Philips Jamie Oliver HomeCooker

Philips JMie Oliver Homecooker – Recently got myself a home cooker and the tower cutter, I think it’s a fabulous idea and I’m surprised to know that this item is actually discontinued. Because I absolutely love it and how much you can do with it. The fact is you actually need to know the temperatures that you required to do your cooking, which requires a bit of experiment you… Read more ·  3

may fail a few times and he just make adjustment.

I do agree that it would be beneficial if we were able to adjust the temperature to between the range of 40 to 250 instead of a set of fixed tempturary such as 30,40 then 70 something jump up to 175 and then 250.

The section that clips the sterile should be re-design a little bit so that it actually has a stronger grip of him the steroid so he would stir better

Why would they discounting this project! It just need further development! The section that stirrer clips on to should be re-design a little bit so that it actually has a stronger grip and turning power. It would be even more ideal to pull by probably three settings of staring speed to help with different type sof cooking.

December 13th 2017 Update: Bring it back to life!!!!!! This is a great product and has lots of potential!!!!

Think they went off the wrong with the advertisement.

This machine does beautiful steam eggs Poach eggs, steam / sous vide fish/steaks.

Why didn't they advertise it with function focusing on this.

If the stirrer doesn't work, you can still use it as an excellent steamer, pasta/noodle boiler, vegetable boiler, sous vide machine.

In fact, it does better poach eggs than the Breville Precision sous machine. Why would I buy something just to boil egg when I can do all what this can do in this machine.

Great concept, stopped stirring after 1 month – The Jamie Oliver Homecooker has real potential, it does! I bought one secondhand, but it did not come with a stirring arm. After calling Phillips and dealing with a representative who did not understand the product or its parts, who directed me to a sales centre that did not exist, I decided to purchase a second model, brand new, figuring, I… Read more

could use them both.

As a confident cook, I was initially very impressed by the quality of the stainless steel pan. I liked that it cooked evenly and heated to 250°c. I made a few dishes, and was very impressed with the way the machine stirred the food, and beeped with the countdown timer.

Unfortunately, both machines suddenly stopped stirring. I understand there is a button that controls the stirring mechanism, however, it was beyond that and the machine does not stir, rendering it near useless!!

I now have 2 x Jamie Oliver Homecookers that are only really good enough to boil water in, and I feel very disappointed that the main aspect of the machine has failed to work. I rang Phillips about it and found it VERY hard to get to the bottom of my problem, so I gave up in the end after a representative told me to contact the seller. The seller had told me to contact Phillips, so round and round and round we go, yet getting nowhere. Beware of purchasing, the product has potential, but if it breaks, what is the point?

Broken - impossible to repair – Terrible, terrible. Gluey rice, poorly sliced veg and the stirrer stopped working after a week. Never again. I trusted the hype and went for the whole set - when it came to repair Philips bolted for cover. I will NEVER buy a Philips or Jamie Oliver product again. No wonder the line has been discontinued.

Really Useful Kitchen Tool – I've had my HomeCooker for about a year now and it gets left out on the kitchen bench and not stuffed away unused in a cupboard ! I'm a home cook who basically cooks everything from scratch and this cooker is a great addition to my kitchen repertoire. I would not call this a slow cooker but like them you can leave it to do its stuff after your… Read more ·  1

basic prep. I find the different temps perfect to use and have had no issues with sticking, it's stainless steel so use oil accordingly. A few tips I can pass on are pre-heat any large amount of stock and if making a dish using mince I just find it easier to quickly brown it in a separate frypan and then add it to the HomeCooker . It's not necessary but I'm usually cooking for 6 so it's large amounts and I like to render off fat. I really don't know why but you get extra flavour into the dish with the constant stirring! Timer function is great and also the keep warm facility. The accompanying cutting tower is good..just not for onions!! Overall I love it and serves well for a larger family which is where I believe the Thermomix falls down . Also easy to clean up afterwards. I would like to see more recipes online using it, perhaps a follow up from Jamie ??

