Multi-cookers are hardly a brand new idea however over the previous few years, we have seen extra modern methods by which they’ve turn out to be multi-functional; this has pushed the calibre of recent merchandise up and their costs down.
Some multi-cookers provide as much as 15 features and this versatility not solely saves on workspace by lowering the necessity for a number of home equipment, it additionally might prevent cash – a key issue that we thought of when testing and reviewing.
In case you’re on the lookout for a more healthy strategy to obtain the acquainted style and textures of historically fried meals, sure multi-cookers could be a step up from the greatest air fryers. Others take away the anxiousness of stove-top strain cookers by automating the strain construct and launch, so you continue to get the conveniently fast, meals tenderising impact however much more so.
Whether or not you’re cooking on a price range, trying to streamline your power utilization or just need to create some area in a busy kitchen, we’ve introduced you our tried and examined picks of the perfect multi-cookers at the moment out there available on the market.
The most recent additions have been examined by Elaine Lemm.
Finest multi-cookers at a look
5/5 stars:
- Finest multi-cooker total: Instantaneous Pot Professional 5.7L multi-cooker, £199
- Finest multi-cooker for sterilising: Instantaneous Pot Plus multi-cooker, £149.99
- Finest multi-cooker sluggish cooker: Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker 8-in-1 sluggish cooker, £149.99
Better of the remainder:
- Finest rice cooker multi-cooker: Sage the Quick Sluggish Go multi-cooker, £169.95
- Finest multi-cooker for quick meals: Instantaneous Pot Traditional 5.7L multi-cooker, £149
- Finest multi-cooker for smaller households: Instantaneous Pot Traditional 3.8L multi-cooker, £79.99
- Finest multi-cooker for fast outcomes: Ninja Speedi 10-in-1 fast cooker, £229.99
- Finest trendy multi-cooker: Cosori 9-in-1 Electrical 5.7L strain cooker, £99.99
- Finest multi-cooker with air fryer: Ninja Foodi Max 15-in-1 SmartLid 7.5L multi-cooker, £269
- Finest price range multi-cooker with air fryer: ProCook Multicooker and Airfryer, £149
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How we examined multi-cookers
The extra features an equipment has, the extra testing that’s warranted to make sure all the pieces works the way in which it ought to.
We examined the features we deemed important for on a regular basis cooking and most helpful to have beneath one lid: strain prepare dinner, air-fry/crisp, sluggish prepare dinner, rice, bake, grill, roast, sear and sauté features, together with combi steam air-fry and combi air-fry choices, if out there.
To check strain cooking, we tailored Good Meals’s beef & vegetable casserole recipe, lowering liquid portions by half and including flour for thickening in the direction of the top of cooking.
Sluggish cooker rooster korma is a wonderful indicator of flavour infusion and highlights a mannequin’s potential to tenderise however not overcook meat. The aromas additionally linger, which makes check of how simple it’s to scrub every multi-cooker. For baking features, we used a gluten-free lemon drizzle cake to point an evenly baked cake with out burning throughout the highest, sides or backside.
- Ease of use: We checked how intuitive the controls have been, from deciding on features to monitoring cooking progress. We additionally checked out security options resembling strain launch valves, ensuring they have been easy to make use of.
- Worth for cash: Every multi-cooker was assessed on whether or not its value matched the standard of meals it produced and the vary of features it provided. A better value wanted to be justified by versatility, reliability and efficiency
- Ease of cleansing: We examined how easy every mannequin was to scrub each day – whether or not the lid trapped sturdy odours, if sealing rims might be eliminated for an intensive wash and the way simple the interior bowl was to keep up.
- High quality of supplies: Sturdiness issues, so we appeared intently at how every multi-cooker was constructed.
- Sustainability: We thought of every product’s long-term affect, taking a look at guarantee cowl, recycling steerage, the recyclability of packaging and the place the equipment was manufactured
Why you possibly can belief Good Meals evaluations
As professional product testers, myself and the group at Good Meals have reviewed dozens of multi-cookers over the previous 4 years, utilizing our trusted matrix format to place each via its paces.
