Baby food made easy - four baby food cookers tested
10.8.2018
Translation: machine translated
Baby food cookers are designed to make your mummy time easier. Instead of a pan and blender, all you need is the cooking appliance and you can prepare your baby's porridge in no time at all, or so the manufacturers promise. But what are the appliances good for and do you even need them? I tested four appliances.
We always make porridge for our son using the steamer and the blender in our food processor. It works perfectly. So why should we buy a special appliance to prepare the porridge and clutter up our already full kitchen with even more appliances? That's why I was a little sceptical at first when I was asked if we wanted to test such machines.
I like trying out new things and decided to test four appliances. For me, a baby food cooking appliance has to offer clear advantages over our current system. For example, the option of one-handed preparation and automatic switch-off after the cooking process.
The appliances
I tested the baby food cookers Babymoov Nutribaby +, AVENT Combined Steamer & Blender 4-in-1 and Beaba Babycook Suisse. I also took a look at the Beaba Babycook Original Suisse. This much can already be revealed: All the appliances do their job perfectly and the porridge made with them tasted good to our son.
All appliances can do more than just steam cooking and blending. They also offer a defrost and reheat function. You can even sterilise with the Nutribaby+. However, I focussed exclusively on steaming and blending during the test. What all appliances have in common is that the parts without electronics are dishwasher-safe.
Beaba Babycook Suisse
First impression [[image:15594068]]
The Babycook Suisse from Beaba looks very simple. There is no display and only one button to operate the appliance. The button is the only splash of colour on my test device. Incidentally, the Babycook Suisse is available in three other colours. I like the design. With its soft corners and edges, it fits into the baby food cooker category.
In use
For me, appliances are suitable for everyday use if I can use the basic functions without instructions the first time I use them. The Beaba Babycook Suisse fulfils this criterion. Thanks to the small number of parts, I know exactly what goes where. The only thing I don't dare to do at first is apply the necessary pressure when attaching the lid. After all, I don't want to destroy the appliance before the first use. With a little more determination, I am able to attach the lid after all.
The heating container is located in the appliance body. Thanks to a scale from one to three on the bowl, the water can be poured in carefully. Depending on what I want to heat or cook, I need different amounts of water. I have to read the instructions to find out how much water I need. I need water quantity 1 for reheating, 2 for fruit and green beans and 3 for vegetables and pineapple.
I put the chopped vegetables in the basket and place it in the bowl. Then I just need to put the lid on. I press the button with the steam symbol to start the cooking process. This takes a different amount of time depending on the water level. Once all the water has been used up, the cooking process is finished. The appliance informs me of this with a triple beep. Excess steam escapes via the base station.
After cooking, I can pour the contents of the basket into the bowl with the integrated blender. To make sure I don't burn myself, I can transfer the basket with the spatula provided. Then it's back to blending with the lid on. I mix by turning the button instead of pressing it. I influence the consistency of the porridge by the duration of blending and the amount of water.
Conclusion
The Babycook Suisse does what it is supposed to do - and it does it reliably. It impressed me with its simple design, its self-explanatory operation and the quality of the porridge. The vegetables were always cooked through and the blender did its job perfectly. I think it's great that the blade can be removed for cleaning - that's not possible with my food processor.
The Babycook Suisse can be operated with one hand throughout. I can prepare the porridge with my son in my arms. I only need both hands to prepare and cut vegetables, but that's not the job of the baby food cooker.
Despite its relatively small size, the Babycook Suisse offers plenty of space with a capacity of 1.1 litres. Although it is not possible to prepare huge quantities of porridge, it is basically sufficient.
The lack of a display on the Babycook Suisse didn't bother me at all, the appliance switches off automatically and gives me an acoustic signal as soon as it's ready. This means I can play with my son undisturbed during the cooking process. A clear advantage over cooking in the pan, where I always have to keep an eye on it.
Babymoov Nutribaby +
First impression [[image:15594074]]
The Nutribaby + looks like the complete opposite of the Babycook Suisse. The display and the many buttons adorn the centre control unit. The permanently installed steamer is located on the left-hand side. The blender can be attached to the right of the control unit. The steamer and blender look like two UFOs docked on. The appliance looks more like a "normal" food processor than a baby food cooking appliance. The workmanship of the control unit looks high quality, which I wouldn't say about the cooking containers and bowls. But more on that later.
