Ultimate Guide to the Best Multi Cookers 2021


There’s no doubt that multi cookers are one of the most revolutionary appliances to ever appear in home kitchen countertops in recent memory. There is simply no good reason not to have one in your home, because these things are so useful and versatile, and yet they’re also affordable. In fact, it can even save you a lot of money. 

You Need a Multi Cooker!

That’s because multi cookers can give you the combined functions of several different appliances. A single multi cooker can pressure cook, slow cook, steam, sauté, prepare soups and broth, and cook rice. And those are just the basic functions—other models add a lot more. 

You’d think that with so many functions available, these multi cookers could be too complicated to use for many folks, especially cooking newbies. But the truth is - the reverse is true. These things are somehow designed to help inexperienced cooks to prepare delicious meals without any hassle. That’s because the best of these multi cookers tend to offer 1-touch buttons for each function. You just press a particular button, and the multi cooker will then use its programmed temperature, pressure, and time settings to cook your food. 

Cooking becomes so much easier, and it goes faster as well. All these advantages are ideal for the modern world, when people simply don’t have the time to devote to slaving over a hot stove for so many hours each day. Now people want things done a lot quicker and easier. You can even try to slow cook for hours starting in the morning or use the delay start timer, so when you come back from work later in the evening your food is nicely hot and ready to eat. 

Since you combine all these functions in a single device, you will certainly save a lot of money by not buying all these different appliances separately. In addition, these multicookers can save you a lot of kitchen countertop and cabinet space. 

All in all, it’s easy enough to understand the multi cooker is one of the best appliances you can buy for your kitchen. That’s actually not up for debate. What’s more difficult is to determine which multi cooker brand and model is best for your needs, preferences, and budget. 

That’s what we will figure out together in this overview article on terrific multi cookers. We will go over possible features you may (or may not) want, along with how you should make sure you get the right size. 

Features to Consider

Multi cookers may have very similar designs and capabilities, but they may have somewhat different specific features. Here are some functions and features that you need to consider when you’re making your multi cooker choice:

  • Size

Smaller sizes include 3-quart versions and some are even smaller (like 2.5 quarts). This size is best for solo diners and couples, and you may want to consider this for picnics and RV camping trips. The small size makes it very portable. On the other hand, a small size doesn’t make enough food for a regular family, much less for large groups. 

The standard size is usually the 6-quart version, though you may also consider the 4.5-quart size. This midsize version is great for a family of 4 to 6 people. Even couples may want to consider getting a multi cooker this size in case they have guests to entertain. 

Larger sizes include the 8-quart and sometimes even 10-quart versions. This is the one you get when you usually make food for more than 6 people at a time. If you generally just cook for a family of 4 or more, then this large size should be considered so that you’re still ready when you have surprise guests for lunch or dinner.

  • Cooking Methods

Basic methods include: pressure cooking, slow cooking, steam, sear, and sauté. 

However, some multi cookers offer additional cooking methods that you may not see in another models. These include: sous vide, air fry, bake, broil, brown, and roast. Having more cooking method options is always more fun, but then you have to pay for these extra cooking options. Another extra function that may be include is sterilizer, so you can sterilize utensils and baby bottles.

  • Buttons for Specific Dishes

When you check out a multi cooker, you may find buttons labeled with a particular food instead of a cooking method. So, you may find buttons for specific foods such as meat, beef, stew, beans, chili, rice, risotto, multigrain, yogurt, poultry, dessert, soup, egg, porridge, fish, vegetables, and cake.

  • Delay Start

The delay start timer lets you put the food in the pot and then it will start cooking at a later time. This is great when prepare everything in the morning, and you want to have your multi cooker finish cooking when you arrive home from work. Some delay timers are good for 12 hours delay, while others offer a 24-hour delay option so you can even prepare everything the night before.

  • Keep Warm

You can use this feature to warm up leftovers, but in many cases the feature is automatic. Once your food is cooked to perfection, the multi cooker can then automatically go into keep warm mode to make sure the food is nice and hot until you’re ready to eat. 

