Read Mumsnet users feedback on the Tefal Cake Factory Easy Cake Maker

[EllieMumsnet]

This is the feedback thread for the 25 testers who tried out the Tefal Cake Factory Easy Cake Maker (RRP: £169.99). Testers used the Cake Factory in their normal cooking routine and could also try out some of the recipes that came with the product.

Here’s what Tefal have to say about the product: “Fed up of sunken sponges and soggy bottoms? Or your temperamental oven burning bakes? Then you’ll love Tefal’s Cake Factory. With this precision cakemaker, you can enjoy consistent, mouth-watering results without the stress. From crispy meringues to hot sticky toffee pudding and perfectly oozing chocolate lava cakes, no bake is too tricky. Five automatic programmes intelligently set the correct temperature and time for a range of sweet delights, completely taking the guesswork out of baking. For when you become confident in your baking, there’s a manual mode that lets you take full control and create your own signature bakes. Download the free app for inspiration, featuring over 200 easy recipes – including vegan, gluten-free and low-sugar options. Little helpers can even get involved thanks to its simple controls and cool touch handles, whilst its compact size makes it convenient to use and easy to store.”

Testers please answer the following questions:

• What were your initial thoughts on the product (design, size, quality, documental guidance)?
• Did you use the recipe book and if so which recipes were your favourite?
• Did you face any issues using the product or do you think anything could be improved?
• What type of cakes or desserts did you bake in your Cake Factory?
• Where did you store the product when you weren’t using it?
• Would you recommend the product to your family and/or friends?

Selected testers will be required to leave their feedback on a thread on Mumsnet and on the Tefal website. All testers who leave the required feedback will be entered into a prize draw where 3 MNers will win a £100 voucher (each) of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

What were your initial thoughts on the product (design, size, quality, documental guidance)?
A bit pink and therefore maybe a bit kiddy looking. I would have preferred something more subtle and not a girly gendered colour. However, it wasn't as big as I thought it might be and it does fit in my cupboard. It felt sturdy and has a nice weight to it, so feels like it will last. The 3x tins/moulds were also high quality.

I was however confused by what seems like two almost identical recipe books and some sort of fold out guide. Would be much better to have all the relevant info in the front of the recipe book as that is what I'd keep out on the shelf. Hence not bothering with the recipe book and using the app.

Did you use the recipe book and if so which recipes were your favourite?
I didn't use the recipe book, instead using the app. I think the recipes were the same but can't be sure.

• Mini banana breads: lots of positive reviews from people who ate them (I don't like banana bread so didn't eat them myself).
• Chocolate chip cupcakes: didn't rise very well so had flat tops. Tasted okay though.
• Vanilla and chocolate marble cake: didn't rise very well, stodgy at the bottom and generally a faff of a recipe to follow (separating eggs), I'll have another go with my own basic cake recipe.
• Vegan brownies: tasted nice if very almondy. Wouldn't repeat them as there were lots of expensive ingredients.

Generally speaking the recipes were a bit faffy in places and overly complex, yet the instructions didn't really have enough info (mix, instead of whisk or fold). If it's for people who can't bake very well, then the instructions have to be foolproof. Some things were plain wrong (saying to butter the tin for vegan brownies, I lined it with greaseproof paper instead!), lots of random and expensive ingredients and hit and miss results for us.

Did you face any issues using the product or do you think anything could be improved?
See above. Hit and miss results despite following the instructions to the letter. Needs some really simple recipes with clear, explicit instructions for those who know nothing about baking.

What type of cakes or desserts did you bake in your Cake Factory?
Individual cupcakes, individual cakes and cakes to share. Exact recipes in comments above.

I also plan to make the chocolate lava cakes, mini meringues, lemon cakes and potentially to branch out with some savoury things. Difficult when you don't want to be eating cake every day and are running out of places to palm our baked goods onto!!

Where did you store the product when you weren’t using it?
Kitchen cupboard, it fits in our base units.

Would you recommend the product to your family and/or friends?
Depends. The price is expensive for a mix of recipes, hit and miss results but my daughter loves it. Of course it's expensive to buy for a 9yo too, but far better than some kiddie cake pop machine. So, I might recommend it in the right circumstances. I also think if it is possible for the community to upload recipes to share via the app, or suggest improvements to Tefal recipes, then that would expand it's use.

I expect I'll use it maybe 2-3 times a month.

