CleverChef 14-in-1 Multi Cooker, Stew, Roast, Slow Cooker, Steam, Bake, Bread Maker, Rice, Soup Maker and more, Cooks 5 Portions, Charcoal

Been using this multi-cooker and I can say it is one of the best. Good quality, saves time, the multiple multiple functions it has are quite helpful, especially after a night shift, I can easily mix up ingredients, set it up and go to bed, I don't have to worry about my food getting burnt.

I have been considering buying a slow cooker for quite a while, and never got round to it. Then, I came across this more modern idea of a multi-function cooker that can cook various things with pre-programmed settings (although with most of the programmes you can adjust the temperature and/or the time). I have had the CleverChef for around a month now.The first thing I would say is that it looks smart and shiny - I got the black one - and the controls are all 'touch' controls (not buttons) that mean cleaning is easy. The removable cooking pot is non-stick and also easy to clean. The heating element is a very hi-tech looking thing - a pancake-shaped spiral of shiny metal which presumably heats very evenly across the bottom surface of the pot. The lid closes with a nice action and has a rubbery seal, with a vent in the top of the lid to let out any steam.The first thing I tried was basmati rice. You simply put the water & rice in the pot and choose the rice setting from the menu and press start. I must admit that I was a bit skeptical about how good the rice would be - I like it fairly dry and fluffy. Anyway, after a while it did its thing, came up to temperature, some steam came out of the top and, when it was ready the machine went into 'keep warm' mode, The rice was perfect.Next up, we made a sausage casserole. This had a couple of steps to the cooking - first off, using the 'saute' mode to brown the sausages and onions, and then the 'stew' mode to simmer it. Again, it was simple to use and the end result was delicious.Finally, I decided to try something that you wouldn't be able to do in a slow cooker - a cake! The cooker can act as a mini-oven (although not a high-temperature one). The recipe book that comes with the machine has recipes for a carrot cake and fruit cake, but I decided just to try a standard Victoria sponge (6oz each flour, butter & sugar, 3 eggs). I wasn't sure how much time to give it, so I set it to 50 minutes, which turned out to be a bit long - the bottom was slightly overdone, but the cake was really good! The interesting thing is, because the lid keeps the moisture in, the cake stays moist while it cooks. I would even say that it was better than I usually make in my fan oven.I haven't got round to it yet, but I intend to try the recipe for pulled pork (possibly the most delicious food ever!).Overall, I think this is a great addition to our kitchen: it works really well, the instruction manual was easy to follow, and it is very simple to use.

This compact, sleek CleverChef has become a much-used appliance in my kitchen, far exceeding my expectations. It takes up very little room on the worktop, particularly when you consider how much space you would need for all the stand-alone appliances that can be offered by the Cleverchef. At a time when my oven was out of action, it proved a Godsend. The instructions were easy to follow and the recipes I have made so far from the enclosed booklet have been a great success - the pasta cooked to perfection and far better than what I can achieve on the hob once you get the right pasta to water ratio. Rice is even easier as it works out the length of time based on the amount of rice/water used. Other successes have been poached fish, cottage pie and even managed an omelette!By far the most frequently used function for me is the steaming programme. If boiling water is used, it takes very little time at all; in my experience, far less than conventional steamers (only around 20 minutes for small potatoes). What is more, you can cook in the main pan whilst steaming vegetables, fish etc over the top.If you are planning to use it for baking, I found that it is best for moist cakes (carrot cake, fruit cake etc) as there is an element of steaming in the cooking process.The CleverChef is ideal if you are in need of a temporary cooking facility (e.g. when you are having a new kitchen fitted like us!), for use in a caravan/small kitchen area or simply if you need to cook using various methods simultaneously.Top plus points:-Smart design and look-Easy to use-Impressive results-Takes the hassle out of cooking pasta/rice - no boiling over or burning the pan-Easy to transportDrawbacks-The steamer tray does stain easily (noticeably after steaming carrots)-The programme buttons are very sensitive so take some getting used to-The instructions could provide a little more basic guidance on using each of the programmes, rather than just providing a set of recipes.Overall I consider the MicroChef to be great value for money and would certainly recommend.

After a several years of ownership, my cooker had a few minor niggles (all my fault - like I'd managed to blow the keep warm button by pouring water in when the pot was out!) but I use it so much and love it, that I really wanted to have a perfect item. So I gave the slightly worn one to a friend, and bought another perfect one I will look after properly! ;) I mostly use the rice-cooker function, slow-cooker and DIY. Everything works how you'd expect and it's easy to select functions and make adjustments. It's easy to clean. It sits on my cooker hob, because I never use that any more. (Photo is rice and ginger in the pot to make congee or rice porridge)

This thing is a game changer. I'm loving it. So easy to use and clean. Haven't used all functions yet but will update once I have. Build quality seems to be good. Definitely recommend.