NOW CLOSED: Want to try the new HomeCooker (worth £350) from Philips to the test? Cooks needed....

[AnnMumsnet]

We've been asked by Philips to find 15 MNers UK based who are willing to put their new HomeCooker (and cutting tower) to the MN test! This is a brand new product and MNers will be among the first to try it.

The HomeCooker is the first in the new range of kitchen appliances that has been co-created by Philips and Jamie Oliver and is a first-of-its-kind, multi-functional device that does the preparation as well as the cooking, meaning you can cook fresh and stay fresh.

For more information please see www.philips.co.uk/e/homecooker/home.html

Philips say "Enabling you to prepare homemade meals even on your busiest days, the HomeCooker has been specially designed to achieve authentic home cooking with ease. It can chop, stir, steam and sauté and be left cooking unattended".

As Jamie Oliver explains: "We all know it can be a struggle to get fresh, homemade food on the table every day, especially for busy parents who have to juggle so much. It's often a real tradeoff between spending time with the family and getting fresh food on the table. The beauty of the Philips HomeCooker is that it removes this dilemma - you can now do both! Whether you're a beginner cook or a more experienced chef, the HomeCooker takes the pressure off in the kitchen. Because it stirs itself you don't have to stand over a stove but you can still invest all that love and creativity into your meal."

For this we're looking for a range of people - it's aimed at those who like to and want to cook fresh meals but often struggle to find the time.

If you're selected for this product test you will be sent the HomeCooker (and cutting tower) and ingredients to follow one of the recipes provided. You may also want you to try some of your favourites in it.

We'll need you to add three lots of feedback:

1.  First impressions on a thread on site<br />
   

2.  Your opinion after you've been using it for a couple of weeks on a thread (we will add more questions to the thread)<br />
   

3.  A review on <a class="break-all" href="http://www.mumsnet.com/reviews/household-appliances/ovens-cookers-and-hobs" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">the MN Reviews section</a><br />
   

So long as you do all three you will be able to keep the HomeCooker after testing (RRP £350).

We'd also like testers to send in about 5 photos of the food you create using the HomeCooker - these can be anonymous and will be used on the Philips Facebook pages

If you'd like to put it through the paces please sign up here - if you are selected we will be in touch.

Thanks and good luck

MNHQ

[Babieseverywhere]

I got my stuff, love the cooler bag and I'm doing the other risotto, the butter nut squash one :)

[MadameOvary]

I got my stuff too, only one of the gravy melts has burst and leaked everywhere, including over the gift vouchers. Much as I'm delighted to have it and appreciate all the freebies (understatement), it was not packed well!

[libelulle]

no stuff here yet :( And now I have to start school run, bah, so will miss it.

Burst melts, yeurg!

[EddieVeddersfoxymop]

Righto....I have it!!! Came today while in the school run, but my luffly neighbour took it in. So how do I get the instructions/ingredients etc...no other parcels have arrived, am a little confused!

[Halfling]

Got a beautiful green Clarissa Hulse cool bag containing ingredients - olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, arborio rice, bisto stock (all waitrose), a supermarket voucher and a print out of the recipe for Risotto Prima Vera with asparagus, broad beans and peas.

This is a gift that keeps on giving I am really thankful!

I have placed all the three things - cooker, cutting tower and cool bag reverentially on the dining table and got my neighbours to ooh and aah over them.

Now what should I do next? Should I cook the risotto and take pictures? Where should I upload the photos? Where is the thread for writing the reviews?

AnnMumsnet could you please come back and update this thread with the next set of instructions? Thanks!

[AnnMumsnet]

hello - good to know they are arriving and MadameOvary you have email.

Next steps - please do use it and take some snaps - you can use it for the recipe provided and then just use it in your normal everyday cooking.
I will email you a link to the feedback thread once we know everyone has it and let you know about everything else

Happy cooking!

[EddieVeddersfoxymop]

Recipe provided? I just got the machine and the chopping tower........

[Jux]

Anyone feel like posting the recipes [cheeky question]

Just so us unlucky ones can make them too, and pretend?

