For switching between rice, soups and slow-cooked dishes, choose a programmable multicooker with menus, settings and a usable capacity that suit the recipes you make. A rice cooker is often enough if grains are the mainstay of your meals, while a slow cooker is ideal for longer cooking times. A cooking food processor only offers extra benefits if you also want to prepare ingredients in the appliance. Whichever you choose, check how the delay-start and keep-warm functions work on the specific model.
If you make rice, soups and dishes with sauces, a multicooker can bring together the programmes you use regularly. Check that you can adjust the cooking time and that the keep-warm function works with the programmes you use most.
A multifunction rice cooker is a good choice if you mainly cook rice and grains. Some models also offer programmes for soup or porridge, so compare these features before choosing a more versatile appliance.
If you like preparing soups and stews well ahead of mealtimes, it’s worth comparing a programmable slow cooker with a multicooker. Check its capacity, cooking settings and keep-warm function.
Start with the dishes you cook most often, then check the model’s usable capacity and programming features. If preparing ingredients takes as much time as cooking, consider cooking food processors separately.
| Feature | What to check | What matters to consumers |
|---|---|---|
| Useful programmes | Look for menus that suit the dishes you make, then check which cooking time and temperature settings are available on the model. | If I switch from rice to soups and stews, I want to adjust the cooking without relying on a single menu. Around 33% of consumers would prioritise this versatility. |
| Suitable capacity | Compare the fill limits and the portions recommended for your recipes, rather than looking at the bowl’s capacity alone. | I want to cook the amount my household needs, without running out of room in the bowl or choosing a size that’s unnecessarily large. Getting the capacity right would come first for around 27% of consumers. |
| Cooking time | Depending on the dishes you make, check whether the appliance offers pressure cooking or slow cooking, and what settings are available. | I don’t want the same cooking method if I need to serve a meal quickly or leave a stew to simmer. Around 27% of consumers would make cooking time their priority. |
| Built-in food preparation | If you’re considering a cooking food processor, check that it has the chopping or mixing functions your recipes need and that its bowl has enough usable capacity. | When chopping or mixing takes me as long as cooking, I want one appliance to handle both steps. This would be the top priority for around 13% of consumers. |
The stated capacity isn’t always fully usable. Que Choisir gives the example of a 6 L Cookeo bowl with a preparation limit of 4 L.
Check the model’s fill limits for your recipes and compare them with the number of portions you want to make.
The keep-warm function depends on the programme and appliance. For leftovers left at room temperature, Anses recommends refrigerating them within two hours.
Check the duration and conditions stated in the instructions, then refrigerate leftovers hygienically.
Chopping, mixing or kneading functions are only useful if your recipes regularly involve those steps.
If you mainly want to cook rice or slow-cooked dishes, compare a rice cooker, slow cooker and multicooker first.
Two appliances with several menus may differ in their delay-start function, manual settings, keep-warm function and cleaning requirements.
Check the instructions for features that suit the dishes you actually make, rather than simply counting the menus.
These brands represent different types of appliances. The features listed apply to the specific models named, not to every product in each range.
The range includes multicookers and Cookeo models with pressure-cooking functions.
The brand offers the Easy Cook+ rice cooker, as well as pressure multicookers.
The TimeSelect is a slow cooker designed for programmable, long cooking times.
The Cook Expert combines cooking with ingredient-preparation functions.
These models include multicookers for trying different cooking methods and a rice cooker for meals centred on rice. Compare their programming features and size with the recipes you usually make.
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Worth considering if you switch between pressure cooking, slow cooking and steaming.
The model name indicates seven functions and four customisable presets. If you need to delay the start, check this feature in the instructions before choosing.
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Its generous size is worth considering if you cook several portions and want to plan meals such as rice dishes or stews.
The model is listed at 1,200 W with 12 menus. Check the usable capacity for your recipes and the care instructions before choosing an 8 L bowl.
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Worth comparing if rice and porridge make up most of the meals you plan in advance.
The model is listed at 860 W and suitable for three to four people, with delay start, keep warm and a non-stick bowl. Check the cleaning instructions for the bowl and accessories.
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This size is worth comparing if you regularly cook several portions in a pressure multicooker.
The model is described as a 7-in-1 appliance with a stainless steel bowl. If delay start or keep warm is important to you, check how these functions work in the instructions.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a programmable pressure cooker for dishes such as rice or stews.
The model has nine menus, two pressure levels and 24-hour programming. Check the fill limits, keep-warm function and language of the instructions before buying.
Yes, when cooking according to the model’s programmes and instructions. In particular, follow the fill limits and lid instructions; programming doesn’t replace these precautions.
Don’t treat delay start as a way to keep perishable ingredients out of the fridge. Store them appropriately, and follow the recipe and instructions to decide whether they can wait before cooking.
No. Whether it’s available and how long it lasts depends on the programme and model. For leftovers left at room temperature, Anses recommends refrigerating them within two hours.
Check which parts are removable and which can go in the dishwasher on the model you’re considering. A bowl or accessory being dishwasher-safe doesn’t necessarily mean the heated base is too.
The legal guarantee of conformity applies when a trader sells an appliance to a private individual, whether it’s new, second-hand or refurbished, as the Ministry of the Economy points out. You make a claim through the seller; any commercial guarantee is in addition to, not a replacement for, this legal guarantee.