In early 2022, we were asked to test Mella, a smart mushroom fruiting chamber that was in the late stages of development. FirstBuild, the company that makes Mella, shipped us two prototypes to test. Suffice it to say, we were delighted with Mella’s ease and simplicity, and after much debate, the following six features made it on to our collective “love” list.
1. Mella is fully automated
There is definitely something nice about the “set it and forget it” simplicity of Mella. Once you’ve assembled the unit and selected the humidity and fan speeds, you can pretty much leave it to do its thing for several days.
The water tank (which sits on the outside) lasts for 5-7 days, and the filter and unit only need to be cleaned between mushroom harvests. There are even built-in LED lamps that create the optimal lighting environment for your fungi (which can be turned on and off, if nighttime light isn’t your thing).
1. Mella is fully automated
There is definitely something nice about the “set it and forget it” simplicity of Mella. Once you’ve assembled the unit and selected the humidity and fan speeds, you can pretty much leave it to do its thing for several days. The water tank (which sits on the outside) lasts for 5-7 days, and the filter and unit only need to be cleaned between mushroom harvests. There are even built-in LED lamps that create the optimal lighting environment for your fungi (which can be turned on and off, if nighttime light isn’t your thing).
2. Mella is compact, yet roomy
The Mella unit makes excellent use of vertical and horizontal space. We were able to comfortably fit 3 of our 5 lb. fruiting blocks. nto the unit, leaving enough room for the filter and fan to do their magic. (We also tried 3 of our 4 lb. Spray & Grow kits which also left ample room for air and circulation.)
Of course, we would be lying if we said the unit is small—it isn’t. It’s definitely larger than a standard countertop toaster oven. That said, it isn’t huge either and took up a lot less room on our kitchen counter than expected. Added bonus—it actually looked good! The Mella design is sleek and minimalist, so it didn’t overpower the space and fit nicely on the countertop.
3. Mella is whisper quiet
Mella’s dual fan has two jobs – air and humidity circulation. And in all honesty, we were a little worried that the fan would create an obnoxious wind-tunnel sound in the background. But it was surprisingly quiet, even at full speed. You can definitely hear it, but it’s more of a soft ambient background noise. Think calming white noise machine, not screeching industrial fan. Two thumbs up!
2. Mella is compact, yet roomy
The Mella unit makes excellent use of vertical and horizontal space. We were able to comfortably fit 3 of our 5 lb. fruiting blocks. nto the unit, leaving enough room for the filter and fan to do their magic. (We also tried 3 of our 4 lb. Spray & Grow kits which also left ample room for air and circulation.)
Of course, we would be lying if we said the unit is small—it isn’t. It’s definitely larger than a standard countertop toaster oven. That said, it isn’t huge either and took up a lot less room on our kitchen counter than expected. Added bonus—it actually looked good! The Mella design is sleek and minimalist, so it didn’t overpower the space and fit nicely on the countertop.
3. Mella is whisper quiet
Mella’s dual fan has two jobs – air and humidity circulation. And in all honesty, we were a little worried that the fan would create an obnoxious wind-tunnel sound in the background. But it was surprisingly quiet, even at full speed. You can definitely hear it, but it’s more of a soft ambient background noise. Think calming white noise machine, not screeching industrial fan. Two thumbs up!
4. Mella controlled smell and spores
If you live with somebody that is sensitive to mushroom spores or doesn’t like the smell of mushrooms, the Mella is definitely for you. The unit is fully enclosed to decrease the changes of anything getting in or out (except for highly-filtered air) thanks to the dual fan system. Added bonus – if you live in an area prone to fruit flies and gnats, this keeps them out!
4. Mella controlled smell and spores
If you live with somebody that is sensitive to mushroom spores or doesn’t like the smell of mushrooms, the Mella is definitely for you. The unit is fully enclosed to decrease the changes of anything getting in or out (except for highly-filtered air) thanks to the dual fan system. Added bonus – if you live in an area prone to fruit flies and gnats, this keeps them out!
5. Mella was easy to clean
5. Mella was easy to clean
The Mella has incredibly easy-to-remove components. And, while you do need to clean the unit between mushroom harvests, all inner and outer surfaces are easily wiped off with a damp cloth and soapy water or a water/alcohol mixture. The reusable humidity filter is also easy to clean. Simply run it through lukewarm water between harvests to remove any spore buildup.
Mella has two clear acrylic side walls and a clear acrylic glass door. It also has a stainless-steel floor, roof, and back panel. And, while you do need to clean the unit between mushroom harvests, all inner and outer surfaces are easily wiped off with a damp cloth and soapy water or a water/alcohol mixture. The reusable humidity filter is also easy to clean. Simply run it through lukewarm water between harvests to remove any spore buildup.
6. Mella was easy to set up
The Mella was packed with care using laser cut spongy foam pieces and only took about 5 minutes to unbox all of the components. After reading the instruction manual, it only took another 15 minutes to fully assemble, including filling the water tank. And, while we wouldn’t say it’s so easy a child could do it, it definitely wasn’t difficult. A quick read of the set-up instructions is all you need. (FirstBuild is also looking to add even easier controls in the next version of Mella.)
6. Mella was easy to set up
The Mella was packed with care using laser cut spongy foam pieces and only took about 5 minutes to unbox all of the components. After reading the instruction manual, it only took another 15 minutes to fully assemble, including filling the water tank. And, while we wouldn’t say it’s so easy a child could do it, it definitely wasn’t difficult. A quick read of the set-up instructions is all you need. (FirstBuild is also looking to add even easier controls in the next version of Mella.)