A valuable second set of hands in the kitchen – Ive had my J.O.Home Cooker for 2 years now and couldn't do without it. While Im busy trying to get my school-age son to do homework,, tell me about his day, shower etc, Jamie is busy stirring my soups, stews, pasta sauces etc etc. I love it!! Ive had no problems with food burning on the bottom, but that might be because I understand the pot is not… Read more ·  1

a none-stick one and use oil accordingly. It also washes up beautifully in the dishwasher. As for the tower I think it works extremely well, just not with the cooker! I actually process the food into a large plastic bowl . Then transfer into the cooker. This stops any spillage . I think the blades are very sharp and its a better processor than my Kitchenaid one.

Good idea, shoddy realization – The basic idea - different heat levels, timer, and automated stirrer are great. The actual execution is a sad case of bad workmanship. .Apparently the technical designer thought that mechanics work best if the interlocking parts have plenty of elbow room. I disagree. The cutting tower: the spout is about an inch away from the tower. The tower… Read more

can't be put flush up with the pot - maybe good to prevent heat damage (but why why not use heat resistant plastics?) so there's a 2/3 inch gap between pot and tower. The spout is only 1 inch away from the tower and ends 1 inch above the pot, so: all the cut vegetables that don't fall straight down but stray by just 1/3 inch will end up on the outside of the pot, or the cutting tower, or your working top. Which could easily have been prevented with a spout reaching farther and lower over the pot.

The cutting parts, too, seem to be designed for plenty of maneuvering room. The (very thin) plastic holder for the cutting discs sits wobbly on it's axis, there's yet another gap between feeding tube and pusher plus more unnecessary gaps between the assembled parts for your vegetables to get lost in. I would say that if you cut one onion with it, a bit more than half of it ends up in the pot, the rest is caught up in th cutting tower or sticking to the tools and your work surface.

Yes, all vegetable graters swallow up a bit of the vegetables. But I used plenty of different kitchen machines over the last two decades and none of them were this clumsy.

The stirrer. Wonderful idea!

Realization: weak motor, no scraping of the inner walls of the pot, no contact between stirrer and pot cover --> not even slight pressure to keep the stirrer on the pot floor, and, you guessed it: more gaps!

As long as you are stirring soup, you'll be (mostly) fine. Cut-up vegetables or other? Well, first off: a slight U-shape would have allowed the stirrer to scrape the walls of the pot, where something like 30-40% of the cooking goods end up (the smaller your portions, the bigger the percentage that will stick to the walls and get lightly steamed rather than fried). The recipes call for "scraping the walls occasionally" - Mr. Oliver, someone who just spend a few hundred € on a pot with a stirrer probably expects it to do it's work on it's own!

As soon as something sticks to the floor of the pot, the stirrer will simply move over it, since it doesn't weight much and there is, you guessed it, plenty of room for it to move upwards. If the potato/onion/... is soft enough, parts of it will be stirred away, the stuck bits stay were they are and slowly blacken.

If you cook bigger portions, especially soups or stews, you'll find parts of them inside of the stirrer, at the spindle that moves the stirrer and even on the hot plate itself.

All in all:

The Homecooker really works best for heating soups or stews where you just want to empty a can into the pot, walk away and come back to a hot-but-not-burned stew.

The best explanation for this outcome is a designer who hasn't done the clean-up after cooking for years. Or someone who just couldn't care less. The sad thing: all of it could have been avoided with form-fitting parts and a stronger engine, and with something like 500€ retail price, there's no excuse not to provide that.

Expensive doorstop – I was enjoying the machine, using it to make caramelised onions, reduce stock and make the Sticky Roasted Beetroot recipe from the book. It worked well, with the stirrer scraping the bottom closely. Close to the finish of making the beetroot dish, it stopped. I have no life on the display, the on off switch does nothing. Emailed Philips, got… Read more

no reply so after a few days I rang them. I was told that Philips have no authorised repairer in Toowoomba, hardly a small town. Philips told me I would have to get the machine to the closest repairer on the Gold Coast, at least 2 hours away.

I emailed my receipt to the Philips nominated repairer, but again heard nothing. Ringing the repairer got me a phone message telling me that they would be closed until the middle of January. I emailed Philips with this information, but they of course aren't interested.

Philips appliances have been reliable for me in the past, but with the current lack of warranty service, there is no way I would buy anything else from them, nor would I recommend them to anyone else.

After owning the machine for less than a month I am left with an expensive doorstop. Very, very disappointed in Philips.

