Can you make a crispy toastie in a microwave?

...or even a gourmet cake? We test the gizmos that claim to zap up a feast

CRISP, crunchy bread and oozing melted cheese — who doesn’t love a good toasted sandwich? And now, making the ultimate comfort food has become a lot easier, thanks to a clever gadget that claims to make perfect toasties in your microwave. But does it work, or do you end up with rubbery bread and soggy fillings? TESSA CUNNINGHAM put it to the test, along with several other new gizmos which claim to cook up a feast in your microwave .

SANDWICH SCIENCE Lekue Microwave Grill, £29.99, Lakeland

I REMEMBER the thrill of buying my first toasted sandwich maker as a student — and the disappointment that followed. It cost a packet, hogged the worktop and was impossible to clean.

So I was a sceptical about this dinky grill from lakeland. It consists of two non- stick coated aluminium plates with silicone handles. put it in the microwave for three minutes — beware, the plates will be super hot, then pop your sandwich between the plates and microwave for a further 3 minutes.

Hey presto. A gloriously runny cheese, ham and tomato toastie complete with crisp bread and pretty griddle lines.

And — joy of joys — the grill goes in the dishwasher. COOKING TIME: 3 minutes. VERDICT: A revelation. So versatile and easy to clean, I will use this most days. 5/5

CHICKEN CHALLENGE Lekue Deep Steam Case, £19.99, Lakeland

THOUGHT it was impossible to roast a chicken in the microwave? Me, too. And it turns out we were right.

I smeared my 1.3 kg chicken with oil and seasoning, then put it in the steam case with some stock and microwaved for 10 minutes, before turning it over for another 15. The result: one steamed bird. Admittedly the flesh was succulent, but it looked insipid, with no hint of roasted flavour. COOKING TIME: 25 minutes. VERDICT: Succulent, but it’s no crispy roast. 3/5

CURRY IN A HURRY Lakeland Pressure Cooker, £18.99, Lakeland

READY-MADE curries are a winning combination. But this is the first time I’ve made a curry from scratch entirely in the microwave. I threw all the ingredients for a chicken korma into this plastic pressure cooker and microwaved it for 10 minutes, stirred it, then cooked it for another 10. The result — a fantastic curry in a jiffy. It’s great value, too, at less than half the price of most traditional pressure cookers. COOKING TIME: 25 minutes. VERDICT: excellent — tasty and incredibly simple. 4/5

BANGERS GALORE Lekue Microwave Sausage Cooker Case, £11.89, Lekue

I love golden brown grilled sausages, but they take an age. Can this gadget, which steams the sausages and consists of a grooved base and lid, sizzle them to perfection?

Sadly, the sausages turn out limp, grey and tasteless. After one nibble, I feed the rest to the dog. COOKING TIME: 8 minutes. VERDICT: Stick to the grill if you want sizzling sausages. 1/5 Lekue Sweetcorn cooker, £15.99, Lakeland I love saving time. But when you can boil corn on the cob in 6 minutes flat, what’s the point of this cooker which does the same job? COOKING TIME: 6 minutes. VERDICT: don’t bother! 1/5

HEALTHY CRISPS Happy Nibbles Chip Maker, Kitchen Story, £6.99, Amazon

THIS may look bizarre but it’s a doddle. Simply slice a potato — skin and all — using the mandolin that’s included, place each slice onto the plastic carousel and microwave for four minutes.

I served mine at a bridge party. My guests were so impressed I made six batches. With no added fat, they are healthier than packet crisps. COOKING TIME: 4 minutes. VERDICT: Convincingly crispy and easy, too. 4/5

CAKE HEAVEN Levivo Round Silicone Baking Pan Cake Mould, £13.74, Amazon

MY DESPAIRING family know they’ll never see me on Bake off. But I’m intrigued to find out if I can cheat my way to a great cake in minutes.

This large baking pan — which can also be used in the oven — is made of non- stick silicone, meaning it’s easy to clean. Hoorah.

And, while silicone would usually be too floppy to use for baking, this has a microwavesafe internal metal layer to support the cake as it rises.

I use a cake mix, pour it into the pan and put in the microwave for 6 minutes. I’m stunned by the result — a perfectly risen, moist cake which turns out of the pan beautifully. COOKING TIME: 6 minutes. VERDICT: Bake off, eat your heart out. 5/5 Sistema Microwave Rice Cooker, £7.99, Amazon If, LIKE me, you’ r e still looking for the secret to perfect fluffy rice, you might pounce on this gadget.

I put 250 g rice and 600 ml water in the container, cover with the lid and cook for 8 minutes. The grains were so hard, I blasted it for another 3 minutes. The result? A sticky mess. The instructions warn, you may need to adjust timings and water, but I’ll stick to using a pan. COOKING TIME: 12 minutes. VERDICT: Save your money and use the hob. 2/5

GET CRACKING Sistema Microwave Egg Poacher, £9.99, Amazon

If you love poached eggs, this neat gadget may be just the thing. But I wasted more than a dozen eggs before I mastered it.

The pan consists of four little colanders, each in an eggshaped cup. I fill them with warm water, crack an egg and microwave for 1 minute 50 seconds. The eggs still look raw.

I increase the time in 10 second bursts until I hit 3 minutes. The eggs are quite rubbery. By my fourth attempt — and 16 eggs later — I’ve got it right. COOKING TIME: 2 minutes 40 seconds. VERDICT: Worth it in the end and will save you time at breakfast. 4/5

CORN CREATION IS RICE AS NICE?