The wan AIChef Ultra made its CES 2026 debut with a bold claim: it isn’t just a smart appliance—it’s an AI cooking agent. On paper, that idea is compelling. The system promises to plan meals, personalize recipes, create grocery lists, and even factor in nutrition goals—quite a list! For busy households or anyone trying to eat more intentionally, the appeal is obvious.
The hardware itself looks deceptively simple—more like an oversized microwave than a futuristic robot chef—but inside, wan AIChef runs its proprietary Zhurong Cooking Model. It uses AI to personalize and automate cooking. All you have to do is load the ingredients, pick a goal, and let the system do its job. In theory, this means less time thinking about dinner and fewer last-minute takeout orders.
Where my skepticism comes in
At the end of the day, this is still a microwave-based system, not a robotic chef chopping, stirring, or sautéing for you. The AI can optimize temperature (±3°C), track calories, and fine-tune results—but it can’t escape the appliance’s physical limits.
There’s also the commitment factor. The full promise of wan AIChef Ultra only really works if you’re willing to let it handle most—or all—of your meals. That might make sense in senior living, hospitality, or wellness-focused households. It’s a harder sell for home cooks who enjoy variety, spontaneity, or using multiple appliances.
Where AI cooking shines
Still, it would be a mistake to dismiss this as just another smart microwave. The wan AIChef is thinking long-term, treating the kitchen as a data-driven system rather than a collection of isolated gadgets. If this is version one of a broader intelligent cooking ecosystem, it’s an intriguing start.
Who is this AI microwave actually for?
The wan AIChef Ultra isn’t for people who love cooking from scratch or improvising. If you’re like me and chopping, seasoning, and experimentation are your joy, this system will likely feel restrictive.
It does make sense for people who see cooking as a problem to be solved: busy professionals who want meals without daily planning, families focused on nutrition tracking, or anyone looking to make their home easier to manage. It also fits well in controlled environments, like senior living communities or commercial kitchens—where consistency and efficiency matter more than creativity.
For everyday home users, wan AIChef Ultra is an early-adopter product. It’s not the future of cooking for everyone—at least not yet. It does give a glimpse of how AI could eventually move beyond recipe suggestions and manage the entire cooking process, end to end. Whether that future sounds appealing to you probably depends on how you feel about letting an AI decide what’s for dinner.
Lauren has been writing and editing since 2008. She loves working with text and helping writers find their voice. When she’s not typing away at her computer, she cooks and travels with her husband and two daughters.