I'm cooking for two and the Intellisteam Steamer is just right, but I suspect cooking for a family of four, say, might be a little more challenging ..... R. S. Bacon
more or less idiot proof .....
it was almost like having an invisible chef! .....Dinky "ditzymama"
... use this one all the time....R. S. Bacon
Morphy Richards 48780 Food Steamer Review
Nice dinner!, 7th OctI used this for the first time today with salmon fillets, broccoli, and new potatoes -- excellent!
The instructions were fairly straightforward, the machine easy to use, the food as expected for steamed fare: fresh taste, crunchy or moist as required.
I nearly had a panic when I noticed the compartment with the broccoli wasn't steaming up when it was supposed to, then I noticed that the lid was slightly ajar. I just moved some broccoli florets to the compartment with the new potatoes so that the lid would fit on properly, and it steamed the rest of the broccoli just fine. I will be a bit more quick-thinking next time and try to fit some parsley or dill sauce somewhere in one of the sauce compartments.
I must say it was a new and novel experience to just stand back and let my dinner cook; it was almost like having an invisible chef!
By Dinky "ditzymama"
Morphy Richards Intellistream Steam Cooker Review 2
Top quality steamer but you pay for the quality, 26th SepFirst impressions of this steamer were good. It looked like a high tech piece of kitchen equipment rather than a utilitarian, boring steamer. It would not look out of place in anybody's high-tech kitchen next to the microwave.
Having to program something that looked as though it had come from the star ship Enterprise was initially a bit daunting but the instructions were absolutely first class. They are really simple and clearly explained with step-by-step diagrams. An exercise in how instructions for kitchen appliances should be.
The information included comprehensive steaming details for vast range of foods and portion sizes. The timers are pre-set for ease of use but can be changed with just one touch of a button. And the high-tech looks can be kept gleaming due to the wipe-clean surfaces and removable food trays. An absolute doddle to clean. It even keeps my oven clean because I hardly use it any more!
One of the problems I usually have is getting everything to cook at the same rate so that it is ready at the same time. This steamer makes this problem child's play with its automatic cook-together function; this ensures that no container cooks its contents more quickly than any other and it all finishes at the same time. I don't know how it works all this out but it works a treat.
If you're not ready to eat it when it has finished cooking then the keep-warm function keeps it all warm for up to 40 minutes, very useful if you're in the middle of the latest soap episode!
There are some downsides to this steamer. By its very nature the steam obscures the food during cooking so you can't tell if it needs a stir. And if you're thinking of cooking up a gourmet dinner for six then think again: you can't cook more than a two-person portion of some items like pasta.
The manufacturer's seem to think you can even cook things like sausages in it and as a vegetarian I will never know how successful this might be. But I can't imagine eating a rather bleached looking piece of meat from this unit will do anything to cause the taste-buds to tingle. Let's be realistic, there are some food items that are just not meant to be steamed.
Compared to my budget steamer (the three dishes set on top of one another) this is the Rolls Royce of steamers. It's very efficient, extremely easy to use and produces excellent (in my case, vegetarian) results. Its stylish and minimalist appearance just adds to its desirability.
But you do pay for this quality and, just like buying a Rolls Royce, each individual must decide whether it is worth the money. In my case, I've given up on the awkward budget steamer and use this one all the time.
By R. S. Bacon "Aresby" (Milton Keynes, UK)
Morphy Richards Intellistream 48780 Food Steamer Review 3
Idiot proof steamer really does make food taste better, 20th NovThe Intellisteam Steamer is incredibly easy to use and the food, especially vegetables, really does have a stronger flavour although, like a microwave, it obviously doesn't brown stuff like fish in the way you might like. I've been using a few weeks almost every day and haven't been tempted to return to pots and pans once.
The controls are more or less idiot proof, with a range of pre-set cooking times designed to enable cook to put a whole meal on in a couple of minutes without having to think. That's great for someone like me, whose cooking expertise barely extends beyond heating something that comes in a packet. Given that's where I'm coming from, I'm used to manufacturers underestimating cooking times and Morphy Richards are a little guilty here. It takes some experimenting to get your steamed spuds just right. But once you're there you can set the cooking times in for life so steaming quickly becomes hassle free.
It cooks rice particularly well.
I'm cooking for two and the Intellisteam Steamer is just right, but I suspect cooking for a family of four, say, might be a little more challenging as it's quite a small unit.
By Stephen Newton (Manchester, England)
READ MORE REVIEWS HERE