The Real Story
We invented this category.
US Patent 11,006,657, priority date October 4, 2015 — the first smart dry aging system, built by chefs, for people who take aging seriously.
Early units had real problems. The hardware aged protein reliably. The software connecting it didn’t — app instability, connectivity failures, support that couldn’t keep pace. Those reviews are accurate. They’re also about machines we no longer build.
We reengineered it from the ground up. New control board, new app, new connectivity architecture — not a patch, a replacement. Ten years of real aging data from 8,500 units in service informed every decision.
The G5 is what that looks like. Backed by a 3-year warranty and a US phone number that a real person answers.
We built the first decade on invention. We’re building the next one on obsession — the same one that started this in a kitchen, not a boardroom.
— Chef Claus Schmitz, Founder
Steak Locker Global
The Technology Behind Steak Locker
Steak Locker invented the connected dry aging system. This page documents the patent, the certification, and the platform architecture that make that claim verifiable and defensible.
Summary
Steak Locker is the inventor of the first smart dry aging system for residential and commercial use. The company holds US Patent 11,006,657 — granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office — covering the communication architecture that connects a dry aging cabinet to a cloud resource and a user-operated portable device. All units are Intertek-certified to NSF Category 7 commercial food equipment standards. No other dry aging system sold in the US market holds equivalent IP protection or third-party certification at this level.
US Patent 11,006,657
On May 18, 2021, the United States Patent and Trademark Office granted Steak Locker Global US Patent 11,006,657, titled “Meat Aging Chamber and System Utilizing a Communications Network.” The patent is held by founder and inventor Claus Schmitz.
The patent application was originally filed on October 4, 2015 — establishing priority on the connected dry aging architecture at a point when no comparable system existed in the market. The USPTO’s own examination confirmed this: the patent background documentation states that prior art methods provided no remote control of the aging process, and that meat aging apparatus had not been built in a manner accessible to consumers.
The patent covers the complete system architecture:
- A refrigerated aging cabinet with integrated environmental control apparatus
- An instrumentation module with sensors monitoring temperature, humidity, and environmental conditions
- A control circuit coupled to a communications interface
- A cloud resource hosting the aging protocol and communicating with the control circuit
- A portable interactive device — a smartphone app — operating in both setup and active control modes
- A complete signal path between the cabinet, cloud, and user device
This architecture is the foundation of every Steak Locker G5 unit shipped today. The G5 Smart App — available on the App Store — operates on the patented communication framework. No other dry aging system sold in the United States holds equivalent patent protection on connected aging technology.
Patent Details
| Patent Number | US 11,006,657 |
| Title | Meat Aging Chamber and System Utilizing a Communications Network |
| Inventor | Claus Schmitz — Clayton, MO |
| Priority Filing Date | October 4, 2015 |
| Continuation Filed | December 28, 2018 |
| Grant Date | May 18, 2021 |
| Issuing Authority | United States Patent and Trademark Office |
Intertek Certification — NSF Category 7
All Steak Locker units are tested and certified by Intertek, one of the world’s three primary independent testing and certification bodies — alongside SGS and Bureau Veritas. Intertek certification to NSF Category 7 standards is the equivalent of NSF certification for commercial refrigeration equipment used in food contact environments.
NSF Category 7 covers commercial refrigerators, freezers, and refrigerated cabinets intended for food storage in professional and foodservice environments. Certification requires that the equipment meets construction, material, and performance standards for food safety, sanitation, and temperature maintenance.
This certification is not a marketing claim. It is a third-party verified standard administered by an accredited testing body. It establishes Steak Locker units as compliant with the same category of commercial food equipment standards used by NSF-certified restaurant and foodservice refrigeration equipment globally.
Certification Details
| Certifying Body | Intertek |
| Standard | NSF Category 7 — Commercial Refrigeration Equipment |
| Equivalency | Equivalent to NSF, UL, and comparable international standards |
| Scope | All Steak Locker Home Edition G5 and Professional Edition G5 units |
G4 vs G5 — What Changed
The current models are the Home Edition G5 and Professional Edition G5. The previous generation (SL150 Home Edition and SL520 Professional Edition) has been retired.
| Feature | Previous Generation | Home Edition G5 |
| App capability | Monitoring only | Active remote control |
| Wi-Fi | External module | Embedded — built in |
| Control board | Previous generation | Reengineered from ground up |
| Predictive maintenance | — | Fall 2026 |
| Aging environment | Proven | Same — unchanged |
| Patented humidity control | ✓ | ✓ |
The G5 Platform — Active Control Architecture
The Cabinet — A precision-engineered aging environment with active humidity management, rear plenum airflow, UV sterilisation, and temperature control from 34°F to 72°F. The Home Edition G5 holds 65 lbs across 4.2 cubic feet. The Professional Edition G5 holds 350 lbs across 20 cubic feet with up to seven adjustable shelves.
The Control Board — A proprietary US-engineered control circuit integrated into every unit by Steak Locker Global. The control board is the hardware implementation of the patented communication architecture — it connects the cabinet’s environmental systems to the cloud and to the user’s device.
The G5 Smart App — Available on the App Store. The app operates on the patented communication framework, giving the user active remote control of every parameter in the cabinet — temperature, humidity, airflow, UV cycle — in real time, from any location. The system handles minor environmental drift autonomously. All significant adjustments are user-initiated. The chef is always in command.
