Disrupt SF 2015 is right around the corner, so we thought we’d catch up with one of last year’s Battlefield contestants Cinder. Cinder, or Palate Home as they were known at the time, didn’t win the competition, but they’ve been doing some pretty impressive things since the show.

Cinder makes your kitchen, specifically your grill, smarter. TechCrunch editor John Biggshad some hands-on time with Cinder back in April, and described their machine as “a George Foreman Grill that went to MIT.” The team also participated in Y-Combinator.

Cinder’s secret sauce is in their ability tightly control surface temperature. Today, your average, or even high end, grill often has fluctuations up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit across the surface. It’s no wonder your steak ends up well done most of the time.

Cinder’s cooking surface maintains an even temperature and uses a predictive algorithm to track the internal temperature of the meat. Throughout cooking, the entirety of the meat heated and held at the same temperature. Because of this level of control, Cinder’s smart grill enables you to set food to a cooking level, go about your business and be alerted by text that dinner is served.

Cinder has completed its first production run and is currently holed up in China putting the finishing touches on the grill. They are currently accepting preorders for $249 — 50 percent off the expected retail price. Orders are to ship early to mid 2016.

Does Cinder’s story make you want to bring your startup to Disrupt? Sadly, applications for this year’s Battlefield have formally closed, but there’s still hope. If you’re a startup that’s less than two years old, you can join us in the Startup Alley. On Monday and Tuesday of Disrupt, a wildcard out of the Alley is selected, by audience vote and editor selection, to pitch onstage as part of the Startup Battlefield.

The Wild Card company selected from Wednesday’s Alley will have an opportunity to demo on stage in front of the Disrupt audience.