We check each mannequin within the Good Meals Check Kitchen, which is designed to mirror an abnormal house kitchen moderately than a lab. We additionally work with trusted freelance contributors, who check in their very own kitchens to verify our evaluations seize a variety of real-life cooking experiences.
As all the time, we don’t share our evaluations with producers or retailers earlier than publication, and we by no means settle for cost in return for constructive protection.
Finest multi-cookers to purchase in 2026
Instantaneous Pot Professional 5.7L multi-cooker
Accessible from Amazon (£199), Currys (£249)
Finest multi-cooker total
Execs
- Highly effective mannequin
- Wi-Fi management from a distance
- Quietest steam launch in Instantaneous Pot vary
Cons
Star ranking: 5/5
Wattage: 1200W
Essentially the most highly effective – and costly – multi-cooker within the Instantaneous Pot vary, the Professional mannequin is a good alternative for individuals who are already acquainted with the wonders of multi-cooking and need to take issues up a notch.
For starters, it appears to be like nice, with angled ridges on its glossy black casing. It has all of the features you’d count on, tackling all the pieces from steaming to baking, and since this mannequin makes use of an additional 200W, we discovered the vital sauté stage higher than ever – producing flavoursome and browned meat earlier than strain cooking.
The brand new Nutriboost operate helps agitate the meals because it cooks, so these tomato-based dishes like ragu are much less more likely to follow the pot and provides the dreaded burn. The sluggish cooker appeared improved on this mannequin too – our five-hour rooster korma was a superbly cooked delight to return house to.
It takes some time to totally discover the features of even essentially the most fundamental Instantaneous Pot, so this superior mannequin may not be your best option for novices. However in the event you’re already within the legion of devoted ‘Potheads’ (sure, it’s a factor) then this can be a worthy Wi-Fi improve.
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Instantaneous Pot Plus multi-cooker
Accessible from Amazon (£149.99)
Finest multi-cooker for sterilising
Execs:
- Distant steam launch
- Sterilising operate
- Simple-to-use app supplies recipes in addition to distant management
- Nutriboost operate agitates meals which might help forestall sticking
Cons:
- Could also be sophisticated for the novice consumer
- There are extra highly effective selections available on the market
Star ranking: 5/5
Watts: 1000W
How a lot can we love the Instantaneous Pot? Lots. However would we like this bells and whistles model, with Wi-Fi management? The chance is that it might overcomplicate meal prep, however fortunately, the Instantaneous Join app provides clear directions how one can profit from its distant capabilities.
The choice to steam launch (and select the depth) via the app was a bonus. It’s nice for these of us who really feel nervous about being near the pot when this occurs. Moreover, you possibly can programme, cease and begin the machine from a distance, and examine on progress with the countdown and completion alert.
We discovered this alternative environment friendly and really versatile – from moist salmon fillets to fall-apart beef stews, it gave nice outcomes each time. Sterilisation is a helpful extra operate, distinctive to this specific Instantaneous Pot mannequin. Nice for individuals who have to prep child bottles or jars for jams and chutneys, and so forth.
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Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker 8-in-1 sluggish cooker
Accessible from Very (£119), Argos (£119.99), Ninja (£129.99)
Finest multi-cooker sluggish cooker
Execs:
- Intuitive controls
- Serving spoon and steam rack included
- Eight-litre cooking pot
- All packaging might be recycled
- Sear/sauté performance
Cons:
- Giant footprint
- Exterior will get sizzling in use
Star ranking: 5/5
Wattage: 1200W
Whereas technically a sluggish cooker, this Ninja mannequin is so impressively versatile that it is also labeled as a multi-cooker. Its eight features embrace sluggish prepare dinner, sauté/sear, steam, braise, simmer, bake, show, and preserve heat, and at eight litres, it is the optimum dimension for feeding a crowd or batch-cooking for the week forward.
You possibly can pop the family-sized cooking pot within the oven (as much as 240C) if you wish to crisp up pastry or cheese-topped dishes. Transferring it from the kitchen to the desk is easy because of the stay-cool handles, however keep in mind the outside will get highly regarded. You will additionally want warmth safety to carry the lid deal with throughout cooking.
