Will I regret buying a Hot Cook? A working mom who has used it for 3 years gives a thorough, honest review

Ever since my child was born, I kept seeing the "Hot Cook" all over X.

I thought, "It looks convenient, maybe I should buy it during maternity leave," but also, "It's expensive, though... it would be a waste if I stopped using it."

I spent several months worrying about it.

Then, I finally took the plunge and bought it in June 2023.

My conclusion after using it for about three years since then is—
"I can't live without it now. How did I even manage my life before the Hot Cook?".

This article is meant to encourage those who want to buy a Hot Cook but are hesitant because they don't want to regret it, while also offering advice from a user's perspective on who might be better off not buying one!

I will write in detail so you can get a realistic image of what life is like after buying one, so please use this as a reference!

※This article contains promotions.

(If you are short on time, please read only the headings that interest you from the table of contents ⬇️)

The only regret about the Hot Cook is "I should have bought it sooner"

The only thing I regretted after buying the Hot Cook. That is,
"I should have bought it sooner." That's it.

I bought it in 2023.
At that time, my child had already finished eating baby food.

Looking back now,
it would have been incredibly useful for making porridge and steaming vegetables.

For about a year between my child being born and when I finally bought it,
"I want it, but it's expensive..."
"Will I really use it...?"
I spent time waffling over it, but I felt that if I was going to buy it anyway, I should have bought it while I was in the middle of making baby food.

Minor regret | A black model was released after I bought mine

The Hot Cook I bought is the most standard "2.4L, fluorine-coated pot, white" (2021 generation) model.

I see the red version of the latest model is cheaper. (I don't think it was different back then...)

One day, about a year after I bought it,
a new model of the Hot Cook was released, and to my surprise, black was added to the color variations.

"Wow, I might have preferred black..."

I felt down for just a moment.

However, having already used it for a year, I had reached a point where I could no longer go back to a life without a Hot Cook (lol).

Even if I had waited a year to buy a newer model, I think the "time saved by getting relief sooner" was more important. Therefore, I am convinced that buying it in 2023 was the right decision in the end.

4 reasons why people say they regret buying a Hot Cook

I have been using it heavily for about 3 years and it is now an indispensable partner, but
honestly, I can understand why people say "you'll regret it!"

The price is high

First, the price. It's not a price you can just try out on a whim, is it?
It's an amount that makes you anxious, wondering "what if I don't use it?" and I actually agonized over it for several months myself.

If you can't make up your mind to buy one, renting it to consider it is one method. However, renting is also somewhat expensive, so it's a bit of a dilemma, isn't it?

Cleaning is a hassle without a dishwasher

The parts of the Hot Cook are as follows in total.

• Inner pot

• Inner lid

• Drip tray

• Steam vent cover

If you cook in a regular pot, you only have to wash the pot, but with a Hot Cook, you need to wash all of these.

Furthermore, depending on the menu, you also use the following parts.

• Mixing unit

• Steaming tray

Except for the inner pot, all parts can be put in the dishwasher, so I don't feel it's that much of a burden, but if I had to wash them by hand without a dishwasher, I would find it quite troublesome.

It's in the way if you can't master it

To be honest, the Hot Cook is quite large in size.
Many people will surely think "It's huge!!!" when they see the box it arrives in or how it looks once installed.

Our house is by no means large, but
since I use it every day, I leave it out on the counter.

However, if I weren't using it...
I would definitely feel it was 'quite in the way'.

Cooking time itself does not get shorter

A common misconception about the Hot Cook is that 'the cooking time itself does not get shorter'.

In fact, depending on the recipe, I feel like 'it would be faster to just make this in a regular pot or frying pan, right?'

The Hot Cook is

• adjusting the heat

• stirring

It is not something that shortens cooking time like a pressure cooker.

Even so, here are 3 reasons why I think 'I can't live without it anymore'

I have introduced the points that might lead to regret, but even considering those, I will realistically introduce the reasons why I think 'I can't live without it anymore'.

You can leave the cooking unattended

Isn't this the biggest appeal of the Hot Cook?

For soups and stews that take a surprisingly long time, once you press the button, you can completely leave it alone.

In the meantime,

• preparing side dishes

• spending time with the kids

• getting the bath ready

• doing laundry

can be done, and 'not being tied down to cooking' is truly a relief.

By the way, for recipes where the finish changes if left too long, such as boiled eggs or steamed broccoli, I take them out as soon as the completion sound goes off.

Consistent flavor

Since the Hot Cook automatically handles heat control and stirring, another key point is that it is easy to recreate the same flavor as before.

If you adjust the seasonings based on the weight (g), you will get almost the same result every time.

I make extensive use of this site.

