Ever bought some fruits and vegetables, stashed them in the fridge for later, only to find that they’re no longer good by the time you decide to actually eat or cook them? Yeah, that’s annoying, not to mention pretty wasteful. If only there was a way to extend the shelf life of any food you put in the fridge. Turns out, that exists in the form of the Vitesy Shelfy Lite.
Essentially an “air purifier” for your fridge, the device eliminates odors, reduces ethylene levels, and minimizes the growth of harmful bacteria inside the fridge, allowing it to slow down the ripening process for all sorts of produce, effectively extending their shelf lives. How much longer? According to the outfit, it can extend the shelf life of strawberries up to seven days, cucumber up to 12 days, and broccoli up to 15 days, among a whole host of other food items, all without using vacuum sealers or special containers. Suffice to say, this is the kind of thing that can be a gamechanger for folks who like to buy a bit too much produce whenever they visit the local grocery.
The Vitesy Shelfy Lite is actually a more compact version of the original Shelfy, doing, pretty much, everything its predecessor does, albeit with a slightly smaller footprint. It’s equipped with a photocatalysis system that draws in air from inside the fridge, then runs it through a blue LED light that gets rid of bacteria, bad odor, and harmful chemicals inside, essentially serving as a miniature air purifier for your refrigerator’s confined space.
A built-in fan and airflow system ensures it’s able to draw air from every part of the fridge, so you can place it wherever it’s most convenient. The outfit claims the airflow is so effective, it’s able to get rid of 99 percent of bacteria in just 10 minutes. It’s efficient, too, only running at preprogrammed intervals, allowing it to maximize its battery life. According to the outfit, the device can run for up to three weeks between charges, so you only need to charge it every once in a while.
The Vitesy Shelfy Lite comes with three settings. Eco is the standard operating mode, which maximizes battery life while effectively purifying the fridge at the same time, while Crisper is a special mode designed specifically for those times you put the device right in the crisper drawer. Performance mode, on the other hand, is designed for those times you have particularly heavy odors in the fridge or when you have it packed to the brim, essentially providing intensive action at the expense of battery life.
A single button out front lets you quickly change the operating mode, with LED indicators letting you know which mode it’s currently running in. It uses a washable and reusable filter, by the way, which you can simply clean under running water, then use right back again after drying. Dimensions are 5.7 x 4.3 x 3 inches (height x width x depth) for the device, with the housing cut in ABS plastic.
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the Vitesy Shelfy Lite. You can reserve a unit for pledges starting at $67.
