Best Multi Cookers 2024 (UK’s top 7 reviewed)

Compact, energy-efficient and affordable – the multi cooker is a game-changer for busy individuals across the UK, but which ones are worth buying and which ones should you avoid?

Say goodbye to unhealthy convenience foods and hello to a hot, wholesome meal waiting for you at home!

In this article we’re going to take you through the best ones on the UK market today in 2024 and what things you should look out for when making a decision based on our testing.

Top Recommended Multi Cookers

Here are our picks for the top multi cookers you can buy in 2024:

What Is A Multi Cooker?

It seems like there’s a new “must have” appliance being advertised every week, and in many cases, if you buy one they end up as an ornament on a shelf in your kitchen. The multi cooker however, is different. It’s ideal for a busy lifestyle, it allows you to come home from a hard days work(or shopping) and have a substantial, healthy, hot meal waiting for you.

No more snacking on junk food because you can’t be bothered to cook, or because you’re so hungry you just have to eat convenience food. With a multi cooker, you prepare the ingredients before leaving the home, set the timer and the multi cooker does the rest for you, and when you return home your one pot home cooked meal is ready to dish up.

I know what you’re thinking, it’s just like a slow cooker, well in some respects that’s true. But a multi cooker is so much more. Slow cooking is just one function of this multi talented cooker. Multi cookers slow cook, bake, steam, there are models that also pressure cook too!

Some models air fry, cook stews, soups, pressure cook tough meat joints, all in one machine. The multi cooker is the ultimate one pot cooker. What about washing up I hear you ask, well most multi cookers have non-stick inner pots and have dishwasher safe parts so washing up is a doddle too.

In our opinion, multi cookers are a good investment, they are versatile, compact, energy efficient and affordable. This all in one cooker will be your go to appliance and once you get the hang of using it, you’ll wonder at how you managed before you had a multi cooker.

How Do Multi Cookers Work

In the most simple of terms, multi cookers can bake, boil, simmer, grill, roast, stew, steam, fry, and brown food. All you do is add the ingredients, choose the desired program, and select start. The multi cooker does the rest, and the only time you have to touch it again, is to serve up the meal.  

So how does the multi cooker work? Multi cookers use an induction plate in the base of the unit. Which allows exceptional temperature control to precise heats. Plus computerised controls that regulate that heat. 

The technology behind the induction plate allows many functions like, slow, long cooking at cool temperatures and fast high temperatures for pressure cooking and meat browning. 

What Are The Benefits Of A Multi Cooker

There are many benefits of using a multi cooker, not least is the ease of cooking a healthy, tasty, home cooked meal. Then there’s the versatility, from slow cooker, yogurt maker, pressure cooker, grill, oven, air fryer, and much more.

As a result of it’s multi functionality, the multi cooker makes pressure cookers, rice steamers, crock pots, slow cookers, air fryers, yogurt makers, grills, and mini ovens obsolete. This frees up a lot of storage space either on the worktop or in the cupboards.

The controls are easy to use, the lids lock securely, safe, in the old days of pressure cookers you might have heard tales of them building up too much pressure and exploding. That is not possible with a multi cooker, there’s no need to be on constant watch, just start it up and leave it to get on with cooking your food.

Multi cookers have many safety features that regulate steam build up for example and release the pressure when it gets high. Multi cookers seal all of the flavours from your food into your food, and all the goodness too. 

 When you cook on a stove or oven a lot of the heat is wasted and fills the room, wasting money and making the kitchen unbearably hot. Due to the insulation technology of the multi cooker, the heat stays in the pot and doesn’t heat up the kitchen.

Multi cookers are easy to clean too, with many of the parts dishwasher safe and many others non-stick. 

What Are The Disadvantages Of A Multi Cooker

Multi cookers can be fairly large, and so will take up quite a bit of space on the worktop. That said, multi cookers do the job of many other appliances so where you would ordinarily have 2 or 3 units, which would take up more space, with the multi cooker there’s just the one.

There are certain food items that should not be cooked in a multi cooker, because they can cause damage to the unit. For instance spaghetti which can break up into small particles and clog up the valves (used to release steam). Other foods that can cause problems include rice, grains, pasta, celery, rhubarb, apples(for applesauce) and berries (like blueberries and cranberries).

You have to pay close attention to the amount of water you add when pressure cooking otherwise you will be in danger of burning your food. It is always better to use more water than you actually need and drain it away after the food is cooked than to throw away burnt food and start again.

Multi Cooker Buyers Guide

To help you make the right choice on which multi cooker to buy, we’ve compiled this check list of things to consider.

Cleaning

At the very least, you should check if the inner bowl is easy to clean, it’s best to get a non-stick option, and also that the other parts are dishwasher safe.

Bowl volume

The bowl is one of  the main parts of a multi cooker, the amount of food you can cook is dependent on the bowl size. Multi cooker bowl sizes generally have a volume of between 2-6 litres. The most common is a 4-4.5 litre bowl.

This needs careful consideration, as the correct size bowl will make all the difference in how you use your multi cooker.

Capacity

In all cases that we’ve found the capacity stated in the multi cooker guides is the maximum amount of food that the unit can hold. Not how much you put into it, but the amount after cooking. Remember most foods expand when cooked, so bear this in mind.

Functionality

They’re called multi cookers because they perform many cooking tasks and replace other cooking units. Making it the one pot stop for all your cooking needs. However, some have more functions than others, so it’s best to take the time to consider which functions you will use, and buy accordingly.

As a general rule the more functions the multi cooker performs the bigger it will be and the more it will cost too.

Programs

Using preset programs is quick and convenient, at the push of a button the multi cooker gets on with cooking. Many models come with manual controls for more control and some allow you to slightly adjust the presets to suit your preferences.

Scheduling

Some models have the option to delay cooking, keep warm and reheat food which means you preset the unit and your meal is ready and waiting when you return home.

Pressure And Temperature Range

For most types of cooking you choose the temperature and the multi cooker will work out how long it will take to cook. With pressure cooking you set the pressure and this dictates the heat and cooking time. So check that the multi cooker you buy has the right settings for how you intend to use it.

Power

The amount of power your chosen multi cooker uses will be dependent on the make and model and also on how often you plan to use it. For instance, if you are only going to use your multi cooker from time to time, a 650 Watts multi cooker will be sufficient. If you intend to cook with your multi cooker every day, you will need at least the 850-900 Watts model.

Multi cookers range in power from around 450-1400 Watts, depending on the brand, make model and size chosen.

Brand

As with all appliances, it’s best to buy a well known and respected brand. A company that’s been making appliances for many years and has a proven track record is less likely to make a bad multi cooker. They will also have a reliable customer service in the event of anything going wrong.

Warranty

It’s always worth remembering that any warranty is only as good as the company that wrote it. This is another good reason to buy from a well known company.

Safety

Simply put, if you buy a well known brand, from a reputable retailer in the UK, you will be buying a safe multi cooker.

If however, you decide to buy a cheaper model online, from somewhere abroad, you can’t rely on it meeting regulatory safety standards.

How Much Is A Multi Cooker

There are many different multi cookers with many different functions, and this is reflected in the price. Other things to consider is the brand and the model, as a guide, prices tend to range from around £30- £700 depending on functionality and size. 

SEE ALSO:

• Best Meat Thermometers (top digital probes)
• Multi Cooker vs Pressure Cooker – Which Is Right For Your Home?
• Multi Cooker vs Slow Cooker – Which Is Right For Your Home?

Frequently Asked Questions