# Mellow App — user reviews > 51 indexed App Store user reviews of Mellow App by Mellow Inc., rated 1.39/5 from 241 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mellow-app/id1083626592/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mellow-app/id1083626592.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 17 · 4★ 5 · 3★ 4 · 2★ 4 · 1★ 211 ## Newest reviews (18 of 51) ### 1/5 — Unable to access app and no support *2022-03-16, version 2.1.0* I’ve had the mellow when it first came out paying $400 and having a free app. It was awesome and somewhere along the way, they weren’t making enough reoccurring revenue, kicked out the founder, and decided to limit features unless you were paying for the now paid app. The worst part is that the app never works and somehow I need someone to reset my access each time or I get a blank screen. I’ve been trying to contact support to have it reset since Christmas and it’s now spring. No response and finally had apple refund me for my paid subscription. DO NOT BUY. It’s an expensive paper weight best. Nothing that it once was or the creators had intended it to be. ### 1/5 — Effectively a fraud - Apple take them down *2021-12-12, version 2.1.0* Im terrible angry at myself for this purchase. I’m not sure why Apple is letting this company continue business via their App Store. I created an account using FB login, which is now unsupported, but I’m unable to move my Mellow to a new account without logging into my old account (which they will not allow). This is a fraudulent company. Shame on anyone wasting their days working for them. Quit and clear your conscience. ### 1/5 — Once brilliant. Now a bunch of scamming thieves *2021-11-24, version 2.1.0* Once upon a time this device was so helpful. Then they decided to spring a trap and lock everything that made this device worth it behind a paywall. Then when I faced billing issues where I tried to subscribe to their app and was still locked out of features, they basically laughed off my issue in a week late support email. When you combine these things with the scam they pulled by using indiegogo funds to pay creditors, these people have descended into full scammers. Avoid. ### 1/5 — Is my mellow a brick? *2021-08-20, version 2.1.0* App has not loaded past login screen in a week, and customer support has not responded to me for several days. Without the app, the device has no controls and is essentially bricked. I hope it comes back, otherwise I will need to trash this expensive device. ### 1/5 — Useless, do not buy *2021-05-07, version 2.1.0* I don’t care what they promise in the future, all their existing promises are broken and they cannot be trusted. I was an original backer and I loved my mellow. Even after the subscription changes, I stuck with it. This all came to an end when they malfunctioned and their app didn’t let me sign in (and, yes, I’m very computer savvy and took all the usual steps, and then some). What sealed the deal was the lack of response from their tech support for over three months! Mellow is dead. Do not buy. ### 1/5 — I don’t need another subscription *2021-03-14, version 2.1.0* I bought this because I loved the concept and ease. It was high tech and easy to use. If I would have know YEARS after my initial investment I’d have to pay to use my own appliance I wouldn’t have bought it. I could have easily just bought something that just fit into a stock pot. So dissatisfied and frustrated. ### 1/5 — Actually harder now than a cheap stick sous-vide *2020-12-29, version 2.1.0* The Mellow sous -vide is size limited and takes up space when not in use. It requires an app to set the temp. The key thing it had was you touched a button and it cooled then later heated to be done at a specific time by selecting from a limited number of recipes. Sorry that a server farm to provide this costs money, but that can’t be $50/year, or $14 for a month! Maybe $5 a year could be understood, but as it stands, no one would pay the $400 I paid, then another $50 every year for an appliance, albeit formerly great, that gets used maybe 15 times a year! Reduce the usurious subscription! The company continues to misrepresent via the cooling “feature.” Whereas before, it automatically cooled until time to heat - i.e set up in AM and leave to co e home to dinner ready, now it only cools until you are around to set a manual program. They could at least allow a sequence in the advanced menu to let you cool until a specific time, then heat, but they limit the lowest programmable temperature to 86 F to effectively disable the cooling that you overpaid for when you bought it. ### 1/5 — Bait and Switch *2020-11-23, version 2.1.0* I can understand the need to fund your service offering, but that was not how the device was sold. I might be willing to update the rating if you at least made it possible to permanently dismiss the shameless ask for money. I’m fine using manual mode, but that annoying pop up every time you access the app is beyond annoying. BTW, we personally bought 4 for us and family, and helped sell another 6 to friends. They all blame me for this surprise. ### 1/5 — Unacceptable way to treat customer, stay