Philips XXL All-in-one cooker HD2238/72 – under pressure or just go slow (Cooking appliance review)

The Philips XXL All-in-one cooker is a multi-cooker, but perhaps the best description is as a one-pot cooker that can slow-cook, pressure cook, steam, bake and sauté/sear.

Now I am a reasonably good cook, and I have to say that this all-in-one cooker was a little daunting at first, simply because there are so many options.

Fortunately, it has loads of smarts that make your life easy, so my first piece of advice is to treat it as a one-pot cooker. Use your favourite recipes, and at worst, you may need to adjust times a little.

Our first two cooks were moderately successful, not discouraging at all. But like any new device, you need to learn what it can do.

Australian review: Philips XXL All-in-one cooker Model HD2238/72

WebsiteProduct Page and Manual
Price$349 8L HD2238/72 seen at Bing Lee for $279
$249 6L HD2237/72
FromHarvey Norman, David Jones, Bing Lee, Myer, Appliances Online, Good Guys, Amazon, Costco or wherever Philips appliances are sold
Warranty2-year ACL
Country of originLikely China
CompanyPhilips (Est 1891) is a Dutch multinational with interests in lighting, consumer lifestyle, consumer healthcare, and commercial health equipment.
MoreCybershack’s Philips news and reviews

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed.

You can click on most images for an enlargement.

First impression – big, and just a little daunting – Pass+

The Philips XXL all-in-one cooker is big. It has a massive 8L cook-pot (there is a 6L model HD2237/72). But big is the way to go as it gives so much flexibility.

Daunting for two reasons. First, it is big with lots of buttons. The table below is not to scare you but to show the amazing flexibility this has.

Indicator barLeft column buttons (default mins)Right column buttons (default mins)Multi-function +/- and indicators  Pressure Cook Display (default mins)
Heating
Power
Start pressure Maintain pressure Keep Warm  
Keep warm/Cancel Slow-cook (6 hrs) Sauté/sear (3)
Sauce thickening (8)
Hot Pot (60)
Pre-set timer
Start/Reheat
Stew button (60) Jam button (55) Yogurt button (8 hrs)
Bake button (45)
Set cooking time    
Temperature/kPa Temperature – low, medium, high LED
kPa – low, high LED    
Time Soup (20) Risotto (15)
Rice (14)
Steam (8) Chicken/duck (15) Beef/Lamb (30) Beans/Tendons (30)

 Most default times can be manually altered but there is no indication what low, mediumand high temperatures are.

On top is a lever for bake, seal, or vent that controls the pressure in the device.

Second, it is way more complex than my $20 Kmart slow cooker or $60 Kmart pressure cooker but then it does a lot more. Getting the best out of this involves a learning curve.

The main difference between the 8L (as tested) and 6L is

  • Sensor touch (Press button)
  • Child lock (no)
  • ProCeramic+ (same)
  • Longer timer duration
  • 1500W (1300W)
  • 20 pre-sets (unknown)

Basic specs

  • 345 x 331 x 372 mm x 6.84kg
  • Measuring cup, Recipe booklet, Scoop, Steaming tray/basket
  • 1.2m detachable power cord
  • Stainless exterior and black lid

What it is not?

It is not an air-fryer as it has a single bottom element and no air-circulation fan. It is not for grilling meats – see Sauté/sear.

It is not a peek, poke, and stir device. Particularly if you pressure cook, as once the lid is locked into place, that is it. There is a manual safety interlock bolt to prevent opening. At the end of cooking, you can select keep warm/cancel.

For slow cook, you ‘seal’ the lid (as you do in pressure cooking), and you would have to vent it to remove it, then reseal it and restart the program.

For bake, you set the lever to bake, and you can safely vent and open the lid, but you need to reset the time.

Sauté/sear is done with the lid off, and the pot is heated to allow you to brown meats, make sauces and gravies etc. You must ladle the contents of the pot – not lift the pot out and pour.

Use – So many – Exceed

The first thing you need to do is select what you are doing with it and how long you want to cook (if you don’t use defaults). Then add the ingredients, press start and resist the urge to peek.

The unit then heats to the desired temperature, and the countdown timer starts. Pre-heat takes a few minutes. In the end, it keeps the food at serving temperature.

You are not alone – Exceed

For those really into it, there is a Facebook Philips All-in-one cooker Australian group with 19,200 members (you need to join) and a Facebook All-in-one Australian recipes with 18,600 members (ditto). There are also lots of YouTube videos. It does not matter which model you have – the principles are the same.

Contact Philips on 1300 363 391, Monday – Friday:9 AM –  5 PM or WhatsApp +61 435 328 251 from Monday to Sunday between 7 AM – 7 PM AEST.

In reality, any slow-cook or pressure cook recipe is fine – all you may need to do is adjust times slightly.

What did we cook?

This device is on a long-term loan, so we will update the dishes over time. It comes with a recipe book that will get you started. There are also additional online resources like another recipe book with many more recipes.

Our first attempt was Slow-cooked lamb shoulder which is a simple recipe with Sautéed onion, garlic and bacon, followed by lamb shoulder rubbed with Dijon mustard and Rosemary and beef stock to cover. Slow cook offers two alternatives – 4 (tested) or 6 hours. After cooking, we followed the gravy recipe using the Sauté/Sear setting and plain flour to make gravy.

Was it as good as the Kmart slow cooker? Yes, and the gravy could only be made with the Philips XXL.

