10 best multi-cookers 2024: tried, tested and top-rated by experts

There are lots of ways that multi-functional cooking appliances make cooking easier, but we specifically looked at those that offer slow cooking, sear/sauté and pressure cooking at their core, with rice cooking, roasting, baking, dehydrating, dough-proving and other functions as useful additions.

Whether you’re cooking on a budget, looking to streamline your energy usage or simply want to create some space in a busy kitchen, we’ve brought you our tried and tested picks of the best multi-cookers currently available on the market.

Best multi-cookers at a glance

• Best multi-cooker slow cooker: Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker 8-in-1 slow cooker, £149.99
• Best multi-cooker with pressure cooker: Crockpot Turbo Express 14-in-1 pressure multi-cooker, £118.28
• Best rice cooker multi-cooker: Sage the Fast Slow Go multi-cooker, £169.95
• Best multi-cooker for quick results: Ninja Speedi 10-in-1 rapid cooker, £229.99
• Best stylish multi-cooker: Cosori 9-in-1 Electric 5.7L pressure cooker, £99.99
• Best value multi cooker: Drew and Cole Pressure King Pro 5.7L pressure cooker, £72
• Best large multi-cooker: Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid, £189.99
• Best multi-cooker with sous vide: Tefal Turbo Cuisine Multi pressure cooker, £79
• Best multi-cooker with air-fryer: Ninja Foodi Max 15-in-1 SmartLid 7.5L multi-cooker, £319.99

Jump to:

• Best multi-cookers to buy in 2024
• How to choose the best multi-cookers
• How we tested multi-cookers
• Are multi-cookers energy efficient?
• Which was the most energy-efficient multi-cooker we've tested?
• Air-fryers vs multi-cookers
• Multi-cooker recipes

Best multi-cookers to buy in 2024

Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker 8-in-1 slow cooker

Best multi-cooker slow cooker

Pros:

• Intuitive controls
• Serving spoon and steam rack included
• Eight-litre cooking pot
• All packaging could be recycled
• Sear/sauté functionality

Cons:

• Large footprint
• Exterior gets hot in use

Star rating: 5/5

Wattage: 1200W

While technically a slow cooker, this Ninja model is so impressively versatile that it could also be classified as a multi-cooker. Its eight functions include slow cook, sauté/sear, steam, braise, simmer, bake, prove, and keep warm, and at eight litres, it's the optimum size for feeding a crowd or batch-cooking for the week ahead.

You can pop the family-sized cooking pot in the oven (up to 240C) if you want to crisp up pastry or cheese-topped dishes. Transferring it from the kitchen to the table is simple thanks to the stay-cool handles, but bear in mind the exterior gets very hot. You'll also need heat protection to lift the lid handle during cooking.

This model performed brilliantly on test, too: the venison madras curry we made was perfectly tender after just four-and-a-half hours on 'high', with a thick, flavoursome sauce and soft veg.

Cost to run on high for one hour: 4.38p (based on a tariff of 22.36p/kWh)

Crockpot Turbo Express 14-in-1 pressure multi-cooker

Best multi-cooker overall

Pros:

• Versatile with 14 functions
• 5.6L capacity for cooking for 6 or more
• Dishwasher-safe removable non-stick bowl
• Turbo function for cooking food 40% faster

Cons:

• Bowl spins in its base during stirring
• Ambiguous start and stop coding for function alerts

Star rating: 5/5

Wattage: 1400W

Cost during test: n/a

At not much more than £100, this multi-cooker is good value for money for the size and versatility on offer. We were particularly struck by its user-friendly credentials. Each of its 14 modes are labelled by words and icons, and selectable by a simple push-button. It has one lid, which lifts up and off, making it reasonably easy to clean, unlike some hinged models.

The slow-cooker function created a richly-infused chicken korma with tender meat. It automatically jumped to ‘keep warm’ mode after the cooking time had ended – very handy. Notifications signalling the cooking progress meant we were always in the know if ingredients needed a stir. Our overall favourite multi-cooker.

Sage the Fast Slow Go multi-cooker

Best rice cooker multi-cooker

Pros:

• Stylish
• Large digital touchscreen
• Versatile 14 functions

Cons:

• Small indicator lights on interface

Star rating: 5/5

Wattage: 1100W

Cost during test: n/a

If you’re looking for a do-it-all multi-cooker to keep out on the countertop, this is the one for you. The stylish brushed stainless-steel design gives this model a contemporary feel that forgives greasy fingermarks. This cooker focuses on slow and pressure cooking functions, and is equipped with a pressure release safety valve and locking lid.