away *2020-08-22, version 2.1.0* I supported this project when it was still being created. I waited through the delays and the set backs, I referred at least a dozen people and then you make this switch to subscription service and do not allow for us to use the main selling feature without the subscription. That being setting your meal to be ready at a certain time even if it is manual. You are doing this to save your company, how short sighted your leadership is to think this will save you. You have ruined the experience of however many hundreds of people that supported you, you ruined the most important piece of your business which is customer trust. If you don’t understand the ramifications of this on your business you need to hire new leadership. Shameful ### 1/5 — So obtrusive *2020-08-20, version 2.1.0* I think enough has been said about the bait and switch Mellow pulled by charging current owners for features that used to be free. My major complaint is that the app NEVER STOPS NAGGING YOU to purchase a subscription. It’s nearly impossible to navigate the app without that stupid subscription modal taking over the screen, forcing you to click ‘no thanks’ about a million times. Ideally, I’d only have to do this once. I could even put up with it once a week. But when it pops up EVERY TIME you touch the screen, it’s infuriating. ### 1/5 — Bait and Switch *2020-08-19, version 2.1.0* I’m adding my voice to those who are outraged by the addition of a mandatory subscription service to an expensive machine I have now owned for a number of years. I feel betrayed. I have recommended Mellow to friends and family and now my device is being held for a $50/ ransom. The whole idea of the Mellow is that you can set the timer and have a freshly cooked meal when you get home from work. Without the subscription this is now impossible. I equate this to getting into my car one day and it telling me I have to pay a subscription fee if I want to go anywhere. Sure, I can sit in it for free, but for the car to move I have to pay, again. Mellow, you should refund these fees immediately. I don’t know how you’re going to stay in business with the bad blood this is generating amongst your formerly loyal and ardent supporters. ### 1/5 — Wow - talk about ripping off customers *2020-08-17, version 2.1.0* Adding my anger and displeasure to the others. I went to cook something today and you can no longer cook anything without paying for a subscription. No communication from Mellow with explanation. Talk about disappointing and ripping off customers. I waited almost 2 years after helping to crowd source this product and this is the way they thank the customers that built the company. Would give 0 stars if I could. ### 1/5 — Surprise subscription fees for Early Adopters *2020-08-16, version 2.1.0* What a piece of crap. Sold an item with a specific feature set only to have those base features locked behind a subscription in a surprise update. I’d rather throw my Mellow in the trash than support this kind of model that completely spits in the face of the people who supported their product. If I’d known they were going to go the route of this jacka**ery I’d have spent my money elsewhere. ### 1/5 — Avoid *2020-08-16, version 2.1.0* If you don’t have one yet and are considering this device, RUN. This company charged us all a hefty premium for a smart device then waited a few years and pulled the rug out from under its customers, requiring a monthly fee to use the critical features. Even if you’re okay with the fee, it’s obvious this organization is willing to put the screws to you down the road if it wants a little more profit. It might me $6/month today, why not $10/month next year or $20?! They are obviously willing to do so with impunity. Plus the usable size is tiny. If you need to have a dumb machine (like the Mellow if you don’t want to pay a monthly fee), you’d better off getting something bigger that you can put larger cuts into. We are going to give ours away to our older non tech savvy family, slam this company on all mediums, and purchase and support a competitor. You should too. ### 1/5 — Blindsided by new subscription fees *2020-08-04, version 2.1.0* This company just decided to implement a monthly/annual fee to use it without any prior notice. I bought this machine to use it and the basics of the app to cook meals. Today I’m forced to update the app and by updating app if I want to use the basic auto cooking features I’m being forced to pay for a monthly or annual subscription. So now I have to operate in manual mode or pay! I’m being held hostage with no notice. No help or tutorial to operate in manual mode. What a rip off. Do NOT buy, this is absurd. Holding users hostage to squeeze out a few bucks? They should be ashamed. I’ve had mine for 2 years and this is the thanks a loyal consumer gets? I was gonna but some machines for friends and family this coming holiday season after using mine during covid, not now. I scratched these rip off artists off my list. I’m furious. ### 1/5 — Bait and Switch *2020-08-03, version 2.1.0* Helped kickstart the Mellow and it WAS a great machine. Now, more than a year after launch they