31.5.2015

The short of it a year on its still used almost daily whether to cook rice or to get the slow cooked gorgeousness of a ragu without the time or energy used on the hob.pros: incredibly safe, fast effective pressure cooking, super quiet, won't pressurise unless locked and won't open if pressurised, adjustable portion sizes, more recipes if location changed (Australians get over 30 more) is very adaptable thanks to manual mode. Oh and it makes lovely food.Cons: recipes for convenience over depend on shop bought jars and pastes (though we ignored this and used homemade) needs careful placement for release, footprint is rather big, doesn't always save time and some results far better on hob.Blooming expensive for an electric pressure cooker (albeit one that talks you through cooking)Overall, if I hadn't been offered this for review, I dont think I would have bought one simply on cost alone, however, having one I can say that electric pressure cooking has literally changed our cooking and I most certainly see the benefits for one in any home but this Cook4Me especially for busy families, students or other busy people with little time, skill or inclination to cook, and really I feel elderly people who may not want to or be able to cook for themselves as this machine can not just whip up far healthier family meals than a microwave but batch cook for single portions which can then be reheated within itself later.In more detail:I recently tried a modern stove top pressure cooker and whilst impressed by its abilities, it was quickly relegated to the utility room because I didn't know what else to make in it other than stock, beans and stews. This tefal Cook4me is a countertop electric pressure cooker by another name but it has a big advantage over it's traditional counterpart in that it has not only recipe ideas in the manual but it talks you through them on the actual machine and has manual options to explore, this opens up a world of inspiration and whirling into the abyss of Pinterest for pressure cooking ideas from curries to cheesecake and beyond.We have used this every day since arrival and sometimes several times a day, we have cooked widely from the basic risotto recipes on board to a whole chicken and stock, and the creme brûlée was to die for.My problem with the on-board recipes is they over depend on jars and pastes though I understand that this is to suit the target market of people who wouldn't necessarily cook from scratch and a jar is perhaps better than pierce and ping, however it does not preclude you from adapting the existing recipes and using your own creations such as your own curry paste or substituting passata, garlic and herbs in place of a jar of pasta sauce. In fact the ease at which you can make really nice food may inspire users to go homemade in the future as the bulk of the effort is removed by the machine that once you lock you can leave to its own devices.My only disappointment was following the Thai green curry recipe, I can cook something far better and richer on the hob in about the same amount of time, despite using my own paste (which they don't advise frying off?) the result was watery so I tipped into a pan and 'fiddled' whilst using the cook4me for the rice. I think this is the approach I will use in future.However, I am very impressed otherwise at the quality I got compared to time cooked especially with the gnocchi (switch location to Australia) and the risottos, I can imagine this being a lifesaver for a parent with a fussy eater that you can get a risotto or pasta dish on the table in 10 minutes.The Tefal cook4me is incredibly safe, the locking mechanism prevents opening during cooking, the handles of the cooking bowl remain cool even after intensive cooking (whole chicken for 30 mins) and there are error codes if there is not enough liquid (something you won't get with a stovetop) as we discovered when we substituted beef mince with quorn (quorn needs more liquid compared to stated amounts with meat), I don't feel nervous using this as I do with a stovetop (my aunts clattering shrieking antique has scarred me for life) and I'm sure im not the only one who would be less intimidated to use this.The big issues with the design are the size and the depressurisation release which for safety is at the rear. If you don't want your cupboards or wall steam stripped it may take careful placement- though it does make a lovely environment for orchids! If you have a small kitchen you may well have to consider losing something to keep it out- I advise microwave as it pretty much replaces it but saves more nutrients.The biggest bugbear is of course the price. More confident cooks can get an Instant Pot which is the top selling pressure cooker as it has the same browning/pressure/keep warm/reheat capabilities but more functions (hello yoghurt) AND variable pressure (crucial for advanced pressure coming) for over £100 less. One would have to weigh up the benefits of step by step assisted cooking with price and greater functionality. I can imagine that if the money wasn't an issue that someone with a hectic lifestyle but lacking cooking skills would find the guidance and functions helpful and ultimately help them to eat better, and if money is a question, the money saved from buying takeaways and microwave meals would eventually pay back per use, it's just a question of the initial outlay. However, if you were stocking a kitchen from scratch you could forego several other gadgets and equipment for this.Personally I love it and from an energy perspective it's great as it saves a hell of a lot of energy compared to the oven especially if using to speed up long slow cooking and even beats the slow cooker in our opinion especially as we were notorious for forgetting to load it up in the morning plus modern slow cookers have to get hotter for health and safety (Ive lost the ability to be surprised when my slow cooker is pretty much at boil on LOW!)Overall, it's changed our cooking, but I still baulk at the price.