A valuable addition to my kitchen! – As unfortunately I don't have a gas stove, I had for a long time felt that I was in need of a temperature controlled cook pot that could be plugged into a wall outlet. I learned of the JO through an email from an online suppler I deal with. It was exactly what I needed, and through the winter I used it almost exclusively. It is so easy to prepare… Read more ·  1

a comforting stew, that can left to attend to itself, returning only to add additional ingredients. I could then go off to the warm living room with no worry of saucepans boiling dry. I absolutely love the stirrer; it is incredibly ingenious, and I have had no problems with food sticking to the base of the saucepan. Clean up is very easy, another thing that I like very much.

At this stage I have not tried any of the recipes in the book, as I am unable to read them; had they been printed in black & white I would not have had a problem. I have cataracts. However, it was very simple to convert my own recipes to use in the appliance. It is a wonderful addition to my cooking options, and will be just as useful in summer. I have not yet tried the slicing tower, as I have zirconium bladed knives, which are very sharp and easy to use, and I also have a food processor. However, I will try it out soon, just for my own information.

To finalise. I love the stirrer blade, the 'set and forget' simplicity in using the appliance, and the easy clean up. I have a problem with reading the control display, pale grey on white is a problem for me. I have noticed that the newer model has white on black, making the details on the appliance much more visible. Overall it is a wonderful product, and I totally recommend it!

Awesome machine! It actually complements the thermomix beautifully – I have both the HomeCooker and the Thermomix and it's really unfair to compare them to each other. The Thermomix can't slice vegetables, brown meat or caramelize onions. The HomeCooker can't mix, blend or grind flours. Each has its place in my kitchen; I use them both for very different purposes, and I love both of them. I have had no trouble… Read more ·  1

with sticking and burning, but I always start with a decent amount of oil and use large enough things that will help the stirrer create friction against the bottom of the pan from the beginning, such as chopped onion or potato.

The controls were very intuitive and I was able to get things going without having to refer to the manual.

Layered cooking isn't really rocket science... just put anything you want to steam in the steamer basket, put the lid on, and let it go. As long as you have something with enough moisture to create steam in the bottom pan and the temperature is high enough, you should be right.

My review doesn't include the cutting tower, as I haven't really tried it yet - my main reason in buying this was for the self-stirring pot, and I'm very happy with it.

Great Home Cooker! Disappointing cutting tower – I love the home cooker. Its fantastic and I have been using every day and making lots of dinners and breakfasts with it. I do not like the cutting tower - it does not cut. However on the whole not too dissatisfied as I got it on special for $199. Got it on special for $199. Does the job stirs while I can do other things. Doesnt burn if you get the temp right. Great time saver. Cutting tower does not cut.

Good solid all rounder – I like cooking but as a working mother of two, it becomes more function over fancy. I have heard a lot about the thermomix (and seen it in action) but it was outside my budget and after some research realised it didn't do everything, which i would expect it do for that price.I was then in the market to replace some old pots and pans, and came… Read more ·  1

across the JO Homecooker. After lots of reading of reviews (and being on sale for $299) i decided to purchase one. While it does not have the all in one blending funtion of the thermomix, it does perform really well for basic family meals - risottos, soups, stews, rice, pasta, frittata (with a whole in the middle). I love the timer and the quality and depth of the pot. If you grate cheese into the pan it does stick a bit but this no major problem really to clean out, with a quick scourer. I have successfully cleaned in dishwasher too. I guess i am a traditional style of cook and like to do things with sautéed onions and herbs as a base etc..It now sits permanently on my bench and is used mostly everyday. Its a great time saver for me to walk away and know things are burning on the stove .My only major criticism is while i like Jamie's recipes, they are a bit fancy and sometimes fiddly ingredients, it would have been great if Phillips could have issued a basic cooking book as well with it with more recipes for us simple everyday folks. Haven't used the tower much, but will explore this more as I get more adventurous with my cooking. Great stirring function, high quality pan and basket inserts No actual blender function in pan (could have had a blender function on top like a food processor does).

Flat out awful – We have not tried the tower, but had high hopes for the self-stirring saucepan. The advertising material gives the idea that you can cook at any temperature within a range, instead there are very limited options which not only don't match the temperatures I need, but also aren't accurate (the 70 degree temperature actually stabilised at 62… Read more

degrees).

