So it's a few months into testing and you'll probably want to know how I'm finding it. Having this piece of equipment has required a little change of mindset on my behalf. While I was happily using the Magimix food processor for many years, the range of recipes that I could use was limited to what you could chop and puree, or in making pastry, pastes and pasta. The induction facility has opened things up a bit more. Many recipes that I would happily cook on the hob can now be cooked in the machine without me having to stand over the pot and stir.

The machine is a powerful beast with a good sturdy base which means it does not rattle all over the place when performing it's duty. The processor works very quickly and efficiently, it does however require some worktop space, but with the breadth of functionality it has, it will get used on a regular basis.

If you are time poor then this is a useful tool to have, stir fries and dishes that require a lot of chopping can be prepared in minutes with the variety of blades. Soups can be cooked all the way through and then pureed or creamed (depending on how smooth you like it). I do like the soup functionality as it is such a joy to throw ingredients in and 30 minutes later without having to raise a finger you have perfectly smooth soup. Smoothies are quick and easy and a good texture, it compares well to my Waring pro blender and is much quicker. I'm also a big fan of the steam function too, which is great for veg, fish and meat and I've started cooking a lot of dim sum recipes with this facility. 

I had reservations about chucking things into the machine and pushing a few buttons and leaving it to it's business, it's not in my nature. I'm classically trained and used to making a lot of traditional sauces such as creme anglaise, buerre blanc and bechamel by hand, you need to ensure the temperature of the ingredients and the pan are strictly regulated and ingredients are added bit by bit to ensure the right texture and it doesn't split or go lumpy.

So for me throwing all the ingredients in at once like I did for on my first time with a bechamel sauce was anathema to how I cook. Traditionally you need to ensure that the flour is cooked out first otherwise you get a pappy taste with the sauce. With the CookExpert I got a lovely smooth sauce, no floury texture or flavour. A lot of thought has gone into how recipes are traditionally prepared and how the induction facility should behave in producing a good end result.

For the first month I did spend my time hovering over the machine and stopping it at intervals just to check how a dish was progressing as I really wanted to ensure that as it was my own recipe that it was performing as I would expect. With a few tweaks to functionality I got to to the point where I could throw the ingredients in and just leave it to do its job. I also like the fact that I can use the rinse function to quickly clean the metal bowl, so I can use it again for another dish, rather than having to spend ages washing it by hand or running it through the dishwasher. 

The induction facility holds its temperature well but I did find there were slight fluctuations between the bottom and top of the liquid of a few degrees. If you do decide to use it for confit, you will need to give it some time for the temperature to stabilise. It does take a few minutes to get up to temperature when cooking or when using the steam function, so bear that in mind when cooking items that require a set amount of time. 

My only reservations have sprung from the meringues that it produces. The texture of the whisked egg whites is very loose and while this is suitable for plain unshaped meringues or macaroons, it doesn't hold its shape very well when piping the meringue. It doesn't give much in the way of volume, so two egg whites produce a lot less than for example, when I whisk them with my Kitchen Aid. With the Kitchen Aid, I also get a firmer texture which means it holds its shape better. This however, is probably down to the fact the Kitchen Aid has an open bowl and a different type of whisk.

I also find that with the rubber ring in the lid of the metal bowl that you have to be careful when removing the lid after cooking as it has a propensity to drip everywhere. Doesn't seem to matter how careful I am when doing so. So be careful when taking the lid off. I would advise being especially careful when using the steam function and also when you have made jams as the liquid collected in the lid will be hot.

When cooking stews, I like to brown the meat, which I prefer to do on a flat based pan, the shape of the induction bowl makes this a little problematic. It's only really suitable for casseroles with chunks of meat rather than whole cuts such as shanks and oxtail. I would advise browning the meat first before adding it to the induction bowl. Also when making stews you can chop the vegetables with the CookExpert which is fine but you do get the odd chunk even if you have scraped down the sides to make sure it's chopped evenly. Another thing to bear in mind is that it does hold the moisture in really well if you leave the small lid on. So if you are cooking stews, chillies or ragus that require a nice thick consistency, you will need to remove the small lid before the end of cooking to allow it to reduce a little.

With any kitchen gadget it takes a while to get familiar with functionality, Many people have expressed a preference for a knob you can turn rather than a button functionality as this has. To be honest if you use it enough the functionality will become instinctive. 

The metal bowl can be used for a lot of the same functionality (pastries, cakes, pasta, pastes) as the food processor bowl, but my preference is for using the food processor as the mixture comes out a lot easier as I can remove the blade quickly. With the shape of the metal bowl and blades it can be a bit fiddly getting those last bits of dough or mixture out. There is a specially designed spatula which helps, but it is still a faff.
Lets also address the elephant in the room, the price, it retails at just under €1200, which for any kitchen gadget is not cheap. You do get quite a lot for your money, induction cooking, food processor, chopping blades, cookbook, spatulas and scales. It also combines the efforts of gadgets such as induction hob, blender and stand mixer into one and you get a quality piece of equipment which will last. Like any Kitchen gadget you will need to question how much will you use it in order to get good value out of it.

For me it's become indispensable in the kitchen, I am really enjoying the additional induction functionality on top of the food processor. Lots of dishes that I would normally cook on the hob now get cooked in the Cook Expert. I also love the fact there is an app as well as the cookbook, so I can quickly look up recipes on my phone. So the question is, would I recommend this? I certainly would, I find the additional cooking functionality really useful. For the novice cook it will make certain dishes and sauces a lot easier to master and for the more accomplished cook, give you more time to attempt more complicated dishes.

If you'd like more information go to http://www.magimix.nl/producten/VOORBEREIDEN/Kokende-Keukenmachine/Cook-Expert/

This post is not sponsored by Magimix and any opinions are independently given as the Cook Expert has been given to me on loan to test and give honest feedback.