In use
I need a little longer with the Nutribaby + than with the Babycook Suisse to understand what goes where. I have to put the cooking containers and cooking trays together first. Place the insulating plate at the bottom of the water tank, then fill it with water from the cooking water container and place this on the plate. Then I can place the cooking containers on top and put the lid on top.
The Nutribaby + comes with two cooking containers. The advantage of this is that I can easily cook vegetables with different cooking levels at the same time. If I'm making carrots and courgettes, I put the carrots in the lower container and the courgettes in the upper one. With the other appliances, by the way, I have solved this by cutting them into different sized pieces.
Despite the many buttons, operation is child's play. Pressing the steam cooking function activates the steamer. I can then set the cooking time and press OK. The Nutribaby + emits an acoustic signal when the time has elapsed. The cooking times can be found in the instructions. Excess steam escapes through a hole in the lid. So be careful if the baby wants to watch the preparation.
The blender is a little easier to put together than the steamer. All I have to do is attach the blender, transfer the vegetables from the cooking containers and attach the lid. Depending on how runny I want the mash to be, I can add any cooking water I have collected from the cooking water container. The blender works on three levels, which I can select by pressing the mix symbol. The blending button is integrated in the lid. So I certainly never forget to put it on. I only blended on the second setting. I determined the creaminess of the porridge by the duration of the blending process and the amount of water added.
Conclusion
The Nutribaby + offers many functions and setting options. I find it a little awkward to use. For cleaning, it is extremely practical that the cooking trays and cooking containers can be separated. But when I have to put them together with the baby in my arms, it becomes a test of patience. It's also easy for the trays to lie at an angle in the steamer basket and then fall out when filling with vegetables. However, the Nutribaby + does the steaming and blending itself to my complete satisfaction.
The Nutribaby + can also be used to prepare more porridge. Each cooking container can hold 400 grams of vegetables. This means I can make up to 800 grams of porridge in one go. It's just a shame that the contents of two cooking containers only just fit in the blender. I then split the vegetables up and blended one portion at a time. Incidentally, the Nutribaby+ is the only appliance that allows you to blend and steam at the same time. Thanks to the generously sized cooking containers, the machine can also be used to prepare vegetables for the whole family after the porridge time.
The blending process can take a while. Babymoov recommends pressing the blender button for a maximum of five seconds and then pausing for five seconds. Otherwise the appliance could overheat. In fact, it does get quite hot within a short time, which is why it makes sense to follow the instructions. Blending a large amount of porridge will take some time. You can remove the blade for cleaning.
Avent combined steamer & blender 4-in-1
First impression [[image:15594060]]
Philips takes a different approach to the design of the combined steam cooker than Nutribaby. Instead of being wider, the Avent appliance is taller. This leaves more space in the kitchen. The appliance looks more like a blender than a baby food cooker. Otherwise, it is kept very simple. Like the Babycook Suisse, the appliance is operated with a combined push and turn button.
In use
The Avent appliance consists of fewer parts. You blend and steam in the same container. If I place it on the base station with the blade at the top, the steamer function is active - if I place it on the base station with the blade facing down, the blender function is active.
The water tank is permanently integrated in the base station. A display shows me the water level. So I don't need a measuring cup to fill it. As I always descale the water for electrical appliances first, I don't need to transfer the descaler to the measuring cup. The cooking time and required level can be found in the instructions.
The lid of the cup is a little difficult to put on. But with a little practice, it can be done with one hand. The filled container is easy to put on in the steamer function. I set the desired cooking time using the rotary button. When the time has elapsed, the appliance beeps. The steam escapes through a hole in the blade attachment. As with the other appliances, a little caution is required here if the baby wants to be present during preparation.
After steaming, I turn the container and place it upside down on the base station. Now I can blend. This only works at one level. I determine the consistency of the porridge by the duration of the blending process and the amount of water added.
Conclusion
I really like the handling of the combined steamer. Filling the cup is easy thanks to the large opening. Attaching and turning works perfectly. The blade is extremely easy to remove so I can scrape every last bit of the porridge out of the cup. The porridge always turns out very well - the steamer and blender work perfectly. With a little practice, the Avent appliance can also be operated with one hand. Only the lid is a little hard to put on.