Meant to say that 9yo DD loves it. She's less bothered by the results (and everything tastes good when it's warm and freshly baked!) and she loved being able to melt butter/chocolate by herself. I only stepped in to remove hot trays from the Cake Factory, otherwise she did the rest herself. She might potentially use it more than me, especially in the holidays.

What were your initial thoughts on the product (design, size, quality, documental guidance)?
It’s a manageable size- not keen on the pink/purple. The guidance was not great- the quick start guide was hard to follow because so many languages used made it cluttered and confusing. I went straight to the app, and found the control panel very intuitive anyway. The ‘sharing cake’ tin is good quality- releases very well so far.

• Did you use the recipe book and if so which recipes were your favourite?

Lemon drizzle cupcakes. Also did the chocolate bar cakes- family didn’t like them.

• Did you face any issues using the product or do you think anything could be improved? It would be extra good if all three pans could be stored inside
• What type of cakes or desserts did you bake in your Cake Factory?

Flapjacks, lemon drizzle, chocolate Victoria sponge mix, chocolate bar cakes. So far.

• Where did you store the product when you weren’t using it?

In a cupboard.

• Would you recommend the product to your family and/or friends?

It would be good in a limited kitchen which didn’t have an oven. I’m not sure yet whether it is worth keeping in addition to an oven.

What were your initial thoughts on the product (design, size, quality, documental guidance)?
It's about the right size for a kitchen appliance so no problems there. I personally don't like pink so would prefer a more neutral colour so it fits in with the kitchen. It seems well made and all the parts seem a great quality. The guide is great, I did start reading the French section and was confused but I hadn't had coffee yet so I can be forgiven. However I completely missed that you could get an app with more recipes on it, perhaps that could be more prominent.

Did you use the recipe book and if so which recipes were your favourite?
I baked the scones, melt in the middle puddings and a marble cake. I was going to bake the vegan ginger cakes for a vegan lady at work but they contained honey which isn't strictly vegan. My favourites had to be the melt in the middle puddings and the scones (any excuse for clotted cream)

Did you face any issues using the product or do you think anything could be improved?
It wasn't immediately clear that you could set the timings on each individual program. The temptation to see what was going on was immense!

What type of cakes or desserts did you bake in your Cake Factory?
I tried to bake a range of cakes and bakes. So made scones, melt in middle puddings and marble cake.

Where did you store the product when you weren’t using it?
I stored it on the side as I was using it regularly but I would probably normally store it in a cupboard or drawer.

Would you recommend the product to your family and/or friends?
I would recommend to a friend who has a budding baker in their family.

What were your initial thoughts on the product (design, size, quality, documental guidance)?
Was happy with the size, I was expecting something bulkier but it’s nice and compact. I wasn’t a fan of the hot pink colour, I prefer more neutral colours so it’s definitely stands out in my kitchen! The tray and silicone moulds are really high quality, as was the cake factory itself. It came with a number of booklets, I flicked through them but I personally preferred the app, it had the same recipes plus more.
Did you use the recipe book and if so which recipes were your favourite?
I preferred using the app as it was easy to navigate and had more variety, it could be even better once more recipes are added. I made the muffins, banana breads, cookie tray bake, marble cake and flapjacks. The muffins were a big favourite in our house.
did you face any issues using the product or do you think anything could be improved?
I wasn’t a fan of the pink colour, and a clear top would be nice to see how the cake was baking.
What type of cakes or desserts did you bake in your Cake Factory?
Muffins, banana bread, cookie tray bake, flapjack and marble cake.
Where did you store the product when you weren’t using it?
A cupboard in the kitchen.
Would you recommend the product to your family and/or friends?
Yes, it was really easy to use, high quality, fun and safe for the children to get involved in baking. Hopefully more and more recipes will be added to the app

-What were your initial thoughts on the product (design, size, quality, documental guidance)?

I loved the cake factory - looks fun, sleek, and quite a ‘cool’ gadget to have in the kitchen. My little boy was beside himself when we opened it and couldn’t wait to get cracking with some bakes. I really liked the design - it’s not heavy, nice size, really easy to clean. It looks very high end, and the buttons on the front make everything so simple - just one or two clicks, and it’s away. Great for getting my little one involved. I like having it on display on my counters, everyone who has seen it has commented on it and been interested in finding out more about it.

Guidance really useful and very simple. The recipes I’ve used have only had a handful of ingredients, can’t go wrong.

Created really good quality, equal bakes -something I couldn’t have achieved using my oven.

• Did you use the recipe book and if so which recipes were your favourite?

Yep - loved the raspberry cakes, and the peanut butter cookies were a hit too.

