How do I start hands-free cook mode in CookEase?

Open any recipe and choose Start cooking. In the iPhone and Android apps and on the web the recipe opens in a dark, full-screen cook mode that shows one step at a time, with a progress bar across the top and your ingredients one tap away. The screen is held awake so it will not dim while your hands are busy, and the voice assistant sits in the bar at the bottom.

What can I say to the CookEase voice assistant?

You can move through the recipe by saying things like next step, previous step, or go to step four. You can also ask questions about the recipe you are cooking, such as how much of an ingredient is needed or what temperature to use.

Does the screen turn off while I am cooking?

No. Cook Mode holds the screen awake for as long as it is open, so the recipe stays visible without you having to tap the screen with messy hands.

Does the CookEase voice assistant work offline?

No. The assistant does its listening and thinking over the internet, so a connection is required.

Is there a daily limit on voice commands?

Yes. Voice commands to the cooking assistant count toward a daily limit, which is smaller on the free plan and much larger on CookEase Pro. Reading a recipe in Cook Mode without the assistant is never limited.

Cooking Hands-Free with Voice Control

The worst moment in any recipe is when your hands are covered in flour and the screen has just gone dark. Cook Mode exists for exactly that moment.

Starting Cook Mode

Open the recipe you want to cook.
Choose Start Cooking.
In the iPhone and Android apps and on the web the recipe opens one step at a time in a dark cook mode, with a progress bar across the top, Next and Previous buttons, swipe to move between steps, and the ingredients one tap away.
Enable the voice assistant when you are ready to go hands-free.

While Cook Mode is open, CookEase holds your screen awake. It will not dim or lock partway through kneading dough.

CookEase Cook Mode with the Cooking Assistant panel open

Moving through the recipe by voice

The assistant understands ordinary phrasing rather than fixed commands. All of these work:

Next step, or what is next?
Go back, or previous step
Go to step four
Repeat that

Cooking Mode on iPhone with the voice assistant listening, showing step 1 of 12 and the Single/Continuous switch

You do not need to remember exact wording. The assistant works out which step you mean relative to where you currently are.

Asking questions mid-recipe

The assistant can also answer questions about the recipe in front of you, without losing your place:

How much flour do I need?
What temperature is the oven?
How long does this bake for?

Answers come from the recipe you are cooking, so they reflect your version of it, including any edits you made.

Getting the best results

Keep loud fans or music low while you speak - a quiet kitchen gives the clearest results.
Speak at a normal pace. There is no need to over-pronounce or shout.
Leave a short gap after speaking. The assistant waits for a pause before acting.
Stay online. The assistant does its listening over the internet, so Cook Mode needs a connection.

Daily limits

Voice commands count toward a daily limit. The free plan includes enough to try it across a recipe or two, and CookEase Pro raises the limit substantially for regular hands-free cooking. Reading a recipe in Cook Mode without the assistant is never limited.