Robot Chef 🤖 Posha: Family Meals Saved? 🍽️

Tech & Science

As I write this review, I’m surrounded by the enticing aromas of garlic and cheese emanating from the robot chef in my kitchen, where a machine is preparing macaroni and cheese. The app indicates that the process has approximately three minutes remaining, and the current visual snapshot reveals a creamy, cheesy dish. I’m about to leave to collect my daughter from the school bus, and upon our return, the robot-cooked mac and cheese will be ready for her, thanks to its “copilot” mode which maintains warmth and gently stirs the mixture until we’re prepared to eat. This allows me to provide her with a freshly prepared home-cooked meal at 4:30 PM, after her school day. Preparing the meal took less than five minutes—I simply loaded the ingredients into the Posha robot, which then handled the steps of sauteing the garlic, adding milk, incorporating the pasta, adjusting the water level for cooking, and finally, mixing in the cheese to create a thick, gooey consistency. Posha represents a significant investment, requiring both an upfront cost and a recurring subscription, and it still necessitates some preparation on the user’s part. Furthermore, the software can occasionally be buggy, and the robot occupies a considerable amount of counter space, necessitating a stable internet connection. The core concept behind Posha is to assist busy families in consistently offering freshly cooked meals without a significant time commitment – a goal many working parents understand all too well.

The Posha presents a real challenge to traditional cooking methods. This autonomous device can cook almost anything that fits within a single pot, including items like chicken wings and roasted vegetables – demonstrating the company’s innovative approach to constrained cooking. Similar to devices like the Thermomix and Instant Pot, the Posha utilizes a modern robotic cooking solution. However, a key distinction is its complete autonomy once the ingredients are added; unlike the Thermomix and Instant Pot, which often require ongoing user intervention. Roughly the size of a large countertop microwave, the Posha is fundamentally an 1,800-watt induction cooktop combined with a robotic arm and a camera. The system autonomously stirs, heats, and times each step of the cooking process within a specially designed pan. Simultaneously, the camera monitors the food, analyzing its color, texture, and consistency, allowing the Posha to adapt the cooking parameters as needed – for example, adjusting for a sauce that’s too dry or onions that aren’t fully translucent. Users prepare the ingredients, including chopping, weighing, and portioning them into one of four plastic containers that then automatically load into the pot at the correct time. A motorized spice tray rotates individual spice pods to dispense the appropriate amount of seasoning, while separate oil and water dispensers manage liquid additions. The robotic arm features three interchangeable spatulas for varied tasks.

Restaurant-quality cuisine is now achievable with minimal effort thanks to the Posha device. Users select a recipe from the embedded touchscreen, which also manages all device controls, and then load the ingredients – either all at once or in stages – before returning 30 to 60 minutes later to enjoy a fully cooked dish. The process is remarkably methodical, mirroring the actions of a human chef, typically beginning with seasonings, followed by the protein and then other ingredients, including a sauce if required. The Posha’s ability to perfectly sauté chicken was particularly impressive. Although a dish takes slightly longer to prepare than if made from scratch – likely due to the device’s continuous analysis and adaptive adjustments – the benefit of not needing to actively supervise the cooking process was a significant advantage. Indeed, the company sold out of its initial production units, which began shipping in January 2025, and is currently fulfilling a $25 preorder waitlist. The full retail price is $1,750, but preorders are available for $1,500. This has dramatically reduced my takeout expenses and, crucially, freed up valuable time for activities with my family. The Posha allows me to prepare a meal in five to twenty minutes, replacing an hour spent cooking and allowing me to spend that time with my husband and children.

The method consistently produces more varied results, and my husband is a particularly enthusiastic fan, praising every dish we’ve tried as “excellent and flavorful.” During a recent business trip lasting a week this fall, he even prepared several meals himself, expressing his surprise at how easy the device was to use. This represents a considerable luxury, but it’s also a fascinating glimpse into the future of home kitchen robots. Posha has been instrumental in helping me avoid cooking disasters – for instance, she prevented me from burning the garlic while multitasking – and has expanded my weeknight repertoire. Like many families, we often fall into established routines, and I typically make the same few dishes each week. Introducing something new can require a significant effort, yet Posha has made the process considerably simpler. Exploring the device’s recipe library through its companion app and adding relevant ingredients to my shopping list is straightforward, and as a result, we’ve experimented with a wide range of new dishes, particularly curries. A key factor in Posha’s success is her remarkable patience – something I often lack. I’ve attempted to make curries before, but they rarely turn out well. Posha, however, demonstrates an impressive ability to layer flavors correctly, adding the appropriate spices at the right time, cooking the proteins perfectly, and managing sauces with precision – skills that typically take years to master. Remarkably, almost every dish I’ve cooked in it has been delicious and full of flavor. From butter chicken and paneer curry to chicken risotto and shakshuka, the device has transformed complex and time-consuming dishes into restaurant-quality cuisine with minimal effort on my part.

The Posha requires significant cleaning – users must wash each container, the pot, and the spatula after every cook, though the device itself and everything except the arm can be placed in the dishwasher. While the device has numerous nooks and crannies that demand careful wiping, it offers a vast and delicious selection of Indian cuisine, reflecting the founders’ Indian heritage. Alongside the extensive Indian options, there’s also a notable range of Italian dishes. However, the selection of American, Chinese, and Thai recipes is considerably smaller. Despite being a niche device, the Posha delivers on its promise of autonomous cooking for families or households facing time constraints and possessing some disposable income. I found it a valuable addition to my kitchen – not for its appearance, but for its consistent ability to reclaim my time while producing excellent meals. Ideally, it would incorporate physical controls and have a lower price point, and it shouldn’t rely on a subscription, cloud connection, or the long-term stability of a startup. It’s truly impressive that technology can now effectively ‘cook for us,’ suggesting a future of convenience that feels surprisingly close.