Used the app more, I liked typing in certain things that I already had to hand and seeing what was available.

• Did you face any issues using the product or do you think anything could be improved?

No, found it simple, quick and really exciting for my little boy to use, he loved it. So that’s a big bonus.

• What type of cakes or desserts did you bake in your Cake Factory?

I really liked the mini cake moulds, thought everything cooked in there was brilliant. Raspberry cakes, mini lemon cakes, and banana breads - the sorts of things we would eat normally. Made cookies also. Everyone loved the bakes, and I found it really easy to clean once finished.

• Where did you store the product when you weren’t using it?

On my kitchen counter.

• Would you recommend the product to your family and/or friends?

Yes, I already have! It’s been out in the kitchen in full view since it arrived, so people have naturally asked about it. I thought the main features that people warmed to were: child friendly, easy to clean, simple to use, and perfectly equal bakes that wouldn’t be achieved in a typical oven (at least ones I have experience of).

What were your initial thoughts on the product (design, size, quality, documental guidance)?
Looks sleek and wasn’t as large as I was expecting. I like the jolly colouring. It felt substantial but not too heavy to move around. It felt good quality, everything closed nicely! The trays feel like they will last too.

Did you use the recipe book and if so which recipes were your favourite?
I did but used the app more as it was easier to use on my device and the search and in my fridge function was handy. I also liked the shopping list function to be able to read through recipes then just add necessary ingredients to my list.
Hard to choose a favourite as they were all delicious but if I had to it would be the chocolate lava cakes.

Did you face any issues using the product or do you think anything could be improved?
Some more savoury recipes would be really good – I tried to freestyle and make some cheese/ham muffins for breakfast as it would be helpful to be able to just pop them in before family descends in the morning. I think the instructions could actually be made even more simple. Freezing info would be handy as sometimes you need more than the quantities you can make in one go / want to save for later,

What type of cakes or desserts did you bake in your Cake Factory?
Loads of tray bakes – I used the lemon and olive oil cake, the Mexican three milk cake and the lemon blossom cake recipes and also tried a couple of adaptations to them so just plain vanilla sponge and one with mixed fruit in.
I did the Sticky Toffee Pudding which was amazing and tasted like something from a restaurant
Also loved the Walnut brownies – they were like proper brownies, gooey in the middle and crisp on the top.
Chocolate lava cakes - utterly incredible, again tasted and looked like a “proper” pudding. (Will be trying these again but using the orange and chocolate cake recipe for a different favour).
Bread and butter pudding – really easy and for once it didn’t have burnt corners like it does when cooked in the over, plus no sloshing a bain marie of boiling water about.
Also did the mini banana breads, very handy for packed lunches.

Where did you store the product when you weren’t using it?
On the kitchen worktop.

Would you recommend the product to your family and/or friends?
Yes, definitely, I already have. As a consistently hopeless cake baker, this is a game changer! I think it is pretty much foolproof and so easy to use. I have been able to actually produce things for bake sales without either having to buy from the supermarket and bash around the edges to look home made or try to anonymously put my donations on the table and run before anyone clocks that I made them and I die of shame. The puddings and cakes produced for family and friends have been unanimously greeted with amazement and huge quantities of praise (and not the usual references to sponges being as light as bricks etc etc!).
I even took it on a weekend away with friends – it was lovely to be able to make fresh and delicious cake for everyone. I would never have taken baking trays etc with me and bothered to cook in a strange kitchen but having this to hand meant that there was always a plate of cake or muffins on the go for the kids which was brilliant. I also liked the safety aspect of not having a super hot oven with small children around, or getting my arms burnt putting things in/getting them out.
I think it is a really handy gadget to have – would be great for students going off to uni who like to bake but don’t want to have to take loads of tins etc and deal with different ovens, anyone who has a temperamental oven or just people who aren’t proficient bakers.

What were your initial thoughts on the product (design, size, quality, documental guidance)?
I really like the size and shape, and the chunky handles to lift the lid up. The product seems to be very durable and well made. I don't think the pink will be to everyone's taste though! If I'm honest I haven't read the documental guidance - the mixture of languages made it too confusing just to flick through, so I decided to try using it without instructions. I'm not at all 'techy' but did manage to navigate my way through using it without instructions, which I think demonstrates that it must be very easy to use.