Some keep warm features are only good for 4 hours, which should be enough time for most meals. However, other models may offer a keep warm function that can last for 10 hours or more. This type of multi cooker is great for all-day festivities, when the food is kept warm in the pot and people can just eat anytime they feel hungry during the festivities. You can use this for festivals, tailgate parties, overnight camping stays, and beach or swimming pool parties.

  • Real Time Monitoring

Some multi cookers have sensors that can sense the state of your food. And it then can adjust the current temperature, pressure, and timer settings to suit the state of the food. 

  • Manual Adjustments

In some multi cookers, you are required to accept the temperature, pressure, and timer settings whenever you push a button to cook your food. This is great for newbies, but sometimes experienced cooks like to set their own settings to suit their particular taste.

That’s why in some multi cookers, you can adjust the settings to tweak the parameters according to your preferences. You can lower or increase the pressure and the temperature, or lengthen or shorten the cooking time.

  • Custom Settings

In some advanced multi cookers, you even have a button with your own preprogrammed settings. You won’t have to manually set the settings every time. Instead, you can push a single button and these settings are set in automatically.

  • Steam Release

Some multi cookers allow you to release the steam inside the pot in various ways. This can be an instant release, a continuous release, or in pulses. Other models can let the multi cooker monitor the steam inside the pot and release the steam automatically whenever it is required.

  • Materials

In general, multi cookers are made of stainless steel. The parts inside the pot should be in food-grade quality. Some are non-stick or don’t have chemical coatings for safety. Others have fingerprint-resistant stainless steel on the interior, which makes the pot look nicer and cleaner. 

But you may find multi cookers made from aluminum, which is both strong and lightweight.

  • Controls

In most cases, you only have to press a 1-touch button to get things done with your multi cooker. But other user interface controls include touchscreen displays and dials in addition to buttons.

  • Safety Features

Most of the good multi cookers have sets of safety features to make sure that you don’t damage the unit when you’re using it, or even injure yourself. Your multi cooker may have some or even all of the following safety mechanisms:

  1. Steam Release 

  2. Safety Lid Lock 

  3. Wireless Lid Detection 

  4. Lid Position Detection 

  5. Overheat (Burn) Protection 

  6. Anti-Block Shield

  7. Automatic Pressure Control 

  8. Pressure Indicator 

  9. Automatic Temperature Control 

  10. Leaky Lid Detection 

  11. Self-Diagnostic 

  12. Thermal Fuse 

  13. Electrical Fuse

  • Easy to Clean

How easy is it to clean? Often you need to check out the customer reviews to make sure that a unit is indeed easy to clean without a hassle. However, you can check if it has dishwasher-safe parts so it makes things easier for you. 

  • Lid Use

The lid should at the very least lock securely on the pot to make sure that the flavors and aromas are locked inside the multi cooker. Some models allow you to open the lid and place it on the side of the lid, like it’s on a hinge. This is great if you have a small or crowded countertop and you won’t need to look for a spot to place the lid.

  • Freebies

Some multi cookers come with several free accessories. These can include recipes or even an app, along with various types of spoons and ladles.

Multi Cookers to Choose From

Multi cookers come in a variety of models with different sizes and features. Here’s a quick overview on which models may suit your particular fancy:

Multi Cooker

Size

Capacity

# of Cooking Methods

# of 1-Button Setting

Safety Features

Price

Our Review

Breville BPR700BSS Fast Slow Pro Multi Function Cooker, Brushed Stainless Steel

Breville Fast Slow Pro

6 quarts

6

24

3

Chefman 6 Qt. 9-in-1

6 quarts

6

11

7

Crock-Pot Express Crock Programmable Multi-Cooker (SCCPPC600-V1)

6 quarts

6

15

1

Cuisinart CPC-600 6 Quart (2018 model)