12.2.2018

This is the second Tefal multicooker I have tested. If I am being truthful I would not buy this product. We looked around, read the reviews and bought the Tefal 45 in 1 Multicooker. The 45 in 1 is less than £100 and is excellent in all that it does. Sadly it did have a fault on the screen and so was returned, but for the money, it is very hard to beat it. This product is almost 3 times the price of the 45 in 1 and so I was expecting great things. I must say, I am less impressed with this Cook4Me+, purely because of the price versus the utility compared to the 45 in 1.This is a large crockpot type of multicooker type of pressure cooker all rolled into one. The technology is very clever,

5.6.2015

Anything that's called a Cook4Me is welcome in my kitchen! I'm so excited about this thing, it's fabulous and I've had it on every day since it arrived!I used to love cooking but now I seem to only do it out of necessity. I do still like to experiment in the kitchen sometimes but usually by the time I get in it's just whatever is quick and fuss free. This thing has turned all that on it's head though. I just love it.It's kind of like a cross between a slow cooker and a pressure cooker but with only the best bits from both and some extra stuff added. I honestly can't fault it. It comes with 50 recipes stored in it already which are a mix of starters, soups, main meals, desserts etc,

12.2.2018

It's a little mysterious what this thing is if you're not sure, but it's basically a pressure cooker with some brilliant extras. You can shallow fry in it, steam with it, and simmer or reheat as well.You can go 'full manual' with it, or to get the best you can pair it via bluetooth with your phone. There is the inevitable app, because there is ALWAYS an app these days, but unusually this one is actually useful. You can download it to play with it from the Play store without buying the cooker.The app has a few hundred recipes on it which you can send to the cooker and it will step though everything you need to do. You can either read it off the screen on your phone or on the cooker itself.

22.11.2016

HONEST REVIEW FOLLOWING RECEIVING PRODUCT WITH NO COSTI have never used a pressure cooker or a slow cooker before and so I was not really sure what to expect or do not have any other products to compare it to. However, I have been plesantly surprised. The instructions for set up are clear and easy to follow - I connected it to an app on my phone (which I downloaded from the the itunes store for free) within minutes and was able to use it 10 minutes after taking it out of the box (cleaning the bits inside took the longest). I cooked a chicken curry with ease and in half the time that it would normally take. I followed the receipe that was in the machine which was a novelty and really clever.

7.1.2016

I have to start by admitting that I bought mine at Argos because it was a bit cheaper there.I should explain that I retired a week ago and my partner made it very clear that with me at home and her at work all day, she expected to come home to a decent meal at least a few times per week. I completely agreed. The only problem is that apart from a few incredibly simple dishes I have no cooking experience whatsoever. This machine looked to just the job.I have now made 4 of the recipes on the machine including steak and ale casserole, steamed salmon with lime, coriander and sweet chilli sauce, cod loins in prawn sauce and chicken tikka masala! Bear in mind I don't cook!Each of these meals was absolutely delicious.

16.10.2016

I've used a slow cooker for some time now and this beauty is just amazing. This allows you to pressure cook as well which I've never tried before, having remembered how scary the pressure cooker my mum used was when I was a child.The instructions are idiot proof, just select the dish you're cooking from the menu and the weight of meat you're using and then add the other ingredients and that's basically it.Every dish I've tried so far has been cooked perfectly, with the meat so tender and moist. I've needed to thicken some of the sauces, but I used to find that with my slow cooker also and it's hardly a problem. I also love that it's so clean to use,