The stirring paddle rides a little above the base of the pan, leaving a layer of unstirred food which burns to the bottom.

The stirring speed cannot be changed - it is too fast for the crispy potatoes recipe (pulverising them into tiny pieces) and risotto looks more like creamed rice.

Ultimately, we have found the product useless and it is now gathering dust in a back cupboard because we are too embarrassed to throw it out this soon after getting it. Great idea to have a self-stirring pot Limited temperature options. Can't alter stirring speed for different tasks. Food burns to pot because the stirrer sits slightly about the surface and fails to actually stir the bottom layer of food.

Additional hand in kitchen – I just purchased one on the 28/12/13 and absolutely love it. As it was Christmas time I entertained guests nearly every day but I accidentally cut my finger when unpacking the tower (my fault) and then it was panic stations for everyone. My 13 yo twins and hubby took over and used "Jamie" and the tower and lunch was cooked to perfection. My… Read more

girls used the tower to chop up onions and garlic and had no problems - they did not overfill and it worked perfectly. I went back the next day and purchased 3 more units for my parents and two brothers. Thank you Philips for an excellent product.

My 9 yo daughter cooked chocolate fondu for dessert so we are all impressed and my friends now want one too. Much better than thermomix (which does not bake) as Jamie can cook more. The stirrer and tower Would have loved the pan to be larger

Mum's Best Friend! – WOW. Never burn another meal. Ever. For so long I've needed to be in two places at once: (1) cooking dinner, and; (2) taking care of my one-year old. The first night I got the Home Cooker, I easily assembled it and whipped open the accompanying cook book. Fifteen minutes of prep in the kitchen and I set the timer. Done. I delight in telling my… Read more

hubby that dinner will be ready in 90 minutes. All the while, I'm bathing our toddler and reading him a bedtime story. From chicken korma to risotto, so many recipes that I just didn't have time for and can now manage with ease (and I don't even need to be in the kitchen!).

For a long time I had considered purchasing a Thermomix but the price tag put me off. At a quarter of the price, the Philips Home Cooker suits my needs. I needed a kitchen helper to stop me from burning meals every time I had to tend to my little one. With a timer and stirrer, this cooker is foolproof (I haven't even read the instructions!). The recipe book makes reference to a slicer/chopper attachment which perhaps could save me even more time in the kitchen? The Home Cooker does not bake and I believe the Thermo does (?). However, the Home Cooker has a 3 litre capacity (larger than Thermomix) which is perfect for our expanding family.

My husband brought the cooker home as an early Christmas present. We were both forever too tired of an evening to stand over a stove and tired too of eating takeaway, not to mention the expense. Now the fridge is overflowing with meals and we have to make note of taking a night off here and there just to catch up with the home cooked leftovers. Delish!

I highly recommend this product! Convenience, Set and forget. Easy to clean. Takes little space on bench top. Doesn't bake (nearest competitor does).

Not worth the effort – Our friends bought us a homecooker with a chopping tower for Christmas Because I wouldn't buy a thermomix. What a mistake that was. I should have saved myself the trouble and bought a thermomix. The chopping tower doesn't stay still while in use. So while I'm holding the tower still,I'm trying to push the veggies through..which is also no easy… Read more

task. The vegetables kept getting stuck between the blade and the lid. I ended up taking the left over chunks out and chopping them myself! Jamie's cook book refers to the coarse grater....so I'm looking for it, but Philips calls it the coarse shredding disc! The pot also isnt the best non stick. my husband had to really wash it to get the fried chicken off. Not to mention the amount of space this takes up on the counter!. I think this has created more frustration than time saving! All I want to do now is sell this and buy a thermomix. The cooking timer The cutting tower, lack of non stick, bulky item, all the plugins

love the stirrer – The stirrer is the best and the base pan is great for stews,soups etc. The TV add led me to believe that I could cook different types of things at the same time using all the trays but there are no recipes ,or instructions, for doing that. Can anybody help me with this. Thanks Jacqui energy and manually efficient Not versatile enough Show 9 replies