Did you use the recipe book and if so which recipes were your favourite?
So far we've only used the recipe book for the baked vanilla cheesecake. It needed ten minutes more cooking time than the book said, but is an absolute triumph - really delicious and disappearing quickly! We'll be making another one next weekend when we have visitors coming! We've also used the app for the condensed milk cake and the giant cookie - both recipes were straightforward and the results were good. We also looked at the recipe on the app for individual cookies, which seemed unnecessarily complicated and too much of a faff - I think I would just do them in a normal oven with a more standard recipe.

Did you face any issues using the product or do you think anything could be improved?
I asked to product test the Cake Factory specifically to use it with DS1, aged 13, who has complex disabilities. He loves cooking and baking and it calms him down. He may well hope for employment in a professional kitchen in the future. He was able to use the Cake Factory with less supervision than he would a normal oven, however:

• it was confusing for him that we could put the bakes into a cold Cake Factory, however it was burning hot when the bakes were ready to come out (if it were possible to somehow keep the edges cool to the touch, this would be brilliant for younger children and people with special needs)
• There is barely any space to grip the hot baking tin to get it out of the Cake Factory, and using oven gloves is impossible as they are too thick. Could you create a bigger ergonomic dip for finger space? DH suggests Tefal branded oven gloves or protective grips to fit the current (very narrow) space.
• the push buttons were a bit fiddly to use with buttery fingers.

What type of cakes or desserts did you bake in your Cake Factory?
As above, baked cheesecake (DS did this nearly all by himself, which really boosted his confidence), giant cookie, and condensed milk cake. We added orange and cinnamon instead of nutmeg to the condensed milk cake. Next time I might chuck some marmalade in under the batter and turn it into a pudding. We also plan to make the lemon drizzle buns and various chocolate items.

Where did you store the product when you weren’t using it?
We don't have much spare work surface but it will fit nicely in the kitchen cupboard. If I had the space I'd leave it on the worktop for ease of use and because it's a good looking item.

Would you recommend the product to your family and/or friends?
I definitely would to those with children/young adults with special needs if you could resolve the small issues above. However the product is really rather expensive - I think I'd mainly recommend it for those with teeny kitchens with no proper oven. I can see DS having one in his own kitchen when he's older and hopefully living semi-independently.

Thank you for letting us test the Cake Factory - we are really enjoying having it and the quality of our baking has improved substantially!

Ok, extra things to say...

The chocolate puddle pudding is lovely. Mmm.

I like the notebook in 'my universe'- I've saved all the recipes I want to try.

The recipes are randomly wrong in lots of places. They need a good editing. The ingredients are listed in the wrong order, one asked for dried fruit but meant dried nuts etc.

What were your initial thoughts on the product?
I was very excited when I heard the product was posted and very happy to see the box in my hallway when I got home. Opening it was very exciting and it was very easy to set up. The tins were great quality and I love that the individual moulds are flexible to fold to store and push out, yet stiff around the edges so they don’t sag when you lift them. I loved the style of the muffin tin where the cups fold down to store it flat and I wish it was the same for the loaf tin and square tin. 
The size was good and everything seemed to be ready to go. There was a lot of documentation and I wasn’t sure where to start. The quick start guide was not amazingly clear and the recipe book was a bit odd.
I also set it up on my dining room table to give me more space in the kitchen and allowed me to have more space to bake with my daughter.

Did you use the recipe book and if so which recipes were your favourite? 
I did try the recipe book but I found the selection really odd. I made the chocolate chip muffins and they came out well but could have done with some vanilla or something. I also made the plain meringues and they came out perfect. I was interested in the recipes in the other languages that were not in the English section but it was too difficult to translate them while baking. 
I was a bit confused with some of the recipes and things like the banana bread had some odd recipes including having buckwheat flour and soya yoghurt in there.
Much preferred the app but need more recipes to make it sustainable or a way to convert normal ones. 


Did you face any issues using the product or do you think anything could be improved?
It would be great to be able to fit all of the tins inside to store but I assume the plan is that you would buy more moulds and then it would get quite chunky. I would also love a round traditional cake tin pan. I was not a fan of the pink plastic and would prefer a different colour as it did look like a kids toy. 
All the recipes I tried with the automatic settings (individual, large and meringues) came out really well but each time I used the manual setting it was hit or miss (mainly miss). I would really like the instructions to give me clear instructions on converting normal recipes. For instance should I add more time or have it at a different temperature. Also a way of using the automatic settings more as a lot of the recipes I found used manual and I was disappointed to not use the temperature variation from the automatic settings.

