Best multi-cooker – for air frying, pressure cooking, sautéing and more

With one of the best multi-cookers, you have access to an array of cooking functions right at your fingertips. These cookers are incredible value for money, with up to 14 cooking settings available in one unit, and offer versatility for those who need a space-saving solution.

Often combining pressure cooking with modes for slow cooking, baking, steaming, and even air frying, these multi-cookers really can change the way you use your kitchen.

Some of the first multi-cookers came from Instant Pot, and the Ninja Foodi range was quick to follow. Since then, everyone from Tefal to Magimix has come out with their own iterations.

We've reviewed every option in the list you'll find below to see if multi-cookers can replace rice cookers, the best slow cookers, and debating if they can oust the best air fryers from your kitchen.

The quick list

Only looking for a top-level mutli-cooker overview? Our quick list gets you where you need to go without the fuss.

Best multi-cookers 2024 - reviewed, rated and ranked

Best multi-cooker overall

The Instant Pot Pro has a sleek black exterior and is fully loaded with presets and cooking functions to take centre stage in your kitchen. We appreciated how compact the 5.7 litre model we tested was, but it also comes with an 8 litre pot for larger families. Something that can put people off pressure cooking is the steam vent release. This lets out high-pressure steam, which can splutter depending on the machine you're using. We had no such issues with the Instant Pot Pro though, thanks to the switch to the side of the valve which means you can keep your distance.

We made tasty brown rice in just 30 minutes, and were left with fluffy separated grains. The slow cooking mode was also impressive, but it's worth noting that with all multi-cookers they will retain liquid better than a regular slow cooker, so reduce the amount of stock you're using to get the same result you're used to with your slow cooker.

Everything, even the lid, can go straight in the dishwasher, which we were thrilled with. Especially because the pot isn't non-stick, it's nice to know there won't be any need for scrubbing.

Our Instant Pot Pro review has the full details.

Best Ninja multi-cooker

A popular choice for those who want an air fryer and multi-cooker in one, the Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker OP350UK is the most entry-level of Ninja's lineup of multi-cookers, and can be picked up for a bargain by using Ninja Kitchen discount codes. It's smart though, with an uncomplicated display panel that's unlikely to scare new users away. The central dial allows you to switch between the cooking functions, and it will also allow you to increase and decrease the timings and temperatures.

The air frying lid (which is known as the tendercrisp lid) is hinged to the side of the cooker, so when you use the pressure lid you need to allow room for the crisp lid to stand upright. This can make it tricky to fit the Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker OP350UK under kitchen counters. The air frying is actually really good, though. We were able to make an entire roast chicken by pressure cooking and then air frying it, and the potato wedges it made were even and crispy.

We enjoyed the non-stick cooking pot, but it can swivel around slightly when stirring because the pot isn't held into place with handles like the Instant Pot Pro. The bottom of the pot is also slightly curved, which made it tricky to add oil to the pot without it gathering at the sides. Cleaning is a breeze, and the handles on the side make this a storage-friendly multi-cooker.

Our Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 review has the full details.

Best 8-in-1 multi-cooker

Sage's latest multi cooker, the Sage Fast Slow Go, is a great alternative to the fascia of many multi-cookers. The images make it more attractive, but also easier to get to grips with. You can choose between pressure and slow cooking for many of the presets, and it can also be used to steam, sous vide, and reduce.

The hinged lid is unusual, and not our favourite. It can be removed, but the process is quite fiddly. We do like that the pressure cook mode releases the valve hands-free, which means you won't need to worry about any splattering hot water.

We made a very delicious risotto in just 18 minutes using the Sage Fast Slow Go, and it required no stirring. Another dish we tried was a chickpea curry using dried chickpeas on the legume setting. This was a big win, and while we're not usually fans of using dried chickpeas, this machine may have converted us for how easy the process was.

Our Sage The Fast Slow Go review has the full details.

Best small multi-cooker

The Magimix Cook Expert brings an alternative take on multi-cooking, with an attachment to put even the best food processor out of a job, and a cooking bowl with blades attached at the bottom which can whiz through soup or stews with ease. You can use the presets for soup (chunky or smooth), blending, frozen desserts, and even kneading dough, or even freestyle on the manual cooking mode to make your own recipes.

We really enjoyed how immersive the Magimix Cook Expert experience is. You can join online groups to get tips on new recipes to try, and it's amazing to see how many different things people make in their Cook Expert. This includes mulled wine, porridge, even custard. The blades at the bottom can be removed, but it's best not to do this when you've just finished cooking and they're hot, so the grooved spatula is needed to get ingredients out of the bottom of the cooking pot. It's a bit fiddly when cooking dishes like porridge or mashed potato.

