– Tefal Ultracompact Steam Cooker, 9L, Stackable Storage System, 3-Tier Food Steamer, BPA-Free Bowls, 60-Min Timer, Refill While Steaming, Rice Accessory, Removable Cooking Bowls,VC204865

Pros: it is indeed compact and easy to stow away neatly. It looks great with a sleek design and the brand has a good reputation. It steams as it should and works well and is easy to use. Bowls, tray and lid are dishwasher safe apparently (I just hand wash them though as I worry about misshaping) It was a good price on offer at £39.99. Cons: at first I thought the (number 1) plastic bowl didn’t slot into the tray properly, but it’s just a very snug fit and needs clicking properly into place. On the water indicator it isn’t that easy to see the level. The black tray fits fine when cool but when very hot it looks like it comes away from the device slightly but not enough to leave a gap so I can live with it. Eventually the plastic bowls will discolour I’m sure; they always do on steamers, I wish these companies sold replacement parts.

Sturdy & easily stored when not in use by spending containers great capacity base,value for money easily clean containers& base ,great size & must keep off induction jobs of cooker or kill the base by melting it! Found must use number 1 base first or if putting any other base on first it leaks ,bases are easily cleaned bý hand washing so dishwasher should be ok

I bought this as a replacement for my Tefal Steam Cuisine bought several years ago but now at the end of its life (leaking and clock unreliable). I have had a good few years of service from it though. When choosing a new steamer it had to be one that was compact so it would fit on the cupboard shelf and this seemed to be the only one that 'stacks down'. I've been using it for over a week now and I am getting the hang of the differences between this and the old model. The baskets are much more robust and seem to be bigger. However, there are some 'niggly' changes which are not as good as the old model. The power light is not very bright and the minute markers on the timer have gone. In fact the whole timer could be more accurate especially when steaming vegetables such as cabbage and french beans. There are three holes in the lid which are rather large and a lot of steam escapes. Looking at the instructions (pictures only) it seems the lid can be used as a stand for the baskets but I'm not sure how this works and don't want to try too hard in case it breaks. I do like the way I can hide it in a cupboard when not in use and it seems to cook food ok. I've yet to try dumplings in it and I'm hoping it will be easier to clean than the old one. (Fat from dumplings used to get stuck in the basket holes and of course had to be cleaned carefully from the drip tray.) Why has Tefal changed some of the good points on the old model? eg not as easy to grasp at each side when lifting up into the cupboard. I'm sure I will get used to it though.

I use it every day to steam vegetables. It's very easy to use, practical, not particularly fast but efficient, and the vegetables are always tender but not soggy. Ideal for a balanced diet and to avoid frying, baking or use of oil. It's very easy to clean.

Works as expected , I like the compact way it stores and first impressions are the sections should last better than my old cheaper version which started to crack after some years of use. Also no need to boil the water and it heats up very quick. Overall very pleased

Works brilliant and fits stacked in my draw neatly.

A good easy steamer to use.

The plus point about this Tefal VC204865 steamer over previous versions is that it is super compact and really easy to store in the corner of the kitchen or on top of a cupboard. However, compared to previous generations I find that it generates too much steam, even when using just one tray and lid. I had to stop using it because the steam it outputs accumulated on the kitchen cupboards and I don't get that with a traditional steamer pan or a microwave steamer. I tried sitting it under the extractor fan and with the skylight open but it still leaves kitchen surfaces damp. It still works after 2 years and I haven't had any problems with it other than too much steam. It is a shame because the steamed vegetables are really tasty but its just too much hassle to mop the cupboards after with tea towels.