What type of cakes or desserts did you bake in your Cake Factory?
I made 6 batches of the mini chocolate cakes from the app. The first batch were so good I was “forced” to make many more, they are a true favourite.
Condensed milk cake - the Manual setting went very wrong.
2 batches of meringues came out perfectly.
Syrup sponge - came out well despite a manual cooking setting.
Chocolate chip muffins - came out well.
I want to be able to try fondants but haven’t had a chance. 


Where did you store the product when you weren’t using it?
Fits in my cupboard fine. A cable storage bit or loop would be useful and I would like to keep the tins in the machine if possible. 


Would you recommend the product to your family and/or friends?

Yes and a lot of people have got my recommendation at work. A lot of the cakes went into work and they love it. I think the price put some people off but they are not real bakers/cooks. I love the easy use of the product and the ability to put in multiple batches one after the other.

- What were your initial thoughts on the product (design, size, quality, documental guidance)?

Smart design and felt sturdy and well made. Colour was a bit incongruous with other kitchen appliances, would have preferred maybe all black or white rather than the pink. Set up instructions easy to follow.

- Did you use the recipe book and if so which recipes were your favourite?

The recipe book was a bit confusing with bits wrong but the app was fab. Favourite recipes were the choc chip muffins and the oatmeal and raisin flapjacks - starting off simple! Next bake is the lava cakes. Brilliant being able to melt choc and butter inside it with little faff.

- Did you face any issues using the product or do you think anything could be improved?

It's quite a large piece of kit to store, would be good if the trays could be stored inside with it to keep the accessories together. Little silicone grippers to pull the trays out would be helpful. Surface stays understandably hot to the touch after use - could a light stay on to warn not to touch until cool? Maybe because of its fun colouring, DS was rather keen on investigating! App great; forget the recipe book.

- What type of cakes or desserts did you bake in your Cake Factory?

Muffins, flapjacks (different kinds)

- Where did you store the product when you weren’t using it?

On the countertop as no room in the cupboards at the moment.

- Would you recommend the product to your family and/or friends?

Initially no, as it felt daft - like it was just duplicating the oven for no reason. However, after a lovely baking session with DS (3.5) and much admiration from (keen baker) MIL we changed our minds - it's expensive but a very accessible and simple way to bake with confidence.

- What were your initial thoughts on the product (design, size, quality, documental guidance)?

Loved the colour, smaller than I expected but that meant it was handier to keep and store, found the instructions really easy once we found the English ones! Although I would say we found the step by step for the Financiers seemed like it missed a step as we weren't sure when to add the egg whites!

- Did you use the recipe book and if so which recipes were your favourite?

Yes that was our first point of call as my 11yr old is a keen baker so liked to flick through and find what she wanted to bake. I also looked through the app as there was so many more recipes so we used that as well for things not in the booklet.

- Did you face any issues using the product or do you think anything could be improved?

Not necessarily an issue but I wasn't keen on melting things in the cake factory such as butter or chocolate as I found the tray a little awkward to lift out when hot and pour into your bowl. But always useful to use if you need to. I thought the buttons and setting the time on the front was really simple, in fact my 11yr old did it most of the time.

- What type of cakes or desserts did you bake in your Cake Factory?

We did several of the cakes, such as the raspberry ones, chocolate ones, and lemon & poppy seed. Liked the cake bar shape which is not a shape I'd normally bake in the oven, the kids loved them, they were easy to bake and came out soft and springy.

We also did the Almond Financiers which was my favourite of the cake bars as they had a really soft almondy centre due to all the ground almonds and egg whites.

Our favourite dessert by far that we tried was the chocolate lava cakes - oh my they were heavenly and we all loved them - definitely a dinner party dessert that is so simple using the cake factory as you don't have to worry about timings, burning etc.

Would love to see some savoury recipes on the app such as savoury muffins etc.

- Where did you store the product when you weren’t using it?

It's on the kitchen worktop but I want to find a cupboard space for it so I can just put it on the side when using it.

- Would you recommend the product to your family and/or friends?

Yes but it would depend on their desire/needs for baking. I do think it's quite pricey and it does have pro's and con's but overall I think it's a really handy little gadget that does give good results without overcooking and takes away the stress of checking the oven.
For me personally I love that my daughter can bake away with little assistance and doesn't have to worry about timings. Also I can be busy cooking the dinner and she can bake cakes/desserts without getting in my way as she doesn't need the main oven. Likewise I now know that if I have guests I can prepare the lava cakes, put them in the cake factory and don't have to keep my eye on them!!

Made a very nice crumble today, using the settings from the recipe. Lovely crunchy top.

I second the savoury recipes. Want to try the quiche someone else posted about.