None of the other multi-cookers we tried had blades attached, so while you can use the steam insert or use the Magimix Cook Expert as one of the best soup makers, you will also enjoy being able to set the blades on a slow mode to use them to stir rice or veggies while they cook from the bottom of the cooking pot. Cleaning is very easy, because everything is dishwasher-safe.

Our Magimix Cook Expert review has the full details.

Best multi-cooker for under £100

If you want the best multi-cooker for under £100, the Tefal CY505E40 is a great choice. We really loved the control panel, which made it easy to pick the right mode for you, and there's a lot this multi-cooker can do. It made delicious, fluffy rice, the likes of which we'd expect from one of the best rice cookers. We also really enjoyed the recipe book included, which made it easier to get used to using the Tefal CY505E40.

The compact design of the Tefal CY505E40 will be a winner in smaller kitchens, but again, the lid is hinged. Using the browning program before switching on the pressure cooking mode was useful for getting the most flavour out of a delicious beef stew, and the whole process was pretty low-effort.

One issue we had was the lack of an obvious start button. Instead there's an icon, which you'll need to find in the control manual, but it does make getting started a little trickier. Cleaning was easy. The non-stick coating of the cooking pot was appreciated, especially from Tefal, who makes some of the best non-stick frying pans. It can't go in the dishwasher though.

Our Tefal CY505E40 review has the full details.

Best multi-cooker for cooking meat

The Crockpot Turbo Express Electric Pressure Cooker made delicious stews. We were able to brown the meat first before switching over to slow cook or pressure cooking mode and leaving it to cook. There are presets for rice, beans, stew, meat, and even desserts, as well as manual settings to let you get stuck in.

Steaming was a little tricky, as was cooking rice, but this is a multi-cooker that you'll enjoy after an initial adjustment period. It's also well-priced, and great for generous portions. The steam vent is once again distinguished from the pressure switch, so you won't have to worry about splatters with this multi-cooker. It's got a non-stick pot, but it's not dishwasher-safe.

Our full Crockpot Turbo Express Electric Pressure Cooker review has the full details.

How to choose the best multi-cooker

If you're looking for the best multi-cooker to make stews and speed up cooking times, you'll be safe with an entry-level model. Most multi-cookers can pressure cook, so you'll be able to enjoy cooking all types of meat and pulses with a range of functions to brown and then cook your dish.

However, not all multi-cookers come with an air fryer in-built. Adding an air fryer into the equation will let you switch from pressure cooking to air frying, which will crisp up the skin of your chicken or make your roasties in minutes.

You should also consider pre-sets. Although they often come with around 10 cooking modes, not all multi-cookers have pre-set modes. Whether you need pre-sets is really up to you. Some enjoy using them to follow specific recipes, but others will find that they are dependent on what you're cooking.

For example, a rice preset is designed to cook a specific amount of rice, and a stew preset is designed to cook a specific type of meat. The amount of time this needs will vary depending on what you're cooking, so you can't depend on pre-set modes alone.

How we tested the best multi-cooker

We reviewed each and every one of the best multi-cookers in this guide hands-on either at home or at our testing facility in Reading. There are a lot of modes on offer with these appliances, so we made sure that every cooker was put to the test for more than just stews or curries. We made rice, used legume presets, and even cooked cakes when putting the best multi-cookers to the test.

As more multi-cookers continue to hit the market, we'll be reviewing to continuously update this guide with the top options on the market, in line with our commitment to how we test products at Ideal Home.

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FAQs

What's the difference between a multi-cooker and slow cooker?

A multi-cooker has multiple functions, with the majority of models on the market featuring a slow cook setting. 

Not every slow cooker will have multiple functions however, which is the defining feature of a multi-cooker (that they can do many different things). Some slow cookers just slow cook, so if that's the only setting you're looking for, then you can probably save yourself a fair amount of money.

What does a multi-cooker do?

Multi-cookers combine the abilities of different appliances, like a slow cooker or a rice cooker, into one do-it-all unit. 

Multi-cookers' functions include (but are not limited to!) slow cooking, air frying, pressure cooking, sauteing, roasting, grilling, baking, dehydrating, reheating, toasting, rice cooking and yoghurt making. 

This type of appliance is well-loved in the States, especially the brand Instant Pot, which has a real grip on the multi-cooker market. People love them thanks to their safe saving nature, as you can pack so much functionality into one buy, and therefore save yourself a lot of countertop space.

If after reading all that, you're starting to think that a multi-cooker is the buy for you, then your kitchen may be about to become a lot less cluttered and a lot more convenient.