SONOMER

Marinating and thawing are mostly waiting, and they tend to push dinner back. SONOMER attacks that wait with ultrasound. According to the maker, the device has two core modes: marinating in roughly 5–9 minutes, and quick thawing that runs 8–35x faster depending on the food.

How it works

There are no blades or mechanical kneading involved. SONOMER sends fine high-frequency vibration through a stainless-steel tank into the liquid around the food. The underlying effect is cavitation: tiny bubbles form in the liquid, oscillate, grow and collapse. The micro-currents and micro-jets this produces are thought to speed mass transfer between the liquid and the food. Research on ultrasonic meat marination has reported changes to muscle-fibre structure and water movement, along with faster diffusion of salt and other components.

The maker contrasts this with hand-massaging, which applies pressure unevenly, and with conventional marinating, which leaves seasoning on the surface and waits. For thawing, the stated aim is to get frozen food ready to cook sooner while keeping as much of its juices and texture as possible. The campaign also notes that results depend on the type and thickness of the food and on the seasonings used.

Design and versatility

• Two-in-one: marinating and thawing in a single unit
• One-touch operation
• Inner tank of food-grade 304 stainless steel, integrated into the body rather than built from removable parts
• Handles both liquid marinades and dry rubs
• Compact size the maker positions for kitchen use as well as backyard BBQs and camping

The maker frames SONOMER less as a gadget for elaborate cooking and more as a fix for ordinary evenings that didn't go to plan. Its design goal is to remove the need for hours of advance preparation before a meat dish or a cookout.