If you switch between pressure cooking, steaming and slow cooking, choose a multi-cooker that actually offers these functions. For long-cooked dishes prepared in advance, a programmable slow cooker may be all you need. A rice cooker or steamer is better suited to a more specific use, while your existing appliances may do the job if their functions already cover your recipes. In every case, check the fill limit, keep-warm function and any steps you’ll still need to carry out during cooking.
Your choice depends mainly on the dishes you make and what you want the appliance to take care of once you’ve started it.
If you take turns making rice, slow-cooked dishes and steamed vegetables, a multi-cooker can bring several functions together in one pot. Check the programmes available on the model you’re considering, its fill limits and which steps still need to be done by hand.
A programmable slow cooker is suited to meals centred on stews, soups and other dishes that need a long cooking time. Check the programmable duration and whether it switches to keep-warm mode if the meal needs to wait before serving.
If your meals are mostly based around rice, grains or small portions, it’s worth comparing a compact rice cooker with a large multi-cooker. Check how much space it takes up and what you can actually cook in it.
Start with the dishes you usually make, then compare the functions that let you start cooking, finish the cycle and, if needed, keep the meal warm.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking methods | Look for the functions your recipes call for: pressure cooking, slow cooking, steaming, browning or rice cooking. ‘Programmable’ doesn’t mean the same functions on every appliance. | I often make different dishes: a multi-cooker with the functions I need could save me switching appliances. If I mainly make stews, a slow cooker may be enough. |
| End of the cycle | Check what the appliance does when cooking finishes: automatic shut-off, keep-warm function, how long it keeps food warm and whether it has a delay-start function. Follow the manufacturer’s guidance on ingredients used when setting a delayed start. | My mealtimes vary, so I want to know whether the dish can wait after cooking. If I serve it straight away, a steamer with automatic shut-off may suit my needs without a keep-warm function. |
| Usable capacity | Compare the stated capacity with the fill limit in the instructions, especially for pressure cooking and ingredients that swell. Stacked steaming baskets aren’t the same as one cooking pot with the same total capacity. | I want to make my usual portions without exceeding the level recommended for the recipe or giving too much space to an oversized appliance. |
| Cleaning and handling | Find out which parts are removable and which are dishwasher-safe. For a pressure cooker, also check the instructions for opening and releasing pressure. | After making a dish with sauce, I want to be able to remove and clean the parts I’ve used. Handling a hot cooking pot matters just as much as starting an automatic cycle. |
| Space and equipment | Measure the space available and check which accessories are included. Compare the useful functions with those of your existing saucepan, oven, casserole dish or appliance. | If I mainly cook rice or steam food, a dedicated appliance may suit my routine. If my current equipment already covers my recipes, I can keep using it. |
A pot’s stated capacity doesn’t necessarily match the amount you can cook in it. Fill limits are particularly important for liquid dishes, ingredients that swell and pressure cooking.
Check the levels given in the instructions for your recipes, then compare them with the portions you actually prepare.
A slow cooker may offer slow cooking and a keep-warm function, but no pressure cooking or browning. A steamer may stop its cycle without keeping the meal warm.
Make a note of the dishes you cook most often, then check the cooking functions, delay-start settings and end-of-cycle behaviour of each model separately.
Even an appliance that needs little attention while cooking may leave you with a lid, pot and accessories to clean. You’ll also need to take care when removing a hot, full pot.
Check which parts are removable and dishwasher-safe, and how to handle the pot according to the instructions.
These models show different approaches to programmable cooking; their features don’t apply to every appliance from the same brand.
The Cookeo+ CE85B510 is an example of a multi-cooker with one pot, designed for switching between different recipes.
The CSC052X is a programmable slow cooker, while the Turbo Express CSC062X is a pressure multi-cooker.
The Pop RK535AE0 is a compact rice cooker suited to cooking rice and a few other dishes.
The Ultracompact VC204800 is a good fit if you’re looking for a steamer with several tiers.
This Joybuy selection includes three multi-cookers and a rice cooker. Compare their functions with your recipes, and check the instructions for filling and programming requirements before choosing.
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Worth considering if you make a variety of dishes in a large pot. The title lists 12 pre-set menus; check the fill limit for each recipe, especially when pressure cooking, as well as the guidance for using the delay-start function.
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If you make meals that call for different cooking methods, compare its programmes with the recipes you make most often. It has a stated capacity of 5.7 L. If you plan your meals around a delay-start or keep-warm function, check the details for this model.
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Worth comparing if you’d like several cooking methods in one pot. The title lists nine menus, two pressure settings and a 24-hour timer; check what the timer controls, whether it keeps food warm after cooking and which language the menus use.
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Worth considering for a household of 1 to 3 people whose meals are mainly based around rice. The title lists a 220 V power supply and a 12-hour preset timer; check how it works, the usable capacity and whether it has a keep-warm function.
Not necessarily: a pot’s stated capacity isn’t always its fill limit during cooking. Check the levels in the instructions for your model and recipe, especially when cooking liquids, ingredients that swell or food under pressure.
A programmable slow cooker may be a good choice if slow cooking is what you mainly need. Crock-Pot lists programming for up to 20 hours and automatic keep-warm mode for the CSC052X; check the preparation guidance and cooking time for your recipe.
Yes, if the meals you want to make in it are mainly rice-based and use other programmes that the model actually offers. Tefal describes the Pop RK535AE0 as a 2 L cooker for 1 to 4 people, with eight programmes; don’t assume it has the pressure-cooking functions of a multi-cooker.
Not always. The SEB Ultracompact VC204800 has a 60-minute timer with automatic shut-off, but its product information says it doesn’t have a keep-warm function. If your meal needs to wait, check whether the model you’re considering offers this feature.