Start by choosing a multi-cooker with enough usable capacity for your portions and programmes that cover the meals you usually make. A programmable model with a keep-warm function is a good choice if your main aim is to spend less time keeping an eye on things. Consider pressure cooking if you also want to cut cooking time, or an air fryer combination model if you regularly use its crisping functions. In every case, the capacity shown on the cooking pot does not necessarily reflect how full you’re allowed to fill it.
You want to get rice, soup, a slow-cooked dish or steamed food underway without staying by the hob. Easy-to-understand controls and a keep-warm function matter more to you than a long list of recipes.
You cook one to four portions and want a suitably sized cooking pot without taking up too much worktop space. The size of the appliance and how easy it is to clean are important factors in your choice.
You cook family-sized portions and want to spend less time checking on your food, while also considering how long certain dishes take to cook. A pressure-cooking model may suit you if its programmes match the dishes you make and it has enough usable capacity.
Start with the dishes you make most often, then check the usable capacity, programming options and parts that need cleaning. Pressure cooking is worth a closer look if your main concern is how long the meal takes to cook, rather than simply how much time you spend keeping an eye on it.
| Feature | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Meal programming | Programmes that suit the dishes you usually make; delayed start and keep-warm functions on the model you choose. | If I regularly start a meal before getting on with something else, I want to be able to find the settings I use easily. Around 33% of consumers would make this kind of automation their priority. |
| Usable capacity | The number of portions and filling limits stated in the instructions, particularly for liquid dishes or pressure cooking. | To serve the right portions without giving up too much space to the appliance, the amount you can actually cook matters more than the capacity in litres shown on the label. Nearly 27% of consumers would put this fit first. |
| Cooking time | Whether it has a pressure-cooking setting, and the instructions for using the lid, steam and sealing ring. | If you need dinner ready sooner, not having to keep an eye on it isn’t enough: around 20% of consumers would prioritise reducing cooking time. |
| Cleaning and storage space | Which parts are dishwasher-safe; the number of lids and accessories you’ll need to wash and store. | If I’m short on space or use the appliance often, I want to be able to clean and store its parts without hassle. For around 20% of consumers, this would be their main need. |
Que Choisir gives the example of a 6 L Cookeo cooking pot with a 4 L cooking limit. So a model that appears to have enough capacity on paper may not suit the portions you plan to make.
Check the fill marker and the limits in the instructions for the recipes you plan to cook.
A long list of settings won’t make mealtimes easier if you keep making the same few dishes.
Make a note of the dishes you cook most often, then compare the relevant programmes and the options for cooking time, delayed start and keeping food warm.
A delayed start doesn’t keep ingredients chilled. Anses recommends putting food in the fridge no later than two hours after preparation.
Only use the delayed-start function when the ingredients, waiting time and model instructions allow it. Avoid leaving perishable food in an unrefrigerated cooking pot for a long time.
Crisping functions may require an extra lid, basket or rack.
Before choosing a combination model, check that you’ll use these functions regularly and have room to wash and store the necessary accessories.
The range includes programmable multi-cookers, pressure-cooking Cookeo models and combination appliances. It makes it easy to compare different types of cooking from the same brand.
The brand offers compact pressure cookers and combination models with crisping functions.
Tefal’s models range from compact cookers to larger programmable appliances for tasks such as cooking rice, making soup and steaming.
No, the stated capacity may be greater than the permitted fill level. Que Choisir gives the example of a 6 L Cookeo cooking pot with a 4 L cooking limit. Check the instructions for your model, as the guidance also depends on the recipe.
The programmes that match the dishes you usually make matter more than the total number. Check for rice, slow-cooking or steaming programmes, depending on what you cook, then see whether the model you’re considering lets you set the cooking time and keep food warm.
No. You need to take into account how long ingredients will be out of the fridge before cooking. Avoid leaving perishable ingredients in an unrefrigerated cooking pot for a long time and follow the instructions. Anses recommends putting food in the fridge no later than two hours after preparation.
Check how to clean the cooking pot, lid, sealing ring and parts connected to the steam. Confirm whether each part of the model you choose is dishwasher-safe. The instructions will explain how to handle the lid and release the pressure.
Check for the CE mark and make sure the appliance comes with instructions and guidance for use in French. The French Directorate-General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control explains that the CE mark indicates the manufacturer’s commitment to meeting the applicable European requirements; you should still read the model’s safety instructions.