Choose a multicooker or electric pressure cooker if you mainly prepare one dish in a single pot and want to keep an eye on it less. Keep or choose specialist appliances if your batch-cooking session involves several saucepans, oven trays or dishes that need to roast at the same time. In that case, check the space available and the usable capacity of each cooking area.
Soups, sauces, grains and slow-cooked dishes make up most of your cooking session. A multicooker brings several cooking methods together in one pot. UFC-Que Choisir says that the automatic programmes on multicookers manage both the power and cooking time.
You want to cook side dishes or separate portions during the same session. An oven with several shelves or a hob with multiple cooking zones can meet this need in a way that a single-pot appliance cannot.
You’re considering an air fryer for roasting, but you also need somewhere to put it and room to use it. Check its dimensions and the size of each basket: the total capacity alone doesn’t tell you how much space there is for food.
Start with the dishes you want to cook in one session. Then compare the number and format of usable cooking spaces, rather than looking only at the advertised cooking modes.
| Criterion | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| One-pot dishes | Usable capacity for your recipe; whether you need pressure, steam or slow-cooking modes. | If I’m making a large quantity of the same dish for several meals, I want to avoid using lots of saucepans. Around 25% of consumers put this need first. |
| Cooking several things at once | Number of cooking zones, shelves or baskets that can be used at the same time, and the size of each one. | To cook different components in the same session, I need genuinely separate cooking spaces. Around 25% of consumers prioritise this ability to cook several things at once. |
| Monitoring | Programmes that manage the cooking; the full cooking time, including the steps before and after pressure cooking. | When I have other things to do while the food is cooking, I prefer to keep hands-on involvement to a minimum, even if the recipes have to be cooked one after another. Around 19% of consumers prioritise this level of automation. |
| Roasting and texture | Whether there’s an oven, hot-air basket or suitable accessory; how much food can be spread out in each batch. | If my meals include roasted vegetables or crispy sides, cooking everything in one pot won’t cover the whole menu. Around 19% of consumers put this type of cooking first. |
| Space and compatibility | Dimensions and installation requirements; whether your cookware is compatible with induction. | Before adding an appliance, I need to know where it will go and whether I can use my existing pans. Around 12% of consumers make compatibility their top criterion. |
A pot, an oven cavity and baskets don’t offer the same cooking area. The Philips NA156/60, for example, can be configured according to Philips with two 3,55 L baskets or one 7,1 L space.
For each dish you plan to make, check whether it needs to fit in a pot, on an oven tray or in an individual basket.
With the Cookeo+ reviewed, air frying requires the separate Extra Crisp accessory, which is not included in the basic appliance. So “multi-function” doesn’t mean you can achieve every texture with the same set-up.
Check exactly what’s included in the pack and which parts you’ll need to store and clean.
An extra accessory also takes up space in your kitchen.
In a test comparing small quiches of the same size, UFC-Que Choisir found that the air fryers tested used an average of 36% less electricity than a mini oven. This result doesn’t apply to every recipe or larger batches.
Before choosing an appliance based on this criterion, compare the size of your dishes and how many batches you’ll need to cook.
A built-in oven or hob needs to fit its space, and an induction hob requires compatible cookware. For the EOF3C40TH oven reviewed, Electrolux specifies a niche measuring 590 × 560 × 550 mm.
Measure the space, check the instructions for the exact model and make sure your pans are compatible before choosing induction.
Adapting the installation or replacing cookware adds extra considerations to your plans.
The Cookeo+ reviewed is an example of a multicooker for one-pot cooking.
The 5,7 L Pro reviewed is designed for recipes that use several cooking modes in one pot.
The NA156/60 reviewed shows how a flexible air fryer can be used to cook separate batches.
The PXE831HC1E hob reviewed is an induction option for cooking with several pans.
The EOF3C40TH oven reviewed is suited to sessions planned around oven trays and several shelves.
These models offer two ways to prepare meals in advance: cook one dish in a single pot or divide food for roasting between two air fryer spaces. If you need oven trays or several saucepans, assess appliances suited to those uses separately.
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Worth considering if you need to cook two dishes in separate air fryer drawers. The advertised 9,5 L capacity is split between the two drawers, so check that each dish will fit in its own drawer. The product name lists six functions, including roasting and baking.
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If you want to cook two dishes in separate drawers, compare the size of each dish with the baskets, not just with the total 7,6 L capacity. The product name lists two drawers and six functions, including roasting and baking.
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Consider this for making a large quantity of the same dish in one pot. Its advertised capacity is 7,1 L, but the usable amount depends on the recipe and fill limits. A single pot can’t cook several dishes in separate spaces. Follow the instructions for releasing pressure before opening.
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This multicooker is suited to a session focused on one dish cooked in a single pot. Its advertised capacity is 5,7 L: check the fill limits for your recipe and follow the instructions for steam under pressure. It doesn’t provide separate spaces for cooking several dishes.
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If you want to cook food in two stacked spaces, check how much room you’ll need around the appliance and the size of each chamber. The product name lists a total capacity of 12 L and ten programmes. That total doesn’t guarantee that a large dish will fit in a single chamber.
Not if your meals need several independent cooking spaces or oven trays for roasting at the same time. The different modes on a multicooker are mainly for carrying out several steps in the same pot. Keep an oven or a hob with several cooking zones if your routine depends on cooking different things simultaneously.
First compare the shape and number of cooking spaces, then look at the advertised capacities in litres. A pot suits a dish that fits inside it within the fill limit. In a dual-basket air fryer, each dish needs to fit in its own basket. Philips, for example, says its NA156/60 has two 3,55 L baskets or one 7,1 L space.
Measure the space and follow the dimensions and installation instructions for the model you’re considering. If you’re choosing an induction hob, also check that your cookware is compatible. The 590 × 560 × 550 mm niche specified by Electrolux applies to the EOF3C40TH oven reviewed, not to all ovens.
Yes. According to the French Ministry of the Economy, the statutory guarantee of conformity is compulsory for new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a business to a private individual. Keep your proof of purchase and the product description so you can explain to the seller how the appliance you received doesn’t conform.