CHEF iQ - 6qt Multi-Function Smart Pressure Cooker W/ Built-in Scale & Auto Steam Release - Black

After looking it instant pots and other Wi-Fi connected cookers I decided on this one cuz of it's all in one nature. If only it was an air fryer two it would be better but it's a pressure cooker basically that can steam come up pressure cook, and even sous vide. It has a scale built in which is not the most accurate so you might want to still measure things properly and not rely on the scale unless I'm doing something wrong.

Whether you are a professional chef or the cook in your house, this smart cooker is a kitchen appliance one will not regret buying. The smart cooker connects to your phone for the ultimate culinary experience. One will find cooking a lot easier with the dozens of recipes in the CHEF IQ App. You might even learn something new along the way! There are many reasons why this smart cooker can be considered the world’s smartest pressure cooker. =========================== A WELL ENGINEERED PRODUCT: CHEF IQ was a Kickstarter Project that was successfully funded by its backers. You can find the product’s page here to read all about the pressure cooker. ( https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chefiq/chef-iq-creating-a-smarter-home-cooking-experience/description) Long story short, the backers believed in the product and the product delivered. The smart cooker has many different uses that enhances the normal cooking experience in the kitchen. The multiple cook functions, integrated scale, and the ongoing software updates are just some of the few features which makes this smart cooker stand above its competition. =========================== SETUP AND ACCESSORIES: The setup process was easy. Simply download the app and follow the instructions to get your smart cooker up and ready for use. The smart cooker is both WIFI and Bluetooth enabled to allow you to pair it up with the CHEF IQ app. You may have to wait for your smart cooker to update depending on what software version the smart cooker was shipped in. Regardless, the whole process was simple to follow. You will be receiving various accessories with the smart cooker to help you with your new culinary experience. A steam basket, steam rack, measuring cup, a rice spoon, a ladle, and CHEF IQ branded silicone mitts. =========================== FEATURES: The CHEF IQ smart cooker has various unique features that makes the culinary experience efficient and immersive. The smart cooker saves space, time, and helps the user prevent the usual clutter from the different utensils that are usually needed when cooking a meal. Many of the meals can be as simple as cutting up the meats, throwing in the spices and cut-up meats, and steaming the veggies in the all-in-one smart cooker. The smart cooker is versatile and has five different cook functions that will make all your meals tasteful: Pressure cook, slow cook, steam, sear/sauté, and ferment. This smart cooker even cooks the simplest of foods such as rice, pasta, and beans in a matter of minutes. A cup of rice is about 8-10 minutes! The LCD touch display is user-friendly and simple to use and navigate. The UI makes the cooking experience a whole lot easier as the display guides you through what to add to the smart cooker. Pair the smart cooker with the app for an even more immersive cooking experience! The integrated scale is one of my favorites as it allows all the measurements to be exact. The capacity of the 6 quarts cooking pot allows the user to make enough food for the whole family. The smart cooker comes with a sanitize feature that allows the smart cooker to cleanse itself. Here is the recommended method to clean your smart cooker and the accessories: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0267/8118/8171/files/How_to_clean_your_Smart_Cooker.pdf?v=1588184721 =========================== CHEF IQ APP: IOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chef-iq/id1496378504 ANDROID: :https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.chefman.chefiq.prod&hl=en_US I highly recommend you obtain the CHEF IQ App as it provides dozens of recipes that all can be done with the pressure cooker. They are simple to follow as the app provides an immersive way to interact with the smart cooker as you are preparing your meal. The app also allows you to set your custom parameters wirelessly and receive notifications when your meals are ready. =========================== THE EXPERIENCE: Now for the experience with the smart cooker. If there was one word to explain the whole process of using this smart cooker it would be perplexing. I have never seen such tech where you could place different types of food inside a pot and at the end would come out a whole meal in a matter of minutes! (faster than a stove and oven) As this is my first time using a pressure cooker, I was a bit nervous I did something wrong and the cooker would end up blowing up but fortunately that that did not happen. All I received in return was a feeling of satisfaction. This smart cooker is truly a great way to cook numerous meals in record time or slow cook meals for when they need to be ready. As an avid meal prepper, this smart cooker is a godsend and the fast cook times seriously help prepare all my meals quickly. =========================== CONCLUSION: With everything going on in the world right now, there are still people creating great tech for the public to experience. This smart cooker is one of the newest pieces of tech of 2020. The immersive cooking experience and multiple ways to use this smart cooker can get anyone excited to cook. I highly recommend this smart cooker to anyone. Whether you are the cook of the house, a five-star chef, or a struggling college student that eats ramen every day; you all will benefit from this smart cooker.