The appliance takes up the least space in terms of width and length, but it is relatively high. The Avent cooker is ideal for small kitchens with space above. With a capacity of 1 litre, the container offers enough space.
The blender impressed me the most of all the appliances. Although the blade can be removed on all appliances, only the Avent allows you to simply pull out the blade. This not only makes it easier to clean, but also to scrape out. Thanks to its design and the super blender, the appliance can also be used as a stand mixer after the baby has been fed.
Beaba Babycook Original Suisse
First impression [[image:15594064]]
The last device in the group is the cheapest. This is reflected in the design and workmanship. Of all the devices, I find it the least appealing. The workmanship looks cheap and the tinted container is somehow dirty. The Babycook Original Suisse is slightly smaller than the Babycook Suisse. The appliance is operated using a rotary button with the steam cooking and blending functions.
In use
The Babycook Original Suisse is similar in handling to the Babycook Suisse. You fill the water into the heating bowl of the appliance body. The bowl has a scale from one to three, so you can always fill in the correct amount of water
.
Place the vegetables in the basket in the container and put the lid on. Unfortunately, this cannot be done with one hand, as you have to turn the lid and not the side of the lid. You start the cooking process by turning the switch to the appropriate position. Unfortunately, the Babycook Original does not signal when the cooking process is finished. You have to check the cooking times in the instructions and set your own timer.
Once the cooking process is complete, you can pour the contents of the basket into the bowl using the spatula provided so that you don't burn yourself. Then put the lid back on and turn the button to Mix. As with the other appliances, you can influence the consistency of the porridge by adjusting the duration and amount of water.
Conclusion
The Babycook Original Suisse is also great for making porridge. The handling is simple, but unfortunately the appliance cannot be operated with one hand throughout. There is also no acoustic signal when the cooking process is complete.
The 600 ml container is very small. Too small when the appliance is compared with the Babycook Suisse. The latter is only slightly larger overall, but offers 500 ml more capacity.
As with the design, the Babycook Original Suisse also fails to convince me in everyday use. The Babycook Suisse is not much more expensive. If you want a product from Beaba, it's better to go for the Babycook Suisse.
Which appliance should it be? Or can you do without it?
After testing the devices, I see more sense in them than before. They are practical and make preparing porridge easier. But do you really need one if you have a food processor, stand mixer or hand blender at home? No, you don't. You can prepare baby food just as easily with these appliances.
Nevertheless, I will miss the appliances. But luckily, my son's mash time doesn't last too much longer. And that's another point that speaks against the purchase. Breastfeeding time is relatively short. Buying a special appliance if you already have a blender at home doesn't make sense from my point of view.
However, if you don't yet have a blender at home or there is still a lot of space available in the kitchen, a baby food cooker makes sense. All the appliances tested do their job without any ifs or buts. Which one you get depends on your needs.
Equipped for the future - Babymoov Nutribaby+
If you don't have a food processor at home and want to steam and blend in one appliance even after the mash time, you should take a closer look at the Nutribaby+. Thanks to the stackable cooking containers, you can prepare lots of vegetables at the same time. This is practical if you have several children at home. Steam-cooked vegetables simply taste better.
The master of blending - Avent combined steamer & blender 4-in-1
Even after the mash time, you can mix like a pro with the Avent appliance. If you are focussing on blending at the time, this is the machine for you. Another advantage is the dimensions of the appliance. It is not much larger than a stand mixer and therefore complements your existing kitchen appliances.
Puree on a smaller budget - Beaba Babycook Suisse
The Beaba Babycook is for people who can do without blenders and steamers after the baby is cooked. Of course, the appliance can still be used afterwards if you wish. Otherwise, it doesn't need much space in the cellar or attic due to its size. Or you can simply pass it on.
Baby porridge, and what else? - Beaba Babycook Original Suisse
Although the Babycook Original Suisse also prepares good porridge, I would advise against buying it. If you have similar needs to those described in the paragraph above, you would be better off with the Beaba Babycook Suisse, which performs better in terms of handling
.
Kevin Hofer
Senior Editor
kevin.hofer@digitecgalaxus.chFrom big data to big brother, Cyborgs to Sci-Fi. All aspects of technology and society fascinate me.
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