Here is how I actually do it👇

1. Place the inner pot on a kitchen scale

2. Reset the weight to "0"

3. Add vegetables and meat (e.g., 1000g)

4. Calculate the salt content and add seasonings (e.g., 6g of salt)

The inner pot is heavy, so a kitchen scale that only measures up to 1kg will exceed its capacity. We replaced ours with a kitchen scale that can measure up to 3kg⬇️

Easier to try stewed dishes

To be honest, I originally felt uncomfortable making stewed dishes.

Root vegetables take effort, and stewing takes time... I also didn't know if the flavor was worth the effort I put in (this is just because I'm bad at cooking).

I used to avoid them, thinking I'd rather just make stir-fries or fried foods, but since I started using the Hot Cook, the hurdle has dropped significantly.

Just put in the ingredients and seasonings, press the button, and leave it completely alone. Even a slow-cooked stew that takes about 3 hours is done with just a "click," so it feels instantaneous.

And above all, it is genuinely delicious.
The meat is tender, and the potatoes are full of flavor...

Now, I only make stewed dishes with the Hot Cook.

A realistic look at how I use the Hot Cook | A working mom's daily routine

Since I work almost entirely from home, I don't really use the feature to set dinner in the morning.

Instead, I use it like this👇

• Set the ingredients in the Hot Cook after finishing work

• Go pick up the kids from kindergarten

• After getting home, give the kids a bath first

• After the bath, serve the main dish made in the Hot Cook while preparing side dishes

• Make soft-boiled eggs for the next day (I make them the day before because I like to eat them chilled)

Simple but god-tier recipes I make frequently

From here on, I will introduce the recipes I actually make often.

• Soft-boiled eggs

• Steamed sweet potatoes

• Steamed broccoli

The official recipe for soft-boiled eggs makes them too firm, so I use half the amount of water.

I keep steamed sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli in the fridge at all times, so I just repeat the process of making more when I run out.

Classic dishes I make occasionally

I also occasionally make classic dishes that are quintessentially Hot Cook.

• Curry

• Nikujaga (meat and potato stew)

• Pot-au-feu

We have the largest 2.4L model, so I often make a little extra and save the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Also, I personally love this recipe and use it on heavy rotation.

It can also be used for fancy meals

Leave special dishes you absolutely don't want to mess up to the Hot Cook.

• Roast beef

• Stewed spare ribs

I have a recipe for this that I really love...

When I made roast beef using Nao-san's recipe, it was surprisingly delicious.

I like the official recipe for stewed spare ribs and have made it many times.

You have to buy balsamic vinegar, but I'm sure you'll think it was worth buying.

I sometimes use it instead of a rice cooker

As many of you may know, you can cook rice in a Hot Cook. That said, I feel like it tastes better when cooked in a rice cooker, so I don't use it much for that.

However, I make rice cooker recipes in the Hot Cook. Because I don't want the smell to get into my rice cooker... (lol)

• Mackerel takikomi gohan (mixed rice)

• Khao man gai

• Curry pilaf

And so on, I make all the rice cooker recipes that seem like they would have a strong smell in the Hot Cook.

People who are suited for a Hot Cook

Based on my experience, I have summarized the people who are suited for a Hot Cook.

• People who are busy but want to continue cooking for themselves

• People who want to use the time they save for housework or time with their children

• People who can afford an initial investment of around 50,000 yen

People who are highly likely to regret buying a Hot Cook

On the other hand, I have also summarized the types of people who are highly likely to regret buying a Hot Cook. If these apply to you, you should think carefully before purchasing.

• People without a dishwasher (as washing dishes will be a burden)

• People who eat out or get takeout often and rarely cook at home

• People who want to shorten their cooking time

• Large families (there is a limit to the amount that can be made at once due to capacity)

If you want to stop cooking altogether,
TsukuriO (formerly tsukurioki.jp) or frozen toddler food Mogumo might be a better fit for you.

My review of TsukuriO is in this article, so please check it out if you are interested!

Summary | For those wondering if they might regret buying a Hot Cook

The Hot Cook is not cheap, so it is natural to be hesitant.

I worried about it quite a bit too, and
I thought many times, "What if I stop using it?"

That is why, if you are interested,
please take a good look at the reviews on X and Amazon.
Reading not just the positive reviews, but also the concerning ones, makes it much easier to judge whether it is right for you.

If you can still think, "This might be helpful for my current life,"
then it is probably a good match.

Even after using it for 3 years, I have zero regrets about buying it.
My only regret is that I didn't buy it sooner.

Personally, it is a highly recommended appliance, so please consider it comprehensively!

✅ Currently, TsukuriO is holding a campaign for 4,000 yen off your first order!!!