If you alternate between rice, slow-cooked dishes and steaming, a multi-cooker can bring together the settings you use most. An electric pressure cooker is a more focused choice if pressure cooking is your priority. If your meals are mainly rice or dishes that need a long, slow cook, a dedicated appliance may be all you need. Whichever you choose, check the manual steps, permitted filling capacity and cleaning requirements. A programme can reduce the need for active supervision, but not for every recipe.
If you’d like to get on with other things while your food cooks, compare the programmes and check which steps still need your attention. In a 2024 OpinionWay survey for Lustucru of 1,020 adults in France, 61% said they spent 30 minutes or less preparing dinner on a weekday evening. This figure relates to preparation time, not their preference for a particular appliance.
A versatile appliance is worth considering if you regularly use these cooking methods. Check the settings and accessories on the specific model, along with its permitted filling capacity, rather than relying on the number of programmes alone.
If your saucepans and oven already cover your usual meals, think about which cooking task you really want to automate. A rice cooker or slow cooker is suited to a specific use; a multi-cooker makes more sense if you plan to use several of its settings.
For a range of cooking methods, explore the settings on a multi-cooker; for pressure cooking, look at electric pressure cookers. A rice cooker or slow cooker is suited to a more specific purpose, while your usual cookware remains an option if you rarely need to automate cooking.
| Priority | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Whether you need to be there while it cooks | Check which recipes work with the programmes, which steps need to be done by hand and whether there’s a keep-warm function. Use any delay-start function in line with the instructions and the ingredients being used. | I’d like to be able to get on with something else once I’ve started cooking, without assuming the appliance will stir the food. In 2024, 61% of the 1,020 adults in France surveyed by OpinionWay for Lustucru said they spent 30 minutes or less preparing a weekday dinner. This result doesn’t measure interest in programmable appliances. |
| Types of meals | Compare the settings actually available — rice, steaming, slow cooking, browning or pressure cooking — with the dishes you usually make. Check which accessories you’ll need, too. | If my menus change often, I want settings I’ll actually use. In a December 2025 OpinionWay survey for HelloFresh of 1,030 adults in France, 32% said they wanted to avoid eating the same thing every week in 2026. Respondents could choose several answers, and the survey didn’t ask about preferences for a particular type of appliance. |
| Usable capacity | Check the filling limit in the manual, especially for liquids, starchy foods and pressure cooking. Compare it with the quantities in your recipes. | If I want to cook several portions at once, I need to know how much I can put in the cooking pot, not just the capacity shown on the product page. |
| Cleaning and storage space | Check which parts are removable or dishwasher-safe, and how much space you’ll need to store the appliance and its accessories. | Another setting is less appealing if the appliance takes up space I don’t have or makes cleaning more complicated after dinner. |
| Safe use | Read the instructions for filling, steam release and handling hot parts on your chosen model. When storing a dish, distinguish between keeping it warm and refrigerating it. | I want to be able to follow the appliance’s instructions, especially when pressure cooking, and know what to do with any leftovers after the meal. |
The permitted filling capacity may be lower than the stated capacity. UFC-Que Choisir, for example, cites a Cookeo with a 6 L pot that can hold a maximum of 4 L for cooking.
Check the limit in the manual for the recipes you make, particularly those involving liquids, ingredients that expand or pressure cooking.
A programme may manage the heat and cooking time without taking care of ingredient preparation, stirring or another step required by the recipe.
Choose a few meals you make regularly, then check the steps in the manual or in the recipes provided for the model.
This function doesn’t replace food hygiene guidance. Anses advises against leaving cooked food at room temperature for more than two hours before refrigerating it.
Follow your appliance’s keep-warm instructions. If you’re keeping leftovers, follow the appropriate cooling and refrigeration guidance for the food.
The DGCCRF explains that the CE marking indicates the manufacturer’s commitment to meeting applicable requirements; it isn’t a certification mark. Electrically heated appliances also call for particular care around the risk of burns and the instructions for use.
Read the warnings and manual for your chosen model, including the instructions on the lid and steam release for a pressure cooker.
These examples are suited to different uses. The features mentioned apply to the specific models listed, not to every appliance from each brand.
The Cookeo range includes electric pressure cookers designed to combine several cooking methods in one pot.
Tefal offers dedicated rice cookers, as well as models with some additional slow-cooking settings.
Crock-Pot slow cookers are designed for people who mainly plan dishes that need a long, slow cook.
Instant Pot offers multi-cookers that combine features including pressure cooking and slow cooking.
This selection includes pressure multi-cookers for a variety of dishes, as well as a rice cooker for more specialised use. Compare their features with the meals you usually make, and check the manual for filling limits.
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Worth considering if you’d like to switch between different cooking methods and adjust your serving time slightly thanks to the advertised keep-warm function. Before relying on the app to control cooking, confirm what you can control with it. Also check the permitted filling capacity for your recipes.
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Consider this if you’d like pressure cooking, slow cooking, sautéing and steaming in one appliance. The pot is listed as 5,7 L, but follow the filling limits for each recipe and the instructions for steam release and handling hot parts.
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For meals centred around rice, this model adds delay start, keep-warm and a steaming basket. It’s advertised for 3 to 4 people. Check the usable capacity for your recipes and the instructions for cleaning the pot. This isn’t a pressure cooker.
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With a stated capacity of 7,1 L, this could suit a household that cooks several portions and wants to switch between pressure cooking, slow cooking, sautéing and steaming. Check the manual for filling limits, and confirm the delay-start or keep-warm features if they’re important to you.
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This 3,8 L pot is worth considering if you want several cooking methods in a more compact size. Product information lists delay start and keep-warm. Check the manual for portion sizes and filling limits suited to your dishes.
Not necessarily: the permitted filling capacity may be lower than the stated capacity. UFC-Que Choisir cites a 6 L Cookeo with a maximum cooking capacity of 4 L. Check the manual for your model and follow the instructions for liquids, ingredients that expand and pressure cooking.
A programme can reduce the need for active supervision when you’re making a compatible recipe, but some dishes still need a step done by hand. Before starting dinner, check the recipe, filling capacity and warnings in the manual.
No. Keep-warm isn’t general food storage guidance. Anses advises against leaving cooked food at room temperature for more than two hours before refrigerating it. For leftovers, follow the food hygiene guidance for the food and the appliance instructions.
Read the filling limits and the instructions for the lid, steam release and hot parts on your specific model. The DGCCRF reminds consumers that the CE marking isn’t a certification mark; you should still read the warnings and manual.
Compare the removable parts, which components are specifically listed as dishwasher-safe, and how easy it is to reach the lid and pot for cleaning. These features vary by model, so check the cleaning instructions before choosing an appliance you plan to use often.