraction of the time. The feeling would be more about how the technology empowers the user - it frees you to make those gourmet meals you always dreamed of, to host fancy dinner parties, to make yourself asparagus instead of oven fries - not about the technology as the thing-in-itself.
I think the product designers who worked with TurboChef understood this very well. Although it's a $7500 oven, it has a retro shape and color that recalls classic Wedgewood ovens of the 1950s.
Is this a great site or a near miss?
Misha Cornes
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consumer trends, reviews
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Strategists & Planners
Comments (5)
(this comment has not and will not be spell checked)
Maybe a near miss? Depends how much of a pixel pushing perfectionist you are.
I love the concept and design. From a business objective perspective it's giving a great understanding of the product in the right context. But in most cases it falls a little flat on the execution.
Example: I should not need to wait 2 minutes for it to initially load and then be given the choice to SKIP INTRO. The intro I just loaded.
Loading overall seems to be a challenge. The load time to learn about Charlie is crazy considering that all he does is walk up and stand there. Plus that section has no interactivity.
I also like the "3D Fly Out" but not at the cost of good image quality.
All said though, it's great and I hope to see more like it. More importantly, more that have learned from the lessons of this one.
Thanks as always for the great site 3Mds.
Chad
Posted by Chad Warner | October 15, 2007 8:01 PM
Posted on October 15, 2007 20:01
the oven was designed by frog design. the website was not.
Posted by oven lover | October 15, 2007 10:15 PM
Posted on October 15, 2007 22:15
The concept was by Mono of Minneapolis (who worked for Dyson!), interactive production by Your Majesty .
Posted by Registered User
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October 16, 2007 10:53 AM
Posted on October 16, 2007 10:53
User might get a little lost in the initial splatter of flying objects... and all such embellishments. Not a great way to introduce a product like this. (A common case of adding 'stuff' to a simple concept)
I wouldn't worry about the load times of charlie/recipes... I think that is justified. Like the way this product has been placed in context and oriented towards an activity rather a list of features.
Posted by Harsh | October 24, 2007 8:47 AM
Posted on October 24, 2007 08:47
Do not buy Turbochef yet. I bought one in November 2007 and I had to return it. My 2007 Thanksgiving dinner was not finished because Turbochef, with many small defects, made a "bang" noise, kept flashing its screens until the power breaker was off. The $7500 bought me many things in addition: annoying noise, rattle, roller rack falling apart, metal shavings, sharp edges inside, chipping paint, inability to work in microwave mode, dinged stainless steal face plate, falling apart knob, need for software update just days out of factory and the need to fully remove the oven from built-in wall for service - and all this for only $7,500 list price. Add to it lack of veritable support - they only say that they stand behind it, but when needed - they act as if in a sandbox. I sent it back to the store expecting a replacement promissed by Turbochef managers - and Turbochef told the dealer not to sell me another unit.
Posted by Do Not Buy Turbochef Yet | December 3, 2007 10:52 AM
Posted on December 3, 2007 10:52