The art of making those perfect round rotis, cooked to perfection, is tough to master. The process involved in it, right from kneading to rounding and panning, with the same consistency every time, is a task in itself. How often you've wished a robot did all that for you so you could sit back and relax. Well, your prayers have been answered to an extent you haven't imagined. An end-to-end roti-making machine will change how you prepare rotis forever. And as one of the early testers of this insane machine, here are our findings after serving hot chapattis day after day.
First impressions and unboxing
The Rotimatic Next arrives like a compact kitchen appliance with a clear purpose. Inside the box you'll find the machine itself, a power cable, a cleaning kit (three brushes), and a manual. The unit feels solid and well-made—heavy enough to feel durable, not flimsy. The three top-mounted, transparent containers for flour, water, and oil are immediately practical: easy to open and easy to refill.
Setup couldn't be simpler. The onboard touchscreen and companion app walk you step-by-step through initial pairing and configuration. The app is helpful for setup and firmware downloads, but the machine's touchscreen hosts the core controls, such as adjusting roti quality, among other troubleshooting tools. Within minutes you're up and running.
The Rotimatic Next does ask for a stable Wi-Fi connection during setup and for receiving updates; once set up, it will run offline for normal production, though you'll need internet for software upgrades and some diagnostics. But in our initial setup, the WiFi network at home was not detected automatically, and adding a manual network failed. But that didn't seem to hamper the machine's initial functioning.
Price: Rs 1,24,999.
Design
Physically, the Rotimatic Next is a substantial appliance that makes its presence felt without getting in the way of your kitchen's aesthetics. Its all-white design with softly contoured edges blends well with modern kitchenware, but it does command space. It's not meant to be tucked away—it's meant to stay put, much like a coffee machine or an oven. The flour, water, and oil containers are located at the top, and the dough catcher slides out from the side, making access and cleaning easy. The presence of the machine itself on the kitchen tabletop is a conversation starter, leaving guests impressed.
The top of the machine houses three transparent containers—for flour, water, and oil—which are easily accessible and simple to refill. They lock securely in place, minimizing spills, and their visibility makes it easy to monitor levels mid-use.
Cleaning, though, is non-negotiable. Every session ends with dough residue that must be cleared out before the next use. Thankfully, all key parts are detachable and washable, and the provided brushes make it easier to reach smaller crevices.
Cooking experience
Once powered on, the Rotimatic takes around nine minutes to warm up — just enough time to prep your side dishes or set the table. After that, it enters its fully automated routine: kneading the dough, forming balls, flattening them into perfect circles, and cooking them evenly - one roti at a time. Each roti takes about three minutes to make. It has proven remarkably useful for packing school tiffins, as it can go on making rotis while I assist the little one in getting ready.
The machine doesn't just follow a fixed script; it rather learns. It was clear the machine needed to learn my flour and my preferences. And with a few tweaks and feedback, the machine evolved and remembered each time the preference of the rotis expected from it. The default setting for the roti was too small to my preference, slightly undercooked, and dry.
In operation, the Rotimatic Next produces a distinct mechanical hum—not overly loud but certainly noticeable. It's roughly as noisy as a mixer. Power consumption hovers around 1.6 to 1.8 kW per session, which is reasonable for what it's doing—kneading, pressing, and cooking simultaneously. The best part is that it does all of it unsupervised.
One of the most exciting aspects of the Rotimatic Next is its software-driven evolution. Firmware updates not only fix bugs but also add new cooking capabilities. The company has promised future support for making bhakri, pizza bases, puris, and tortillas—all "coming soon" at the time of this review.
The convenience is undeniable. For someone with a busy schedule, being able to make a batch of fresh rotis while finishing up other tasks is a genuine luxury. The only trade-off is that you must stay disciplined about cleaning and occasional recalibration when switching flours.
Who is it for?
If you buy frozen rotis frequently, the math can justify the purchase: for example, if frozen roti packs and eat-out costs add up monthly, the Rotimatic can pay for itself over time while giving you fresher, healthier rotis.
Another use case is for Indians living abroad, cloud kitchens, or small restaurants wanting consistent rotis with small staff, the machine quickly demonstrates practical value. For households where roti-making is a ritual and communal chore, it might feel extravagant.
Verdict
Rotimatic Next is an ambitious, evolving appliance. It isn't perfect out of the box — you'll spend time teaching it your flour and tolerating a week or so of trial-and-error — but once it learns, it produces reliably great rotis. It is ideal for busy households who give preference to convenience and consistency.
If you're a patient early adopter who values time saved and consistent results more than price, the Rotimatic Next is a compelling buy. If you view roti-making as a cultural ritual or want a truly plug-and-play appliance with no setup effort, you may find the learning curve and cost too high.
In short, the Rotimatic Next is not quite a finished revolution — it's a powerful, practical step toward the automated kitchen. After weeks of use, I can confidently say the Rotimatic Next represents both the promise and the imperfection of kitchen automation. It's not the flawless, magical gadget — but it's a genuine breakthrough that rewards those who can master it. Once calibrated, it delivers perfect, puffed rotis with the push of a button.
For patient users, tech enthusiasts, or busy families, it's a game-changer — a glimpse into the future of AI-driven home cooking. For everyone else, it's a fascinating but pricey experiment that might be better suited for the next iteration.
Either way, Rotimatic Next is an impressive step toward reimagining one of India's most basic staples — transforming everyday act of making rotis into something that feels equal parts futuristic and familiar.
