Review: Samsung Family Hub

It has been over a month since we traded in our vintage-like fridge for the Samsung Family Hub. We were scared to touch it when it arrived because, I mean, it is officially the coolest thing we have in our home. But before I dive deep into the fridge’s features, I should probably tell you what it is and what makes it so different than any other fridge on the market.The Family Hub is the latest refrigerator offering from Samsung, which built a touchscreen right into the fridge door so you have access to cool apps in your kitchen with the ability to control the inside of the fridge through the touchscreen digitally as opposed to a dial on the inner wall. On top of that, it is also outfitted with three inward facing cameras so that with the help of the Family Hub app you can check in real-time to see what you have inside of your fridge. No more forgetting to buy milk (more on that portion in a second). The idea behind the fridge was to create a one-stop place for your whole family to have their lives come together using something that is already a main attraction in your kitchen. Genius, right?So what apps does it have so far? And which are my favorite? There are about seven apps that we as a family use on the fridge on a daily basis.

Our Favorite 7 Apps On Family Hub for Daily Use

Calendar App

We have it synced to both myself and Rob’s Google calendars so that we can keep up with what we have on the go as well as a quick glance at the day ahead.

Tunein App

This radio app has got us listening to the radio again and keeping us up to date – not only on school cancelations due to snow – but also the world around us. It allows you to choose from local radio stations in your area with a touch of the screen, making it easy to switch from one to the other as well.

Spotify App

Rob and I love having this app readily accessible through the Family Hub’s Wi-Fi-enabled touchscreen because we don’t have a stereo in our kitchen. This allows us to switch the mood from a dance party with the kids, to cooking a meal together.

Whiteboard App

Instead of dreadful sticky notes all over the house that kids will end up getting before us, Rob and I have been using the Whiteboard app to share messages with each other. The best part is you can access the app from the Family Hub remotely on your smartphone and write a message shown on the fridge (i.e. “Take the chicken out”) before returning home from work.

Shopping List App

This has to be one of our favorite apps in addition to the next two. We can quickly and easily add items to the shopping list from the Wi-Fi-enabled touchscreen as soon as we notice they are needed. You then can access the list through the Family Hub app on your phone when you are at the grocery store. Perfect for busy moms, the Loblaws app allows you to order groceries online and even have them delivered to your car. This app is not yet available in Atlantic Canada, but is an exciting glimpse of what is to come.

Allrecipes App

The Allrecipes website is always a go-to for us when we are planning supper, but having it on the fridge makes searching for healthy recipes for the whole family that much easier. Plus, it allows us to follow the recipe without having to use our phone or take up counter space with a cookbook or computer.

Pinterest App

Because, what is snack food and quick fixes without Pinterest? Having this app to find things like homemade cleaning spray, or paleo compliant energy bites, right in the kitchen help us limit our time on phones and find things quickly and easily.

Our Favourite Features On Family Hub

 Besides the apps, Samsung outfitted the fridge with lots of features that make life a bit easier for families. They took things that a mother would only wish she had and brought them to reality. As East Coasters, we spend most of our time in the kitchen surrounded by food – so here are our favorite features on the Family Hub that help make life run more smoothly as a family of four.One item to note is the Family Hub’s power needs. Earlier this year we were hit with a winter storm, and because we live in the country, power outages happen quite often. As with most technology in the home (computers, TVs, etc.), we recommend investing in a surge bar to avoid any pesky storm outages if you live in an area where you see inclement weather often!

Cameras

Outfitted with 3 cameras, one for each shelf, you are now able to see what’s in your fridge from anywhere with your phone. But it gets even better. Using the camera screen, you can tag and list items in your fridge as well as when they expire so that you are never left stranded with out-of-date salad dressing. You can also use this for leftovers so that you know when they were made and when you should chuck them away. The app will remind you of when things are about to expire so that you can replace them. Is your mind blown yet?

 Flex Zone

Accessible from the Fridge Manager app, as a family, this is one of the coolest features on the fridge. The Flex Zone is located in the bottom right door of the fridge with five settings available to select via the app: Frozen, Soft Frozen (perfect for ice creams), Meat & Fish (perfect temperature to stop bacterial growth), Cheese & Vegetables, and the warmest setting, White Wine, which stores wine at the perfect temperature (it even has a built-in wine rack). For us, the Flex Zone will change like the seasons. When it first arrived we used it for our wines over the holidays.

 Water and Ice

Easy access to filtered water and fresh ice has not only helped us with the constant need to fill up our filtered water jug, but also gave Aubrey a new sense of independence. Since realizing that he can get his own water, he has been drinking twice the amount that he usually does, and is so proud that he can do it alone.

 Casting Video/TV

If your kids are like ours, they need to be in the kitchen with us when we are making supper. And, I know, this is amazing for helping develop healthy eating habits. But sometimes a mama just needs a bit of help. Using a Samsung mobile device, including a Samsung GS6 or newer, or if you have a Samsung Smart TV model 6400 or newer, you can now cast shows and movies straight to your fridge. We put on one of Aubrey’s favorite shows and while he eats his afternoon snack and tells me about his day at school, he can also watch something from the fridge while I get supper prepared.

So is it a must buy now that we have tested it out?

Watch our full review in the video below to see for yourself. For more information on the Family Hub and where to find it in your region, please see a link to Samsung Canada here.[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ712gz-XN4[/embedyt]