What were your initial thoughts on the product (design, size, quality, documental guidance)?
It looks great, modern and sleek, not as big as I'd expected so fairly easy to store. Not sure about the bright pink! The quality seems very good. It comes with two silicone moulds and a metal cake tin. It is quite user-friendly and has a range of automatic programs plus a manual option. The instruction guides were good, but a bit confusing to have duplicate recipes. I liked the app, which has lots more recipes and a search option for ingredients. I hope that more will be added in time to make it even better.

Did you use the recipe book and if so which recipes were your favourite?
I must say I really preferred the app as there was much more choice. Lemon Drizzle cakes, Chocolate Lava cakes, Scones, Flapjacks - all went down very well!

Did you face any issues using the product or do you think anything could be improved?
No issues, but personally I prefer metal pans rather than silicone. As for recipes, I don't understand why some are for multiple batches, eg Walnut Brownies - recipe is for 3 batches - and some are not. Also, if you wanted to bake more than one batch you would have to wait for the cakes to cool in the pan, then wash the pan before baking the second batch - and so on. That would be rather a long baking session! It would be useful to have information on freezing or even refrigerating the extra batches. I did find some recipes had odd or unusual ingredients, and some seemed very luxurious (and expensive) for 'everyday' kinds of cakes. It would also be good to have guidance on converting normal recipes - most home bakers have a collection of family favourites - so information on this would be very welcome. I would say that usually about half my baking is savoury not sweet, so I would also love to see more savoury recipes.

What type of cakes or desserts did you bake in your Cake Factory?
Chocolate lava cakes, mini banana cakes, lemon drizzle, scones. Quality was consistently good, but timings varied a little.

Where did you store the product when you weren’t using it?
I made space in an undercounter cupboard.

Would you recommend the product to your family and/or friends?
It seems somewhat expensive for such an appliance, but would recommend to those who perhaps would use it for baking with children, or those who do not have a main oven such as in a caravan or holiday home. My two nieces aged 9 and 11 are thrilled with it, and can safely do everything - with supervision - except taking out the hot pans at the end. It would also be good for those who say they can't bake as it is pretty much foolproof and might give them the impetus to start baking!

Gingham the batch can be changed between 1, 2 or 3. When I did a batch, I used two tins alternately. So I had round and rectangular 'cupcakes'.

Thanks, picklemepopcorn! I should have thought of that.

-What were your initial thoughts on the product (design, size, quality, documental guidance)?
I like the colour. Pink is a welcome change to the usual black/white kitchen gadgets.
The size is good and it’s weighted enough that it doesn’t feel flimsy.

• Did you use the recipe book and if so which recipes were your favourite?

I used the app because I’m visually impaired and use voice over. I made syrup sponge, lemon cakes and jam sponge.

• Did you face any issues using the product or do you think anything could be improved? A window to be able to peek at the cakes while cooking would be fun for my small people. But on the whole I loved it. Tactile buttons and large enough display to make it usable even for me.
• What type of cakes or desserts did you bake in your Cake Factory? I made two large cakes and a few batches of lemon cakes so far. All have been cooked perfectly.

I iced the jam cake for my youngest birthday and it was very well received.

• Where did you store the product when you weren’t using it?

In a kitchen cupboard.

• Would you recommend the product to your family and/or friends?

Definitely. I’ve been raving about it to all my friends and family and sharing pictures of my bakes on social media too.

• What were your initial thoughts on the product (design, size, quality, documental guidance)?

I didn’t like the colour of the machine, and don’t think it would fit in many kitchen worktops with the pink/ purple design. I think it would look much more suited to its price point with a silver or black colour choice. The size was great, although my husband pointed out that you couldn’t see the timer from higher up making it harder to use.

• Did you use the recipe book and if so which recipes were your favourite?

We used the app as the recipe book wasn’t that great. As I was using the machine with an 8 and 9 year old, I think the instructions should have been much clearer as well as showing exactly which buttons to press, I still don’t know if I have to press the ok button twice to get the machine to function after several uses. We used a variety of chocolate cake recipes, with the chocolate lava cake being the favourite.

• Did you face any issues using the product or do you think anything could be improved?

As above, I think the instructions in the app should be a lot clearer for family baking.

• What type of cakes or desserts did you bake in your Cake Factory?

We made cupcakes and individual cakes.

• Where did you store the product when you weren’t using it?

The product is stored in the cupboard.

• Would you recommend the product to your family and/or friends?

