TEFAL Vitacuisine Compact

Vitacuisine Compact The first compact steamer with cups of taste
  • Cooks a complete and balanced 3-course meal at once.
  • Features exclusive vitamin+ function to preserve the ingredients natural taste and vitamins.

Reference: VS400334

Vitacuisine Compact, boost your cooking!

Meet the Vitacuisine Compact, a steamer that will boost your meals with plenty of vitamins! You can cook a 3-course meal thanks to its individual baskets. No longer do you have to choose between starter, main dish or dessert - you can cook them all at once! And no need to monitor: once it's finished cooking, it automatically stops and keeps your meal warm until it's time to eat.

With Vitacuisine Compact, enjoy healthy meals without compromising on taste!
  • The vitamin+ function preserves the natural goodness of your ingredients.
  • Comes with 2 cooking trays -- great for cooking in sauces or marinades.
  • Digital timer: your meals will always be spot-on!
  • Smart accessories: use the 4 taster cups to cook great meals in smaller sizes. Designed to suit everyone!
  • Practical: bowls can be stacked upside down on the base, for easy and convenient storage in any kitchen.
  • With its book of more than 90 recipes, cook 3-course meals all year round!
Essentials
  • No mix of juices

    3-course meal in one go, no mix of juices

  • Digital screen

  • Vitamin + function

    Fast cooking function to preserve vitamins

  • 2 trays for cooking in sauce

  • 4 glass steaming cups

  • Patented ultra compact storage

    Patented ultra compact storage to fit in any kitchen

Recipes
Features - Comparison
Power 1.800  W
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Grids Removable  
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Capacity 9 L  
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Timer (water cooking) Digital  
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Easy storage    
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Number of bowls 3  
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Water level indicator    
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Keep warm AUTOMATIC  
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Dishwasher safe    
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Dishwasher safe - details All elements except electrical base  
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Colours Metal, black & green  
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Instructions & Manual
Frequent questions
Yes, indeed you can reheat food. Set the timer around 10 minutes (it depends on the food) and make sure that there is enough water in the tank.
Over time, the strong coloured natural juices from foods such as carrots and beetroot may stain the juice collector. This is normal. It may be cleaned with lemon juice straight after cooking.
We recommend that you put the largest pieces of food, requiring the longest cooking time in the lowest basket.
The ingredients are very dense and have a different cooking time: try to prolong the cooking time.
Too many ingredients are cooked together: put the larger sized ingredients and the ingredients with a longer cooking time in the lower bowl.
Try to not overload the steam bowls.
Descale your appliance.
Cut the ingredients into small pieces.
The flavour of food is much better in a steamer and therefore any seasoning should be used sparingly.
If required, you can sprinkle it lightly on the food, or add herbs to the steam water to add flavour to your food.
Yes. You should never leave a small electrical appliance unattended whilst in operation. However, you do not have to watch the steamer all the time. Simply set the timer and the bell will let you know when your food is ready to eat. There are no risks of burning the food and no need to stir it.
Caution: Do not forget to put water in the tank.
All the juices of the steamed food are collected in the juice collector. This can be used as a basic ingredient for stocks and sauces.
If the cooking times are different for the food in each of the bowls, start cooking the food that requires the most time in the lower bowl and then add the upper bowl(s) while cooking is in progress to complete the cooking cycle.
All frozen vegetables can be steamed from frozen.
We only recommend using canned or precooked pulses and beans in the steamer. They should be drained and rinsed and then placed in the steamer basket. They do not need to be soaked or boiled first.
Yes, you can steam them in a steamer. They take the same time as if you were steaming/simmering in a saucepan. Just keep checking the water level and topping it up.
Yes - if your steamer baskets have removal bases, then you will be able to remove the bases from baskets 2 and 3 and place a small whole chicken inside the lower of the steam baskets ready for steam cooking.
Yes, to give meat, chicken and fish a delicious moist flavour you can marinate them a few hours before steaming.
For recipes with a long cooking time you will need to refill the water tank during the cooking period. To refill the water tank, you should use oven gloves to lift the lid and steamer basket. Carefully lift and empty any water that has collected in the juice collector, then refill the water tank using cold untreated tap water.
The cooking time is the same whether you use one or two levels. Please be careful to not pack food too tightly on the first level to ensure that the steam can reach the second level.
You simply place the eggs in the steamer basket. The cooking time is 12 minutes for 6 hard-boiled eggs, 8 minutes for 6 soft-boiled eggs.
Don't handle the bowls and verrines during cooking and don't touch the device when producing steam; always stop it before.
Do not move the appliance when it contains hot liquids or food.
Always use protective gloves to handle the bowls or verrines after cooking.
Try adding fresh herbs, lemon, garlic, oranges or even onion directly to the foods.
To add flavour to chicken, meat and fish made with marinades, use barbecue sauce or spice mixtures.
Yes, especially for recipes with long cooking times.
Also monitor the water level during cooking in case it needs refilling.
Some recipes require the use of cling film for protection, to prevent condensation and protect delicate foods.
Choose a special cling film for cooking, or microwave-safe cling film.
Avoid aluminium foil which tends to increase cooking time.
Put the rice in the rice bowl and fill it with water.
Put the rice bowl in the steam basket or in the largest bowl and start cooking.
Yes, they are dishwasher safe but it is preferable to wash on the lowest heat setting or prewash setting.
Yes, it must be descaled every 7 to 10 uses. To do this, simply fill the water tank with 1/3 white vinegar and 2/3 water.
Leave to act cold for 1 night.
Rinse the inside of the water tank several times with warm water.
Never use abrasive cleaning products.
On average, we recommend descaling your appliance every 7 to 10 uses to maintain an effective flow of steam and extend the life of your appliance.
To do this, simply fill the water tank with 1/3 white vinegar and 2/3 water.
Leave to act cold for 1 night.
Rinse the inside of the water tank several times with warm water.
Never use abrasive cleaning products.
The appliance has not been descaled after 7 to 10 uses: descale it.
[Check 1] Have you put the water in the right place?
Please put the water in the water tank with the grey part in the middle (the heater).

