SmartShopper 301 Review

And just like that, we have an update to a device that could change how we live–or at least how we shop at the local Safeway.

Meet the SmartShopper 301, a grocery list organizer you talk to. When you’re out of a certain much-needed item, like, say, whiskey, you walk over to the small, wall-mounted device and tell it, "Hey, you, wall-mounted list taker, listen up! I’m out of whiskey again!" It then automatically adds "whiskey" to your grocery list.

The battery-operated SmartShopper supports multiple listings of each object. For example, my list would say, "Whiskey, 10x" or something similar. The new version improves over its predecessor by bettering the voice recognition technology and adding an improved printer that uses the same type of thermal printer as a calculator, so there’s no ink. Truly, the future is here.

It’s hands-free, except you do have to push the button that tells the device to listen to you. Then you simply speak. It recognizes more than 2,500 common brands and items, and even allows for the manual entry of specific objects it doesn’t include.

When it’s time to shop, hit the "print list" button and a handy list is printed on a slip of paper. The items are auto-categorized (frozen foods, dairy, fresh produce, snacks etc.) to make shopping easier and faster. For example, at my local store, the whiskey and cigarettes are across the store from the pregnancy test kits. Magic!

The family-friendly device is available now at the SmartShopper Web site for $150. It’s not something I’d use (as a total bachelor), but I could see why families or even friends who share houses could find it useful.