Mumsnet users review the Tefal Cook4Me Connect

[JustineBMumsnet]

This is the feedback thread for the 30 Mumsnetters who have been testing the Tefal one-pot digital cooker Cook4Me Connect (RRP £319.99).

Here’s what Tefal have to say about the product: “You don’t need to be a masterchef to achieve delicious meals in no time! Tefal have innovated again, and now give you Cook4Me.

Cook4Me is a one-pot digital cooker, ideal for parents looking to make fast and fresh meals:
- It is easy to use and intuitive: Cook4Me comes with 50 built-in recipes, and features a digital screen with guided cooking steps.
- Cook4Me cooks under pressure, which means you will save a lot of time. For example, after browning and pre-heating, it cooks a Chicken Tikka Masala in 3 minutes, a Thai Green Chicken curry in 4 minutes and a Risotto in 9 minutes (and no need to stir!)…
- It is the ideal all-in-one cooker, with up to 6 cooking manual modes: not only does it pressure cook, but it also steams, browns, simmers, gentle-cooks and automatically keeps your food warm. Its dishwasher-safe bowl can feed 6 people, perfect for the whole family or for batch-cooking.

Cook4Me comes in a standard version, with 50 built-in recipes (RRP is £269.99), and in a Connected version, that works with My Cook4Me app, giving access to over 100 recipes (RRP is £319.99).”

Testers, please ensure that you’ve tested the digital cooker using both the recipes and the manual/ingredients modes and then give your feedback by answering the following questions as well as completing the survey we will email to you.

1. How easy or difficult did you find Cook4Me Connect to use?
2. Which recipes did you try? What did you think of them?
3. What were your thoughts on the cooking results of the Cook4Me Connect?
4. Would you recommend the Cook4Me Connect?

All who give their required feedback will be entered into a prize draw where one tester will win a £100 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Non-testers, please answer the below question. All non-testers who answer the below question will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £200 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

• Is there a recipe you’ve never dared to cook and would really like to be able to make in the Cook4Me?

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

I have never dared to cook lamb shanks and i know my husband loves them.

NON TESTER - Is there a recipe you’ve never dared to cook and would really like to be able to make in the Cook4Me?

I'd love to make a proper curry like a vindaloo as I love spicy but never been brave enough to attempt it yet 🙈

Surprised to hear you can make risotto in it - I'd like to try that as I've started out a few times 'normally' and always failed miserably!

Wish I'd spotted the call for testers - sorely lacking in the kitchen department at the moment as in the early stages of a kitchen refurb so very short of appliances right now!

I'd make a Curry! havent been brave enough !

Non tester

Non-tester
I'd like to try a tagine. It's something I've never tried, but I think the Cook4Me would be perfect for it!

I am a n

I am a non tester, I would love to make gumbo in this.

Non tester

Ooh I love risotto, would love to make it properly instead of the normal stodgy I usually end up with!

non-tester

I'd love to make a baked cheesecake, New York style!

Attempting the joint of beef recipe in the app today and whilst it is resting I will steam broccoli and green beans in the C4M.

Non tester - My Dd is almost 18 and has Aspergers. She has never been able to use a cooker as she has anxiety issues. I have often wondered if she could manage to use the Tefal cook4me. She can follow a recipe and has lots she would love to try independently. If I win I will come back and let you know.

Non Tester - I would love to cook Pho

Non Tester bbq pulled pork recipe would love to try with this

Non tester - I've seen a lovely risotto recipe, chicken & chorizo - but I've never even mastered cooking normal rice and have resorted to the micro bags of it - so the chances of me ever cooking a real risotto are very slim!

I'd be really interested to see how a risotto bianco turns out in the Cook4Me - I've never yet managed to leave a risotto cooked in a pan alone for more than about 37 seconds without it determinedly sticking itself to the pan. Great ideas for Mums and Dads on the go!

I've been away for the weekend without it and missed it! All meals this week have been planned around the Cook4Me

Tester here, getting around to answering the questions.

1. very easy. The display is clear and it's obvious what to do. I did have an issue getting my phone app to send one recipe to the machine that wasn't already on it, and gave up and did Manual instead but that worked fine anyway. I think it's very easy to use.

1. I've tried several:

Beef madras curry - was nice and v quick for week night meal. I would prefer not to use the jarred paste - as I can somehow taste it in the final product - so it would be easy to adapt by adding spices. dhal - also used jarred paste and was a pretty odd dhal recipe, but it came out tasty! Butternut squash risotto - came out a bit dry and bland, would need customising I think, add some more flavourings. Lamb and prune tagine - lovely, although I used less honey as I don't like food too sweet. I've also tried on manual setting a lentil and sweet potato curry, which came out very well.

1. The results have been a bit mixed but overall good, and given the time and effort taken to cook them, very good. I will modify the recipes slightly to my tastes but that is really easy too.
2. I would, but it is very expensive! I think it's out of most people's price range. I would also like it better if the quantities came up with the recipe instructions on the Cook4me as I find myself having to use both the app and the machine for those. I also think maybe giving some more recipes without jars would be good.

Thank you so much for allowing me to test it. Despite the above caveats I love it. It's easy to use, clean, not at all scary and it's fun too.

Pulled pork tonight, in less than an hour!

Non tester: Probably something from my travels like a laksa or pho.

I've always wanted to cook seafood risotto but have just never had the guts to try. I think I'm super paranoid about cooking seafood for some reason & i always mess up when I cook rice. Always!! Without fail!! 😂😂😂

Pulled pork looks good! One for me to try next;)...

Tester -

1. How easy or difficult did you find Cook4Me Connect to use?

Hardest part was getting it out of the box very well packaged and I was scared I would break it which was daft because I'm now lifting it from cupboard to side etc was ease, it's not as heavy as it looks.now, after some practice I can easily work my way through all the settings and trust it to get on with cooking for me whilst I do other things which is perfect for busy venting meals.

1. Which recipes did you try? What did you think of them?

Risotto, span Bol and a joint of beef tonight all 3 worked well and because I don use jars I just adjusted the recipes and added my own ingredients. I used tha manual setting tonight for the beef because the original 30 minutes for 1kg beef would have been too rare for our liking so I adjusted to 1 hour and it was really nice, all 5 of us said it was lovely which is a first! I'm going to try out the timer this week...

1. What were your thoughts on the cooking results of the Cook4Me Connect

We have had really good results here so far. We don't eat dessert but I'm looking forward to trying them out. It's not worth £300 in my opinion, it does save time although the heating time needs to be added to the cook time because it's not just 30 minutes etc but it's an impressive piece of kit and using extra steamer trays etc you can do a full one pot meal in it.

1. Would you recommend the Cook4Me Connect?

Yes I would but at a reduced price, you can tell it is well made by the ease of cleaning it, very straight forward and easy to clean.

Non Tester - I would love to make a Risotto in it. I have tried making it using a pan but I can never get it right.

I would love to try the pea and mint risotto as I love risotto. I always worry that the rice won't be nice and soft by the end though as i always struggle to get boiled rice cooked to perfection!