Meet the High-Tech Hero Saving Your Avocados (and Sanity)

Avocado lovers, brace yourselves—this is not a drill. The fruit that has graced everything from toast to smoothies to margaritas now has its very own high-tech hype: an avocado scanner. Yes, a scanner. For avocados.

Photo From: One Third, Food & Wine

Avocados are amazing… until they turn mushy overnight. Ripe ones only last a day or two on the counter, three to five in the fridge. That’s a tiny window to enjoy them at their peak. Sure, you could squeeze them, but why not let tech do the hard work?

Enter the avocado scanner.

Using infrared tech, it checks ripeness without bruising or squishing. "With the avocado scanner, shoppers can test the ripeness of avocados. This is especially beneficial for those who find it difficult to judge avocado ripeness levels or are frustrated by bruised fruit due to overhandling," says OneThird, the company behind the gadget. "The scanner eliminates the need for hand-picking. Preventing bruising or damaging and preserving fruit quality while reducing waste."

The scanner isn’t some sci-fi dream—it’s already live in five Tesco stores in the UK (Cheshunt, Colchester, Stratford-upon-Avon, Wokingham, and Salisbury) and in retailers across Belgium and Finland.

It’s fun for shoppers, but it’s also a win for sustainability. Early adopters report more avocado sales and less waste. "The scanner has already returned my investment, and it will continue to improve our customer experiences. We cannot wait to use the scanner for other produce," said K-Citymarket.

In short: the avocado scanner is here, it works, and it might just save your toast.