I would, but with the warning to try out the recipes on your own first before trying with the children, as they weren’t as forgiving with the apps confusion and lost interest a few times, despite baking cakes in the oven a few times a month. It would also be great if more cereal/ healthy bar recipes were developed as the girls love things they can take in school lunchboxes that they have made and most of the recipes were too unhealthy to provide as an every day snack.

Has anyone managed to do the Tefal website review? I don't know if it's because I'm on an iPad, but the questionnaire doesn't seem to work.

• What were your initial thoughts on the product (design, size, quality, documental guidance)?

Very pink and girly. I found this a bit patronising to be honest. It put my eldest son off cooking with me. I think the product could be improved by being a more neutral colour. The box was massive but the actual product was a good size and sturdy.
The documents were confusing and quite repetitive. One seemed to be a simplified duplicate of the other one.

• Did you use the recipe book and if so which recipes were your favourite?

I preferred the app although I did make the raspberry bakes with the recipe book. The recipes were a bit confusing and steps were missing in some cases or the ingredients were wrong. In some cases the exact flour was specified in others the recipe just said flour. For a beginner this would be confusing.

• Did you face any issues using the product or do you think anything could be improved?

There was a bit of a plastic burning smell the first few times it was used. I think the product could be improved by giving a bit more room between the casing and the trays to get the cooked product out

• What type of cakes or desserts did you bake in your Cake Factory?

I made the Raspberry bake, Chocolate Walnut Brownies, Fruit Flapjacks and Lemon Drizzle cakes to ensure good coverage of all the tins.

• Where did you store the product when you weren’t using it?

On the side- in time it will move to a cupboard.

• Would you recommend the product to your family and/or friends?

Not sure. It is expensive for what it is. It's a bit gimmicky.

Just some updates to my feedback above....

We've just made the chocolate lava cakes and they were excellent although 50/50 goo to cake. I'll up the time a little next time so we get a bit more cake (plus it'll be easier to get them out of the tin).

Having used it a bit more, I would agree with needing more finger space to lift up the hot 'cakes to share' tin when using it for melting butter/chocolate. It's almost impossible to get it out using a thicker oven glove.

It would be helpful if all recipes defaulted to 1 batch, some seem to default to more. Not massively helpful for a novice.

However, I think we'll be repeating the chocolate lava cakes. They were super quick and easy to make with basic ingredients (eggs, sugar, flour, butter & chocolate). And at only 15mins cooking time, they are perfect to put on during a meal and to have them for dessert. I think that's what I've enjoyed about the Cake Factory, is that it can just be left to cook, no hanging around in the kitchen, no testing to find out if it's done (which I need to do rather than anyone else). It beeps and anyone can sort it out, including the 9yo.

What were your initial thoughts on the product (design, size, quality, documental guidance)?
Smaller than I expected, fit nicely in my kitchen cupboards when not in use. The colour and style of the product made it look quite childish, more like a child's toy oven than an actual baking product. I would've preferred more neutral colours.

Did you use the recipe book and if so which recipes were your favourite?
Yes, but I preferred the app. I liked the recipe for the lemon drizzle cake the best. The lava cakes also turned out well. I got good feedback on the scones, but I'm not a massive fan myself.

Did you face any issues using the product or do you think anything could be improved?
The instructions were slightly confusing and it took a few moments to find the English section. I found the natural settings a bit complex at first, but I did figure them out eventually. Some recipes were wrong (butter mentioned in vegan cake for example), and the recipe book could do with a proof read.
A viewing panel would be good so you can check on the cakes whilst baking. Also, as said in a previous review, more space around the tins for removing them when they are hot.

What type of cakes or desserts did you bake in your Cake Factory?
I tried to do a range. Used all 3 provided tins, and baked cupcakes, sheet cakes, scones, and melt in the middle cakes. I would've liked more savory recipes though.

Where did you store the product when you weren’t using it?
As I was using it often to test it, I left it on my work surface. However I did check, and it will fit nicely in my cupboard when not in as regular use.

Would you recommend the product to your family and/or friends?
Yes, however it is quite expensive. I have given some cakes to friends while testing, and they've been impressed and asked about the product. Overall I would recommend, but would expect the price to put a lot of people off.

What were your initial thoughts on the product (design, size, quality, documental guidance)?
I was pleasantly surprised with how compact and attractive the Cake Factory was when it arrived - it felt very substantial and the accessories didn’t take up much space. The quick start guide was more than enough to get going because it is pretty intuitive to use. I didn’t really refer to the other documentation after an initial scan through it as I felt it was a bit surplus to requirements.

