I recently went to a Pampered Chef evening and came away having ordered two different size micro-cookers. These are both very handy items for cooking all manner of things using your microwave oven. I particularly like the large sized one as it has a large capacity and can take up to two and a half quarts.

It isn't particularly attractive to look at as it is just a dark brown colour but it does have a number of good features that definitely make it worth having. Unlike many microwave dishes, this one has handles that make it very easy to place in and remove from the oven. It also has a lid that can firmly attach to the actual dish by a swivel action. This lid will prevent any splattering in the microwave and is also extremely handy for draining away excess liquid after cooking things like vegetables. This feature is particularly good because it has draining holes on either side of the lid meaning that you can use it just as easily regardless of being either left or right handed. There are also pouring spouts on either side so it doesn't matter which side you want to pour. It is reasonably easy to swivel the lid in place (and there are diagrammatic instructions) but I do think that there is a bit of a knack to it. Once that is mastered though, you won't have any problems!

Inside the dish there are both metric and imperial markings which means that you don't need to use other measuring items as you can do it all in this. Again, the measurements are on both sides so you don't need to keep swivelling the dish around. The marks are a little bit difficult to see though as they are in the same dark colour as the dish itself - you might need to wear some glasses to look!

The bowl and the lid are both made of a strong sturdy plastic material and it measures about 20 cm in diameter although you do need to add on extra for the handles. I like the fact that I am able to wash it in the dishwasher too as I think this makes things come up much cleaner. However, it is important to note that the dish is only suitable for microwave cooking so it is definitely not advisable to use it in the oven. I am pleased to say that I have not done this but I can imagine the consequences if I did.

The micro-cooker is suitable for cooking almost everything that you would want in a microwave but the instructions do state that it is not to be used for popping popcorn. It also states that if you are melting butter or margarine in it you should not allow the butter to bubble or boil.

Pampered Chef products do seem to be slightly on the expensive side but you do also get that little bit extra. This micro-cooker will cost £9.75 but I do think that you would get a good deal out of use out of it. I certainly find it so much better than my old microwave dishes. This really is a good product and I would definitely recommend it.

You can find out more by visiting:

https://www.pamperedchef.co.uk/ordering/shopOnlin e.tpc