This mannequin carried out brilliantly on check, too: the venison madras curry we made was completely tender after simply four-and-a-half hours on ‘excessive’, with a thick, flavoursome sauce and delicate veg.
Price to run on excessive for one hour: 4.38p (based mostly on a tariff of twenty-two.36p/kWh)
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Sage the Quick Sluggish Go multi-cooker
Accessible from Harts of Stur (£168.95), Sage (£169.95), Currys (£169.99)
Finest rice cooker multi-cooker
Execs:
- Trendy
- Giant digital touchscreen
- Versatile 14 features
Cons:
- Small indicator lights on interface
Star ranking: 5/5
Wattage: 1100W
Price throughout check: n/a
In case you’re on the lookout for a do-it-all multi-cooker to maintain out on the countertop, that is the one for you. The fashionable brushed stainless-steel design provides this mannequin a up to date really feel that forgives greasy fingermarks. This cooker focuses on sluggish and strain cooking features, and is provided with a strain launch security valve and locking lid.
Its potential to prepare dinner grains, resembling risotto, from the preset operate produced very creamy outcomes with out all the same old effort of standing and stirring. Shares, stews, yogurt and extra are a part of its push-button interface, clearly labelled with phrases and icons. Sous vide cooking can also be attainable with this mannequin, permitting you to realize constant, high quality outcomes. Learn our full Sage the Quick Sluggish Go overview.
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Instantaneous Pot Traditional 5.7L multi-cooker
Accessible from Amazon (£74.99)
Finest for quick meals
Execs
- Simple to make use of
- Environment friendly
- 7 features together with sauté, slow-cook and pressure-cook
Cons
- The blue color is an acquired style (different colors can be found)
- Wanted to boil on the sauté operate to cut back
Star ranking: 4.5/5
Wattage: 1000W
The Instantaneous Pot Traditional guarantees one-pot meals prepared in document time, and it doesn’t disappoint. Outfitted with seven features together with pressure-cook, sauté and slow-cook, it’s fairly the workhorse in the case of saving time – and energy – within the kitchen.
Utilizing the strain cooker setting, we made deliciously flaky pulled pork – one thing that may often take a minimal of 4 hours – in beneath an hour. Our slow-cooked rooster korma got here out tender and aromatic, and we cherished having the ability to sear the meat for each recipes beforehand in the identical pan.
Admittedly, we’d get much less use out of a few of this machine’s extra cooking features – specifically yoghurt and egg – and it’s the pressure-cook and slow-cook features that actually shine. The actual fact we would have liked to complete each with ten minutes on the sauté setting to totally cut back the liquid was our solely niggle, however on the plus facet – that meant deliciously succulent meat.
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Instantaneous Pot Traditional 3.8L multi-cooker
Accessible from John Lewis and Companions (£69), Amazon (£79.99)
Finest for smaller households and {couples}
Execs
- Simple to make use of
- Compact
- Finances-friendly
Cons
- Wanted to boil on the sauté operate to cut back
Star ranking: 4.5/5
Wattage: 800W
This 3.8L Mini model of the 5.7L Traditional Instantaneous Pot could also be pared again in dimension (primarily by about 5cm in peak) however it retains the identical cooking features and performs simply as nicely.
The one actual distinction we seen on this model – aside from the apparent smaller capability and decrease wattage – is the marginally shorter, fastened energy twine, which made storage a bit extra clunky.
Identical to the full-sized model, this multi-cooker has a locking lid with a built-in strain launch security valve, and the lid turns and lifts off fully moderately than hinging.
You possibly can prop it up by slotting it into one of many handles, and you should purchase a separate glass lid that matches each fashions if you would like to have the ability to see your meals when you’re utilizing the slow-cook or keep-warm operate.
Dimension-wise, each fashions take up about the identical area on the counter, however this one tucks extra simply into a cabinet or beneath a shelf. The controls are intuitive, the cooking outcomes have been dependable, and the blue color by some means works higher on this cute, mini dimension.
