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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
Steam Release
Safety Lid Lock
Wireless Lid Detection
Lid Position Detection
Overheat (Burn) Protection
Anti-Block Shield
Automatic Pressure Control
Pressure Indicator
Automatic Temperature Control
Leaky Lid Detection
Self-Diagnostic
Thermal Fuse
Electrical Fuse
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.
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.
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 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
Chefman 6 Qt. 9-in-1
Crock-Pot Express Crock Programmable Multi-Cooker (SCCPPC600-V1)
Cuisinart CPC-600 6 Quart
Instant Pot Duo Mini 3
Instant Pot DUO Plus 8 Qt 9-in-1
Instant Pot DUO80 8 Qt 7-in-1
Instant Pot LUX Mini 3 Qt 6-in-1
Instant Pot Max 6 Quart
Instant Pot Ultra 3 Qt 10-in-1
Instant Pot Ultra 8 Qt 10-in-1
Ninja Foodi TenderCrisp Pressure Cooker
Power Pressure Cooker XL 10 Quarts (Model WAL4)
Tayama TMC-60XL 6-Quart 8-in-1
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