How Steak Locker Compares
Four connected — or nominally connected — dry aging cabinets in the US market, side by side. The specifications below are drawn from each manufacturer’s own published materials. Where a competitor genuinely leads or matches, we say so; this is a comparison, not a highlight reel.
| Steak Locker G5 | DRY AGER | The SteakAger | CaLefort | |
| Intelligence & control | ||||
| Working smartphone app | Yes — active remote control | None | App exists — 1.5★, widely reported broken | None |
| Adjust temp, humidity, airflow & UV from your phone | Yes — in real time, from anywhere | No | No | No |
| US patent on the connected system | US 11,006,657 | None | None | None |
| The aging environment | ||||
| Humidity control | Automatic, patented — no tank to fill | Automatic, tankless (HumiControl) | Manual — optional water-tank add-on | Manual water tank |
| Temperature range | 34°–72°F | 32°–86°F | 32°–65°F | 34°–77°F |
| Airflow | Rear plenum, variable-speed fans | Fan-assisted | Basic circulation | Basic circulation |
| UV sterilisation | Yes | Yes (UVC) | Yes (UVC) | Yes (UV) |
| Build & certification | ||||
| Compressor | Inverter compressor | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Third-party food-equipment certification | Intertek NSF Category 7 | NSF/ANSI 7 (Intertek, Pro S) | None published | None published |
| Final assembly | United States | Germany | United States (Boone, NC) | China |
| Ownership | ||||
| Warranty | 3 years | 2 years (+10-yr compressor) | 1 year | 1 yr (3-yr parts / 5-yr compressor) |
| Support | US — chefs & technicians answer the phone | Call centre | US phone & web form | Overseas — email / +86 phone |
| Price (MSRP) | $2,499 Home · $5,999 Pro | $6,100–$15,141 | ≈ $1,199 | $2,599–$5,599 |
| In a line | ||||
| The verdict | The only one you actually run from your phone — patented, US-assembled, US-supported. | A superb cabinet. No app, no connected patent, two-to-six times the price. | Cheapest way in — but the “smart” app has been broken for years. | Budget fridge, manual water tank, overseas support. |
The short version. The Home Edition G5 lands at less than half the price of the entry DRY AGER cabinet — and that German cabinet ships without an app at all. Of the four, Steak Locker is the only one where the phone in your hand actually changes what the cabinet is doing. That is the patent. Nobody else built the network.
Comparison compiled July 2026 from manufacturers’ published specifications and current US pricing. DRY AGER pricing from WebstaurantStore (DX 500 through UX 1550); NSF/ANSI 7 certification per DRY AGER (Pro S). The SteakAger app rating from the Apple App Store; assembly Boone, NC. CaLefort specifications and MSRP from the manufacturer’s US Amazon listings. Competitor names and marks belong to their respective owners; specifications are subject to change by those manufacturers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the old SL150 and the new Home Edition G5?
The Home Edition G5 is the current model — shipping now. The SL150 has been retired. The core upgrade is the app: the G5 gives you active remote control, not just monitoring. You can change temperature, humidity, airflow, and UV cycle from your phone in real time. The control board was reengineered from the ground up with embedded Wi-Fi integrated directly into the unit. The aging environment is unchanged — same US-patented humidity control, 34°F to 72°F temperature range, UV sterilisation, and rear plenum airflow. AI Predictive Maintenance launches Fall 2026.
Which model is currently for sale?
The Home Edition G5 and Professional Edition G5 are both shipping now. The previous SL150 and SL520 have been retired. The Home Edition G5 holds 65 lbs across 4.2 cubic feet. The Professional Edition G5 holds 350 lbs across 20 cubic feet with up to 7 adjustable shelves.
Is Steak Locker NSF certified?
Yes. All Steak Locker units are certified by Intertek to NSF Category 7 standards for commercial refrigeration equipment used in food contact environments.
Does Steak Locker hold a US patent?
Yes. US Patent 11,006,657 — filed October 4, 2015, granted May 18, 2021 — covers the complete architecture connecting the aging cabinet, cloud, and smartphone app. No other dry aging system in the US market holds equivalent patent protection.
Can I control my Steak Locker from my phone?
Yes. The G5 Smart App gives you active remote control of temperature, humidity, airflow, and UV cycle — adjustable in real time from anywhere. Minor environmental drift is corrected autonomously. All significant changes are yours to make.
Who invented the smart dry aging system?
Chef Claus Schmitz, founder of Steak Locker Global, filed the original patent on October 4, 2015. At that time no comparable connected dry aging system existed — confirmed by the USPTO examination record.
Ten years of aging telemetry
Steak Locker has been collecting aging telemetry from deployed units since 2015. The accumulated dataset — temperature, humidity, airflow, and aging duration across thousands of cycles — is the foundation of the G5 platform’s predictive intelligence. No competitor entering the market today has access to a comparable dataset. It took a decade to build.
US Positioning — What Is and Is Not Claimed
- US Patented — US Patent 11,006,657, granted by the USPTO, inventor Claus Schmitz.
- US Engineered — The control board, aging intelligence software, and system integration are designed and engineered in the United States.
- US Final Assembly — Final assembly of every unit is completed in the United States, where Steak Locker installs its US-engineered control board, electronics, and IP.
- US Support — All customer support, installation, and technical assistance is provided from the United States.
Final assembly of every Steak Locker unit is completed in the United States. The mechanical cabinet shell is produced by a contract supplier; Steak Locker installs its own US-engineered control board, electronics, and IP into every unit in the United States, where the unit is finished, tested, and certified. The US-origin IP and electronics represent approximately 50% of the unit cost of goods. Steak Locker does not claim the cabinet shell itself is manufactured in the United States.
Talk to us
Questions about our patent, certification, models, or platform — from customers, journalists, researchers, or partners — are welcome.
619-888-9108Chef Rick or Chef Claus · You will hear from us swiftly.
Steak Locker Global LLC · 16 North Central, Suite 200, Clayton, MO 63105
US Patent 11,006,657 · Intertek NSF Category 7 Certified · © 2026 Steak Locker Global LLC
