Tefal RK302E15 Multicook 8-in-1 Multicooker, (4 Portions), 600 W, 5 Litre Silver

Product Information

The Ninja Foodi Max doesn't have presets with defined temperatures and times for different dishes, as Instant Pots do. Instead, you'll need to refer to the cooking charts that come bundled with the multi-cooker and we found these to be comprehensive and very helpful. Functionality: There’s little point paying for functions that you’re unlikely to use but do consider those that excite you. Multi-cookers are excellent gadgets for introducing new ways of cooking to your everyday meals and completely mitigate the need to buy and store multiple appliances. They can also be one of the more efficient ways to save rather than buying two or more large and expensive appliances. We also liked the fact that it’s available in multiple sizes, so different sized households can make the most out of this model’s combination of price and performance. However, we do find it a bit light on presets compared to a lot of Instant Pots, though at least they’re easily customizable. Also, be aware that there’s no air fryer functionality on here. So, if you want a multi-cooker to replace all your other kitchen appliances, this might not be the one.

It’s important to remember that while Instant Pots offer a multitude of cooking methods, many of which means you no longer need to use an oven or a hob, they can’t cook everything. For example, they’re not an option if you regularly prepare pasta, noodles, or stir frys. And while some do come with lids that can air fry, we found making fries in an Instant Pot wasn’t as good as using one of the best air fryers. Multi cooker is a term slapped onto all sorts of cooking appliances these days. However, the best models can do everything an air fryer can, while also cooking in other ways, such as pressure cooking, slow cooking and more. Some multi-cookers have the ability to maintain a low temperature for a long period of time, which allows them to ferment yogurt at the recommended temperature range of 108°F to 112°F for bacteria to grow properly. Many are complaining of problems with cooking temps, this is most likely from improper settings of the selector switch or adjustments, try re-reading the owners manual instructionsThe best Instant Pot multi-cookers can also function as pressure cookers, slow cookers, rice cookers, steamers, soup makers, and even more. In some cases, they can also double as sous vide cookers or air fryers. That way, you don’t have to dedicate extra space that you might not have to one of the best air fryers. The options we’ve included here that can air fry do a pretty good job at it. The Instant Pot Pro is the best Instant Pot you can buy right now. It sets out to replace ten kitchen appliances including a pressure cooker, slow cooker, saute pan, rice cooker, steamer, yogurt maker, and warmer, and has 28 cooking modes for preparing different dishes. There's also a version that can air fry too, known as the Instant Pot Pro Crisp. We've tested the most popular brands, such as: Ninja multi cookers (including the Ninja Speedi and Ninja 15-in-1), Russell Hobbs, Tefal and more. Everything we tested got the job done. But some were a pain to use, and took so long to cook they left our stomachs rumbling – even then, the results weren't that appetising. We’ve compared these brands in detail, to find out which came out on top, read our Ninja Foodi vs Instant Pot feature. How we tested these Instant Pots It promises to cook pretty much anything and everything, with eight different cooking modes: roast, bake, sauté, boil, fry, fondue, slow cook and steam. But the reality is that it’s quite a simple appliance.

The ultimate in versatile cooking appliances, the 8-in-1 Multi Cooker from Tower is the ideal tool for the busy cook. Allowing you to whip up all manner of meals in no time at all, you can boil, roast, braise, fry, saute, grill and much more with a 5 litre capacity making it easy to cook delicious meals on a large scale. With an adjustable temperature control you can cook everything from stews and casseroles to slow roasted meats, steamed vegetables and even fish dishes, easily and using only one appliance.No. Admittedly it does much more than your average slow cooker, but it’s little more than a heated saucepan. We’re not convinced that you need this bulky cooker unless you live in a bedsit with no kitchen. It is versatile… but so is a saucepan. It’s slow. And you can only cook one dish at a time. Next look at the capacity the Instant Pot can hold and whether it's sufficient for the number of people you have to cook for. Multi-cookers with a 6 quart / 5.7-liter capacity and above are ideal for those with a large family to feed, or those that want to batch-cook, while a smaller Instant Pot can hold around 3.2 quarts / 3 liters should suffice for an individual or couple. Consider which functions you will use most often when shopping for a multi-cooker. If you make beans and stews regularly but won’t bother with slow cooking or sous vide, you should prioritize a multi-cooker that pressure cooks well, like the Zavor Lux, and don’t pay more for presets you won’t use. All of the best multi cookers will have preset functions for slow cooking, baking and either rice or steaming. Some multi cookers, such as the Instant Pot and Tefal All-In-One, can also pressure cook. These are a good option if you cook a lot of meat joints and want to achieve slow cooker-style tenderness, but don’t have time to wait around.

For the purposes of our tests, we asked Which? members which programs they would most use on a multi cooker and from this defined a multi cooker as: an appliance with at least five different modes of cooking; one of these needs to be air frying or roasting/baking; and at least one other function from pressure cooking, slow cooking or steaming. This ingenious cooker also has a large 2.2L (10 cups) capacity, perfect for friends and family. A recipe booklet is included for menu inspiration. Plus, we guarantee that your multi-cooker will be repairable for 10 years. There is no need to precook vegetables or shellfish before putting them in the rice as the steaming action will cook them thoroughly. Can I steam food in the basket at the same time as cooking the rice? The inner pot can be used on the stovetop to sear food before cooking, too, and has handles, so you can take the pot straight to the table. On top of that, the steam release switch is one of the easiest and safest steam release methods we’ve used when testing the pressure cook function on a multi-cooker and the steam valve has a cover to reduce splashes and noise too. All kitchens should have a silicon high temp mitt or glove or two around for handling, touching ANY cook ware, options would be to wrap a small hand or dish towel around the handle before lifting lid.

Steam, bake, air fry and pressure cook your way to perfect food with our pick of the best multi cookers

if you are going to place the ladle across the top of the lid handle, fold several paper towels across the top of the lid just under the ladle for drips to land.

The 8-quart / 7.5-liter Ninja Foodi Max adds air frying, grilling/ broiling, and dehydrating, to the long list of cooking methods offered by the best Instant Pots. It even offers the ability to introduce steam when air frying, which when paired with the built-in thermometer, ensures you can cook the perfect steak in this multi-cooker.PERFECT FOR ENTERTAINING: 8.5-quart cooking capacity allows you to make chili for up to 20 people, 9 lbs. of spaghetti and meatballs, or enough pulled pork for 30 sliders.