To get a slow-cooked meal started and then get on with other things, choose a programmable multicooker if its settings and instructions suit your recipe. A slow cooker is best for low-and-slow cooking, while an electric pressure cooker also offers pressure cooking when time is short. A food-cooking processor is worth considering if you want to prepare the ingredients too. Your saucepan or oven may be all you need if you’re available to keep an eye on the cooking. In every case, check the usable capacity, programmable functions, cleaning requirements and instructions for the model you choose.
If you prepare the ingredients before moving on to something else, compare cooking programmes, delayed start and keep-warm functions separately. If the meal also needs to be ready quickly, look for models with a pressure-cooking mode. Automated cooking is still subject to the instructions in the manual and recipe.
If chopping, mixing or kneading is a regular part of your recipes, it’s worth comparing a food-cooking processor with a multicooker. Check which tools are included and how many parts you’ll need to clean after cooking.
For family meals or leftovers, start with the quantities you actually cook. The capacity listed on the product page may not match a recipe’s maximum fill level, so also consider how easy the cooking pot is to handle and clean.
If you’re mainly looking for low-and-slow cooking, consider slow cookers. If preparing the ingredients takes as much time as cooking, look at food-cooking processors. Keeping your saucepan or oven is also an option if programmable cooking isn’t something you need regularly.
| What matters | What to check before buying | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Planning your meal | Check the difference between programmable settings, delayed start and keep-warm functions. Read the recipe and appliance instructions. | If I prepare the meal before getting on with something else, I want to know which steps still need my attention and when the food will be ready. Around 33% of consumers would put this kind of cooking organisation at the top of their list. |
| Cutting down cooking time | Confirm that it has a pressure-cooking mode and check the instructions for the lid and releasing pressure. | When I get home shortly before mealtime, pressure cooking matters more to me than having lots of settings I won’t use. Saving time would be the priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Preparing and cooking | Check that it has chopping or mixing tools to suit your recipes, and consider which parts you’ll need to store and clean. | If my meals often involve chopping or mixing before cooking, I want to bring those steps together in one appliance. Around 20% of consumers would put this all-in-one preparation ahead of other criteria. |
| Portion sizes and cleaning | Compare the total capacity with the fill limits, then consider how easy the cooking pot is to handle and the parts are to clean. | When cooking several portions, I need to be able to fill the pot properly without making it difficult to handle or wash. Around 20% of consumers would make usable capacity and cleaning their main priorities. |
You may need to leave room in the pot, depending on the recipe. UFC-Que Choisir gives the example of a Cookeo listed as 6 L, with a maximum cooking capacity of 4 L. This limit should not be assumed to apply to every model.
Compare the quantities you usually cook with the limits given for the programmes on the model you’re considering, rather than relying on the litre figure on its product page.
Controlling the heat and cooking time doesn’t mean the appliance will chop vegetables or mix ingredients. Some recipes still need preparation or attention during cooking.
Choose a food-cooking processor if its preparation tools suit steps you often carry out. If your ingredients are already prepared, compare a multicooker or slow cooker too.
Delayed start, keep-warm and pressure control vary by model. Features listed by Moulinex for a specific Cookeo or by Crock-Pot for the TimeSelect CSC093X do not apply to their entire ranges.
Check the manual for the exact model to see its settings, which steps need your attention and its safety instructions, particularly for pressure cooking.
A recall published on RappelConso in 2026 concerned a specific electric cooking appliance that posed an overheating risk. It was not a finding about multicookers in general.
Keep the exact model details and proof of purchase. Check RappelConso for that model and, if it has been recalled, follow the published instructions.
The models reviewed cover two different needs: Cookeo pressure cookers for managing the cooking, and Companion food-cooking processors for combining preparation and cooking.
The TimeSelect CSC093X reviewed is suited to low-and-slow cooking when you want to plan what time your meal will be ready.
The Cook Expert Connect reviewed is a food-cooking processor to consider if you want to combine cooking with steps such as chopping, mixing or kneading.
These appliances are electric multi-cookers, and may be worth considering if you want to compare pressure cooking with the way you usually make slow-cooked meals. Check each model’s delayed-start, keep-warm and slow-cooking functions before relying on them.
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Worth considering if you want to plan cooking in advance and have a pressure-cooking mode. The product title lists 24-hour programming, nine menus, two pressure settings and a total capacity of 6 L. Check that it has the settings you need.
Before buying, check the fill limits, cleaning instructions, the plug and power supply required, and whether clear instructions are available in French.
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Worth looking at if you need a larger stated capacity for several portions: the Rio XL is listed as 7.1 L. For slow-cooked meals, check the settings on this specific model and the quantity allowed for each recipe.
If serving time matters, check the manual for delayed start and keep-warm functions. Also check the cleaning instructions, plug, power supply required and whether instructions are available in French.
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This 5.7 L version may be worth comparing if you want a lower stated capacity than the Rio XL. To choose between them, consider the portions and cooking settings you need, and don’t assume the total volume is the same as the fill capacity.
Check for a delayed-start function if you need to schedule when cooking begins, and look for a manual in French. When pressure cooking, follow the specific warnings for the lid, steam and fill level.
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Worth considering if, as well as slow-cooked meals, the air-fryer lid and integrated scales listed for this version suit the food you make. Its stated total capacity is 6 L; check the fill limits for the selected setting to work out how many portions you can cook.
Before planning to use it every day, check the programming and keep-warm functions, cleaning instructions, plug, power supply required and whether a manual in French is available.
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Worth comparing for meals that make several portions and for its listed combination of slow-cooker and pressure-cooker settings. The product title gives a total capacity of 8 L, a power rating of 1200 W and 12 pre-set menus. None of these figures alone tells you how much you can cook for your recipe.
Check the manual for fill limits, how delayed start and keep-warm work, cleaning instructions, the power supply required and whether instructions are available in French. Follow the guidance for steam and opening the lid.
Not necessarily: the limit depends on the appliance, setting and recipe. UFC-Que Choisir gives the example of a 6 L Cookeo with a maximum cooking capacity of 4 L. Check the fill markings for your model before deciding how many portions to make.
It depends on the model and the steps in the recipe. Moulinex says the Cookeo Touch Wifi CE902800 can cook without intervention, but this doesn’t apply to every multicooker. Check your model’s manual, particularly for steps that need your attention and instructions on delayed start or pressure cooking.
Consider a food-cooking processor if you also want to chop, mix or knead regularly in the same appliance. Moulinex lists these functions for some Companion models, and Magimix does so for the Cook Expert Connect. If your ingredients are already prepared, compare the cooking settings, capacity and cleaning requirements of a multicooker or slow cooker instead.
Search for its exact model details on RappelConso before buying and while you’re using it. If that model has been recalled, follow the instructions on its notice. For example, a recall published in 2026 for an electric cooking appliance advised people to stop using it because of a burn risk.