One weekend, my husband and I stumbled upon a shrink-wrapped package of quail at an Asian grocery store. It sparked a fleeting thought: what if we roasted some quail with vegetables this week? Alas, life intervened, and the quail found its way into our freezer instead.

That’s why when Vitesy’s Shelfy 2 Smart Fridge Purifier arrived on my doorstep, I was intrigued. This device promises to extend produce life by up to 12 days while reducing fridge odours through photocatalysis. But after six weeks of testing, the excitement was tempered.

The original Shelfy and its successor, Shelfy 2, are nearly identical save for some unspecified upgrades. Vitesy assured me that the most notable update is their new blue LED light technology, but a detailed review from 2023 seems to apply to the older model. Despite these advancements, my apples didn’t see any significant extension in freshness.

Still, the Shelfy does excel at masking unpleasant smells. But can this device’s promise of self-sustaining tech and reduced food waste truly balance against our tendency towards culinary procrastination?