==================================================== Bottom Line Up Front: ==================================================== The Chef IQ smart cooker is arguably one of the easiest and most intuitive pressure cookers out right now. As a relative novice to “pressure” style cooking – I found the “in-App” videos, recipes and tutorials extremely valuable along with helping me to discover new ways to prepare some of my favorite foods. As with any “smart” appliance – be ready to spend some time setting this bad boy up and going through some learning curves figuring out how the “App” and device menus work in the kitchen. All in all – this device is equally as awesome for newbies - as it for more experienced cooks who can leverage all the more advanced features and functionality right out of the box. ==================================================== Styling: ==================================================== As a guy – I appreciate the sleek – “all business” look of the matte black exterior. Styling is always such a “subjective” thing – but from my perspective it blends in with my other counter top appliances and it absolutely worthy of any counter space it may require while not in active use. The devices looks and feels like a quality piece of equipment, with professional looking and feeling knobs and pieces. When the Chef IQ smart cooker is powered off, it gives off the appearance of having a “mini” tablet embedded into the front side of the exterior, which only adds to the “techno-forward” looking appearance that I like to have on display in my kitchen. In actual usage however, the usable touch screen portion is a little under 3 inches in size and predominantly relies on rotating knob and touch screen buttons to move around the menus. It may appear a little on the small side – but all in all this combination of touch screen buttons and a physical knob is still very usable. On a side note - It was a smart choice to use a capacitive touch screen versus the cheaper/older resistive touch screen that are more commonly seen on cheaper/lower quality devices. It’s just a shame that they couldn’t more of that beautiful surface for actual interaction, but perhaps in future revisions we can see some more progress in that area. ==================================================== Device Functionality: ==================================================== I am by no means a professional cook or self-proclaimed pressure cooking “pro” – but I have relied on in the past to make some specific dishes that I felt were only “done right” when this type of cooker. In particular – Flan, tamales, and Chili. I know that may seem like an odd combination of things to list out – however I have a lot of fond memories from growing up with my family using our old, beat-up, handed down pressure cooking pot – complete with old school metal rotating disk/top shaped pressure release valve … I don’t want to spend any time talking about my personal recipes here – but what I do want to mention is that I was blown away by some of the features and functionality that the smart cooker offered right off the bat. Since I was already familiar with those old family recipes, I did need to really dig around for instructions or cooking ideas to get those recipes knocked out … but as I grew more familiar with the machine – I discovered the calculator function that really impressed me. Simply put – you put a food type (like rice, beans, vegetables, or even a type of meat) and then the cooker guides you through the process of adding, selecting and cooking the items correctly in the device. How cool is that? ………. I found myself experimenting with various things, just to see how they would turn out. The Chef IQ smart cooker “App” only adds to the coolness of what you can do with the device. There were nicely produces introductory and explanatory videos – all of which added to the experience – but were not necessarily required to operate the cooker itself. I imagine if you considering this cooker – then you most likely looking for these features regardless – however it is nice to know that you are necessarily required to have an “app” just o get it to work right. All that being said, using both the App and the device itself really unlocks all the potential the Chef IQ smart cooker has to offer. =============================================== Interesting Observations: =============================================== - The Chef IQ smart Cooker comes with some decent quality cooking accessories in the box such as a cooking rack, a steaming basket, rice paddle and scoop, along with a set of rubber-ish handles/holders - Like all “smart” things – I had to update the firmware right out the box. Keep that in mind moving forward – that you will most likely have to check for updates regularly as they add more features and functions (along with squashing any bugs that pop up along the way) – so make sure you have internet! - Don’t forget that the whole pot it nonstick. This is a pro and a con. It was super easy to clean – but I was paranoid about using soft wood or silicone only cookware to work with it – since I am always concerned about long term durability of this types of “nonstick” coatings over time - The 6qt capacity is perfect for our family of 5. For reference, we have 2 adults, and 3 school aged children – so depending on appetites and portion size – I would say this would suit anywhere from 4 to 6 people on average - At MSRP this is an expensive appliance to add to your kitchen. There are more affordable and equally as effective pressure cookers out there (including my decade old beat up pot) – but the Chef IQ Smart Cooker adds features and functions that can potentially change the way you cook to justify it’s added cost over competitors ============================================ Closing thoughts: ============================================ After making quite a few recipes and comparing some of my old “tried and true” ones from my previous old school/beat-up pressure-cooking pot – I am thoroughly impressed with the Chef IQ Smart Cooker abilities and ease of use. In the short time I have had it – it has cut down my cooking times, introduced me to new recipes and cooking techniques – along with looking super cool on my counter (as shallow as that may sound) – it sure beats looking at my old beat up metal pot from before. The App is just icing on the cake in the regard that it adds extra accessibility, instruction, and functionality on a variety of things that the average user may not even be aware of – or even possible on/in a pressure cooker. For me, this is a 5 Star product all the way – particularly for making cooking fun, easy, and seem “new” again in my house.