25.6.2015

I`m not actually a bad cook, and I only eat low carb food, so for those reasons this isn`t something I use that much, but it will suit a lot of people perfectly. With a bunch of preset recipes, it is easy to use and with a very good capacity, so you can feed a few people with a very good meal...cooked at really good speed too! That`ll be the best thing for most people, reducing cooking time by so much. That and the simplicity of taking most of the process out of your hands, coupled with being easy to clean. It`s bigger than I thought, and quite heavy but then it is basically an oven so I don`t see how it could be smaller or lighter. In terms of what it cooks, a large range of sweet and savoury dishes,

19.10.2016

This is a fabulous kitchen robot, but it does come with a slight draw back. It advertises itself as a bluetooth kitchen appliance, but you don't need to connect it to your phone to use it. It has a large bowl, so you could easily feed the whole family from one bowl of this item. It is easy to use, and the screen keeps you on track when you are cooking, making sure you don't forget to put anything in to it. It also advertises the speed at which it cooks things, however, I haven't found a real difference here. It still takes 9 minutes to cook rice, just like it would in a microwave. However, the rice was perfectly cooked! The biggest draw back is the limit in recipes. It says you can download packs online,

22.7.2017

Absolutely love this gadget. Really easy to use and easy to clean after use. The recipes are varied, tasty and simple to follow. My only criticism is that there aren't enough recipes, though more are promised soon via the app. Connectivity is reliable and one feature I love is the notifications on your phone when it's finished cooking. The screen is great quality and large enough to see clearly. All steps pop up and guide you through the process. Bear in mind though, this cooker is huge, so you will need to find space in your kitchen. But this also means it will cater for family meals easily.I have also used this in manual mode to steam veg, which again is quick and easy.

14.10.2016

This is one BIG pot! Its a reinvention of the most feared and revered old favourites, the pressure cooker (my Gran used to swear by hers)... its bulky with a nice display on the front offering all manner of quick and easy recipes, but you are limited to one big pot... It has many other funky functions but for us as a busy family its fairly redundant as the kids tend to have a different meal to us. Perfect for those people trying for a healthier option than ready cook meals and for serving up a big dish for friends / family. Not sure the price tag is quite justified but an interesting idea. We tried the pressure cooker option on a curry, which was cooked in lightning speed,

1.11.2015

This is a fantastic piece of kitchenware. Ideal for the elderly or anyone with mobility issues, or anyone in general. 50 built in recipes, and a booklet with the ingredients needed for each recipe.Cook great meals with ease, whether you are cooking for a family or just 2 people this is ideal. You can make larger portions then freeze for days you tend not to have the fresh ingredients in. Have a hot cooked meal in minutes, if you are not a great cook, or tend to be lazy and just order take out then this gadget will pay for itself quickly. Just brown the meat and then throw everything in and close the lid... what more could you ask for.Since purchasing mine, I have used it every day and the whole family join in with preparation.

14.11.2017

Blimey! This thing literally is amazing! We have tried about six different types of meal in it so far, and each time it has been perfect. We are confident enough now to start adapting our own recipes and using this. It really is the easy way of cooking. I'm beginning to think that you may not need saucepans ever again.It's very expensive true, but my wife had some vouchers from work and couldn't think of what to get. I really think that if somehow we lost this one, we would buy another one immediately regardless of the cost.

23.4.2016

Superb! Ultra easy to follow instructions. Cooked first meal today with this amazing gadget. Not cheap to purchase, but worth every penny. Very efficient. Dinner was wonderful. Healthy food cooked very quickly. Was expecting huge venting steam, however, was not explosive, noisy nor prolonged.Each step was incredibly easy to follow. Anticipating this will be a major positive addition to the kitchen.It is, however, a bit of a monster! Not ugly....but definitely a bit quirky in appearance.

24.6.2015

I've really wanted to love this, but as it is, I can't quite bring myself to. Maybe it's because I can cook, and do regularly. This Tefal Cook4me cooker really does help out a novice or nervous chef, but I can't see the value.I'd say this is a pressure cooker dressed up, with digital controls and helpful timers.Not an essential piece of equipment, and quite bulky to either have table top or tucked away. It's also quite a pain to clean properly.I like it. I just don't LOVE it.

Tefal Tefal Cook4Me+ Connect Multi Cooker - Reviews

Info

Analysis

Detail