If you start cooking when you get home, look first at pressure multicookers. If your meal can simmer for several hours before you eat, consider a slow cooker. A cooking food processor meets a different need: it can also take care of some preparation steps. With all three, compare the usable capacity, the hands-on steps your recipes involve and the parts you’ll need to clean.
When you can start cooking matters more than the number of programmes alone.
You cook dinner after work or studying and want to avoid keeping an eye on the heat. A programmable multicooker is worth considering, particularly if its pressure-cooking settings suit the recipes you make. Que Choisir describes appliances that manage the cooking once a programme has started, but points out that they don’t eliminate every manual step.
You can start cooking the ingredients several hours before mealtime. A slow cooker’s low-and-slow cooking and keep-warm function suit this routine; check separately whether the model lets you programme a start time. Crock-Pot lists these slow-cooking and keep-warm functions for its SCCPRC507B digital slow cooker.
You also want to cut down on tasks such as chopping or mixing. Moulinex’s Companion and Magimix’s Cook Expert food processors are examples of appliances that can do this, provided you’re happy to manage the accessories, store them and clean them.
First, choose according to when you can start the recipe. Then check the quantities and how much hands-on work the appliance leaves you to do.
Worth considering: if you start dinner when you get home and want cooking programmes suited to your dishes.
Bear in mind: according to Que Choisir, automatic cooking doesn’t usually mix the ingredients.
Worth considering: if the ingredients can cook slowly for several hours before mealtime.
Bear in mind: this cooking style is less suited to a recipe you can only start when you get home.
Worth considering: if chopping or mixing ingredients matters just as much to you as managing the cooking.
Bear in mind: the accessories mean more parts to store and clean.
| What matters to you | What to check | Who this suits |
|---|---|---|
| Dinner started in the evening | Check the available settings and the manual steps involved in your recipes. Don’t confuse the programme length with preparing the whole dish. | If I start cooking when I get home, I want to be able to set the appliance going without standing over it. Around 50% of consumers put being able to prepare dinner with little supervision first. |
| Portions and planning ahead | Compare the usable capacity or maximum fill level, then check the timer and keep-warm function if you’re preparing the dish in advance. | To prepare the usual quantities for my household before mealtime, I need to know what the cooking pot can actually hold. Portion sizes and planning ahead are the priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Preparation and cleaning | Check which chopping or mixing tasks the appliance handles, which accessories you’ll need and which parts are dishwasher-safe. | When chopping ingredients and cleaning parts take up too much of my routine, I want to cut down on these tasks. This is the main priority for around 20% of consumers. |
You can’t necessarily fill a cooking pot to its stated capacity. Que Choisir gives the example of a 6 L Cookeo, which has a maximum cooking capacity of 4 L.
Before choosing a capacity, check the maximum fill level in the instructions for the model and the type of recipe you plan to make.
Automatically setting the heat and cooking time doesn’t necessarily take care of browning, adding ingredients or mixing. Que Choisir notes that multicookers don’t usually mix food.
Look through a few recipes for the appliance and note where you’ll need to step in. If mixing or built-in food preparation is essential, consider the functions of a cooking food processor instead.
Slow cooking is best suited to a dish started several hours before serving. It isn’t a substitute for a cooking setting designed for a meal you start in the evening.
If you can only start cooking when you get home, compare the settings and steps on multicookers suited to your dishes.
A cooking food processor’s preparation functions come with accessories. Moulinex also gives separate cleaning instructions for the Cookeo Touch’s bowl, water collector and lid.
Make a list of the parts you’ll use for your usual recipes, check how to care for them in the instructions and measure the storage space you have available.
Accessories add cleaning tasks and take up space, even when the cooking itself needs little supervision.
The features below apply to the ranges and models mentioned, not every appliance from each brand.
The Cookeo Touch Wifi CE902800 is an example of programmable pressure cooking, while the Companion offers food preparation and cooking in one appliance.
The SCCPRC507B digital slow cooker is designed for dishes that can start cooking well before mealtime.
The Fast & Delicious CY505E10 is a multicooker for anyone looking for several settings in an appliance focused on cooking.
The Cook Expert combines cooking with food preparation tasks, making it an option when both matter to you.
This Joybuy selection brings together multicookers for a range of recipes and a slow cooker for meals you can start in advance. Choose according to when you can cook, then check the fill level and features of the specific model.
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Worth considering if you want to programme cooking or switch between pressure cooking and slow cooking. The product title lists 12 preset menus and 1200 W of power; the selection also mentions a delayed start and keep-warm function. Check the instructions for the permitted fill level for your recipes, the power supply required and how to care for the parts.
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A good option if you want a choice of cooking methods and easy-to-clean removable parts. The details for this model mention pressure cooking, steaming, slow cooking and dishwasher-safe parts. If you need to delay the start of cooking, check that this function is available on the exact model. Also check its maximum fill level.
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Worth considering for smaller portions, including rice, soups and steamed dishes. The product details mention a delayed start and keep-warm function; the 2 L capacity refers to uncooked rice, not necessarily other dishes. Allow the recommended clearance for steam: at least 40 cm above and 10 cm at the sides.
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Consider this model if you cook larger quantities and want a choice of pressure cooking, slow cooking, steaming and sautéing. The stated capacity is 7,1 L, so check the fill limit for your dishes. If you want to start cooking before you get home, check specifically whether this model has a delayed start and keep-warm function.
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For dishes that can simmer for several hours before serving, rather than cooking you start when you get home. The information for this model lists Low, High and Keep Warm settings, as well as a removable cooking pot. If you need a timer or a programmed start, check that these are included before buying. Also check the maximum fill level for your recipe.
Not necessarily. Que Choisir states that a 6 L Cookeo pot can hold a maximum of 4 L for cooking. Check the fill markings and instructions for your model, as the limit may also depend on the recipe.
A programme can manage the heat and cooking time once started, but it won’t necessarily take care of every step in a recipe. Que Choisir points out that multicookers don’t usually mix food. Check the steps for your dish and follow the appliance’s instructions.
It depends on the appliance. For the Cookeo Touch, Moulinex recommends cleaning the bowl and water collector after each use, and caring for the lid as set out in its instructions. Crock-Pot says that the stoneware pot and glass lid of its SCCPRC507B are dishwasher-safe; check the care instructions for the model you choose.
The legal guarantee of conformity may apply. The Ministry of the Economy explains that it covers new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a business to an individual. Keep your proof of purchase and a copy of the product description so you can report the issue to the seller. This guarantee is different from returning an item simply because you’ve changed your mind.