The ChefIQ Smart Cooker 7 isn’t my first electric pressure cooker, but it is the first one I’ve used that has smart features like internet connected WiFi, touch controls, and a color display panel. While at first glance it looks a lot like other e-pressure cookers on the market, I found the design quite stylish with its matte black metal exterior and glossy piano black glass control panel. It’s an aesthetic that demands to be left out on the counter and seen, afterall, in order to have it be “always on” and connected to the internet – you have to leave it plugged in. To that end, this device doesn’t have a power button by design; plug it in and it simply turns on. The only way to turn it off completely would be to unplug it, though after a period of inactivity it does enter a lower power sleep mode. It comes with a nice starter pack of accessories like silicone finger mitts, stainless steel steam rack and basket, plastic ladle, and plastic rice scoop. The inner pot has a non-stick ceramic coating inside and out so it’s super easy to clean and PFOA-free, though it’s not exactly scratch-proof, so you do have to take care not to use metal utensils in it. That said, I would have preferred a silicone steam rack and basket over the metal ones that come with the unit because it would have further reduced the risk of marring the non-stick surface. In terms on functionality, it has the normal features you would expect from today’s pressure cookers including delay start up to 24 hrs, high/low pressure settings, pressure cooking time in 1 minute increments up to 4 hrs, and various modes like slow cook (up to 24 hrs), steam, keep warm, and sear/sauté. Modes are switched by tapping the illuminated options on the outer touch-sensitive glass, while menu selections on the color display are made by turning the rotary dial left or right and giving it a push to make a selection. I do appreciate that the rotary dial when setting the cook time adjusts its increments depending on how fast you turn the dial, e.g. if you turn it slowly the increments are 1 minute, but turn it quickly and the time will jump by 10 or 15 minutes at a time, allowing you to reach a longer time setting without having to scroll endlessly. A couple of cool innovations I found unique on this unit are the built-in scale, to help you measure ingredients right into the pot by weight (in whole ounces or grams) and one-touch pressure valve release from the LCD, so you don’t have to worry about burning your hand with hot steam exiting the release valve. You can also pre-set your cooking program to perform an “auto-release” at the end of the cooking time with a quick release, pulsed released which lets some steam out in increments over time, or natural release, where the pot will stay under pressure until it naturally cools on its own. It’ll sound an audible alarm before it does the auto-release giving you a 10 second warning, so can ensure you’re clear of the steam valve when it releases. One of the biggest differences with this smart cooker versus its non-IOT counterparts is the ability to connect it to the internet and control the device remotely from the ChefIQ app. In fact, a smartphone is required for the initial setup. If you don’t have a smartphone with which to install the app, you simply cannot get past the welcome screen on the pressure cooker’s LCD. However, after initial setup you don’t need your phone for use and can choose settings from the control panel manually. That said, pairing with the cooker over Bluetooth, creating an account with ChefIQ, and connecting the device to my home WiFi was simple and straight-forward, taking only a few minutes. Once connected, the app complements the cooker by letting you search and select recipes from the ChefIQ library which then communicates with the cooker directly while taking you through the recipe step-by-step and automatically sending the smart cooker the correct settings so all you have to do is add ingredients to the pot, close the lid, and hit start. You can even create a custom "food profile" in the app by pre-selecting the settings and save it directly to the pressure cooker, so you can access it without having to pull out your phone. However, note that there's no way to delete individual favorites once downloaded to the machine, and you'd have to factory reset the unit which wipes all the downloaded favorites as well as the WiFi settings from the pressure cooker. Each recipe in ChefIQ’s library is accompanied with video instructions, broken into clips for each step of the recipe providing a visual guide and nearly foolproof instructions for even the least experienced of chefs. While it’s a really cool feature, the library of recipes currently is not super large, and a number of searches returned no results, for example, lamb tagine, beef shank, and pork ribs, despite pork ribs being one of the pre-sets in the machine’s pressure cook menu! Performance-wise the Smart Cooker worked flawlessly and as expected, allowing me to whip up tender, juicy braised meats, hearty stews, “hard boiled” eggs, and steamed veggies in a fraction of the time it