If you already prepare the ingredients and mainly want to leave the cooking to the appliance, start by comparing a multicooker’s programmes and genuinely usable capacity. UFC-Que Choisir points out that the amount you can cook may be less than the stated capacity. Choose a cooking food processor instead if you also want help with tasks such as chopping or mixing. For rice or dishes that can be slow-cooked, a specialist appliance may be enough, depending on how you organise your meals and the recipes you make.
You prepare the ingredients and want to spend less time keeping an eye on a hot dish, choosing settings that suit the recipes you usually make. Guides from UFC-Que Choisir and Les Numériques describe a multicooker as an appliance mainly designed for cooking.
You’d also like the appliance to take care of tasks such as chopping or mixing, so check that its accessories suit your recipes. UFC-Que Choisir’s guide to cooking food processors covers these food preparation and cooking functions.
You mainly cook rice, steam food or make dishes that can simmer for a long time, and want to know whether a specialist appliance will do the job. Crock-Pot describes its CSC066X as a programmable slow cooker, while Tefal presents the Classic 2 as a rice cooker with a steaming basket.
First decide whether you want to leave just the cooking or some preparation tasks to the appliance too. Then compare usable capacity and how easy the parts are to clean, based on the recipes you make most often.
| Priority | What to check before buying | Who values it most |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking with less supervision | The settings that suit your recipes, the capacity allowed for each setting and the instructions in the manual. | If I want to get a range of dishes cooking without standing by the hob, consumers who put cooking with less supervision first would account for around 36%. |
| Washing up and cleaning | Which parts need cleaning, whether they are dishwasher-safe, and how easy it is to reach the lid and seal. | If I mainly want to cut down on cleaning after dinner, consumers who prioritise easy cleaning would account for around 29%. |
| Preparing ingredients | The accessories included, how useful they are for your recipes and how much space you have for the appliance. | If I also want help with chopping or mixing, consumers who prioritise these tasks would account for around 21%. |
| Specialist cooking | The type of cooking, when you can start it and which appliance you already have for the rest of the meal. | If I mainly need to cook rice, steam food or slow-cook a meal around my schedule, consumers who prioritise a specialist cooking function would account for around 14%. |
UFC-Que Choisir gives the example of a Cookeo with a 6 L bowl but a maximum cooking volume of 4 L, depending on the recipe.
Check the fill limit in the manual for the setting and ingredients you plan to use, rather than relying on the stated capacity alone.
If the usable capacity isn’t enough for your meal, you may need to cook in batches.
A multicooker mainly handles the cooking; a cooking food processor can also chop or mix, depending on its accessories.
For a recipe you make regularly, list the preparation steps and check which ones the appliance can actually take care of.
A slow cooker is suited to slow cooking, while a rice cooker mainly automates cooking rice and may include a steaming basket.
Start with the dishes you make regularly and when you can start cooking. Check whether a specialist appliance will cover the rest of your meals.
An appliance that’s too specialised may mean you still need another option for dishes it can’t handle.
Cookeo models are worth comparing if you want guided cooking, while the Companion XL may suit you if food preparation and mixing matter too. These points relate to the models mentioned, not the entire range.
The brand’s multicookers are worth comparing if you want several settings, including pressure cooking. Instructions vary by model.
The TimeSelect CSC066X slow cooker is worth comparing for dishes suited to scheduled slow cooking.
The Classic 2 rice cooker with steaming basket is worth comparing if you mainly want to automate a side dish.
This selection brings together programmable multicookers and a rice cooker, so you can compare versatile cooking with an option focused more on rice.
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Worth considering if you want to programme pressure cooking and its usable capacity suits your meals.
24-hour timer, nine menus and two pressure settings. The bowl has a stated capacity of 6 L, with 5 L listed as usable capacity; the title says it serves up to 12 people.
The title also mentions frying and voice control functions.
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Worth comparing if you mainly need to cook rice and the hot pot function also suits the dishes you make.
3 L capacity, 1 500 W power, a function to separate rice from water and a 12-hour delay timer. The title says it’s designed for 1 to 3 people.
The listed functions focus on rice and hot pot, so check they suit the dishes you prepare.
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Worth considering for programming simple dishes such as rice, porridge, soup or steamed food.
The product information lists a capacity of 2 L of uncooked rice, a 24-hour delay start and an automatic switch to keep-warm mode once cooking is complete.
Allow at least 40 cm of clearance above the appliance and 10 cm at the sides. Hot steam escapes when you open it.
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Worth comparing if you want several cooking functions in an electric pressure multicooker.
The product information lists a 7,1 L bowl and up to eight portions. The settings include pressure cooking, slow cooking, rice, sautéing and steaming; four preset buttons can be customised.
The bowl and lid are listed as dishwasher-safe. Follow the pressure-cooking instructions and keep your hands and face away from the steam release.
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Worth comparing if you want to programme cooking and use several settings in one appliance.
Stated capacity of 8 L, 1 200 W power, a 24-hour delay timer, 12 preset programmes and automatic keep-warm function. The listed settings include pressure cooking, slow cooking, rice, yoghurt, steaming and sautéing; the title says it serves up to ten portions.
Follow the MAX line and the fill limit for ingredients that expand. Don’t open the lid while the appliance is under pressure.
Not necessarily. UFC-Que Choisir gives the example of a Cookeo with a 6 L bowl and a maximum cooking volume of 4 L, which varies depending on the recipe. Check the manual for your chosen model, particularly for pressure cooking and ingredients that expand.
Follow the model’s instructions on filling, adding liquid and releasing pressure before opening. Check the cleaning instructions separately for the bowl, lid and seal: one dishwasher-safe part doesn’t mean the others are too.
The keep-warm function doesn’t replace safe food storage practices. If you plan to keep food, Anses recommends cooling it quickly after cooking and refrigerating it within two hours, particularly to help prevent the risk associated with Bacillus cereus.
Under the legal guarantee of conformity, you can make a claim against the professional seller within two years of receiving the goods, subject to the applicable conditions. The DGCCRF distinguishes this statutory guarantee from an additional commercial warranty, which is optional.
No. For electrical equipment covered by the European Low Voltage Directive, the CE marking indicates a declaration of conformity with the applicable requirements. The DGCCRF clarifies that it is not a certification mark. It therefore says nothing about the quality of the recipes or how easy the appliance is to clean.