In the height of summer, I was introduced to Tefal’s latest innovation, the ‘YumMeal ’. At that point in time, the clever appliance was so new (and revolutionary) that it didn’t even have a name. However, it had a clear USP that intrigued me: a ‘personal cooker’ that aimed to make cooking for one easier, and dare I say, more exciting?

The new YumMeal from Tefal combines air frying and induction cooking into one relatively small appliance (23cm x 26cm x 36cm) that looks a little like a waffle maker. It has a built-in enamel bowl that you not only prep and cook food in, but also eat directly out of. It’s designed to be the perfect kitchen-to-sofa appliance, whipping up meals in just 15 minutes- a game-changer for anyone cooking for one.

I currently live with a partner, but before that, I spent a good 10 years cooking for one. Over that time, I grew frustrated that nearly every recipe involved cooking for two, so I’d have to eat it over two nights or force dinner on one of my hungry flatmates. So I was delighted to find that Tefal were finally going the extra mile to make one-person dinners feel celebratory.

While I’m impressed by the YumMeal concept, I do have questions about how likely it is to transform solo dining. It has a RRP of £199.99, which feels steep when you can pick up a compact Ninja air fryer for £109 at John Lewis, the best air fryers are the speedy appliance I usually turn to when cooking a quick dinner for one these days.

However, the cost of Tefal’s new gadget is justified when you consider it’s two appliances in one: an air fryer that can crisp, and an induction hob that can cook and simmer. It essentially replaces a full kitchen ecosystem, with the added perk that the two functions can be used together at the touch of a button.

The YumMeal is not quite as easy as shoving a ready meal in the microwave, something I do also turn to when my partner is out for the evening, which is why I can’t see this product replacing them in my small kitchen. But I think where this appliance shines is as an investment for students who are trying to claim space in a shared kitchen or anyone who lives alone and hates reheating leftovers/enjoys being more creative with dinner.

If I still lived alone, I can see myself batch-prepping ingredients at the start of the week, and then using the YumMeal to make cooking from scratch as quick, easy and cost-effective as possible. Tefal also included the recipe for a one-person lemon drizzle cake as part of the launch, which piqued my interest for those days when you’re craving a single-portion sweet treat.

I haven’t personally tested the YumMeal, but from what I saw when it was being demoed at the Tefal showcase, it has alot of potential. I can’t wait to put it to the test and see if it really could replace the microwave meal for kitchens across the UK.

Alternatives

If there is one type of material I’m seeing in every Christmas shop this year, it’s natural, woven material – and if you’re looking to create a Nancy Meyers-esque Christmas this year, interior design experts have revealed how to embrace the trend.

Considering last year was all about going as bold as you possibly can, it is perhaps a little surprising that this year’s Christmas trends have followed a more traditional route. This autumn we’ve already seen wicker lamps emerge as a surprise star, and this is now continuing into the festive season.

Woven decor is a nostalgic material that is wonderful for creating a lived-in, cosy look. Here’s how you can use it as a Christmas decorating idea.

Why are woven materials trending?

Perhaps it is Olivia Coleman’s offbeat new film, Wicker, about to hit cinemas, or simply natural materials have been a big home decor trend this year, but wicker, rattan and other woven decor have been inescapable recently. For example, the first to catch my eye was M&S’s Scallop Rattan Tree Skirt (£35), followed by the brand’s collection of rattan Christmas Tree decorations ( my favourite being the 2ft Rattan Tree, £30).

‘There’s a growing desire to create homes that feel relaxed, cosy and connected to nature – and Christmas décor is an extension of that. Natural materials such as wicker, wood and woven fibres bring texture and a sense of warmth that can sometimes be missing from more traditional, glitter-heavy decorations,’ says Jess Power, interior design blogger at MFI.

‘The rise in popularity of natural Christmas décor ties in with the wider trend for rustic, nature-inspired interiors. We want our homes to feel timeless, calming and lived-in, so natural materials like wicker and wood are an obvious choice. It makes sense that this would then carry over to festive décor.’

How to style woven material

I’d say that woven materials like rattan and wicker work best paired with stripped-back styles such as a neutral colour scheme.

‘I’d let the natural texture do most of the work and add a little bit of contrast. So on your tree you could mix woven stars or bells with deep red velvet ribbon and a few glass or brass ornaments so the wicker stands out,’ says Stuart Murray, founder of Retrovintage.

‘A large woven star can also work above a mantel or leaning on a shelf with a simple garland and warm white lights. Then I’d also recommend varying the scale too. One oversized wicker decoration will usually have more impact than covering every surface with lots of tiny woven pieces.

‘If the room already has rattan baskets or timber furniture, don’t worry about matching the exact tone. Slight differences in colour make natural materials feel much richer. I’d keep the overall arrangement fairly loose, because wicker looks best when it feels relaxed and tactile rather than arranged too perfectly.’

Shope the trend

If you want your home to feel effortlessly festive and cosy, woven Christmas decor is the way forward.

Jamie Oliver is back – this time with a new book (and an accompanying TV show!) with a simple aim: showing you how to cook balanced, tasty meals at home in 20 minutes flat.

And if you thought that the famed British chef’s foray into the world of the best air fryers last year with his book Easy Air Fryer (£13 via Amazon) was a flash in the pan, then think again. He’s been turning to his trusty air fryer in his new book to cut down cooking times, proving that one of these ultra-convenient appliances is the way to go in the long term if you’re time-poor but committed to eating well.

Here’s how he’s been using his air fryer (and pressure cooker too!) to get his meals under that all-important 20 minute mark.

The star recipe I’ve found so far in the new book is Jamie’s ‘Air Fryer Arancini’ which, in Jamie’s words, relies heavily on getting the cooking process going as quickly as possible. For this, there’s no better appliance for Jamie to call on than that of his trusty air fryer. That’s no surprise given how much faster they are to preheat, as well as cook in general, versus a standard oven.

The air fryer that Jamie used in his TV show, the Tefal Easy Fry Dual Air Fryer & Grill (£147.99 via Amazon), is one that we’ve tested here at Ideal Home. And one of the things our expert Home Economist liked most about it during her review was that it didn’t even need a preheat setting to beat her oven on cooking times.

In the recipe, which also features helpings of courgette, the speedy cooking time is achieved thanks to the arancini spending just 15 minutes in the air fryer which is significantly less than the usual baking time in an oven.

As well as using an air fryer to cut down cooking times, Jamie also employs the use of a pressure cooker to whip up a bolognese in under twenty minutes. The pressurised element of something like an Instant Pot can often make people anxious to use them but just like an air fryer, they’re a genius buy if you’re all about cutting down on food prep time.

In the recipe Jamie uses his pressure cooker on high heat to cook his mince and veg in 10 minutes flat, leaving him plenty of time to get on with other parts of the meal unobstructed. When our reviewer Helen tried the Instant Pot Pro (which is rated as the best multicooker in our guide) she also used the high pressure setting to cook a lentil curry in quick time, proving how handy these appliances are for cutting down the actual time of cooking.

If you want more inspiration on how to whip up tasty, healthy meals for the whole family this autumn then tune into Jamie’s 20 Minute Meals on Mondays at 8pm on Channel 4. He’ll be cooking recipes from his new book in one unedited shot to make sure they’re actually timely for you to make at home!