[Check 2] Did you put enough water in the water tank?
If there is not enough water in the water tank, it won't be able to create steam. Even if just cooking for a short time, you should ensure that the water reaches at least the top of the heater (the grey part). Even if you have put in enough water, it will take some time before it starts steaming.

[Check 3] Is the heater (grey part) dirty?
If there are minerals from the water adhered to the heater, it may not transmit heat correctly and steam may not be created. If there are changes such as discolouration of the heater - brown, black or white - or peeling of the surface, care of the heater will be necessary. Please carry out a descaling.
This is working correctly. The turbo ring surrounds the heater so that the water inside is effectively heated. It is designed so that it doesn't fit flush and the water from the space in between is used to make the steam. Please make sure that the turbo ring is orientated correctly so the notch is facing down.
The surface of the heater isn't peeling. It is probably a film that has attached itself to the surface of the heater. Carry out a descaling.
When there's not enough water in the tank, the device no longer heats.
Fill it again up to the maximum height mark and the device will automatically restart the cooking programme.
Use gloves and be careful not to touch hot surfaces, or foods being cooked, when refilling the tank.
The bowls are equipped with detachable grills, except the drip tray which must always keep its grills.
By removing the grills, you increase the cooking zone to cook bulky foods (whole chickens, artichokes, lobster, cauliflower, broccoli, etc).
To put the grills into position:
• Keep the grill on the correct side (the clip facing down).
• Put the grill into the bowl.
• Press on the clip zone to attach the bowl.
To remove the grills, press on the top of the grill.
After following the instructions in the user manual for starting the appliance, make sure that your electrical socket is working by plugging another appliance. If it still does not work, do not try to dismantle or repair the appliance yourself, instead, take it to an approved repair centre
Do not use your appliance. To avoid any danger, have it replaced by an approved repair centre.
If your device has a low water alert, you need to press the "on/off" button twice to switch it off.
Never unplug your device by removal from the power socket without first having stopped it normally.
During keep warm, no actions are possible except shutdown.
Therefore, you should stop keep warm and reprogramme the device.
The Vitamin + button automatically goes off when the amount of steam is enough for cooking.
No, you can steam all types of food: meat, fish, eggs, potatoes, desserts rice, couscous etc.
No, the advantage of steam cooking lies in the fact that the flavours of the vegetables are not transmitted to each other, even when they are mixed.
The steam cooker doesn't cook under pressure, it instead uses the ambient pressure.
The steam in the steam cooker is water boiling temperature, approximately 100°C.
Yes, but not too often, because this results in a drop in temperature and a loss of steam which can slow down the cooking.
Your appliance contains valuable materials which can be recovered or recycled. Leave it at a local civic waste collection point.
Please go to the “Accessories” section of the website to easily find whatever you need for your product.
Find more detailed information in the Guarantee section of this website.
If you believe that one part is missing, please call Consumer Services Center and we will help you find a suitable solution.
The verrines should always be placed in the upper pan, under the lid, for good cooking results.
Keep warm runs for 60 minutes, as long as the tank contains enough water.
You prefer slower cooking, you can manually stop the Vitamin + programme by pressing on the illuminated light.
The Vitamin + button reduces the cooking time and perfectly preserves all vitamins.
For most recipes, cooking takes place with the lid closed or with baking paper covering the verrines, but this is something that should be checked each time.