EPICURIOUS versus BIG OVEN { A brief review of two iPad recipe apps }
Jun 21, 2015
EPICURIOUS versus BIG OVEN{A brief review of two iPad recipe apps}
The graphic interfaces of the Epicurious and Big Oven apps are very polished, with vibrant graphics and well-organized layouts.
But the user interface—how people actually search and use recipes—
hasn’t been as carefully considered. Let’s view each app’s landing screen, attempt a search, read a recipe, add ingredients to a
grocery list and then check the list.
As a quick visual cue, Epicurious screens will have a gray backgrounds, while Big Oven will have white.
EPICURIOUS Landing Screen (Part 1)
Tapping Featured shows Epicurious’ seasonal
search categories
Users can also select Search or Favorites, or
their shopping list
EPICURIOUS Landing Screen (Part 2)
Users can search by entering text AND by
tapping icons, leading to confusing results
This pop-up search method is inefficient.
Users must swipe to find the correct icons,
and the complicated interface is hard to use.
Easy search is key: better to have provided
a text search field at the top of the pop-up
BIG OVEN Landing Screen
Well organized, easy to scan, with the
tabs providing filters along the side
Recipes can’t be rated on the iPad,
diminishing positive user experience
EPICURIOUS Search Results
EPICURIO US ve rsu s BIG O V EN
Recipe tags are not helpful due to repetition
(main dishes) and confusing categories
(what’s the difference between ribs, roasts,
steaks and chops etc?).
Preparation and total cooking times
would be more helpful.
BIG OVEN Search Results
Users must repeatedly tap between the
ingredients and the recipe to make the dish
EPICURIOUS Recipe
The ingredients can only be seen in the
pop-up, which obscures the recipe text
Tapping Prepare redraws the screen with larger text and extends the iPad’s active-screen
timer, though few users will realize it
The ingredients and recipe are shown
together, making it easy to follow.
BIG OVEN Recipe
EPICURIOUS Add to Grocery List
Tapping this icon the changes its color,
indicating ALL ingredients have been
added to the grocery list. Ingredients can’t be individually added
Sure to confuse users, boxes can be checked...
...OR text can be tapped, which highlights the row
and provides a pop-up. Neither method actually functions correctly, and
ALL of the ingredients will be added to the list.
BIG OVEN Add to Grocery List
No indication of checkboxes’ function
Items cannot be deleted on this screen, only on the recipe screen. Few
users will discover that. The list will become too long and users will avoid
this function entirely
EPICURIOUS Grocery List
Custom items can be entered here, but users might assume these are
labels for the columns below. Leading off with the word “Add” would
provide a visual cue
Users have to tap Edit and enter another
pop-up to delete items, neither
intuitive nor efficient
Poor information architecture has led to
two unusable entries (how big a roast? what’s
missing from Other?)
No indication of checkboxes’ function
BIG OVEN Grocery List
In summary, both apps have appealing graphic interfaces which take good advantage of the iPad’s amazing screen fidelity.
Unfortunately neither user interface has been planned out
carefully enough, and users will be frustrated by some overly-complicated search functions, difficult recipe usage and disastrous grocery lists.