Choose a programmable multi-cooker if you like to alternate between rice, soups, slow-cooked dishes and steaming, while spending less time keeping an eye on the cooking. If pressure cooking is a priority, check the instructions for the specific model. For meals that are mainly slow-cooked or rice-based, a more specialised appliance may better suit your routine. In every case, choose a bowl size to suit your portions and the filling limits, not just the stated capacity.
If you take turns making rice, soups, dishes with sauce and steamed vegetables, a multi-cooker with the right programmes is worth considering. Que Choisir recommends comparing the time and temperature settings. Also check what you’ll need to clean after your meal.
A pressure model may suit you if this cooking method matters more than the simplicity of a specialised appliance. Moulinex’s Cookeo and Tefal’s Fast & Delicious ranges are examples of this type. Before choosing, check the instructions for filling, steam release and cleaning for the model you’re considering.
If you mainly plan to cook meals slowly over a long period, a programmable slow cooker may be all you need. Crock-Pot, for example, offers 2.4 L and 4.7 L models. Compare their capacities and settings with your usual portions, rather than expecting a quick meal when you get home from work.
Start with the dishes you cook and when you want to set them going. Then check the usable capacity, the functions of the exact model and how much cleaning it requires.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Programming and monitoring | Programmes to suit your dishes, time and temperature settings, and whether delayed start and keep-warm functions are available and under what conditions. | When my evenings are busy, I want to start a suitable dish at a time that works for me without having to keep checking the settings; around 33% of consumers prioritise this kind of automation. |
| Pressure cooking | Whether it has a pressure-cooking mode, and the model-specific instructions for filling, steam release and cleaning. | If I want to use pressure cooking for dinner, I also need to be able to follow the appliance’s instructions; speed is the main priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Capacity and portions | How many portions you need for your meals, and the filling limit for the dishes you plan to make, which may differ from the bowl’s stated capacity. | To cook the amount my household usually needs without making several batches, I look at the capacity I can actually use; around 20% of consumers prioritise portions. |
| Cleaning and specific uses | Which removable parts are dishwasher-safe and whether you’ll genuinely use the available modes. If you mainly cook rice or slow-cooked dishes, compare specialised appliances. | After dinner, I prefer to keep cleaning and unused functions to a minimum; around 20% of consumers put this simplicity first. |
Delayed start sets when cooking begins; keep warm comes into play at a different point in the cycle. Availability and conditions of use vary by model. For perishable ingredients, delayed start is no substitute for chilled storage: Anses highlights the risks of storing food incorrectly.
A food processor without a cooking function is designed for a different job: chopping, grating or mixing ingredients. It can make preparation easier, but it won’t cook dinner on its own. If cooking is your main requirement, compare a multi-cooker, slow cooker or rice cooker according to the dishes you make most often.
The filling limit may reduce the amount you can cook, depending on the recipe and cooking mode. So the stated capacity alone won’t tell you how many portions you can make.
Compare your usual portions with the markings and limits in the model’s instructions, especially if you’re considering pressure cooking.
Delayed start, keep warm, manual settings and pressure mode are not all the same function. The models offered by Moulinex, Tefal and Crock-Pot have different combinations of features.
Check the exact model for modes to suit your dishes, how the cycle works and which accessories you’ll need.
Delaying the start of cooking won’t keep perishable ingredients chilled. Anses warns that breaking the cold chain can encourage bacteria to grow.
Keep these ingredients in the fridge until you’re ready to prepare them, and check the manufacturer’s instructions before using a delayed programme.
Risks associated with electrical appliances include burns and electric shocks, as the DGCCRF points out. Pressure-cooking and cleaning precautions also depend on the model.
Make a note of the exact model number, read its instructions in French and keep the information you’ll need to check for any alerts on RappelConso.
These ranges are designed for different uses. The brand name alone doesn’t tell you which features a particular model offers, so check each one carefully.
The Cookeo range includes guided pressure multi-cookers. Moulinex lists the CE85B510 and CE902800 with a 6 L bowl, while offering different types of guided cooking.
Tefal presents the SpheriCook RK745800 for various types of cooking, and the Fast & Delicious CY505E10 for cooking that includes pressure mode.
The CSC046X and CSC052X slow cookers are mainly for meals prepared using slow cooking. Crock-Pot lists capacities of 2.4 L and 4.7 L respectively.
These appliances let you compare multi-cookers, including pressure models, with a rice cooker for meals that focus more on rice. Before choosing, check that each one has the features you need for your routine.
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Worth considering if you want a pressure cooker that can handle a variety of evening meals. The product name lists a 5.7 L bowl, slow cooking, steaming and four customisable programmes.
Before choosing a size for your household, check the filling limits in the instructions. Also confirm that delayed start is available if this feature is important to you.
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Worth looking at if you’re after a pressure multi-cooker with a range of menus for family meals. The product name lists an 8 L bowl, 1,200 W power, 12 preset menus and a non-stick bowl.
The bowl’s capacity alone doesn’t determine how much you can cook in one go. Check the model’s filling limits and pressure-cooking instructions.
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Worth comparing if you want to programme different types of cooking and use pressure mode. The product name lists a 6 L capacity, nine menus, two pressure levels and 24-hour programming.
Before using pressure mode, check the filling limits and instructions for the exact model. Also check whether its instructions are available in French and whether it has keep warm if you need this feature.
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An option to consider if your meals mainly revolve around rice, porridge or soup rather than several different cooking modes. The product name lists a 4 L capacity, 860 W power, delayed start, keep warm and a steaming basket.
Check the markings against your portion sizes, and make sure the removable parts are compatible with your usual cleaning method.
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Worth comparing for meals that need different cooking methods, starting with the dishes you actually make. To see whether the P30 suits your routine, check its capacity, the modes available on the exact model, its timer settings and the cleaning instructions in the manual.
No. The bowl’s stated capacity doesn’t necessarily match the amount allowed for a recipe. Que Choisir gives the example of a Cookeo with a 6 L bowl that has a 4 L preparation limit. Check the markings and instructions for the model you’re considering, especially for pressure cooking.
Don’t treat delayed start as a way to store perishable ingredients. Anses warns that incorrect storage or breaking the cold chain can encourage bacteria to grow. Keep these ingredients chilled until you’re ready to prepare them, and follow the appliance’s instructions.
First, check that its modes suit the dishes you make and that you can access the instructions for the exact model. Look for its filling and liquid limits, along with the instructions for the lid, steam and cleaning. Even if the manufacturer lists a pressure-release function, you still need to follow these instructions.
No, not if you want to cook dinner with minimal supervision. A food processor without a cooking function is designed for jobs such as chopping, grating and mixing, as Que Choisir explains. It can prepare ingredients, but you’ll still need an appliance to cook them.
Keep a note of your appliance’s exact model number so you can compare it with alerts published on RappelConso, the French public website for recalls of dangerous products. Also check the instructions for your model if you have any questions about using or cleaning it.