SmartShopper Review and Giveaway - Make a List (and Check it Twice)!

Routine activities like grocery shopping provide the perfect opportunity for kids to learn new words and encourage early reading skills. You can show them letters on food labels and have them help with the grocery list. Hmmm...grocery list. Handwritten ones are great, but there's even a better way to make that list. Have you heard of the SmartShopper?

The SmartShopper is an electronic grocery list maker that uses voice recognition technology. The handy gadget sticks magnetically to the fridge so that grocery items can be added to the list at anytime. By simply pressing the record button and speaking the item's name, your list is easily updated, organized and always available. And, when you are ready to go shopping, the SmartShopper prints out your list, arranged into shopping categories to help make your shopping experience more efficient.



In this economy, one of the best ways to save money on groceries is to create an organized shopping list. The SmartShopper is perfect for me because it is readily available right in my kitchen and provides a fun, organized way of keeping track of my grocery items.

Here are my favorite features:
• Mounts magnetically to refrigerator or also has wall-mount option
• Uses four standard AA batteries (not some strange, expensive type)
• Comes built with 2,500 Pre-loaded standard items in the "library"
• You are easily able to add your own custom items
• The coupon flagging feature marks items you want to buy using a coupon
• At print-out it organizes items into categories like dairy and health & beauty
• You can maintain multiple lists for different stores

Like any gadget, it does have a few quirks. The voice recognition works best if used in a quiet location without a lot of background noise. The items that are stored in the library vary. Sometimes brand names are included, like Coke and Pepsi but sometimes you must use a generic label like diapers (instead of Pampers or Huggies.) I was surprised the library didn't include a few standard items in my kitchen like freezer paper or cooking sherry (it uses the term cooking wine instead) although those were easy enough to add myself.

While the device is great as is, it would be amazing if it included a computer interface so that you could add items to the library using the computer and print lists from your computer, a cheaper way than buying the special paper rolls. One of my friends would also love to see a way for it to print pictures along with the food so that young kids could follow the list at the store. I'd also like to see rechargeable batteries included with the product or some sort of solar power used. Maybe we'll see some features like these added in the future?

This time of year Santa is making his list and checking it twice. Wonder what he'd think of the SmartShopper gadget? It's probably already on his own personal wish list! Is it on yours? What a great way to start the new year off with a little organization!

Order your SmartShopper today for only $79.99! Use the exclusive promo code: PW59391 until December 31 to receive $5 off your order. Also, all orders placed between now and December 31 will receive free ground shipping (although be sure to order before December 18, if you want the SmartShopper by Christmas).

Related links I found about SmartShopper and a few bonus tips for grocery shopping with kids:
SmartShopper on Rachel Ray
PBS Kids - Quick Tips at the Grocery Store
Disney Family Parenting - Grocery Shopping With Young Kids


Win it! SmartShopper has kindly offered to sponsor a giveaway. One (1) of my readers will receive their own SmartShopper!

To enter, leave a comment letting me know what you think you'd like best about SmartShopper.

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• Contest is open to US only
• Contest ends on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 11:59 PM CST.
• Winner will be chosen at random

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1st extra entry: Follow Me! or subscribe by email or RSS reader
2nd extra entry: Blog about this contest then post your link in the comment section.
3rd extra entry: Follow me on twitter and tweet about the contest.