Its ability to cook grains, such as risotto, from the preset function produced very creamy results without all the usual effort of standing and stirring. Stocks, stews, yogurt and more are part of its push-button interface, clearly labelled with words and icons. Sous vide cooking is also possible with this model, allowing you to achieve consistent, quality results. Read our full Sage the Fast Slow Go review.

Ninja Speedi 10-in-1 rapid cooker

• Available from Ninja (£129.99), B&Q (£229.99), JD Williams (£229.99), Very (£249)

Best multi-cooker for quick results

Pros:

• Compact
• Good-looking
• Efficient
• Mostly recyclable packaging
• Easy to control temperature
• Intuitive controls

Cons:

• More expensive to run than other multi-cookers
• Some of the recipes supplied in the manual don't work

Star rating: 4.5/5

Wattage: 1760W

Cost during test: 5.66p

Most multi-cookers offer some level of versatility, but what sets the Ninja Speedi apart is its unique 'rapid-cook' setting that combines convection heat with steam to turn meals around in just 15 minutes. Simply flip the switch on the lid to flick between the air-fry/hob setting, offering the options to air-fry, grill, roast and sauté, and the Speedi Meals mode with its range of steaming options.

We found the controls very intuitive, though cooking with the Speedi (using the recipes in the manual) involved some trial and error. Some ingredients, like pasta, were undercooked, while veg like broccoli turned to mush. We did have better success with dishes like sticky teriyaki salmon rice and sticky chicken with rice & beans, with the fish and meat being evenly browned and the rice, fluffy.

All in all, we found the Speedi a joy to use, and its multi-layered design – which allows you to cook multiple ingredients at once – is a real time-saver when it comes to meal prep. Read our full Ninja Speedi rapid cooker review.

Available from:

• Ninja (£129.99)
• B&Q (£229.99)
• JD Williams (£229.99)
• Very (£249)

Cosori 9-in-1 electric 5.7-litre pressure cooker

Best stylish multi-cooker

Pros:

• Attractive design
• Clear and informative manual
• Intuitive controls

Cons:

• Slow to preheat
• Large footprint

Star rating: 4.5/5

Wattage: 1100W

As soon as we lifted the Cosori pressure cooker out of the box, we couldn't help but be impressed. It has an attractive polished steel exterior, lid with matching metallic handle, sleek display screen and clear controls. We also like the number of accessories that come with the machine, including a rice paddle, scoop and steam rack. We like that alongside the informative manual and recipe book, there is a quick-start guide with coloured diagrams to help you set up the machine.

The 12 functions include sauté, slow cook and pressure cook, or you can choose a preset option to make a number of dishes, including rice, stew and porridge. Despite being a little slow to preheat, once it was up to temperature, the pressure cooker was a joy to use, evenly sautéing vegetables for our stew and producing a rich and tender chicken korma. Read our full Cosori 9-in-1 electric pressure cooker review.

Drew and Cole Pressure King Pro 5.7L 12-in-1 digital pressure cooker

Best value multi-cooker

Pros:

• Attractive design
• Good value for under £100
• Lightweight for the size
• Automatic keep-warm function
• Intuitive controls
• Has a handle for easy lifting

Cons:

• Unable to adjust time and temperature for sautéing
• Steam valve is close to pressure release switch

Star rating: 4.5/5

Wattage: 1000W

Cost during test: 3.97p

This Drew & Cole multi-cooker impressed us from the off – it has a polished steel exterior, lightweight ceramic pot, robust plastic lid and a detachable power cord. Among its 12 functions are traditional settings including steam, sauté, and stew, plus extra presets for dishes such as soup, chilli and curry. There’s also a steamer basket that slots neatly inside, elevated from the base of the pot so you can steam veggies as you cook other dishes underneath.

Navigating the control panel is a breeze and we were also impressed by how easy it is to pick up and move the cooker around, made even simpler by the handle on the lid. This cooker performed well in testing too, producing tender, flavoursome meat in our beef stew and a thick, creamy chicken korma. Read our full Pressure King Pro Multi Pressure Cooker review.

Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid

Best large multi-cooker

Pros:

• Clear LCD display
• Impressive safety features
• Easy-to-use temperature dial
• Reliable lock function for pressure cooking
• Large capacity
• Lid works for all cooking programmes

Cons

• More expensive to run
• Mostly non-recyclable packaging
• Couldn’t access the instruction manual
• Sauce caught on the base of the pot

Star rating: 4.5/5

Wattage: 1500W

Cost during test: 5.05p

Instant Pot is synonymous with multi-cookers, but this sizeable model extends its usefulness with an additional air-fryer function, ideal for making crispy chips using little to no oil.

Best for large households or batch cooking, it’s equipped with a large 6.2-litre pot and a single lid that’s suitable for all 13 functions, which include grill, roast, pressure cook, slow cook, and dehydrate. There’s also a sous-vide preset, designed for cooking juicy, tender meat dishes in just 30 minutes.

Preheating took an unusually long time when pressure-cooking our beef stew – an issue we didn’t have using the slow cooker setting. This Instant Pot was also the most expensive to run in the most recent tests. The results were promising though, and even though the meat was overdone by around five minutes, the vegetables had the soft but slight bite we were looking for. Read our full Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid review.

Tefal Turbo Cuisine multi pressure cooker

Best multi-cooker with sous vide

Pros:

• Large central button for pressure release
• Sleek design
• Bright, clear display
• Easy to clean
• Long warranty

Cons:

• A lot of non-recyclable packaging
• Took a long time to preheat on slow-cook setting
• Difficult to identify some icons without the manual

Star rating: 4.5/5

Wattage: 1000W

Cost during test: 4.38p

Sporting a brushed plastic finish and sleek rounded edges, this Tefal model is an excellent choice for medium-sized households. It’s a weighty piece of kit but has two wide handles for easy lifting, plus silicone feet that keep it steady on the worktop.

A simple turn of the dial allows you to switch between presets including stew, soup, sauté, steam, bake, slow cook, rice, yogurt, bread rise and porridge. Sous vide is also an option, and you can find tips to help you achieve perfect results in the instruction manual.

Releasing pressure is an uncomplicated affair thanks to the large, central release button. The slow cook function was somewhat successful too – it was stuck on preheat for almost an hour before kicking into cook mode, but eventually produced a fragrant chicken korma with a thick, creamy sauce. Read our full Tefal Turbo Cuisine multi-cooker review.

Ninja Foodi MAX 15-in-1 SmartLid 7.5L multi cooker

Best multi-cooker with air-fryer

Pros:

• Single lid for all 15 functions
• Integrated digital cooking probe
• Clear buttons and notifications mid cook

Cons:

• Large countertop footprint
• Tall
• Expensive
• Higher wattage than most

Star rating: 4.5/5

Wattage: 1760W

Cost during test: n/a

Ninja was one of the first brands to incorporate air-frying functions into its multi-cookers and has been a front-runner when it comes to originality. Its newest model ditches the old two-lid design in favour of a single-lift lid with a sliding lock that doubles as a mode selector. It also offers more functions than any other multi-cooker on the market at the time of testing.

Pressure cook, air-fry, grill, bake, dehydrate, prove, sear/sauté, steam, slow cook and yogurt functions are all selectable, along with five combi steam-meal options. The large 7.5L capacity makes it ideal for cooking a generous six portions at one time.

When prepping our beef stew, the sear/sauté function was the most effective at softening and caramelising the ingredients of all the models we tested, rendering all the fat and giving a good colour.

The hinged lid proved tricky to clean free of aromas after cooking strongly fragrant dishes, but there is guidance in the manual for a cleaning function.

Other multi-cookers tried and tested

• Tefal All-in-One pressure cooker review, £129.99
• Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 review, £74
• Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi-cooker OP350UK review, £229.99
• Crockpot Express 12-in-1 multi-cooker review, £69.99

How to choose the best multi-cooker

Multi-cookers vary widely in capacity and versatility, so it’s worth considering the following while you’re shopping around.

• Size: If you’re cooking for a crowd, you’ll find the bigger the better, but there are mini ones for smaller households, too. Some models can stand quite tall if they have hinged lids, which is something to take into consideration if you have low kitchen cupboards.
• 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.
• Extra attachments: Look out for additional perks such as dishwasher-safe inner bowls and accessories. Models such as the Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 multi-cooker offer a separate lid for pressure cooking, which would require additional storage when using other functions. With its newer 15-in-1 model (featured above), Ninja is leading the way with its combination steam and convection cooking modes, designed to lock in ingredients’ moisture and flavour while still crisping the outside.