have put up a pay wall that denies you full functionality, all the things that I purchased and used for years have been take away. Do not buy unless you want to pay every month to use it. This is criminal and they deserve to be sued. ### 1/5 — Bait and switch *2020-08-03, version 2.1.0* I dove in even with the Wired reviews that this device could have food sit in the “no good temperature” zone for too long I decided it was up to me to make sure that did not happen and the other features were worth it. Now, all of a sudden those features which I paid for have been put behind a subscription service and the unit has been made into a dumb machine unless you pay $6 a month. This was not mentioned when I purchased the machine and now I will have to purchase another machine since these features which i purchased the unit for have been removed ### 1/5 — What??! Pay to use my machine? *2020-08-03, version 2.1.0* Updated my app today...and they revealed that we now need to pay an ongoing cost to keep the app updated. I’ve always been concerned that there were no actual buttons on the machine (app only control), and this is why. I paid more money UP FRONT for this machine vs competitors because of the scheduling feature, and now they require you to pay for it. It’s like selling you a couch with unique fabric that can be cleaned (costs more up front), and then coming back 3 years later telling you that this feature will cost you $50/year ongoing. Is this even legal? ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — App hasn’t worked for months… *2023-11-09* … and the product doesn’t work without the app. The last time this happened, it took 3 months for the company to reply to a support email via their website. At this point, that website appears to be abandoned (domain is available via GoDaddy), their last Instagram post was in 2017, and they no longer appear in a Facebook search. It appears this company has finally closed up shop. So, the good news is, if you haven’t already been hurt by their demonstrably terrible business plan, you may not be in any danger of it now. ### 1/5 — A worthless app equals a worthless product *2022-12-16, version 2.1.0* I was a Kickstarter supporter for Mellow, so, without people like me, the Mellow sous-vide cooker never would have happened. You can imagine how furious I was when Mello switched to a subscriber model, a change the original supporters were never informed about, and never anticipated. If I had known that I would have to pay an annual fee to use the product (and the product is virtually useless without the app), I would never have supported the product on Kickstarter in the first place I paid the subscription fee for two years, but the app has become virtually unusable, which makes the product worthless. I ended up, throwing it out! The product and the app deserve NEGATIVE stars. ### 1/5 — Worthless unfortunately *2022-10-03, version 2.1.0* When we originally purchased the sous vide it worked great. A little goofy to have to use the app but it worked. Then we started having to be paying a membership fee to use the app completely. We decided to pay the membership fee and continue using the app as we had found a lot of use for the mellow. Not too long after we ran into significant issues with connectivity to the sous vide. We had to uninstall and reinstall the app Almost every time we want to use the sous vide. Now the app won’t even open, we followed conventional troubleshooting uninstalling and reinstalling, clearing app cache memory, and trying different devices. Without the app the sous vide is worthless, we can’t use it. Well customer support has been helpful in the past, and eventually the previous issues have work themselves out. The continued issues with this app especially in the face of how much money we’ve shelled out for the membership and for the device are just not worth it. ### 1/5 — Worst decision I’ve made in a long time. *2022-09-20, version 2.1.0* Not only did I spend so much money on this thing, waited soooooo long to get mine shipped to me as an early adopter—regardless of the crass subscription service, the app simply will not work anymore. Literally have a huge, expensive, useless cinder block in my kitchen. What a giant waste of time and money. This was all smoke and mirrors. ### 1/5 — $60 of ribeye and app is totally dead *2022-09-17, version 2.1.0* I loved my Mellow until today. I have all this food, company tonight and the app is totally dead! Tried everything and all I get when I log into the app is a spinning please wait symbol. Guess I’ll just try grilling? Maybe before the weekend is over they will respond to my email, no phone support, naturally. Shoulda known depending on an app for everything would bite me eventually. ### 1/5 — App constantly breaks no updates in 2 years *2022-09-14, version 2.1.0* The app and the mellow itself constantly de sync. They switched to a subscription based service after It was bought. Idk who created this but they have absolutely terrible business sense, I even tried subscribing for a bit but all it did was just return my mellow app to how it was originally. There has never been any updates to the