Questions owners ask

Water and steam

How much water do the Combi functions need?

Every Combi Cooker function needs liquid in the Combi pan. Recipes typically use about 120–250 ml of water for Combi Crisp and Combi Bake and 200–300 ml for Steam. For Combi Meals, the rice or pasta's own cooking liquid does the job. Full numbers: How much water. Source: Women's Weekly Food test kitchen, plus every recipe in the directory.

I pressed Start but the timer isn't counting down. Is it broken?

No. Combi Cooker functions build steam first; the display shows progress bars (The Salted Pepper describes them as dashes) until the steam is ready. Then the countdown starts. Expect about 20 minutes on Combi Bake and a few minutes on Combi Meals and Combi Crisp (SFP701IN booklet, The Salted Pepper). Advertised "15-minute meals" don't count this time (New Idea).

Why is there water left inside after cooking?

It's condensation, and it's normal. Take the food out, close the door and press Start/Stop to run the dry cycle, then wipe the cavity (booklet, CHOICE).

The display says "ADD POT".

The Combi pan isn't in place. All Combi Cooker functions need it (booklet).

Functions

Which side of the SmartSwitch is my function on?

Combi Cooker: Combi Meals, Combi Crisp, Combi Bake, Rice/Pasta, Steam, Prove/Proof. Air Fry/HobAir Fry/Stovetop: Grill/Broil, Air Fry, Bake, Reheat, Sear/Sauté, Slow Cook, Pizza, Toast (booklet). See Which function when.

A US recipe says Broil and Proof. My UK or India unit doesn't have them.

It does, under other names: Broil is Grill and Proof is Prove. Sous Vide is US-only, Reheat isn't on the US 14-in-1, and Pizza and Toast aren't on the UK 12-in-1. See Model differences, or switch to US names under Your Combi at the top.

Is Slow Cook any good?

Reviews are mixed. CHOICE's lab rated it borderline: a chilli beef needed about five extra hours and a corned beef was still undercooked after eight, so their home economist suggests smaller cuts such as mince or cubed chuck (CHOICE). Other testers got a good pot roast but wanted more liquid (Reviewed, Tom's Guide). Officially: Lo for 6–12 hours or Hi for 4–12, in the Combi pan without the crisper tray.

How do I use Sear/Sauté?

Put the Combi pan on Level 1 and leave the door open; it doesn't work with the door shut. Settings run Lo1 to Hi5, with no timer. It switches itself off after an hour on 4 and Hi5, or four hours on Lo1–3 (booklet).

Recipes and results

Can I use my oven or air-fryer recipe?

Often, but bakes need experimenting. Combi Bake changes how cakes behave, and only one 8-inch layer fits (Tom's Guide). For dry bakes such as biscuits, use Bake rather than Air Fry: the fan sets the tops before they rise (The Salted Pepper). The cooking charts show what similar recipes use.

My chicken was overdone but the rice was underdone.

Testers found booklet times can overcook proteins (check fish and chicken early), while rice can need more time. One salmon-and-rice meal needed about 10 more minutes for the rice (Reviewed, CHOICE). For bigger cuts the booklet suggests adding 3–5 minutes, though that may overcook grains.

Which rack level do I use?

Level 1 (bottom) takes the Combi pan and Level 2 (top) the bake tray. The crisper plate goes inside the Combi pan. For Combi Meals, grains and their liquid go below and the protein goes above (booklet, Women's Weekly Food). Loaf tins go straight into the Combi pan; a rack puts bread too close to the element (The Salted Pepper).

What size cake tin fits?

A 20 cm tin fitted on the crisper plate in testing; a 22 cm tin was too wide (Women's Weekly Food, BHG).

Care

How do I deep-clean it?

Put 3 cups of water in the Combi pan, run Steam for 10 minutes, let it cool, then wipe the inside. The pan and trays are dishwasher safe; use soft tools on the nonstick (booklet, Reviewed).

How much space does it need?

At least 15 cm above and on all sides. It vents a lot of steam from the top, so open the door carefully after Combi cooking (booklet, Women's Weekly Food).

About this site

Is this site made by Ninja or SharkNinja?

No. Combi Recipes is an independent fan site, not affiliated with or endorsed by SharkNinja. More about the site.