The claim. Pasta Express is "the fastest, easiest way to cook delicious pasta, vegetables and more!" Put food in the plastic tube, add boiling water, snap on strainer and lid, wait 7 to 10 minutes, pour out the water, and voilà. "Perfect cooking every time."

The check. We sent the device home with three Foods Division employees whose kids had begged for the product with the zeal usually reserved for sugary cereals. A summary of their reports:

Staffer 1: It was hard to put a fork in the tube, so I ended up dipping my fingers in the hot water repeatedly to pull out spaghetti to test for doneness. After 15 minutes, pasta was a little gummier than usual. Asparagus was delicious.

Staffer 2: I checked if the pasta was done by dumping it out, and found it half-cooked. I then put the pasta in a pot of boiling water and continued cooking for 5 minutes. Pasta Express sort of kind of maybe works for shrimp, but they were still translucent after 15 minutes, so I pan-fried them.

Staffer 3: I let the pasta cook for 7 minutes. Tasted it. It was crunchy. After 15 minutes, it seemed done but was gummy. I had boiled a pot of water just in case, so I added the gummy pasta and cooked for 2 minutes. Gumminess diminished, but pasta was a bit overdone.

CR's take. To quote a child who had pleaded for this product, "What a rip!" It's hard to tell if food is done, and forget convenience: Testers used extra pots, pans, and kettles just to make sure it was edible. Yes, but it costs only $9.99 in some stores ($19.99 online, with extras). "I would not use it," Staffer 3 said, "even if it was a gift."