SmartCara FAQ

No, the appliance emits about 38 dB, which is comparable to a soft whisper. This sound level is also described as soft. If your appliance is making a lot of noise, contact customer service.

YES: vegetables, lettuce, cabbage, bread, steamed and fried food, dried fruit, berries, fruit, eggs (with or without the shell), poultry, thin chicken bones, all types of meat, coffee grounds and tea leaves / tea bags, fish and seafood (e.g. lobster, crab, etc.), all food waste.

NO: non-food items (e.g. pebbles, metal, glass, plastic, etc.), large bones (e.g. shanks, ribs, etc.), hard cardboard and paper, other hard objects, live animals and insects, pips and stones (e.g. from nectarines, peaches, avocados, mangoes, plums, etc.), mussel shells, oyster shells, snail shells, etc.

CAUTION: sieve out the liquid from products, e.g. fruit juice, before putting them in the bin. The drier the waste, the shorter the reduction process. As far as possible, it is also preferable to avoid food waste containing a lot of oil,
carbohydrates and/or sugar. These should be mixed with other types of waste.

The treatment time depends on the type and quantity of waste.

No, there is no delayed start function. But there is a storage mode: when the bin is (partially) full of waste and the unit is switched on and locked (but not running), it goes into storage mode automatically. This means the waste does not rot, the filters are already working and the content is already partially broken down, so that it can then be filled for processing. This saves cycle time and energy.

There is no risk from Legionella as water cannot be added to SmartCara. Furthermore, legionella dies at temperatures of over 60°C and SmartCara processes the material at much higher temperatures

SmartCara does not use any bacterial culture. It dries, grinds and cools without the use of any additives.

You can add waste very soon after the process has started, but this is strongly discouraged. Adding extra waste interrupts the reduction process, so the final residue will be not be 100% dried. Furthermore, the appliance gets very hot during processing, giving rise to the risk of burns.

You can remove the filter cover from the back of the appliance by pressing it gently at the top of and then pulling it out.

After a period of use, the inside of the bin can start to show scratches or damage or may disappear altogether. This is just normal wear and does not affect the operation of the appliance. Should you ever need to replace it, the bin is sold separately here on www.purehomeideas.com

When you use it for the first time, the unit it may give off a slight factory smell. This is
normal, the smell is only temporary and will soon disappear.
The activated carbon filters ensure that no odors are released during processing: when the filters are saturated, the appliance emits a vinegary smell. From this moment on, the filters will no longer work properly and should be changed as soon as possible.

You can switch the unit off when it is (partially) filled. But if you do so, its contents will decompose gradually and start to smell. So this is strongly discouraged.

The lid must stay closed during processing. If you open the lid, processing stops and you have to restart it manually, so the final residue will not be 100% dried. Furthermore, the appliance gets very hot during processing, giving rise to the risk of burns.

The final output is a dry residue that can be used to fertilize plants. Or you can simply dispose of the dry residue in accordance with local regulations.

No, the final output depends on the type of waste you put in. Cooked fish or vegetables turn into a fine, dry powder, whereas raw vegetables turn into a material that looks a bit like breakfast cereal. Leftover cake, rice and starch turns into a thicker, more crumbly material. Caution: drain watery and sugary substances, such as fruit, through a sieve as far as possible before putting them in the bin. The drier the substances, the shorter the reduction process
and the finer the residue.

Processing takes place at high temperature, so the final output may still be hot to the touch after the end of the process. It might still feel warm to the touch even after the cooling phase.

Open the lid and press the ‘clean’ button together with the on/off button for about 5 seconds. Both buttons will flash. Now press the ‘clean’ button until you hear the language you want, and then press the on/off button to confirm.

The voice assistance function emits voice messages to indicate what stage processing has reached and any faults. This function is set to ON by default.

To disable voice assistance, follow the steps below:
Open the lid and press the ‘self-clean’ button for about 5 seconds. A voice message will confirm that the function has been disabled: “Voice assistance OFF”.
If you disable voice assistance, any faults will still be notified by means of voice messages.
To switch the function back on, simply repeat the same step.
CAUTION: Even if you switch voice assistance off, the unit will still notify error codes by
means of voice messages.

To switch the appliance off manually when not in use, simply press the ON/OFF button on the display for about 7 seconds. You will hear two beeps and the LED will go off. To switch the appliance on, simply press the ON/OFF button briefly. The LED will come on.

You are advised to clean the filter cover with a damp cloth and dry it thoroughly with a dry cloth.

If you store your filters in a moisture-free environment with the stickers still on both sides or with the filters wrapped in film, they can be kept for at least 2 years.
If one or both of the stickers have been removed, the shelf life of the filters can no longer be guaranteed.

Fill the bin with very hot water and leave it to soak for a few hours, so that the baked-on material comes off. Now you can remove it systematically. If necessary, repeat the procedure several times until you have removed all baked-on material.