6 quarts

5

5

2

Instant Pot Duo Mini 3

3 quarts

6

12

3

Instant Pot DUO Plus 8 Qt 9-in-1

8 quarts

5

14

10

Instant Pot DUO80 8 Qt 7-in-1

8 quarts

4

12

10

Instant Pot LUX Mini 3 Qt 6-in-1

3 quarts

4

8

10

Instant Pot Max 6 Quart

6 quarts

4

8

13

Instant Pot Ultra 3 Qt 10-in-1

3 quarts

6

14

11

Instant Pot Ultra 8 Qt 10-in-1

8 quarts

6

16

11

Ninja Foodi TenderCrisp Pressure Cooker

6.5 quarts

9

7

14

Power Pressure Cooker XL 10 Quarts (Model WAL4)

10 quarts

3

6

8

Tayama TMC-60XL 6-Quart 8-in-1

6 quarts

4

7

6

Breville Fast Slow Pro

  • 6-quart capacity, good for family of 4
  • Cooking method options: pressure cook, slow cook, sear, sauté, reduce, and steam
  • 11 different preprogrammed settings for slow cook and pressure cook: vegetables, rice, risotto, soup, stock, beans, poultry, meat, bone-in meat, chili/stew, and desert
  • Also includes a custom setting for your favorite recipe
  • Slow cooking can go for 2 to 12 hours
  • Has 2 sensors at top and bottom, for greater accuracy in pressure and temperature control

Chefman 6 Qt. 9-in-1

  • 6-quart capacity
  • Cooking methods: pressure cooking (high and low pressure), steam, slow cook, brown and sauté
  • Other programmable options: rice, beef/poultry, chili/beans, soup/stew
  • Delay start timer up to 24 hours ahead
  • Keep warm lasts up to 6 hours
  • Aluminum cooking pot
  • Stainless steel lid with cool to the touch finish
  • Carry handle with locking lid
  • Freebies include measuring cup and rice paddle, along with access to online recipes and tutorial videos
  • 7 safety mechanisms
  • Non-stick pot insert is also dishwasher-safe

Crock-Pot Express Crock Programmable Multi-Cooker (SCCPPC600-V1)

  • The SCCPPC600-V1 is the 6-quart version (though there’s also a 4 and 8-quart version as well)
  • Cooking methods: slow cook, pressure cook, brown/sauté, steam
  • Cooking time can be set for a duration of 30 minutes to 12 hours
  • Other programmable buttons: meat/stew, beans/chili, rice/risotto, yogurt, poultry, dessert, soup, and multigrain
  • Delay timer and keep warm feature
  • Lid holder feature
  • Non-stick cooking pot that’s dishwasher-safe
  • Airtight locking lid that only opens when all pressure is released

Cuisinart CPC-600 6 Quart

  • 6-quart capacity
  • Cooking methods: pressure cooking (high and low pressure), browning, sauté, simmer
  • Keep warm can go up to 12 hours
  • Non-stick cooking pot that’s dishwasher-safe
  • Brushed stainless steel, fingerprint-proof
  • Cool-touch side handles
  • Comes with recipe book
  • 3-year warranty (usually 1-year warranty for other models)

Instant Pot Duo Mini 3

  • 3-quart capacity, great for small families, camping, or for dorm use
  • Cooking methods: pressure cook (high and low), slow cook, sauté, and steam
  • Other programmable options: soup/broth, meat/stew, bean/chili, rice, porridge, yogurt
  • Delay start timer for up to 24 hours
  • Automatic keep warm feature
  • LED panel
  • Food-grade stainless steel with no chemical coatings
  • Lid holder for left- and right-handed users
  • Steam rack, inner pot, and lid are all dishwasher-safe

Instant Pot DUO Plus 8 Qt 9-in-1

  • 8-quart capacity good for larger families or when guests come over
  • Cooking methods: pressure cook, slow cook, sauté, steam, and sterilize
  • Other programmable options: soup/broth, meat/stew, bean/chili/, cake, egg, rice, multigrain, porridge, yogurt
  • 10 safety mechanisms
  • Food-grade stainless steel
  • Steam rack with handles
  • Even heat distribution with 3-ply inner pot bottom
  • Delay start feature
  • Keep warm feature
  • Lid holder for right and left-handed users
  • Stainless steel lid that’s dishwasher safe
  • Status icons indicators, for when cooking is in progress, if pressure cook is selected, if keep warm is on or off, or if sound is on and off when cooking finishes

