Choose based on the dishes you make and when you want to eat: a multi-cooker suits a variety of recipes, a slow cooker is ideal for meals started well in advance, and a specialist appliance may be best if rice or steamed food features heavily in your meals. Then check how much you can actually cook, which tasks you’ll still need to do, exactly how the timer works and how the food should be stored.
If you switch between different recipes, compare the programmes you’ll actually use, the portion sizes and any steps you’ll still need to do yourself. UFC-Que Choisir’s guide covers the many uses of multi-cookers, while noting that their programmes don’t replace preparing the ingredients.
If you want to prepare a slow-cooked dish well before mealtime, check when the cooking will finish and how the ingredients should be stored. The manufacturer describes the planning function on the Crock-Pot TimeSelect CSC066X; it doesn’t remove the need to follow the food safety advice recommended by Anses.
If you mainly cook rice or steamed food, check that the capacity suits your portions and find out what you’ll need to do during cooking. Tefal and Philips describe features on certain models that aren’t available across their entire ranges.
Choose this if: you alternate between stews, rice and steamed dishes, and want several cooking methods in one appliance.
Bear in mind: programmes don’t necessarily prepare or stir the ingredients for you, and the permitted cooking volume may be less than the bowl’s stated capacity.
Choose this if: you mainly make soups or slow-cooked dishes that you start several hours before mealtime.
Bear in mind: slow cooking isn’t the answer if you’re starting dinner late. Check the ingredients and food storage instructions before setting a delayed start.
Choose this if: rice regularly features in your meals and you don’t need lots of other cooking functions.
Bear in mind: the bowl’s capacity and the stated quantity of rice are different measurements; the keep-warm function doesn’t mean you can store rice indefinitely.
Choose this if: your meals mainly consist of steamed food and you can organise cooking in separate baskets.
Bear in mind: some models alert you when it’s time to add a basket, so you’ll still need to intervene during the programme.
Choose this if: your current appliance already suits your recipes and its timer meets your needs for cooking with less supervision.
Bear in mind: an alarm doesn’t necessarily mean the heat switches off. Bosch specifies automatic shut-off for the HBG774KB1F oven, but this feature isn’t available on every oven or hob.
The criteria below can help you identify what matters most: cooking a variety of recipes, preparing a dish in advance, mainly cooking rice or steaming food, or making the most of the appliance you already have.
| What matters | What to check before buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Varied recipes | The cooking modes that suit your recipes and any steps you’ll still need to do by hand. | If I make different dishes throughout the week, I want useful programmes without adding extra tasks. Around 31% of consumers prioritise versatility and cooking with less supervision. |
| Meals prepared in advance | Whether the programme sets the mealtime or just a cooking duration, and whether the ingredients can be stored as required. | When I start a slow-cooked dish well before dinner, the finish time and food storage matter more than speed. Around 25% of consumers prioritise having a meal prepared in advance. |
| Cooking rice | The quantity of rice recommended for the model and the instructions for keeping it warm. | If rice is often on the menu, I want a quantity that suits my portions and an appliance that’s easy to use. Around 19% of consumers put cooking rice first. |
| Steaming food | The number of baskets and when you need to add or remove food. | If most of my meals are steamed, I check whether foods with different cooking times require me to intervene. Around 13% of consumers prioritise this cooking method. |
| Existing appliances | Whether the timer actually switches off the heat or just sounds an alert. | If my oven or hob already does the job, I’d rather check what it can do before buying another appliance. Around 12% of consumers prioritise using the appliances they already have. |
The bowl’s capacity doesn’t always match the amount you’re allowed to cook in a recipe. UFC-Que Choisir gives the example of a Cookeo with a 6 l bowl and a maximum cooking capacity of 4 l; the limit varies by recipe.
Compare the model’s fill markings with the portion sizes required for the recipes you make.
These functions aren’t the same: according to its manufacturer, the Crock-Pot CSC066X lets you plan when a meal will be ready, the Philips HD9170/91 alerts you when it’s time to add baskets, and Bosch specifies automatic shut-off for the HBG774KB1F oven.
Check exactly how the programme works and how the food should be stored before setting it to wait.
A multi-cooker won’t necessarily stir the food, and a food steamer may require you to add a basket during the programme.
For the recipes you usually make, find out what you’ll need to do before, during and after cooking, as well as which parts need cleaning.
The Cookeo range is worth exploring if you’re looking for a pressure multi-cooker. Moulinex presents the Cookeo Touch WiFi CE902800 as suitable for 2 to 6 people.
The brand’s slow cookers are designed for meals started in advance. The TimeSelect CSC066X is an example of a model that lets you programme when you want your meal to be ready.
The Classic 2 RK103811 rice cooker is suited to households that cook rice regularly. Tefal also specifies a steaming basket for this model.
Philips food steamers are worth considering if you cook using baskets and your ingredients need different cooking times.
An oven you already have may be an option if its functions suit your recipes. The HBG774KB1F is an example of a model for which Bosch specifies automatic shut-off.
This selection includes programmable multi-cookers and rice cookers for preparing meals with less supervision, based on the features listed for each model.
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Worth considering if you want several cooking modes and a timer for setting the cooking duration.
6 L bowl, 9 menus and 2 pressure settings. The stated usable capacity is 5 L, so compare it with the portion sizes you need.
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Worth considering if rice is a regular part of your menu and you’d also like functions for porridge or soup.
Stated power of 860 W, capacity listed for 3 to 4 people and a 1.7 mm inner bowl. The title mentions a timer and a keep-warm function.
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Worth considering if you want a rice cooker that keeps food warm after cooking.
Stated capacity of 2 L, 14 portions and a keep-warm function advertised for up to 12 hours. This doesn’t mean you can store rice indefinitely.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for several cooking modes in one appliance.
The title describes a 7-in-1 appliance with a stainless steel inner bowl. When pressure cooking, follow the instructions for releasing pressure and keep your face and hands away from the steam outlet.
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Worth considering if you want several cooking modes, including options for rice, steaming and slow-cooked dishes.
Stated power of 1200 W, 12 preset menus and a non-stick bowl. When pressure cooking, follow the fill limits and don’t open the lid while the appliance is pressurised.
No. UFC-Que Choisir gives the example of a Cookeo with a 6 l bowl and a maximum cooking capacity of 4 l; the limit varies by recipe. Check the fill markings and the manual for your chosen model.
No. A timer doesn’t replace the food storage rules for ingredients that spoil easily. Anses recommends limiting how long they’re kept at room temperature and promptly returning the relevant foods to the fridge. Check the recipe and the manual before setting a delayed start.
Not necessarily. Check whether the model sounds an alert, sets a cooking duration or actually switches off the heat. Bosch specifies automatic shut-off for the HBG774KB1F oven; you can’t assume this feature is available on other models.
No. Anses says that Bacillus cereus can be present in rice and that temperature conditions affect how it multiplies. Follow the keep-warm instructions and food storage advice; this function isn’t a way to store food indefinitely.
Check the manual to see which parts can be removed and whether they’re dishwasher-safe. Crock-Pot specifies that the ceramic cooking pot on the CSC066X is dishwasher-safe; that doesn’t mean the lid, seals or baskets on other models can be cleaned in the same way.