If you've always thought the idea of Amazon's Dash button was a great idea, here's one that'll really impress you. A container with a sensor that tracks the weight of the contents and automatically reorders when it gets low. That's what WePlenish's Java Smart Container is all about. It's ideal for small offices and busy homes.
Price: $40Bottom line: A simple smart container that knows when you need to restock even before you do ... and does it for you.
The Good
- Doesn't take up much space
- Automatically orders refills
- Supports more than just coffee pods
- Wireless (battery powered)
The Bad
- Setup is confusing
What is this?
WePlenish Java Smart Container: The features
The Java Smart Container is a plastic container measuring about 10 inches tall by 10 inches deep and 5 inches wide. It's got a large opening at the top so you can dump your coffee pods or snacks into it with ease and a smaller opening at the bottom so you can grab what you need and gravity will keep it moving.
When you first set up the Java Smart Container, you'll register with Amazon and select the snack or coffee pod you want to refill. This is the Dash button aspect of the container.
When the container gets low, the sensor will automatically reorder whatever you've registered and it will be shipped to you immediately. Supported snacks are all Prime products, so your product will be on your doorstep within two days.
So many snacks
WePlenish Java Smart container: What I liked
WePlenish has nearly four dozen different items supported with Amazon's Dash button products. Not just coffee pods either. My first order was for Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Crackers. They also have energy bars, granola bars, snack-sized cookies, fruit snacks, nuts, and a variety of liquid creamers for your coffee.
You don't have to stick with one product. You can switch from creamer to fruit snack to protein bar with each reorder. You just have to link a different product before your current one runs out (it'll automatically send whatever is currently linked).
The container is fairly small. It doesn't take up a whole lot of space on your countertop. You can fill it with as much of a product as will fit (the 30-count box of goldfish crackers took two fillings) and hide the big box somewhere else.
How does this work?
WePlenish Java Smart container: What I didn't like
It's a new company and still has some bugs to work out. I never successfully ordered a second round of snacks, and when I tried to unregister my container so I could re-register it and start over, I couldn't remember my password (I honestly don't remember signing up), I requested a password reset, which as of this writing, I never received.
Update: I did hear from customer support the next morning and was able to reset my password.
The setup process seems a bit confusing. I had already filled up my container when I came to the steps for setting the sensor, and there was no way to reset it after the process started. I think the container registered the full weight of the products inside as "empty." I think this is why my automatic refill order never happened.
Additionally, the app noted that there was an issue with my payment information, but my payment information is linked to my Amazon account and is correct.
Once WePlenish Java Smart Containers are in the wild, there will probably be some updates that help make setup and use easier and more convenient, but it certainly has some real-life issues to work out.
The bottom line
WePlenish Java Smart container
The first thing I thought when I first set up the Java Smart container was, "Who needs something like this?" But it quickly became clear to me that it's a useful little box for certain items that people use regularly, especially if you use coffee pods. It's ideal for a small office environment where a few people might regularly eat certain snacks or use coffee pods. You don't have to worry about remembering to order more. It just happens (if you've set it up properly and don't have to reset your password).
It's very reasonably priced at just $40 and there are a variety of products to choose from, though I'd like to see a bigger variety in snacks (there are plenty of coffee pod options).
The setup process is somewhat confusing and the support is lacking, at best. Presumably, this will get better once WePlenish has been on the market for a bit.
