Air fryers may have had their cultural moment, but there’s only so much countertop real estate to go around.
As someone whose kitchen doubles as storage for all manner of culinary gadgets, I’m wary of anything with a plug that promises to change my life. Most end up relegated to the cupboard of shame (nestled between the unused spiraliser and the poorly made handheld electric whisk I absolutely needed at 2am one fateful online binge).
Enter Drew & Cole’s 5 Minute CleverChef: a snack maker that looks, at first glance, like the sort of gadget you’d expect to find in a student flat.
Compact, low-profile and low-cost, it claims to bake, fry and cook, all while taking up less space than even the dinkiest of air fryers. And crucially, unlike an air fryer, it has one major selling point. It can make toasties.
The internet is littered with air fryer “hacks” that never quite pan out – stacked pancakes welded together by baking paper, or omelettes that resemble sad scrambled eggs. This little machine, however, is designed precisely for those quick, fuss-free bites. No elaborate settings, no hunting down new recipes – just plug it in, prep your filling, and wait for the green light.
To see if it really delivers, I set it the ultimate weekday lunch challenge: a protein-packed omelette (sans frying pan drama) and a gooey toastie for my partner. Here’s how it fared.
Drew & Cole CleverChef key specs
- Dimensions: 315 x 125 x 90 mm (H x W x D)
- Guarantee: 1 Year
- Weight: 1.21kg
- Power: 700W
- Cooking surface area: 180.23 cm²
- Included: Instruction manual, omelette plates, grill plates, waffle plates - all non-stick
Design
The CleverChef is about as streamlined as it gets; it fits neatly on the counter without demanding a shuffle of everything else. It feels sturdier than you’d expect for something so inexpensive, with non-stick plates that wipe down easily. Admittedly, it’s not a showpiece – you won’t be Instagramming it any time soon – but it has a charming, functional simplicity.
User-friendliness
If you’re capable of plugging something in and closing a lid, you can use this. There are no settings, no temperature dials, no menus to scroll through – it’s either on or off. The only slight drawback is the tiny indicator light, which is tricky to spot in bright daylight. I ended up relying on my nose to tell me when things were cooking.
Functionality
The Omelette Test
Two medium eggs, a scattering of ham and cheese, and I was ready to go. The instructions advise against anything larger than medium eggs, and now I know why – mine bubbled over almost immediately, causing the lid to spring open halfway through cooking and giving me a minor heart attack. After some trial and error, I was eventually rewarded with a cooked-through omelette. The shape was slightly bizarre, but honestly? It was the easiest omelette I’ve ever made. No scraping, no sticking, no resigned scramble.
The Toastie Test
This was where the CleverChef came into its own. Bread, cheese, ham, lid down – four minutes later, I had a golden, sealed toastie with that satisfying crisp edge that feels like a monumental prize for minimum effort. Unlike the omelette, there was no guessing, no refitting – just a perfectly cooked snack.
Cost - is it worth the price?
For the price, the CleverChef is an impressive little gadget. It won’t replace your air fryer or your hob, but it isn’t trying to.
Instead, it cooks a small menu of things very well: omelettes, toasties, and anything else that benefits from even, fuss-free cooking in minutes. If those foods are part of your lunchtime routine, this is a neat investment that earns its keep on the countertop.
Verdict
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Drew & Cole 5 Minute CleverChef
The Drew & Cole 5 Minute CleverChef is a compact snack maker designed for quick, fuss-free cooking.
Taking up less counter space than even the smallest air fryer, it can whip up omelettes, toasties, waffles and more in minutes. With its simple plug-in design and non-stick plates, there are no fiddly settings or complicated menus – just add your ingredients, close the lid and wait for the green light.
Affordable, easy to clean and surprisingly versatile, it’s a handy little gadget for anyone who wants speedy, satisfying meals without the kitchen drama.
Buy now £24.99, Currys
