Ed’s Easy Diner Mac ‘n’ Cheese Burger with Bacon

Just look at it – this is glorious. Why make do with ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise when you can wet your burger with something that would normally be considered as a side?

This £2.20 burger from Iceland certainly looks the part. The bacon is streaky and browns surprisingly well in the microwave. The bun is soft and has an attractive ‘char’ effect on the top (though it makes no difference to the flavour). And the macaroni cheese topping is satisfyingly cloying, cheesy and just the right quantity.

This was a hit with my wife, who is American and perhaps a little more used to having her arteries clogged. I enjoyed it too, but wouldn’t go as far as her in giving this five stars. Here’s why.

It’s a nuisance to cook. You need at least two plates (I used three, after the burgers made the plate all greasy; I didn’t want to put the bun on there) and a bowl of hot water too. The packaging optimistically claims a 4 minute cook time (already a reasonably long time in the world of microwave burgers), but you’ll spend closer to double that by the time you’ve assembled the burger.

The burger patty itself was nice but didn’t blow me away, and the price is reasonable. I rarely award 5 stars, and would need a little more taste, convenience, health or pennies saved to nudge this into the top category.

A great effort though, and would definitely have again.