Customer Reviews

The Cook-Zen Microwave Pot

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When considering this purchase, I was a bit put off by the price -- it seemed too expensive. I was having my kitchen remodeled and would not be able to cook in it for a while. I was trying to find ways in which I could still cook and eat healthy. When I saw this item, it appeared to be a product in which I could put all the ingredients into it, pop it into the microwave, and presto -- a complete, healthy, Japanese meal!
So it seemed that this would be perfect for me, so I bit the bullet
and purchase both the Zen Cooker and the recipe book.

The recipes (if you purchase the related book) are good, but unfortunately to
cook a complete meal (rice, vegetables, main dish) you have to cook all
separately and thus have the problem of keeping them all warm, etc.

The Zen cooker works well, the cookbook recipes are good, but for the
money I put out and what I expected to get out of it -- I was disappointed.

I received the Zen cooker as a gift from a friend. I had asked her to purchase some Ziploc Zip 'N Steam bags for me as I was living in a very small studio apartment but there was a microwave in the communal kitchen which I used quite often, especially for steaming vegetables when I returned home late from class. Instead of bringing me the Zip 'N Steam bags, she bought me the Zen Cooker, and I couldn't be happier.

I never imagined being able to make perfect baked potatoes in about 7 minutes, or rice in less than 20 minutes (in the microwave!!!). It's also great for broccoli, green beans, spinach, carrots or any other vegetable you can imagine. Just place it in the container after its been washed (and peeled if necessary), and zap it! No need to add water or sauce unless you want to, as the water inside the food turns into steam. Thus, all the vitamins and minerals are retained in the cooker, so you can cook healthily by retaining more of the essential nutrients while at the same time saving precious time (pop it in the microwave and come back when it's done!)and preparing fresh, healthy foods rather than drowning them in heavy sauces, gravies or oils to enhance taste. With the Zen Cooker, if you use fresh vegetables, you will taste the freshness and nothing more. You can also add spices or herbs at will to add more flavor or depth to the taste.

Regarding the other reviewer's comments, I do agree that if you plan on making a meal with this, you will have to heat one item at a time, and then by the time the other foods are ready, the first foods you cooked will have significantly cooled in temperature. I prefer using this for steaming root and leafy vegetables only, and do not use it to prepare whole meals. I imagine that if you wanted to make a rice dish with meat and vegetables though, that would be possible. Subtract the time it would take you to cook the meat from the time to cook the rice. Add the rice first, allow it to cook for the number of minutes minus the time for the meat to cook, then add the meat, then the vegetables and sauce, and voila! A tasty stir-fry type dish made in the microwave. These of course are my musings as I have not attemnpted this with the Zen cooker.

The price is slightly steep, but this cooker is made in Japan and is very sturdy and well-designed. It's a beautiful, elegant, quality piece of equipment that I would highly recommend for anyone who enjoys the convenience of cooking with a microwave (especially in the summer when you want a tasty dish without slaving over the stove), with the health benefits of a steamer.

This completely changed our cooking style. You can do excellent delicious, healthy sides in a matter of minutes.
I've given these pots to 5 folks already.

Love this little guy.The Cook-Zen Cookbook: Microwave Cooking the Japanese Way--Simple, Healthy, and Delicious

How is this item different from the Joyce Chen 4 in 1 Microwave Rice Steamer, which is much less expensive? Can anyone compare the two products?