I tried the viral Morphy Richards Mico Toastie Maker — it really does live up to the hype

Price on writing: £25 | Buy now from Amazon

Our verdict

• Ease of use: 5/5

• Toasting performance: 5/5

• Ease of cleaning: 5/5

• Design: 4/5

• Value for money: 4/5

I've been on a quest to find the easiest way to make a toastie for quite some time. While conventional sandwich toasters are great, they often can be quite a faff to get out of the cupboard, especially if you just want a quick snack. It's similar with the air fryer or the good old fashion frying pan option — call me lazy but sometimes the clean up after ends up being longer than the time it takes me to tuck into my toastie (which is, admittedly, quick).

So, when I was offered the chance to review Morphy Richards' new Microwave Toastie Maker for Mumsnet, I very enthusiastically accepted, and I was not disappointed. It was incredibly easy to use and made delicious toasties with minimal faff or cleaning — the grill plates slotted straight into the dishwasher without taking up too much room. It's ideal if you have a small kitchen too, as it's compact and easy to stash away in a cupboard.

My only grumbles were that it did struggle to fit larger slices of bread, and it didn't seal the sandwiches like an electric toastie maker would, but I could get past these very easily. Overall, it's a fantastic buy and would make a great stocking filler for teens and adults this Christmas.

Morphy Richards Mico Microwave Toastie Maker: how does it work?

The Mico was super easy to use, with very clear instructions to guide me on timings. I just simply needed to butter one side of each bread slice, placed them buttered-side down on the grill plates, add my chosen filling, then clip the two parts together, making sure my slices and the grill plate patterns were aligned.

Then, I put the Mico into my microwave for two minutes 30 seconds, before flipping the toastie maker over for the final minute and 30 seconds of cooking.

I was worried the toastie would be stuck to the Mico when it was done, but it was surprisingly easy to lift out thanks to the non-stick plates. You just need to be careful of the heat when flipping the toastie maker or removing it from the microwave — the silicone does get quite hot so it's worth having a tea towel on standby to help.

I tested the Mico out extensively over a six-week period, trying out many toasties with a range of bread types to see how it performed (it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it). I did find standard slices fitted in the plates perfectly, however larger, wider slices like sourdough would sometimes needed cutting in half to fit. That was my only gripe when it came to ease of use.

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How does the Morphy Richards Mico Toastie Maker perform?

The results from the Morphy Richards Mico were marvellous, whatever type of bread I used. Think perfectly crispy, evenly browned toast with cheese deliciously melted inside. The toastie's quality could easily match one that's been pan-fried, and despite needing a similar level of effort, it performed far, far better than the reusable toastie bags you can buy for the toaster.

The Mico didn't seal the sides of the toastie, however. Personally, this wasn't an issue as I actually prefer an unsealed toastie, but it's worth bearing in mind that you may get fillings falling out if you add too much.

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How easy is the Morphy Richards Mico Toastie Maker to clean?

Clean up is very easy. Both the silicone outer and the grill plates can be put in the dishwasher. As they're small, they don't take up much room. When I've made toasties in my air fryer, it's usually a case of taking up a whole rack of the dishwasher for the baskets or washing them by hand, so the Mico saves a lot of effort in comparison.

I also found the Mico easy to wash by hand as any grease or spillage comes off the plates with a quick wipe.

Related: Best integrated dishwashers

Price: does the Morphy Richards Mico Toastie Maker offer value for money?

At it's current price of £20 in the Black Friday sales, I think it offers decent value for money. However, I do think its RRP of £35 is a little steep, especially considering that our best electric toastie maker retails at £32.

It's definitely worth keeping your eyes peeled in the upcoming Black Friday sales too incase it's reduced even further.

How we tested

I tested the Morphy Richards Mico Microwave Toastie Sandwich Maker at home in my north London kitchen. During testing, I carefully rated it on its ease of use, ease of cleaning, value for money, and how it performed, carefully evaluating it in comparison to other kitchen gadgets I've tried out for Mumsnet.

• Tested over a six-week period

• Used regularly with a variety of bread types

• Cleaned regularly during testing

About the author

Natasha Gregson is a Senior Content Editor at Mumsnet, with an expertise in home and kitchen product reviews and round-ups. With numerous years of editorial experience under her belt, her work has also been featured in prestigious national publications like The i Paper and Stylist Magazine, and she's written on a wide range of topics.

A keen foodie, Natasha oversees all kitchen content on Mumsnet, and has been on a mission to find the top gadgets, reviewing everything from toasters to air fryers, slow cookers to kettles for hard water.

When she’s not busy seeking out the best buys and advice for Mumsnetters, you can find her searching for the next best restaurant, watching live music, curling up with a good book, cross-stitching, or enjoying a good hike or swim.

About Mumsnet Reviews

All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real people after extensive research and testing. We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. However, we never allow this to influence our coverage.

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