Our second attempt was baked Parmesan and bacon beer bread.

A simple recipe with self-raising flour, bacon, parmesan, butter, beer, and Cajun spices. We lined the cooking pot with two layers of non-stick baking paper, added the dough, and sprinkled the top liberally with parmesan, extra bacon, and Paprika/chilli powder. This uses the Bake program for 30 minutes.

The instructions are to use oven gloves to lift the pot and turn the bread onto a wire rack to cool. We had an incident as the bread broke in half during turning. It had a great taste, more a scone-like texture than bread, but we felt it was a bit doughy. That could be because my dough was too wet, but I suspect that another 10 minutes of baking time would have produced a better result. In future, we will remember that you can remove the lid on BAKE and check.

We are going to try a range of curries and slow-cooks and will update as we do.

Slow-cook – easy as – Pass+

I am more familiar with slow cook and the choice here is 4 or 6 hours – that is it. Slow-cook tenderises the meat, adds depth of flavour and it is easy. If you are a carnivore grab some low-cost cuts of chuck, gravy, rump, lamb-leg/shoulder, pork and dice it, brown it in some flour and oil and that is step one done. Equally, vegans can use chunky vegetables but avoid soft vegies that will disintegrate.

Next throw in whatever you have lying around – a can of soup, stock, potatoes, onions, curry powder/paste, coconut milk, garlic, etc.  Cover, cook, and serve later.

The trick with slow cook is to ensure that you don’t have too much liquid or have some corn flour to thicken.

Pressure-cook – fast, efficient, and more flavourful food – Pass+

As a child of the 50s, I remember mum in the kitchen with the pressure cooker hissing steam and releasing it at the most inconvenient times. I was scared of the pressure cooker. But she was an amazing cook quickly turning tough mutton into lamb and gravy/chuck beef into wonderful, rich stews.

The theory behind pressure cooking is pressure/steam creates higher temperatures and limits boiling (no burning) meaning that you can cook between 25-50% faster than roasting, boiling etc., using less energy.

One disadvantage of pressure cooking is you can’t inspect, taste, or adjust the food along the way.

While it is a very old cooking technique you need to experiment. It is new knowledge for most modern cooks. For example, add water, select pressure cook and boil eggs.

Sauté/sear – great results – Pass+

Think of it as a large stove top style pot. Cook pasta (pressure cook), open lid and sauté adding cheese and milk for excellent Mac and Cheese.

Sauté onion, mince, vegetables, herbs and passata. Change to pressure cook and add spaghetti for a 15-minute spag bol.

Sauté sear is for browning – not grilling meat.

Baking – If you like round things – Pass+

It is a small, round oven that can take a 20cm cake tin. Baking times are similar to a 180° oven but it is way more energy efficient than heating the whole big oven.

In theory, it should be fine for cakes, cheesecakes, fudge, scones, scrolls, and puddings. One tip – use alfoil strips or baking paper under the cake tin to lift it out of the pot.

Maintenance – Pass+

The 8L cooking pot is large and you need to be careful with its ProCeramic+ non-stick coating. You also need a deep sink with decent tap height clearance. After it has cooled rinse it in the sink and use a non-abrasive cleaner and dishwashing detergent. Never use any cooking or cleaning implement that can damage the non-stick surface. Invest in wood or silicon ladles, whisks, etc. Repeat, no metal implements!

The lid has an internal silicon seal plate that can be hand-washed, and the internal lid can be hand-washed. The pressure valve can be soaked and hand-washed. Repeat, no dishwashing machine and nothing that can damage the parts.

The heating element base can be wiped clean – it should not have any food or contaminants on it.

Power – Pass+

It has a 1500W element.

  • Slow cook (4/6 hours) it uses around 300W.
  • Pressure cook, it can go to 1500W but once pressure has built up it tends to reduce to 300W.
  • Sauté/sear is uses 1500W.

If power costs 30 cents per kilowatt hour (1000 watts for an hour) then this can cost $1.20 to $1.80 for a slow cook. It is comparable to the Kmart slow or pressure cooker.

CyberShack’s view – Philips XXL All-in-one cooker HD2238/72 is for slow or fast pressure cooks

We need to experiment further as it is not entirely fair to rate a device based on two meals.

But we feel confident rating the device based on our experience with it. It is no longer daunting, and we are happy to experiment.

Our advice to readers considering slow or pressure cooking is that you can’t do better and the 8L version is the one to go for. Why? It does not have to be filled and it can take large cuts of meat like pulled pork and beef or make bulk food to freeze. While it is still Winter more soups and risottos. There is a baked cheesecake with my name on it coming soon.

Philips XXL All-in-one cooker HD2238/72, Philips XXL All-in-one cooker HD2238/72

Pro

Flexible one-pot-cook

Con

Philips XXL All-in-one cooker HD2238/72

$349 but shop around
8.8

Features

9.0/10

Value

9.0/10

Performance

9.0/10

Ease of Use

8.0/10

Design

9.0/10

Pros

  • Solid build quality
  • Relatively easy to clean
  • Flexible one-pot-cooking
  • Follow the pre-sets for great results but don’t be afraid to experiment

Cons

  • If you take off the lid the program resets
  • Times and recipes need experimentation
  • Can be daunting to a new user – too many choices
  • Can’t do a roast – slow or pressure cook only
  • Would be nice for a temperature read out where applicable