Instant Pot DUO80 8 Qt 7-in-1

  • 8-quart capacity
  • Cooking methods: pressure cooker, steamer, slow cooker, and sauté
  • Other programmable options: soup/broth, meat/stew, bean/chili, poultry, rice, multigrain, yogurt, and porridge
  • Delay start timer up to 24 hours
  • Automatic keep warm function
  • Food grade stainless steel
  • 10 safety mechanisms
  • Freebies include free recipe app with more than 300 recipes, a recipe booklet, a measuring cup, a condensation collector, a soup spoon, rice paddle, and a stainless-steel rack with handles

Instant Pot LUX Mini 3 Qt 6-in-1

  • 3-quart capacity, great for RV camping and for dorm life
  • Cooking methods: pressure cook, slow cook, sauté, and steam
  • 3 temperature options for sauté and slow cook
  • Pressure cooking can last up to 4 hours
  • Other programmable options include: soup/broth, meat/stew, egg, rice, and porridge
  • Delay start timer up to 24 hours
  • Keep warm feature can last up to 10 hours
  • Food-grade stainless steel with no chemical coating
  • 10 safety mechanisms
  • Even heat distribution with 3-ply bottom
  • Steam rack, lid, and inner pot are all dishwasher safe
  • Comes with free app

Instant Pot Max 6 Quart

  • 6-quart capacity
  • Cooking options: pressure cook, sauté, sous vide, slow cook
  • 5 sensors for temperature, pressure, and lid position
  • Pressure cooking time up to 8 hours
  • Delay start
  • Other programmable options: rice, soup/broth, canning, yogurt
  • Touchscreen interface
  • Altitude adjustments takes into account the altitude of your location
  • Food grade stainless steel with no chemical coatings
  • Lid holder for left- and right-handed users
  • Steam rack, lid, and inner pot are all dishwasher safe
  • 13 safety features
  • Free app with more than a thousand recipes

 Instant Pot Ultra 3 Qt 10-in-1

  • 3-quart capacity
  • Cooking options: pressure cook, steam, slow cook, sear, sauté, and sterilize
  • Other programmable options: soup/broth, meat/stew, bean/chili, rice, porridge, egg, yogurt
  • Has Ultra options for custom settings
  • Altitude adjustments
  • Cooking progress indicator
  • Dial for program selection and adjusting settings
  • Delay start timer
  • Keep warm feature
  • Sound can be turned on or off
Instant Pot Ultra 3 Qt 10-in-1 Multi- Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Yogurt Maker, Cake Maker, Egg Cooker, Sauté, Steamer, Warmer, and Sterilizer (Renewed)

Instant Pot Ultra 8 Qt 10-in-1

  • 8-quart capacity
  • Cooking options: pressure cook, steam, slow cook, sear, sauté, and sterilize
  • Other programmable options: soup/broth, meat/stew, bean/chili, rice, porridge, egg, yogurt
  • Has Ultra options for custom settings
  • Altitude adjustments
  • Cooking progress indicator
  • Dial for program selection and adjusting settings
  • Delay start timer
  • Keep warm feature
  • Sound can be turned on or off

Ninja Foodi TenderCrisp Pressure Cooker

  • 6.5-quart pot with 4-quart basket
  • Cooking options: pressure cook, steam, slow cook, sear/sauté,
  • Air frying options: air crisp, bake/roast, broil
  • Automatic keep warm function
  • Nonstick, ceramic-coated pot
  • Comes with stainless steel reversible rack, and 15-recipe book

Power Pressure Cooker XL 10 Quarts (Model WAL4)

  • 10-quart capacity
  • Cooking options: pressure cook, slow cook, sauté
  • Other options: stew, rice,
  • Adjustable pressure
  • Dishwasher safe inner pot