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Ninja Speedi 10-in-1 fast cooker
Accessible from Amazon (£189.99), B&Q (£299), Ninja (£229.99)
Finest multi-cooker for fast outcomes
Execs:
- Compact
- Handsome
- Environment friendly
- Principally recyclable packaging
- Simple to regulate temperature
- Intuitive controls
Cons:
- Costlier to run than different multi-cookers
- Among the recipes equipped within the handbook do not work
Star ranking: 4.5/5
Wattage: 1760W
Price throughout check: 5.66p
Most multi-cookers provide some stage of versatility, however what units the Ninja Speedi aside is its distinctive ‘rapid-cook’ setting that mixes convection warmth with steam to show meals round in simply quarter-hour.
Merely flip the change on the lid to flick between the air-fry/hob setting, providing the choices to air-fry, grill, roast and sauté, and the Speedi Meals mode with its vary of steaming choices.
We discovered the controls very intuitive, although cooking with the Speedi (utilizing the recipes within the handbook) concerned some trial and error. Some substances, like pasta, have been undercooked, whereas veg like broccoli turned to mush.
We did have higher success with dishes like sticky teriyaki salmon rice and sticky rooster with rice & beans, with the fish and meat being evenly browned and the rice, fluffy.
All in all, we discovered the Speedi a pleasure to make use of, and its multi-layered design – which lets you prepare dinner a number of substances without delay – is an actual time-saver in the case of meal prep. Learn our full Ninja Speedi fast cooker overview.
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Cosori 9-in-1 electrical 5.7-litre strain cooker
Accessible from Amazon (£99.99)
Finest trendy multi-cooker
Execs:
- Engaging design
- Clear and informative handbook
- Intuitive controls
Cons:
- Sluggish to preheat
- Giant footprint
Star ranking: 4.5/5
Wattage: 1100W
As quickly as we lifted the Cosori strain cooker out of the field, we could not assist however be impressed. It has a gorgeous polished metal exterior, lid with matching metallic deal with, glossy show display and clear controls.
We additionally just like the variety of equipment that include the machine, together with a rice paddle, scoop and steam rack. We like that alongside the informative handbook and recipe ebook, there’s a quick-start information with colored diagrams that can assist you arrange the machine.
The 12 features embrace sauté, sluggish prepare dinner and strain prepare dinner, or you possibly can select a preset choice to make plenty of dishes, together with rice, stew and porridge.
Regardless of being slightly sluggish to preheat, as soon as it was as much as temperature, the strain cooker was a pleasure to make use of, evenly sautéing greens for our stew and producing a wealthy and tender rooster korma. Learn our full Cosori 9-in-1 electrical strain cooker overview.
Ninja Foodi MAX 15-in-1 SmartLid 7.5L multi cooker
Accessible from John Lewis and Companions (£269.99), Argos (£269.99)
Finest multi-cooker with air-fryer
Execs:
- Single lid for all 15 features
- Built-in digital cooking probe
- Clear buttons and notifications mid prepare dinner
Cons:
- Giant countertop footprint
- Tall
- Costly
- Increased wattage than most
Star ranking: 4.5/5
Wattage: 1760W
Price throughout check: n/a
Ninja was one of many first manufacturers to include air-frying features into its multi-cookers and has been a front-runner in the case of originality. Its latest mannequin ditches the previous two-lid design in favour of a single-lift lid with a sliding lock that doubles as a mode selector. It additionally gives extra features than some other multi-cooker available on the market on the time of testing.
Strain prepare dinner, air-fry, grill, bake, dehydrate, show, sear/sauté, steam, sluggish prepare dinner and yogurt features are all selectable, together with 5 combi steam-meal choices. The big 7.5L capability makes it excellent for cooking a beneficiant six parts at one time.
When prepping our beef stew, the sear/sauté operate was the simplest at softening and caramelising the substances of all of the fashions we examined, rendering all of the fats and giving color.
The hinged lid proved difficult to scrub freed from aromas after cooking strongly aromatic dishes, however there may be steerage within the handbook for a cleansing operate.
