To get dinner cooking and then turn your attention to something else, choose a programmable multicooker if you mainly make rice, soups or slow-cooked dishes. Opt for an electric pressure cooker if pressure cooking is one of your requirements, or a cooking food processor if you also want to chop, blend or knead. Whichever you choose, check how much hands-on work your recipes involve and how much of the cooking pot you can actually use, rather than relying on its stated capacity alone.
The right type of appliance depends first on what you want it to take care of: cooking alone, or preparing the ingredients as well.
For rice, soups or slow-cooked dishes, programmes can take care of the cooking while you get on with something else. You’ll still need to prepare the ingredients and add or stir them when the recipe calls for it.
If you mainly cook for one or two people, compare the usable capacity with the space the appliance will take up on your worktop. Moulinex describes its 3 L Cookeo Mini as a size designed for two people; this doesn’t apply to every 3 L appliance.
If your evening meals regularly involve chopping, blending, grating or kneading, consider cooking food processors rather than appliances with cooking programmes alone. In return, check their usable capacity, how much space they take up and which accessories need cleaning.
Start by deciding which tasks you want the appliance to handle, then see how it measures up against your usual recipes, its usable capacity, programming options and cleaning requirements.
Consider one if: you mainly want to automate the cooking of everyday dishes once you’ve prepared the ingredients.
Bear in mind: browning, adding ingredients and stirring still need to be done by hand when the recipe calls for them.
Consider one if: you want to pressure-cook foods such as vegetables or dishes with sauce.
Bear in mind: it won’t chop or blend ingredients. Follow the instructions for pressure cooking and programmed functions.
Consider one if: your meal preparation regularly involves blending, chopping or kneading as well as cooking.
Bear in mind: measure the space needed for the appliance and its accessories, and don’t assume the usable capacity is the same as the cooking pot’s full volume.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Hands-on steps during cooking | Check the steps in your recipes: browning, adding ingredients and stirring. See which programmes are available and what happens when cooking finishes. | Once dinner is under way, I want to be able to get on with something else, without assuming the appliance will do all the preparation. |
| Usable capacity | Check the instructions for filling limits for different programmes and ingredients that expand. Que Choisir gives the example of a Cookeo with a 6 L cooking pot that has a 4 L cooking limit. | My usual portions need to fit within the permitted volume for the recipe, not just the capacity shown on the product page. |
| Programming and serving | Check how to set the delayed start and keep-warm functions, and what their limits are. In an archived test, Que Choisir found it difficult to set the delayed start on the Thomson Creacook+; this doesn’t reflect the controls on other models. | If dinner needs to wait, I want programming that’s easy to use, without leaving perishable ingredients unrefrigerated while I wait. |
| Cleaning and storage | Find out which parts need to be removed after use and which the instructions say are dishwasher-safe. Also measure the space needed for the appliance, lid and accessories. | If I’m cooking several evenings a week, I’d rather know how to clean every part, not just the cooking pot. |
You need to leave room in the pot: Que Choisir cites a 6 L Cookeo with a 4 L cooking limit. So the stated capacity alone won’t tell you how many portions a recipe will make.
Compare your portions with the maximum volume specified in the instructions for the dishes you make, particularly liquids and ingredients that expand.
Setting a delayed start doesn’t keep ingredients chilled. Take the time they’ll spend at room temperature into account when deciding whether to use this function.
Follow the instructions and food hygiene guidance for the ingredients you’re using. If leaving them unrefrigerated is a concern, keep them chilled and start cooking when you’re ready.
A cooking programme won’t necessarily brown ingredients first, add them in stages or stir them. Dinner may still involve several hands-on steps.
Look at five recipes you make regularly. If preparing the ingredients takes up a significant amount of time, compare the functions of a cooking food processor too.
The lid and collector may need to be cleaned separately. For example, Moulinex recommends cleaning these parts after every use of the Cookeo Touch.
Before buying, check the instructions to see which parts need to be removed, and check separately whether each one is dishwasher-safe.
These examples relate to specific ranges and models: their features and capacities don’t automatically apply to every product from each brand.
The Cookeo range includes electric pressure cookers designed to guide you through cooking everyday meals, in a choice of sizes.
The Fast & Delicious CY505E10 is a multifunction electric pressure cooker designed for pressure cooking, steaming and slow-cooked dishes, among other uses.
The Cook Expert combines cooking with ingredient preparation, including mixing, chopping, grating and kneading.
This selection includes a cooking food processor for preparation and cooking, as well as multicookers in a range of capacities. Compare their functions with the meals you actually make, and check the usable volume for your portions.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a cooking food processor rather than an appliance designed for cooking alone. Its name mentions built-in scales, a large touchscreen and 750 recipes. Check that it can handle the preparation tasks your dinners involve, and consider how much space the XL bowl will take up.
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Designed to combine pressure cooking with an air-frying function, this model comes with a frying lid and built-in scales. Its 6 L capacity is the stated volume of the cooking pot, so check the filling limits for your recipes.
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This 5.7 L multicooker is worth comparing with the number of portions you usually make in the evening. Check the instructions for the usable volume for your recipes and, if you plan to delay dinner, see which programming functions this variant includes.
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Consider this model if you want to combine pressure cooking and air frying in a 7.6 L appliance. The product name also gives its power as 1500 W. Before choosing this size, check the usable volume for your dishes and the space needed for the appliance and its accessories.
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Its stated 2 L capacity may suit a household cooking smaller quantities. Check that the permitted cooking volume is enough for your portions and that the available programmes match the meals you usually make.
Not necessarily: the filling limit may be lower than the cooking pot’s capacity. Que Choisir cites a 6 L Cookeo with a 4 L cooking limit, with recipes for up to six people. Check the instructions for the programme and ingredients you plan to use.
Only use the delayed-start function if the ingredients and the time they’ll be left waiting are suitable according to the instructions and food hygiene guidance. This function doesn’t refrigerate perishable foods. If leaving them unrefrigerated is a concern, keep them in the fridge and fill the appliance when you’re ready to start cooking.
No. It’s for keeping food warm until serving, within the limits set out in the instructions, not for storing leftovers. Anses states that leaving food at room temperature for more than two hours after cooking increases the risk of micro-organisms multiplying. Refrigerate any leftovers you plan to keep.
Only if your main requirement is cooking. Multicookers generally don’t mix food and may not chop, grate or knead it. If these steps feature regularly in your recipes, compare the functions of a cooking food processor such as the Magimix Cook Expert.
It depends on the model, so check the instructions rather than assuming you only need to wash the cooking pot. For the Cookeo Touch, Moulinex recommends cleaning the bowl, water collector and lid after removing it as instructed, after every use. The brand says the bowl and collector are dishwasher-safe.