would have taken on a stovetop. Keep in mind that depending on the temperature and quantity of the ingredients you put in the pot, the pre-heat time prior to cooking under pressure could be anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. The sear/sauté function is great for browning meats and caramelizing onions right in the pot, reducing the number of dishes I need to wash at the end of making a meal. I also love the ferment setting for this pressure cooker which is similar to the “yogurt” setting found on other e-pressure cookers. Simply start with a gallon of fresh milk and heat in the pot on the sear/sauté setting to 180°F, stir in ¼ cup of plain yogurt as your starter culture, then set the machine on “ferment” which is locked in at 110°F for 8 hours. When the mode is done, you’ve got a pot full of delicious creamy homemade yogurt that you can strain, flavor, and add custom mix-ins as you like. Overall, the Smart Cooker is a worthy addition to my kitchen appliance arsenal. While I do wish the app's recipe library was broader, I'm sure it will grow over time, and I'd love to see a user submitted section where you can craft and save your own favorite recipes in the future. The pressure cooker itself cooks food rapidly, lets me cook everything in one pot, reducing cleanup, and the app can help simplify the cooking process. From discovering new recipes to step-by-step prep and automatically sending the correct settings to the appliance, cooking in it couldn’t be easier.

THE BREAKDOWN: The packaging was very well done and protected. It came with the main pot itself, rice paddle, scoop, steaming basket, cooking rack, plastic measuring cup and 2 rubber mitts. The Smart Cooker is a 6-quart model that weighs approximately 10 pounds. I have seen several other brand cookers like this one and that seems to be the average size. I will certainly easily feed a family of 4. The black exterior isn’t necessarily the most attractive, but it is not that bad either. I typically store these type of appliances in the cabinet anyways so not something that worries me. On the front of the unit you will find a 2.83-inch LED screen that in used by a knob at the bottom. There is no other actual physical buttons on the machine. There are just areas on the screen that will light up that you can interact with. One of the cool features is the built-ion digital scale. I have compared this to a stand-alone digital scale that I own and it is very consistent with reading between them. The CHEF iQ Smart Cooker has pressure cook, slow cook, sear/sauté and steam as buttons on the display. There are some additional modes that are available through a “more” button such as ferment, sanitize and keep warm. There is also a favorites button that will show recipes you have save in the Chef iQ app. There is also the pressure release options which are quick release, natural release and pulse option that is controlled by a venting valve on the back part of the lid. Setting up the Smart Cooker was just a little tedious as you had to download the Chef iQ app for iOS and/or Android. You will then need to create an account then use the app the connect the Smart Cooker to your home Wi-Fi network. For me the Smart Cooker would only find my 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi which really isn’t an issue just thought I would mention it. Once connected it may need to do an update before you can use it. So, to start my testing I decided to make some rice. Tested the scale and let the Smart Cooker calculate. The plan displayed on the screen which for me was 8 min of high pressure cook with a quick release. What a breeze to cook and the rice came out amazing. I personally own a separate rice cooker and I can say that this Smart Cooker will replace that old rice cooker. I have cooked several meals to include a cabbage soup that is pictured and they all were very easy and fast. Ok, so the app itself was just ok. I think there was just a little over 100 recipes available on the app. There is also a tips and tricks section that had a knife skills 101 and Onions 101 videos. There is a favorite sections where you can save your favorite recipes. It also has a calculator section where you can choose a cooking method such as pressure cook , slow cook, sauté or steam. After you choose one of those it opens up another menu of things to choose from until you get to what your looking for and it give you the recommended cook settings. There is also a more section that lists your appliances, cooking history, about this app, what’s new and few other standard options. Lastly, it has a picture of the cooker in the middle that connects to your Smart Cooker. PRO’s: -Has built in scales -6-Quart capacity -Dishwasher safe -Pressure cook to sauté ability -Large easy to read display -1000W of power CON’s: - Standard black appliance appearance - The app needs a little more work SUMMARY: Overall, I feel that this product worked very well and I would recommend this to a friend if they are in the market for device like this. Not sure if I already owned a Smart Cooker if I would replace it with this one.