ProCook Multicooker and Air fryer
Accessible from ProCook (£119.20)
Finest price range multi-cooker with air fryer
Execs:
- All sustainable packaging
- Wonderful non-stick for simple cleansing
- Eight features in a single machine
- Nice worth
- Searing instantly within the multi-cooker
Cons:
- Complicated directions
- Cumbersome storage
Star ranking: 4/5
The favored model ProCook has added an air fryer operate to its multi-cooker, providing eight helpful features, together with strain cooking, sluggish cooking, steaming, and even yogurt making. One characteristic we significantly preferred was the power to sear instantly within the cooking pot earlier than switching to a different programme.
The cooker is intuitive to make use of because of its clear interface. My solely gripe was the instruction handbook, which felt unnecessarily long-winded and, in locations, overcomplicated.
Efficiency was glorious throughout the check. The pressure-cooked beef stew wanted solely a fast blast on the cut back operate to thicken the sauce, the slow-cooked korma was wealthy and creamy, and sticky rooster wings, although not crispy, have been tender and attractive.
The one actual disadvantage is storage. The cooker comes with two lids: one for strain cooking and a second, bigger lid for air frying, which takes up a good bit of area. If that’s not a problem, there’s lots to love about this sensible, well-made multi-cooker.
Wattage:
- 1200W for the strain cooker
- 1500w for the air fryer
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Different multi-cookers we tried and examined:
Good Meals in partnership with Tower multi-cooker
Accessible from Amazon (£89.99), Tower (£119.99) – save 30% with code GOODFOOD30
Make mealtimes easier with this versatile 12-in-one multi-cooker from Good Meals and Tower. Pre-set features and a transparent digital show make cooking simple, whereas the cast-iron pot ensures even warmth distribution and retention. A sensible choice for all the pieces from stews to truffles, it additionally encompasses a helpful ‘preserve heat’ mode and customisable DIY setting. Dishwasher-safe and beneficiant in dimension, it’s an actual kitchen multitasker.
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How to decide on the perfect multi-cooker
Multi-cookers range extensively in capability and flexibility, so it’s value contemplating the next when you’re buying round.
- Dimension: In case you’re cooking for a crowd, you’ll discover the larger the higher, however there are mini ones for smaller households, too. Some fashions can stand fairly tall if they’ve hinged lids, which is one thing to take into accounts in case you have low kitchen cabinets.
- Performance: There’s little level paying for features that you simply’re unlikely to make use of however do think about those who excite you. Multi-cookers are glorious devices for introducing new methods of cooking to your on a regular basis meals and fully mitigate the necessity to purchase and retailer a number of home equipment. They may also be one of many extra environment friendly methods to avoid wasting moderately than shopping for two or extra giant and costly home equipment.
- Additional attachments: Look out for added perks resembling dishwasher-safe interior bowls and equipment. Fashions such because the Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 multi-cooker provide a separate lid for strain cooking, which might require extra storage when utilizing different features. With its newer 15-in-1 mannequin (featured above), Ninja is main the way in which with its mixture steam and convection cooking modes, designed to lock in substances’ moisture and flavour whereas nonetheless crisping the skin.
Are multi-cookers power environment friendly?
Multi-cookers range of their power effectivity relying on their dimension and the operate chosen. However it’s attainable to calculate how a lot power it would use, which in flip will enable you work out the associated fee and affect it’ll have in your payments.
Take the equipment’s wattage and multiply it by the gadget’s hours of use per day, then divide the whole by 1000. The consequence would be the equipment’s day by day kilowatt-hour (kWh).
The fee per kilowatt-hour will range relying in your power tariff and space. When you have a sensible meter put in at house, you’ll have the ability to see the associated fee per use throughout cooking with out having to calculate it.
Multi-cooker recipes and evaluations
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Youngsters’ sluggish cooker recipes
Vegan sluggish cooker recipes
Sluggish cooker curry recipes
Sluggish cooker rooster recipes
Low-cost cuts of meat: how one can get essentially the most out of them
Lemony prawn & pea strain cooker risotto
Hen and mushrooms
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