Did you use the recipe book and if so which recipes were your favourite?
I tried both the recipe book and app; hits from the former were the apple crumble, individual raspberry cakes, and financiers (which didn’t actually appear in the English section of the book). The chocolate chip muffins turned out dry and very hard on the outside, unfortunately. I thought the app had a much better range of recipes, and I quite liked the feature where you could search by ingredients in your fridge, or by accessories you had for your Cake Factory.

Did you face any issues using the product or do you think anything could be improved?
As mentioned before, the chocolate chip muffins I made with my son turned out almost overbaked, despite measuring the ingredients exactly and using the correct program. Apart from that, we really enjoyed making our way through lots of different recipes. One other thing which could really be improved or expanded upon would be the instructions in the recipes - at times they are vague, referring to mixing in the ingredients at different times but not whether they should be beaten, or lightly mixed, or folded - as an amateur baker I need all the direction I can get!

What type of cakes or desserts did you bake in your Cake Factory?
We made a wide range of cakes and bakes, and are doing some more experiments! I am building the courage to try the muffin mould again as our first attempt failed miserably. The chocolate and walnut brownies were very tasty and easy to make, and the apple crumble was comfort food at its finest.

Where did you store the product when you weren’t using it?
I stored it in our pantry as there is plenty of space in there, and it’s still close to the kitchen, but I think I could easily fit it in a cupboard as well.

Would you recommend the product to your family and/or friends?
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed using it, and my son has had great fun helping me bake, and eat the resulting products. It’s lovely to quickly mix something together and put it straight into the Cake Factory without waiting for the oven to heat and generating lots of extra washing up. On that basis, I’d definitely recommend it to busy parents like me. However, I feel that it may be slightly too highly priced for what it is - reducing the price a little would make it more appealing and accessible to a wider audience.

Really glad to have tested the product, and will continue along on our culinary adventures with it!

What were your initial thoughts on the product (design, size, quality, documental guidance)?
It was a lot smaller than I thought, which was pleasing as it doesn't take over and can be left out during a baking spree.

I like the design, it looks very child friendly, whether that was the intention or not and so it appealed to DD1 (11) who has taken it over. It's solid and good quality although, like others, not terribly keen on the pink but pink-hating DD1 liked it...

Documentation could have been clearer. I pretty much abandoned it to be honest, but I'm pretty confident with things like this so that didn't worry me. If you need more instruction then I think the quick start guide would be plenty useful enough without the rest of it.

Did you use the recipe book and if so which recipes were your favourite?
I didn't really use the recipe book (why were there two?). I used the app which was easier to navigate and made more sense. I liked being able to put all my favourites in a folder as it saved me having to constantly scroll through recipes that didn't appeal. The raspberry cakes and choc chip muffins were definitely the favourites. I liked the raspberry cakes because they weren't very sweet and my girls loved the whole raspberries, they're a bit raspberry obsessed at the moment! And anything with chocolate chips...well... . I'm eager to try some of the recipes that aren't on the English app too!

Did you face any issues using the product or do you think anything could be improved?
Using the cake factory was very simple indeed. It gave good, even results and we never got a bad batch which is a real plus point. I'm a reasonable baker but it was nice to know that I could whip up a batch of something and pretty much be guaranteed a decent cake(s) at the end of it. Having to make multiple batches of things can get a bit frustrating but it's the nature of the beast I guess.

What type of cakes or desserts did you bake in your Cake Factory?
We made the raspberry cakes, choc chip muffins (and several batches replacing the choc chips with sultanas), the sponge cake, chocolate cake, orange choc chip cakes and bread and butter pudding. I still have a good few recipes earmarked to try but am pacing myself because we're all getting fat!

Where did you store the product when you weren’t using it?
At the moment it's living on the countertop as it's being used. I'm loathe to put it away as that inevitably means it'll be forgotten about! But it's a nice neat size and doesn't take up much room.

Would you recommend the product to your family and/or friends?
Yes but it really depends on the person. My daughter loves it. She and her cousin are baking mad although my daughter is just learning. I can see it getting a lot of use from them, particularly as they take over my oven when they start messing in the kitchen and then dinner gets delayed. Even though it essentially is just a small oven, it feels safer for children and so I'd be happier to let them loose on it, and my 7 year old too.

For adults it's useful for whipping up something for dessert while you're cooking if you don't have multiple ovens and so I will use it for that. It's not for the serious baker but it's fun and serves a purpose. Everyone I've mentioned it to is definitely interested.

We're loving trying it out and looking forward to making more. Thank you for the opportunity.