How we tested multi-cookers

The more functions an appliance has, the more testing that’s warranted to ensure everything works the way it should. We tested the functions we deemed essential for everyday cooking and most useful to have under one lid: pressure cook, air-fry/crisp, slow cook, rice, bake, grill, roast, sear and sauté functions, along with combi steam air-fry and combi air-fry options, if available.

To test pressure cooking, we adapted Good Food’s beef & vegetable casserole recipe, reducing liquid quantities by half and adding flour for thickening towards the end of cooking. Slow cooker chicken korma is an excellent indicator of flavour infusion and highlights a model’s ability to tenderise but not overcook meat. The aromas also linger, which makes a good test of how easy it is to clean each multi-cooker. For baking functions, we used a gluten-free lemon drizzle cake to indicate an evenly baked cake without burning across the top, sides or bottom.

Scores out of five against the following core criteria determined the overall star rating.

• Quality of food

We looked for flavour-packed casseroles and kormas with tender meat and no bitterness from hot spots or burnt bits on the bottom. We also expected grilled aubergine to be juicy and tender; halloumi to show defined grill lines without being burnt; air-fried chips to be fluffy on the inside with a crisp outer; and combi-cooked salmon to be tender and juicy.

• Ease of use

Were the functions easy to find and select? Does the multi-cooker update you on the cooking progress of its ingredients? Are manual elements, such as pressure release valves, safe and easy to open?

• Value for money

The price of the multi-cooker had to feel right for the versatility of its functions and quality of food it produced.

• Ease of cleaning

Does the lid hold onto strong aromas? Can sealing rims be removed for easy cleaning? How easy it is to clean the inner bowls can depend on whether they offer a non-stick coating.

• Quality of materials

No one wants to buy a pricey new appliance only for it to break six months down the line. Multi-cookers usually consist of one large inner bowl that sits inside an outer with a lid – we looked for a good fit. Accompanying accessories, such as rice stirrers, grill racks and crisper baskets also had to be robust enough to stand the test of time.

• Sustainability

Is the multi-cooker covered by a fair warranty and is there guidance on how to recycle it at the end of its life? Is the packaging excessive or recyclable? Where was the multi-cooker made? Is it economical to use?

Are multi-cookers energy efficient?

Multi-cookers vary in their energy efficiency depending on their size and the function selected. But it is possible to calculate how much energy it will use, which in turn will help you work out the cost and impact it’ll have on your bills.

Take the appliance’s wattage and multiply it by the gadget’s hours of use per day, then divide the total by 1000. The result will be the appliance’s daily kilowatt-hour (kWh).

The cost per kilowatt-hour will vary depending on your energy tariff and area. If you have a smart meter installed at home, you’ll be able to see the cost per use during cooking without having to calculate it.

Which was the most energy-efficient multi-cooker we tested?

Of the models tested, we found the Drew & Cole’s Pressure King Pro to be the most energy efficient. It cost 3.91p to run the multi-cooker on a high pressure-cook setting for 30 minutes, using a tariff of 31.8p/kWh.

Air-fryers vs multi-cookers

There’s a lot of crossover in functionality between air-fryers and multi-cookers, but there are some differences that set them apart. Some multi-cookers can offer air-frying within their roster of functions, but additional settings, such as pressure cooking and sous vide, extend their usefulness even further.

While air-fryers are generally versatile gadgets with cooking presets that go beyond basic functionality, they tend to be more limited to convention-cooking technology. We’ve included a handful of air-fryer multi-cookers above to help you explore the best options out there.

Multi-cooker recipes and reviews

Slow cooker recipes
Slow cooker Christmas recipes
Slow cooker mince recipes
Kids’ slow cooker recipes
Vegan slow cooker recipes
Slow cooker curry recipes
Slow cooker chicken recipes
Cheap cuts of meat: how to get the most out of them
Lemony prawn & pea pressure cooker risotto
Chicken and mushrooms
Beef and vegetable casserole
Slow cooker bolognese

Related reviews

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This guide was last updated in September 2024. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.