WestinghouseSmart Cooking Machine - 10-in-1 Functionality, Featuring 3 Preset Cooking Modes, LCD Display, Built-In Temperature Controls, and 3L Removable SS Mixing Bowl

The idea of a food processor that can cook sounds fantastic. And this machine does, in fact, perform basic food processing functions and heat food. I can't recommend it without reservations, though.What I like:1. Buttons are easy to understand without pulling out the instructions every time.2. Bowl is made of metal and feels reasonably sturdy.3. Chops and heats as advertised.4. Comes with a cookbook of 79 recipes to help you learn how to use it. Note that the front of the book is English, the back is Spanish, so it's twice the size you'd logically need in case that matters to you.5. Has pleasant audible chimes to indicate start/stop/finish.6. Doesn't make a ton of noise while running, just a low hum which gets louder (of course) with higher speeds.7. Large display is easy to read and understand.8. The recipes and tips are written in easy-to-understand, friendly language that actually helps.There's a lot doesn't thrill me, though.1. The instruction book is an essential read, but incredibly confusing. I've included a photo so you can get a sample and decide for yourself if you'd find it easy to understand. Note that the page I've included tells you to "boil water" the first time you use the machine and directs you to a page for "setting the temp." The page number indicated is incorrect, and doesn't actually help you figure out how to boil water. I've never had trouble boiling water in my life, but it took 10 minutes to figure out how to do it with this machine.2. Recipes have lots of room for improvement. For example, one recipe gives you all the steps for chopping and steaming ingredients, then tells you to "add oil to the pan." Um, what pan? I realized they wanted you to use a skillet on the stove, and didn't mention until step 7 that you needed this. Other recipes tell you in every step to "remove the measuring cup," which isn't just repetitive, it's confusing. Was I supposed to put it back between steps 1 and 2, 2 and 3, 4 and 5, etc.? The errors are small, but they add up.3. You won't be able to sear, just steam and saute. Anything made with meat will be steamed, so be sure you like the texture and flavor of steamed chicken (for example) before you buy this machine. Or be prepared to sear on the stove and just use this for other stuff.4. Absolutely does NOT save time. The Indian Butter Chicken recipe (photo included), for example, has you- knead the naan, then set aside- wash and dry the mixing bowl- chop and saute the sauce, then put it in another bowl and keep it warm for the next 25 minutes- wash and dry the mixing bowl- steam the chicken and the naan in two steps- combine the chicken with the sauceAll told, you wash the bowl three times, plus two other bowls and the usual knives, cutting board, etc. And since you do all this in a series, you can only cook one thing at a time (except the naan and chicken, which steam at once). If you instead sear the chicken in a pan while you cook the sauce in a pot and bake the naan in the oven, you just cut your cooking time in half, and your clean-up time is unchanged. Or want to make it a one-pan endeavor? Sear the chicken in a saute pan and set aside, cook the naan and set aside, then make the sauce in that same pan. The only step you're losing is the chopping function, and cleaning the bowl takes as long as chopping an onion by hand, so...5. Parts seem pretty flimsy. The bowl and actual mechanics are metal. Most of the machine's other parts are plastic, and not a particularly sturdy plastic at that. The handle of the bowl is likewise plastic, and I have some doubts it'll stay attached very long (but it's fine so far). The blade is metal, but definitely not as strong as my Ninja or Cuisinart blades.Other things I'm on the fence about:1. It's worth noting that this machine is more than twice the size of a standard food processor, and weighs considerably more. For me, it's too heavy to store in a cabinet and haul out to use it, so it would have to take precious counter space 24/7 (only my coffee maker rates that).2. Some weird design choices. For example, the on/off button is underneath the machine on the back, and is a mushy rubber button. Why not an easy-to-find toggle on the front? As another example, the bowl lid is very difficult to fit properly, and I'm still not sure I'm doing it right after several uses. It *seems* to work, but there's a visible gap on one side that logic tells me shouldn't be there. Since I can't figure out any other configuration, I let it go.3. Chopping functions are very limited. I miss being able to pulse or set 30 second increments with one button push. While there are 7 speeds, there's no easy option to mix versus puree versus chop - you have to know which speed and then hope it's a even chop/puree/mix. They do recommend starting at the slowest speed and going up from there, which helps (and slows you down, in my experience).4. Messy to store. All the accessories take up even more space, and tend to get scattered in our cabinet. It's a pity they don't include some kind of viable storage unit, given the high price.Conclusion:Overall, I'm just not sure this machine has enough true utility to warrant the space (and very high price tag of $599 at this writing). For that much money and space, you can get a top-notch food processor and a set of pans (plus steamers, spatulas, etc.), and save yourself the huge learning curve. I'd only recommend this machine to people who1) like steamed meat,2) have the room to store it,3) have the time and desire to learn it, and4) don't care so much about saving time as they do about chopping and sauteing in one bowl.