recipes, idk what the point of having a subscription is if nothing changes. This probably was a massive scam and alot of people got and are continuing to get fooled. If you bought this return it and get something else. ### 1/5 — Does not function. No support. *2022-09-12, version 2.1.0* I’ve been unable to so much as launch the app for more than 2 weeks. I have rebooted *everything* on my end (modem, router, phone, Mellow) with no resolution. I submitted an email to support over 2 weeks ago, received an automated response that their system had received the report, but nothing further. ### 1/5 — Servers offline *2022-09-11, version 2.1.0* Seems like this may be the end of Mellow. Their server is offline, users can’t login to their app nor use the device in any way. The refrigerator feature was a game changer for busy professionals. Thankful for the years of service when I had a commitment to be in an office. Thankful to not need the mellow due to remote work. ### 1/5 — Just doesn’t work *2022-05-10, version 2.1.0* Adding a subscription model was frustrating enough since they were locking something you previously had access to and paid for when bought the unit but I kept using the basic functions since it could still do most of what I wanted, but now the app won’t even boot up and you just get stuck on an eternal loop… a $400 machine that can’t be used if the app can’t be bothered to work all the time. ### 1/5 — Major fail *2022-03-16, version 2.1.0* As noted by many other reviews, in 2020 they suddenly removed all but the most trivial unless you start subscribing to their premium service. In particular you cannot set it to cool until a specific time then start cooking. The cooking feature is still their, but now useless since you have to manually change to cook. ## Most praised reviews (6 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — I’m in love *2018-03-19, version 1.5.1* I use my Mellow multiple times a week. I haven’t cooked a steak any other way since getting it. I’ve had no trouble with the app and love how easy it is to use, the notifications when it comes on and when the food is ready, the ability to reschedule things, etc. Love, love, love. ### 5/5 — Great app and product *2018-03-16, version 1.4.1* I really love my Mellow and use it several times a week. The app is also well setup and functional. There are a couple features I would like to see added like the ability to enter custom programs and save them to the options. Overall I love this app. ### 3/5 — Slick but slow *2019-06-24, version 1.5.2* I just spent half an hour fussing with this app. It’s sporadically unable to load certain pages or scroll. It successfully controls the cooking device, had nice notifications, and has a very nice manual mode. It’s attempts at being cinematic end up getting in the way and slowing down use. The recipe list is nice, though limited. ### 3/5 — Good, could improve *2018-01-12, version 1.3.3* I like having all the presets, but they’re slow to load. Seems like it’s always having to pull info down from the server, even going back and forth between screens. Too many gratuitous animations and instructions where the interface is blocked while it’s dispensing advice like “take your food out” which is completely obvious. Often feels like the app is getting in the way of itself. The pairing functionality is very cool. The app is ok, but I’d like it to be faster and more streamlined for daily use. The build quality of the hardware is fantastic. Happy with the quality of the food. Thanks for listening. ### 2/5 — Sad *2022-10-04, version 2.1.0* Used to love this device, and still would despite the subscription. It is super useful for our busy family. Unfortunately, it has recently not been working but maybe once a week. I can start something cooking but I get an error when it asks about adding ice. After that, for the next week or so, the app just shows spinning circles when I log in. It thankfully still cooks the last item I added, but I have to wait a week or longer for it to reset and let me use it again. Fix that issue and I would be thrilled to keep using and paying for it it. For now though, I’m starting to feel like I’m paying for something I can’t even use. ### 2/5 — Surprise subscription now! *2020-08-14, version 2.1.0* Adding my voice to those are angered by the the unannounced requirement to purchase a $50/yr subscription to retain saved/shared recipe functions, including saving your own recipes. Open the app one day and repeated nags to purchase the subscription. The $350 “smart” sous vide that this the companion app for is priced 3-5x other “dumb” sous vide sticks and the online recipes were part of the enticement to pay so much, BUT… The hardware still has the chill function, which is a BIG plus compared to other machines. I get it, running a business requires ongoing income, but this was a bad way to go about it, taking away features I’ve had for three years, again, with no notification in advance, instead of adding some sort of value to the subscription to make it seem worthwhile without being ripped off with crippling functionality. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-25.*