Usha is known for its kitchen appliances, and the new iChef range introduces various smart cooking solutions. Aimed at modern home chefs, this collection features advanced appliances designed to streamline meal preparation and enhance convenience in the kitchen.
What can you expect with Usha iChef range? The cooking appliances feature preset menus for various cuisines, touch controls, and precise temperature settings, making it easier to cook a wide variety of dishes with minimal effort. The compact design adds style to any kitchen, while its functionality provides versatility, making cooking a delightful experience.
But is the iChef range worth the hype? Let us dig deeper. The iChef range practically includes a wide array of kitchen appliances, ranging from air fryers, ovens to electrical kettle, and heater blender. So, let’s have a look at some of them.
Usha iChef blender heater
Craving a bowl of hot soup during a chilly winter night? We have all been there. But then, stepping out from that cosy blanket seems like a mammoth task. So, here comes a first-of-a-kind blender heater in India that would give you a bowl of your favourite soup in minutes at just a push of a button. The USP of this blender heater is that unlike other blenders, that are masters in making your healthy smoothies, this one caters to all things warm.
What does it offer?
This blender heater has 6 presets menus, including steam clean and reheat functions. It can be used for soup making, blending, grain and nut milk, Puréeing, dry grinding, wet grinding, and even for keeping the baby food warm. With the Quadra Noise Reduction technology upping its game, Usha claims that the iChef is up to fifteen decibels quieter vs traditional mixer grinders, making it a first-in-category offering. However, you can still hear some noise, we found during our initial testing.
But what moved me when I tried it first-hand was its self-cleaning functionality. With an 80 °C steam clean, your blender jar is spotless after each use, saving you time and effort.
Since it is a smart kitchen appliance, this blender heater comes with a heavier price tag attached, which could downsize its popularity. Moreover, being bulkier, it takes up more space on your kitchen countertop than the regular mixer grinder or blender.
Also Read: Best juicer blenders with high-end features: Top 10 picks to blend health into your routine
iChef steam oven
What if we say that now you can air fry and steam your favourite veggies and snacks – all in one, that too in an oven? Sounds interesting, right? That is exactly what this iChef steam oven does. With a 1000W heating element and 800W 3D steam, this steam oven combines steam and convection heating for faster cooking, ensuring your dishes are ready in no time.
What does it offer?
Usha iChef steam oven is designed to radically shake up your cooking experience. You get to bake, roast, grill, thaw, slow cook, barbecue, braise, toast, air dry, and steam – all in this oven. Steaming also preserves the nutrients and flavours, so you can have a delicious and oil-free meal. With its 18-litre capacity and 3-level cooking feature, you can now prepare multiple dishes simultaneously. It comes with 39 preset food menus, giving you a variety of cooking options.
This one-of-a-kind oven is easy to operate and so you basically do not need another appliance to steam. It can prepare almost anything and everything, from steamed idlis and dhoklas to spring rolls.
What I felt could be an issue, was that it can operate at up to 100-degree Celsius temperature, which is the standard steaming rate. And for dishes that require more temperature for steaming, like steaming raw veggies, you would need to reset the timer, delaying your food preparations.
iChef smart air fryer
Despite our best intentions to eat healthily, evening snacks often lean toward fried options. It’s a common challenge to resist the allure of these crispy treats, even when we aspire to make better dietary choices. To satisfy your snack cravings, consider the iChef air fryer. With its sleek design and 5.5-litre capacity, it allows you to enjoy your favourite snacks without the guilt of deep-frying. This appliance combines functionality and style, making it a practical addition to any kitchen.
What does it offer?
Smart iChef air fryers do the task of air-frying, baking, roasting, grilling, thawing, slow-cooking, barbecuing, braising, toasting, and air-drying efficiently. It comes with 8 preset menus and 10 cooking functions to ease your task of cooking. From French fries and samosas to grilled sandwiches and roast chicken, an air fryer would get it done for you, that too with minimal oil.
Unlike most air fryers, this smart air fryer comes with a transparent display, that allows you to seek through your dishes. Additionally, it includes a heat-resistant, food-grade borosilicate glass bowl for a full 360-degree view and turbo airflow technology to ensure perfectly crispy and browned results.
Although, the air fryer is just apt for your evening cravings, its borosilicate glass bowl gets too hot and is bulky. So, adequate care while operating the air fryer is needed. It may break if not properly taken care of. Then again, the capacity it comes with, is not adequate for large families or get together. Cooking times may be longer compared to traditional frying methods.
Also Read: Air fryers vs halogen ovens: Which is the best choice for healthier cooking?
Check out some more kitchen appliances by Usha:
At last, though, the iChef range by Usha is a wonder in itself. You can choose to get one for your kitchen countertop depending upon your kitchen size, family size, and the kind of meals you prepare.
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