The best part of the machine is the recipe app. It’s your standard pressure cooker with a computer brain. The first one I recieved was a dud where it wouldnt update the firmware. Returned to BB and they shipped me another. Gluten free and all kinds of recipes provided via the app cook to perfection. The first thing we made was banana (gluten free), my first time ever, and everyone loved it. The one thing I don’t like is that once the steam is ready to release there’s no steam cap to keep it from going everywhere. We have an Instapot with this feature and it keeps things neat within the cooker and drip cup. Chef-iQ adds that feature and Instapot has a competitor with a better offering. Got it on DOD (Deal Of the Day! Great addition to any kitchen with a huge benefit of the app.

This is an outstanding cooker. The ChefIQ is, in fact, a smart cooker. This may be my new favorite of my cookers. If you are looking for a high quality, easy to use, and well built product this is the one for you. The construction on this is 6 qt. cooker is top notch even down to the packaging. Very professional appearance and packaged well to protect it until it's on your counter. The unit itself is solidly built. Nothing on this feels flimsy at all. The lid fits securely and is easy to lock and unlock. The touch screen on this is responsive and intuitive to use. The internal pot is non-stick and amazingly easy to clean. A great feature of this is that there is a built in scale for those that cook using weight measurements. A very user friendly function is definitely the auto pressure release when cooking is done. No messing around with it and potentially burning yourself. You can really cook anything in this. Boil, sear, poach, fry, etc. The app is amazing to use and helps to take the uncertainty out of cooking. There are pre-loaded recipes that you can choose from that will actually walk you through the adding of ingredients and getting the cooker going. You can also monitor your cook throughout which is fantastic. Once the cook is done, you will be notified via the app. Another great feature is that you can add recipes to your favorites to save them for later. A bonus is that if there are any updates, it is as easy as updating your phone. Overall, I really like this ChefIQ and would recommend it to anyone looking to make a move into pressure cooking.

This is my vote for the ultimate must have small kitchen appliance of 2020. SETUP: It was easy to setup and connect to my WiFi & Bluetooth using the Chef IQ app. There was a firmware update that only took a couple minutes. You receive all future updates with your purchase so it's supposed to get "smarter" as more updates are released. The Cooker: Once turned on the screen displays a bunch of pre-set options to quickly make things like rice, chicken, pasta, baked potato, steamed veggies, ect.. as well as a manual mode where you choose all the settings yourself (you can also control all of this from your phone via the IQ Chef app). When you select what your making, it will tell you how long it will take, and how much water to add if needed. One of the awesome features the Chef IQ has is the built in scale, you don't have to measure anything at all. For example I just made some hard boiled eggs and it said to add 16oz water. The scale will tell you how much water you have added out of the amount needed in real time as it's poured in. It will also weigh things like a chicken breast to determine how long it needs to be cooked for and what settings are needed. This makes it almost impossible to overcook or undercook your meal. It is also easy to clean and even offers a sanitize mode. Chef IQ App: Aside from being able to control your pressure cooker via the app and see how much longer until your food is done; it also includes tons of easy recipes with videos of step by step directions to make some delicious gourmet meals within minutes using your cooker. Overall: I highly recommend the IQ Chef Pressure Cooker. It makes cooking as easy as can be. Meals are cooked to perfection, and it's faster than using the stove/oven. I honestly believe it is under priced at only $200 because of the quality, features, and functions it offers. It is so much more than just a pressure cooker.