Ryan Ross

One thing that trips people up is the onboarding flow in the app. Many of these use Bluetooth or a temporary WiFi from the monitor to pass your network info. Turn on Bluetooth and give the app location permission, and keep your phone within a few feet of the monitor and router during setup. If your SSID is hidden, unhide it for the first connection. After it pairs you can hide it again. Power cycle in this order. Router first, wait two minutes, then the monitor. Do the factory reset on the monitor only once and hold the button for the full count in the manual. Start the add device process fresh and type the WiFi password carefully. I once removed an exclamation point from the SSID and it connected immediately. Weirdly fixed it. Also think about interference. Microwaves and cordless phones can wipe out 2.4 in a nursery at dinnertime. Test by moving the monitor next to the router and see if it pairs there. If it does, move it back and try a different spot a few feet away from big metal or glass.

I would not try to repaint it — High heat paints and makeshift coatings are not designed for food contact and usually fail fast. Instead protect what is left. A reusable perforated mat or parchment trimmed to fit keeps food off the surface and costs very little. A small wire trivet or rack inside also works and still lets air circulate. One more thing to check is the crisper plate or insert. Some have rough edges or proud tabs that can scuff the sides. If you find a burr on the metal part you can smooth that on the part itself with very fine sandpaper so it stops scraping the coated walls. Cool the basket before washing, avoid soaking, dry with heat, and you will slow the march of flakes.