Very Happy! – I am absolutely thrilled with my Home Cooker. What appealed to me was that it stirred and you could set the timer. I did have reservations, being a bit of a skeptic, but I have used my HC several times now and find it great to work with. The simplicity of this appliance is what appealed to me and I have not been disappointed. I have only cooked my… Read more ·  1

own recipes so far and found it very easy to adapt. The temperature is very responsive and easy to control and the timer is brilliant. Will save me many burnt saucepans and pots! I have done Parsnip Soup, Minestrone Soup and Spaghetti Bol. Can't wait to try the rissotto, I have never cooked it because standing and stirring for that long just never appealed. As for the cutting tower, It does just as good as the food processor I have had for many, many years. I purchased the Tefal fresh express grater a few months ago and it's not a very good design. It throws the food all over the place. The cutting tower is much better in that regard because it directs the food straight into the bowl or pan.I have never used a processor that doesn't leave you with bits and pieces that slip between the blades and the lid. Can't see how that can be helped. You can pick up the HC & Tower for $299 with a $30 cash back offer from Phillips. You cannot beat that for value! Simple, Effective, Bargain Price. Incidentally, would like to see at least one more increment in the higher temp settings - jumps from 175c to 250c

Loved the cooker but forget the tower – The cutting tower is flimsy but the cooker is fantastic - I love it and use it all the time. I didn't need the tower as I have a good food processor but the cooker has been worth the spend on its own. It is a whole lot cheaper than a Thermomix and does a very similar job. TIP: Take advantage of the Thermomaid recipes with it! It does same time and… Read more ·  1

is big enough for family. Tower is a toy. The blades move wiht the slightest preasure and doesn't cut well at all.

Jamie in my kitchen! – I love my JO and cutting tower I have read the other reviews about to the tower and am surprised to see they are negative. Maybe some people are expecting too much! As an addition for cutting up vegetables straight into the pan I find it fabulous. It is compact enough to sit permanently on my kitchen bench I hate having to use my processor unless… Read more ·  1

I am doing bulk amount Too many components to clean With the tower the top part just comes straight off and into the was Easy!! The cooker is fabulous too I have used this every night since I bought it! The tower, The quality of the pan The timed cooking and the great temperature range I find setting the timer slow and painful a keypad to type in time would be better

Very Disappointed – So disappointed with this...bought one this morning, excited about trying it out this afternoon, first go with the cutting tower and the motor has blown, didn't even get through the first onion in Jamie's Tagliatelle Bolognese recipe, I will be taking this back tomorrow,not much of a birthday present Philips! Cutting tower is rubbish!

Love my sous chef :) – Having two small kiddies at home means a lot of chaos and doing everything on the go. I was surprised to see when I actually had sometime to do something else (after watching it to stir for a while of course). So I either play with kids/ give them bath or just tidy kitchen and voila, no more spending a lot of time after dinner in the kitchen. I… Read more ·  1

would however do some improvements to the cutting tower: 1. bigger feed and 2. some sort of container that can be used with it (i.e. tall and wide enough) if I don't want to cut into the pan. High to low temperature range, timer. 5 + stars for the pan, cutting tower can do some improvements.

Home Cooker a five, tower lets it down – I purchased this as I have arthritis and difficulty stirring for lengthy periods. It is wonderful for soups, stews and custard, it has been well used and thoroughly enjoyed. I thought the tower would be a great addition, but I have had loads of problems trying to snap the blades in and out and have now stopped using it after finding out how very… Read more

sharp the blades are. Also it is very noisy and reverberates, does not appear to be the robust quality of the cooker. I didn't find it easy to feed either, the vegetables (celery, carrots) kept falling sideways and these weren't small bits; they also part ended up being mulched (what did grate was ok though). Both sections are easy to clean. If they can improve the tower it will be indispensable.

I think Jamie fooled me – I mistook the word 'cut' for 'chop'. Where is the chopping blade? I got this to replace my food processor, but I have wasted my money. From the box and advertising, I expected a copping blade (for ice, nuts making minced meat etc) like in any common food processor. The 'cutting tower' (not by any means a 'food processor") itself is not very… Read more

robust. There are far too many bits and pieces. I'd swap all the steaming baskets etc, for a the mere ability to chop, so I don't have to use my food processor as well. Very disappointing. I'm surprised that between Jamie Oliver and Philips, this is the result. I feel duped! If anyone wants one, I've got one I don't want........I wish I could return it and have my money refunded. Pan easy to clean. that's it. No chopping blade; Poorly designed and too many parts. Cutting tower spits sliced food all over the place.