[cather]

Mine has all arrived now, the cool bag was a lovely surprise. I'm at Cubs tonight but looking forward to trying it tomorrow.

[MadameOvary]

I am doing the recipe now and the technology is making me feel very old

[MadameOvary]

Jux The recipe is on the Philips Homecooker webpage here

[SharpObject]

Eddie didn't you get a cook book included in the box for the cooker?

I don't have a cooler bag, ingredients or voucher but I did get a cook book with the cooker.

I'll post recipes this evening if you want jux so far I've done paella and cooked breakfast which I'm having again for tea tonight ahem.

[libelulle]

ooh, cooler bag and ingredients etc arrived the second I was coming through the door at 5pm, talk about timing.

Happy to report that last night's beef stew was delicious, thumbs up from all four recipients. Looking forward to trying the risotto.

[ClaireDeTamble]

Both cooker and ingredients arrived today. Cooker package looked like it had been run over, but the box and the cooker were fine!

I've got one of the Risotto recipes to do so we will probably have it for tea tomorrow.

Looking forward to using it.

[sarahbanshee]

Got my bag of goodies too (also with crushed and leaky stock meltlets, I guess we know now they do not travel well) - I too am down for butternut squash risotto. Something I cook fairly often but not with the sage and pancetta doings, so the family will think they are being spoilt!

The coolbag was a nice surprise and will jazz up future picnics no end.

This really is a big treat and I am excited to try it out tomorrow!

[Fiveisenough]

My ingredients arrived with the glass bottles all smashed and everything leaking out if the box
Called up and they are sending me out another.

[EddieVeddersfoxymop]

My goody bag came today too....thank you Philps for sending us all such lovely stuff. All arrived safely now, just need to go shopping and get the ingredients. Think that'll be a job for Sunday as its my DDs birthday tomorrow and party on Saturday! Will need wine I reckon!!!!!!

[SharpObject]

Haven't received a goody bag here yet, for those that have received and they are leaking..

I will wait I'll after the weekend and then let you know.

I'm having steak tonight and plan to do my toms, mushrooms, onions and herbs in Jamie

[AnnMumsnet]

The team sending the cookers and bits out are very sorry for any leaky stock etc - please do get in touch with Mary if you have had a problem (and haven't been in touch with her already) - let me know if you need her number.

[SharpObject]

Poor Mary. maybe she needs you to send her some gin Ann? Everything always seems to run more smoothly once the gin is poured or suggest a better courier company?

[Babieseverywhere]

DH and I are having fun with the new machine but having trouble with food sticking to the bottom and burning :(

We are waiting for the pan to heat up to the correct temp and following the recipes to the letter yet both the 'Classic pan-cooked breakfast' and 'Crispy Rosemary Potatoes' burnt to the bottom. The rest of the food was lovely but the pan has to be soaked and scrubbed clean between each attempt which is taking ages, hardly a time saver :(

Any hints, are we doing something wrong ?

PS. My cooler bag and ingredients turned up intact.

[libelulle]

That's interesting babieseverywhere - I noticed that the temperatures suggested in the product notes were much lower than the ones in the recipe book. For instance the book suggested sticking the hungarian stew on at 130 for 3 hours, which would pretty much guarantee ruined meat and possibly a burnt base - it was bubbling furiously at that temperature. After bringing it to the boil, I left my stew at 90c for 2 hours and it was perfect.

[SharpObject]

Our first cooked breakfast burnt and then the second time I added a little more oil and turned it down to 130 and it didn't stick.

I used the tower this evening which was a bit tricky to figure out how to attach the blade didn't read the instructions properly I chopped onion, courgette and mushrooms and then fried in a little oil and a nob of garlic butter, kept it on low for 25 minutes and served on pan fried steak.

I plan to make cauliflower cheese with the tower and cooker tomorrow.

[Babieseverywhere]

Thanks libelulle & SharpObject, we'll try your suggestions and ignore temp/times in the book and try a bit of common sense. 250c sounded far too high for a breakfast.