Can You Use an iPad in the Kitchen?

When it comes to cooking, I love to work in my Kitchen. If you cook as much as I do, you know how helpful it is to have an assistant when you are preparing meals, and getting dinner ready. Thankfully there is a device you probably already have which can make the job easier.

The very first thing I do when starting to cook is bring my iPad into the Kitchen. There are so many things it can do including: Finding recipes, showing cooking techniques, doing conversions, and starting timers. All while playing my favorite music or podcast to keep me entertained.

The main thing to worry about when you bring a tablet into the kitchen is getting it wet. There are a few other hazards like the stove and even knives, but if you use a stand and put it in a safe place, there really isn’t going to be a problem.

8 Essential tips to use an iPad in the kitchen

Be sure to download our FREE How to Use Siri in the Kitchen guide Yet? This 9-page printable guide has over 25 different ways you can use Siri to help you with meal prep, timers, conversions, and more!

Even though it is possible to bring an iPad right into the kitchen and start using it, there are a few settings I recommend that can help you have the best experience.

1. Turn off sleep mode when using an iPad in the Kitchen

A common frustration I’ve heard about using a tablet in the kitchen is that the screen goes dark exactly when you need it the most. That is because most iPads are set to go to sleep after a few minutes.

To prevent this from happening, just turn off sleep mode which is also called Auto-Lock.

Go into settings > Display & Brightness > Auto Lock > Never

This way, your iPad won’t go dark when you are cooking.

2. Plug it in!

The iPad comes with amazing battery life. There really is no reason to keep it plugged in, but I’ve always kept mine plugged in when I am near an outlet and not holding it. This way, you can be positive the battery won’t run out at an important moment. Also, when you are done, you have a full charge to sit on the couch and watch movies or play games.

3. Use a Stand to hold your iPad in the Kitchen

I use a 3D-printed stand to keep my iPad safe while I’m cooking. This little plastic wedge holds the tablet at the perfect angle and is stable enough that I can tap and drag without it moving around.

If something spills near the device, it won’t get wet, either as none of the edges are actually touching the counter.

Plus if the stand gets dirty, it is made out of PLA. That means it is both food safe, and I can throw it in the dishwasher to clean it.

I’ve used an ugly grey color because it was the least expensive, but it you want something pretty, there are hundreds of filament colors to choose form.

Connect it!

Did you know there are several kitchen devices you can get that connect via bluetooth to your iPad? No wires are needed! Leave your iPad on a safe spot on the counter, and these devices transfer the information right to your tablet.

4. Measure food with an iPad

Lately I’ve been watching my waist, and started using a bluetooth Kitchen scale to measure ingredients and determine portion size. It connects right to my iPad and transfers the weight to my favorite food tracking app, MyFitness Pal.

The Etekcity Nutrition Smart Food Kitchen Scale connects directly to MyFitnessPal so that I can put the food I want and the weight will automatically show up on my iPad screen. This bluetooth connection is seamless. I can track all my food right in the app, including calories, fat, sugar, sodium, and much more

5. Measure Temperature with an iPad

We all know the dangers of undercooked foods. Having an accurate kitchen thermometer is essential to prevent illness and disease.

There are quite a few different bluetooth thermometers available. The Meater+ Smart Thermometer connects to an app that runs right on your iPad.

It can be an instant thermometer telling you the temperature in an instant (like cooking oil), or you can actually stick it in a piece of meat and put that into the oven like a true probe. It will then calculate remaining cooking time accurately for a perfect thanksgiving turkey, or BBQ chicken on the grill.

6. Tips for using Recipe Apps on an iPad

There are literally millions of cooking apps, blogs, and websites. I’m sure you have your favorite, and it probably has a bunch of ads, pop-ups or videos embedded within the recipe. With all those distractions it can be hard to find the actual ingredients and steps.

I completely understand bloggers do this – the owners of the website make a little bit of money from displaying the ads. I’m cool with that.

But Did you know you can use “reader mode” to clear away all that unwanted stuff?

Most websites have a reader mode that focuses on the content and eliminates the ads.

To access it, just load the webpage as normal in Safari on your iPad. Then in the URL bar at the top of the page you should see a little icon that sort of looks like a page. Click on that to enter Reader mode (or adjust the font, size or other useful features.

7. How do I keep my iPad Clean in the kitchen

In case you do spill something here are some tips to clean your iPad

According to Apple, the best way to clean your iPad if it gets dirty in the kitchen is

• Unplug all external power sources, devices, and cables.
• Use only a soft, lint-free cloth. Avoid abrasive cloths, towels, paper towels, or similar items
• Using a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe, 75 percent ethyl alcohol wipe, or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, you may gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces of your Apple product, such as the display, keyboard, or other exterior surfaces.

Don’t use products containing bleach or hydrogen peroxide. Avoid getting moisture in any opening, and don’t submerge your Apple product in any cleaning agents

8. Play Music from your iPad while Cooking

I of course recommend that you have a smart speaker in the kitchen, but if you don’t the iPad has really good speakers so you can play music while you cook. Depending on my mood I play everything from ambient study music to classical, to 80’s goth rock.

I also like to play my favorite podcasts or even listen to the news or my favorite radio station. Just ask Siri to play your favorite.

Final Thoughts

Don’t be afraid to take your iPad into the kitchen. It is a very useful tool that has more uses that you might expect. If you have a tip that wasn’t mentioned here please leave it in the comments and I’ll add it to this article in the future.