We love Jamie! – We absolutely love our Jamie Oliver Homecooker. So much so that we have named it Jamie! We use it every day. It really is incredible. I read books to my 4 year old or cuddle my 9 month old while cooking dinner, I can walk away! It really is an extra pair of hands. The dishes we have made have been delicious and so easy. Favourites include:… Read more ·  2

risotto, bolognaise, casseroles, paella, pad thai, stirfry, chocolate fondue.

You can do anything! My husband is enjoying cooking and helps alot more now. It's foolproof cooking! It really is. Also love the Chopping Tower attachment. Quickest ever potato bake, zucchini slice and frittatas ever! Jamie is my favourite appliance and has given me so much more time at the busiest time of the day. Thank you Philips! You really have made my life easier. Love love love Jamie! :-) Easy to use, foolproof, simple to clean, dishwasher safe, extra pair of hands in the kitchen, more time with children, amazing recipes, stirring arm is incredible!

Great for reductions – Was looking for something to take me away from the stove when making tomato sauces etc, standing over a hot pot stirring while the tomatoes reduce down to a thick paste is not much fun in the heat of NQ, so this machine is a awsome for that, dose most of the work for me and don't have to worry about it catching or burning, one slight disadvantage… Read more ·  3

is the spatter from rapidly boiling tomatoes but that was rectifed by inverting the pasta/rice basket over the pot still allowing steam to escape, good one Phillips and Jamie Oliver the stirring arm, nice clean design, not to many crevices for food splatter to catch in,

Exceeding my expectations! – I'm not usually a kitchen appliance girl - the last one I purchased was in 1999 when my eldest child was born. But I have been thinking about purchasing a compact food processor and a rice cooker, so the Jamie Oliver Homecooker got my attention. It claims to do all manner of things, and so far I have been really impressed. The UK user reviews… Read more ·  1

of the 'cutting tower', which is like a vertical food processor were not very positive, but I have found it great. I am never going to slice another onion! It slices and grates your ingredients straight into the pan.

This machine can slow-cook, fast-cook, 'roast', fry, saute, steam, boil. So far we have used it to make; boiled rice (absorption method), chocolate sauce, seafood paella, chicken stir-fry, caramellised onions, taco mince, crispy potato chunks, beef casserole, crispy chicken strips, fried eggs, sauteed mushrooms. I have used the cutting tower for grating carrots (excellent) and slicing/dicing onion, capsicum and mushroom, ginger, shallots. I put all the parts in the dishwasher (without even removing the blade/grater piece) and they come out clean and ready to reassemble.

For stir-frying and browning ingredients it is slower than a gas hob because the stirrer picks up the food from the bottom of the pan and makes little piles, this reduces the contact between the food and the bottom of the pan. It is also slightly slower than an oven for the 'roasting' recipe that I tried (crispy rosemary potatoes). The advantages are that you don't have to keep checking the pot, and when 'roasting' my kitchen stays much cooler than if I were to use the oven. I've found that you can speed up an initial 'browning' step by turning off the stirrer for that step. Because of the temperature settings and thermostat it's almost impossible to overcook anything.

Note: if you want to do slow-cooking, the timer max is 99 minutes. When the time is up the heat switches off but the timer beeps repeatedly until you acknowledge it. This is not the appliance for you if you want to leave a stew bubbling for hours while you are at work.

It is not possible to set a series of times and temperatures (as far as I can tell), so if a recipe calls for the temperature to be reduced after a certain time, you have to do that manually. On the other hand it is really simple to use and I have never needed to consult the instruction booklet since the first day! There is only one speed setting for the stirrer. I haven't found this to be a problem for anything except breaking up lumps of cocoa in chocolate sauce. The stirrer is quite efficient at turning pieces of food over, nothing gets caught or missed around the edges.

My partner and kids love 'Jamie' and we have used it almost every day since I got it. It is safer for the kids to cook with than the gas hob, especially for frying as the high sides prevent the fat from spitting out. My partner can cook rice in it without burning it on the bottom or having it boil over. I love being able to throw ingredients in and then walk away to help with homework or fold clothes knowing that Jamie is stirring the mince (or whatever) for me. Simple to use, works well, easy to clean, not too bulky.