We got this to make soups mostly.It arrives needing no assembly.It comes with a directions book that is clear and easy to understand.It also arrives with a recipe booklet with specific recipes to use with this machine.It seems to be very well made.The unit feels sturdy.The motor sounds strong.The bowls and accessories seem to be durable.To test it out we use the chopper to chop up some fresh zucchini and squash.We steamed some tomatoes to peel them.We used the sautee function to do the onions and some garlic.We added our favorite seasonings and herbs.Next we emulsified everything.We set the heat to low and let it cook for about 3 hours.We had some seriously delicious soup.I would say it was fairly easy to clean.There were some steps where we had to clean in between.I am not sure it saved us any time, but it was nice to have one machine out instead of a bunch of different things.We would buy this again.

I was excited to try this out. I opened the package and saw a real live cookbook. That was a plus, most gadgets don’t give you a hardbound cookbook anymore. I looked through the cookbook before reading the instruction manual to decide which 3 recipes I would follow to give the machine a fair trial and primarily use ingredients I had on hand. The front half of the cookbook is in English with Imperial and metric measurements, the back half of the book is in Spanish.The 3 recipes I tried:Mac & CheeseBoston Baked BeansPotatoes GratinThen I read the instruction manual – all 43 pages. It is not an entirely intuitive machine and the manual is not always clear.For your first trial it says to boil water (page 17). It refers to page 19 for instructions on how to set the temperature – that’s actually on page 20. Then you are to start boiling the water though slightly more informative instructions would have been nice. What setting? There is no Boil icon. What speed? It doesn’t specify.Once I muddled through that I realized I’d have been better off NOT reading the manual and simply played around with the screen. The screen is easy to read and if you look closely while checking everything out the first time by turning the dial and pushing the buttons, you will quickly understand how to use this machine. Although a brief scan of the icon legend on page 14 is helpful.It is important to remember that the blade MUST be left in before anything can happen. Without it there would be a hole in the bottom of the bowl.Refer to photo of bowl without the blade.Now for the first recipe…Mac & Cheese (page 70 in the cookbook and refer to the photo):Boil water – got that. But once it came to a boil it was spitting and sputtering boiling water everywhere. The so-called measuring cup has to be off of the lid when cooking so I had quite a good time sopping up boiling water from the top of the lid, the counter, and the floor. There was some serious boil over going on. Do NOT perform this operation around children or pets. I ended up wrapping the whole thing in a towel while it continued to boil the pasta.Add 17.5 ounces of macaroni (I used elbow macaroni) to the steamer basket and cook according to time suggested on the pasta package until al dente. Well….that little basket won’t hold 17.5 ounces of cooked macaroni. Once cooked, the pasta became a mass of highly compacted, solidified bunch of pasta that required some effort to get it out of the steamer basket. In other words – it was too much pasta which swelled beyond the machine’s capability. This also resulted in the top layer of pasta being slightly crunchy.Now rinse all of that out then replace the bowl and “grate” the cheeses. There is no “grate” option, it is simply setting the speed to 7 for 7 seconds. Then you add the rest of the ingredients (but not the water because although it’s listed at the bottom of the ingredient list – it’s the water for the pasta at the top of the ingredient list.) This is then set at Speed 1 and cooked for 10 minutes at 212F. to make the sauce.Now add the pasta into the bowl with the cheese sauce and mix for 30 seconds on Speed 1, then hit reverse.Result: A fairly good, though somewhat thick, Mac & Cheese, but due to the last 10 seconds of mixing the blade has begun to chop some of the pasta.Now for the 2nd recipe, Boston Baked Beans:Starts with chopping the onion in the bowl, then add diced bacon and Saute for 6 minutes on Speed 1. Then add everything else to the bowl and cook for 20 minutes at 212F on Speed 1.Result: Guess what happens to beans left in a bowl with a slow moving blade? MUSH is what happens - I hope the picture shows what it looked like. The flavor was fairly good but very, very pasty and as thick as mud. Not at all appealing to look at.Refer to photos of the bean residue in the bowl, and the end result so thick a spoon stood upright in the mush.The 3rd recipe, Potatoes Gratin, had excellent flavor and texture, but that was because the potatoes were hand sliced using my mandolin, and only the cheese sauce was mixed and made in the machine’s bowl. Then it was assembled and baked in the oven. So why did I need this big machine when only the sauce was made in it? A small pan on the stove top would have done the job and been easier to clean.This recipe also had some organizational flaws. It says to use the salt pepper, and nutmeg to season the sliced potatoes after slicing and before cooking then later on it says to add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg to the sauce just prior to baking. It also tells you to add the butter to the sauce just before cooking, then later it says to top the casserole with the butter as it’s being put in the oven.Refer to final baked photo of the potaoes.All in all, this machine was a great idea on paper, but not all that great in practice. Anytime the bowl is used it will have a moving blade. Sometimes it’s needed, sometimes it doesn’t matter, and other times it destroys the texture and consistency of the food. The whisk is used for whipping cream, egg whites and such, but must be fitted over the top of the blade. The cookbook is an adventure in common sense or decoding…depends on how much you like a challenge. If you get this machine, I highly suggest you read through each recipe before actually making it. Also, read through the manual, but experiment with the buttons and dials before cooking anything as well.I think whomever came up with this was like many of us who have thought, wouldn’t it be nice if a pot on the stove could stir itself. Well, this does stir itself but at a price. And speaking of price…$599 for a very awkward, large, heavy food processor that can cook certain things but not very well?!?!?! And it is in no way a time saver - too much cleaning between steps. And the final washing is not as easy as I thought it would be. I can easily add some water and a drop of soap to my Blendtec Blender and have a spotlessly clean blender. Using this same principal, I found I had to not only remove the blade to clean under it, but also use a fine brush to clean the blade itself. It does say it can go in the dishwasher, but I do not use a dishwasher – I think they are too harsh so I hand wash everything. It’s kind of like therapy to me. 😊Wrestling with removing the bowl when it’s filled with hot liquid is dangerous. To remove the bowl some back and forth motion is required which can lead to spillage. I also found the lid to be extremely difficult to install and remove to the point that it was almost painful by the third or fourth time. I doubt anyone with weak wrists or arthritic hands could do this without pain.Recipes I didn’t try because of the excessive, time consuming steps included Butter Chicken, Skillet White Chocolate Cookie (which neglects to tell you to remove the whisk and use only the blade to chop the nuts), and Pork Meatball Banh Mi.I did not try any recipes using the steamer option. Maybe one day I will, but for now this is going to kitchen appliance Purgatory.This is the beginning of a good idea but needs a lot of work. Also, please have a professional edit the cookbook and the manual. For example, no way could the Boston Baked Beans ever come out looking like they do in the book.

Not enough information on recipes and I have to look up thermomix for how to. Especially for Asian recipes. It get the job done and easy to clean. Help a lots on some recipes that need more attention and stirring alot easier. Wish they have more video on how for beginners like me to Kickstart on how to operate the machine. Overall good experience with it.

Ay yi yi. This smart cooker was not only confusing but it is expensive. I get the appeal of an all in one and I am all for them if they work. This one I couldn’t manage. It was a lot to read and figure out I just went back to my multiple products I have. Especially when it has you wash the bowl multiple times while trying to make the recipe!!!! I’ll stick with my multiple gadgets.