Tayama TMC-60XL 6-Quart 8-in-1

  • 6-quart capacity
  • Cooking options: sterilization, slow cook, pressure cook, steam
  • Other options: soup/stew, rice/risotto, beans/lentils, fish/vegetables, chicken/meat
  • Delay start feature
  • Automatic keep warm
  • Slow cook up to 20 hours
  • 3 sub settings for wild rice, white rice, and brown rice
  • Manual settings possible
  • Non-stick pot
  • Easily washed removable lid
  • Steam tray and canning rack included

Best Multicookers for Various Categories

So, which one is the best for you? It depends greatly on what you need and the particular features you’re looking for. The size, the cooking methods, and even the price can affect your choice.

The make things easier for you to choose, here are our definitive best picks for various categories:

Best Multicooker Overall: Instant Pot Duo

This is represented by the Instant Pot Duo80 on our list of options, but you do have smaller 6-quart and 3-quart alternatives. But this larger version suits plenty of families, even if they do have some friends come over for dinner.


This is the choice of many experts in the cooking industry, and this may be surprising because the Duo is actually an older model. But that may actually be part of the reason. Now that it’s not so new it’s much more affordable, and at the same time it has proven itself for years. It works, it has satisfied tens of thousands of customer reviewers, and it is proven to last. You can easily find lots of recipes online specifically made for the Instant Pot Duo.


This is a versatile product that you can use mainly as a pressure cooker, steamer, slow cooker, sauté, and rice cooker (among other things). It’s extremely easy to use, and with the 8-quart version you get fantastic food for numerous diners. It’s even easy to clean as well.

Best Multicooker with Unique Cooking Features: Ninja Foodi TenderCrisp Pressure Cooker

Have you heard about air frying your food for both taste and healthy reasons? Now you can make use pf that option with your multicooker. The Ninja Foodi can use air frying for air crisp, bake, roast, and broil. These are in addition to being able to pressure cook, steam, slow cook, sear, and sauté. You can use this for dehydrating as well.


Consider if you have a regular multicooker and you buy an air fryer, and you’re planning to use both to cook your chicken. First you have to pressure cook the chicken, then you have to transfer the darn thing to the air fryer and hope it doesn’t fall apart during the transfer. Now you have a single pot to do everything!

Best Premium Multicooker: Breville Fast Slow Pro 6-Quart

Now if price is no object and you want the best (along with good value for money), this is what you get. While it’s definitely not cheap, it’s also extremely reliable and durable. Not only will it work very well for you, but it will do so for a very long time.


This gives you 11 cooking modes while you also get a manual mode. Its sensors are super-accurate so that it can set the best temperature and pressure levels for you during the cooking process. These features aren’t the only advanced benefits you get, and the craftmanship is undeniably high quality.

Best Small Multicooker and Best Affordable Multicooker: Instant Pot Duo Mini 3

We’ve already mentioned the Instant Pot Duo as the best overall, so this choice shouldn’t be surprising. Some may have expected the Mini to have fewer features because of its smaller size and lower price, but that’s not the case.


It’s just as good as its bigger siblings, only more portable and more affordable.

Best Large Multicooker: Instant Pot DUO Plus 8 Qt 9-in-1

To be fair, if it’s about value for money then the winner is the DUO80. But this is the more advanced model (hence the Plus) and it deserves a special mention. It’s just as good and as reliable as the regular Duo, and it offers newer features like the status icons so you can tell what’s happening at a glance. This is also extremely versatile, easy to use, and easy to learn. It’s basically the terrific Duo model with a few newer features!

Conclusion

It seems ironic that deciding which one is best for your needs may be more difficult that cooking food with any of these multicookers. You've decided why you should buy a multi cooker, now you can pick one for whatever features are important to you; according to size, especially if you have a large family or you live alone; if you like all the modern cooking methods, try the ones with the air fry or sous vide options.; or you can just try any of these multicookers—they’re all great, and any of them can make life much easier for you in the kitchen!


You may also check our review of FLEISCHER AND WOLF Stainless Steel Cookware 10 Piece Set or alternatively, check out 

The Ultimate Cookware Set.

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