Mum Punteha tested the new Freezy Cakez Fridge playset from Cookeez Makery with her eight year old daughter Amelia - here's how they got on and whether they think this toy is worth the money.
You might already be familiar with the Cookeez Makery Baked Treats Oven that's taken the toy market by storm, and now there is a new addition to the brand's mix and make toys - the Freezy Cakez set.
Suitable for children age five and over and with a price tag of £40, we predict this being hugely popular, and have even touted it as one of the top Christmas toys of the year. Read on to find out why it's worth your money.
What is the Freezy Cakez Fridge?
The Freezy Cakes playset is a mix and make toy that is great for promoting curiosity and wonder, and teaching kids about patience and delayed gratification. The idea is you mix up and make a cake mix complete with ice cream decoration and a plastic wafer, mold it, then pop it in the magic fridge for 20 seconds.
When the timer pings, your cake has magically transformed into a interactive and scented plushie. When you first take it out of the freezer, your plush pet will be shivering so you'll need to cuddle it to warm it up.
There are different pets to collect, Strawberry Unicake, Minty Polar Bear and Tiger Berry Ripple and it's a surprise as to which one you will create.
Packaging and set up
The playset comes in a partially open cardboard box that showcases the mint green fridge. The box is recyclable. When you open the fridge, you'll find all of the ingredients you need inside, including the instructions. There are also some plastic transit screws that an adult will need to remove before you can play with it.
What you get in the box
- Fridge
- Interactive plush (this is hidden to start with)
- Toy cake mix
- Toy ice cream
- Plastic wafer decoration
- Dough mold
- Scoop
- Measuring jug
- (You will also need some water and a mixing bowl, and towel or wet cloth might be handy to wipe off any messy hands)
Once you have removed the transit screws and got your ingredients ready, you are ready to go. However, our tester Punteha did flag that she found the instructions a little unclear: "It was a little confusing as the instructions say to turn it on but there is no visible button on the fridge and the image in the instructions is just a close up of the on/off button." The on-off button (and the battery compartment) are actually located on the plush toy and not the fridge, and you won't need to turn anything on before the initial reveal (but more on when you might need to, when we cover repeat play later in the review).
What's the Freezy Cakez Fridge like to play with?
"It is very cute and looks almost like a retro Smeg fridge. It's very nice to look at and Amelia was straight to the door to see if it opened, which it did. She immediately talked about what she was going to do with the fridge when the set up was done so she was definitely engaged and excited about that.
"My daughter needed a little supervision with the dough-making parts of the setup so it’s worth keeping in mind to do this when you have time to supervise. It was messy too as the toy cake mix is powdery and light and can go flying off. We also ended up adding more water than instructed to the dough as it didn't feel like it was coming together as it should."
When it comes to the magical reveal, once the molded dough is placed in the fridge and the door is closed, you turn the temperature dial on the fridge, which triggers a hidden platform to drop down, revealing the plush toy. The original platform, where you place the dough, also drops down so it doesn't get squished and make an doughy mess.
After the initial reveal, the playset effectively becomes two toys in their own right - an interactive pet and a fun fridge. Punteha adds: "Amelia has really enjoyed both the interactive plushie, taking it to bed with her and cuddling it because it purrs and chitters when cuddled, as well the fridge itself which has become the daily focus of different imaginative games she’s been inspired to play, such as Amelia’s kitchen and Amelia’s takeaway and cafe.
"Amelia has always loved kitchen, baking and role-play inspiring games, playing with them since she was two and always returning to them for many months at a time and this little fridge has lots of potential for continued play. We've had kids' microwaves and ovens before but none had the interactive 'ding' battery-led functions so that's been a lovely novelty for Amelia and makes it seem more 'real' and therefore enjoyable for her."
How easy is repeat play?
While mixing the dough using the ingredients from the playset is a one-time thing, you can repeat the reveal time and again. You get a little resealable plastic bag in the set which can help you to keep the dough from drying out (worst case scenario, or if you want to repeat the full experience, you could make your own play dough).
To repeat the magic reveal, you'll need to open the Velcro flap on the underside of the plush toy and set the switch back to fridge mode. Then you place the plushie back in the fridge, facing the side, and lift the platform up and push it until you hear the click that secures it in place. That action will reveal your dough on the lower platform, which you can take out and remold to start again.
Is the Freezy Cakez Fridge good value for money?
With an RRP of £40, the Freezy Cakez playset, isn't a budget buy, but as Punteha explains, it's well worth the money: "Overall, I think the Cookeez Makery fridge is worth the spend as it’s two toys and a nice activity rolled into one. It’s not been a novelty toy that gets put aside within a couple of days and looks to have quite a bit of longevity.
"As her mum, I really love hearing that little tiger plushie being activated by Amelia when she's playing by herself. It's been especially soothing at bed time after she's on her own and before she falls asleep. She plays calmly with the plushie and really enjoys the responsiveness of it. If it's not being held, it shivers and when you press it close to you, it purrs and stops shivering. It's a really lovely toy.
However it might not be the toy for everybody: "If your child has some sensory sensitivities in play, the powder and water mix might not be quite right for them as it’s either quite crumbly and messy, or a bit sticky," says Punteha.
