Comparative test of multicookers: pressure is normal – dinner is normal?

We have tested multicookers without the possibility of pressure cooking more than once, and we have always tried to focus on ergonomics and functional “repertoire” of each device. But it was the “hour X”, and we decided to make a comparative test. How do the 6 contestants cope with the three standard tasks?? Is it possible that an appliance for 2000-3000 Dollars cooks no worse than the most expensive and popular model?

Test participants: functions and specifications

Model	Capacity, l	Power, W	Qty programs	Roasting	Yogurt	Express	Control. t	Moisture collector	Removable inner lid	Saving settings in case of power failure	Prices
BRAND 502	5	850	13	yes	Yes	available at	is	yes	yes	no	From 5 30 to 6 990 RUB.
Supra MCS-4511	5	670	8	no	no	yes	no	no	yes	yes	2 994 to 5 765 Dollars.
Rolsen RMC-5077	5	860	6	available	available	Yes	no	no	yes	yes	2 982 to 3 330 Dollars.
Philips HD 3037/03	5	980	11	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	yes	yes	7,290 Dollars.
Panasonic SR-TMJ181	4,5	670	11	no	no	available	no	yes	no	yes	from 8 570 to 10 450 Dollars.
Sinbo SCO 5034	4	700	7	no	no	no	no	yes	no	no	from 1 990 to 2 199 Dollars.

As tested

Very popular models participated in the testing, sales levels of which are just off the scale. We were wondering: do people pay any attention to what they give their hard-earned money for?? In the advertising of almost any multicooker the phrases “cooking all kinds of dishes”, “replaces the stove, oven, frying pan, steamer”, etc., are used.p.

In some stores of home appliances salespeople and consultants when asked “What is the difference between?”Shrug their shoulders and say that multicookers without pressure cooking function are all the same, or just recommend the most popular brand.

Standard equipment of all devices, only BRAND 502 model has a bottom steamer grid for double-level steaming.

That is why, based on our multiple experience in testing multicookers, and having an idea of what “pitfalls” users can meet, we decided to check the following in each device:

Presence/absence of basic programs, their features choice of programs . For a complete set of programs and modes we gave 10 points, for the lack of each important program we deducted 1 point.

What is, from our point of view, an “important program”?? Every cooking program that must be present to provide the user with all the ways to cook food in order to have a healthy and tasty meal.

We find important the following programs: Rice Buckwheat, Krups , Porridge Milk porridge , Soup, Baking Pie , Roasting, Stewing Stew , Yogurt, Steam cooking. Many approximately equivalent programs in different models have different names, so we do not “fine”, for example, a device that has a program Buckwheat or Cereal, but no program Rice: they are approximately the same modes, designed for cooking cereals.

Sometimes the Soup and Porridge programs are combined into one, that’s okay. In some devices there is not just a program Kasha, but Milk porridge. They differ, as a rule, by changing the temperature modes: for boiling milk porridge you need to quickly reduce the temperature after boiling everyone knows how quickly milk can run away , for cooking porridge with water this is not so important.

To some devices, we removed a point for the lack of the program Milk porridge. Why? Because in the Porridge appliance, the porridge runs away if there is at least half of the cup’s volume even less . And in other multicookers especially with low power , milk porridge is cooked in the usual program Porridge without any problems, and in such cases, the point for the lack of the program Milk porridge was not removed.

You can braise in all appliances. But when, for example, there is no Fry program, then the user is deprived of possibility to cook not only proper fried dishes, but also elementary cannot fry vegetables for soup or pilaf. Then the question arises: is it possible to fry food in another mode? This is what we studied in the “Fry” test.

BRAND 502 Multicooker, Supra MCS-451, 1Rolsen RMC-5077

Control and interface. We evaluated the usability of the settings and the “friendliness” of the interface. Again we took the high 10 points as a basis. When evaluating the control systems reduced most of the devices for the lack of temperature settings. We believe that if there are already multicookers with this technology and at a lower price than devices without this setting , it is time for others to catch up.

For inconvenient time settings, non-American control panel, poorly readable display, tight buttons, etc.p. unpleasant things were also reduced by 1 point for each drawback.

One model – Philips – also received a point for the lack of time setting in each mode – for such an advanced multicooker this is a minus.

Another model – Sinbo – took away a point for the fact that the end of some programs must be watched: the time of their work can not be limited. Management settings and interface specifically, the control panel were evaluated by.

Convenience of appliance design. Let’s not talk in detail about what all models have: this collapsible steam valve, carrying handle, spoon holder. We have already said something about the advantage of having a moisture collector. It is a guarantee that extra moisture will not get into the dish. But the most important thing is that the inner lid can be easily detached and put in place: then it can be easily washed, and there will be no stagnant smells in the multicooker.

Bowls of all multicookers. They have a non-stick coating, which we mercilessly scratched during the test. Honestly, we didn’t just use plastic spoons from the kits, we used everything at hand – regular spoons, for example.

Doubting the quality of the coating of some bowls, which were relatively thin and light, we purposely scraped them … scissors! See specific appliance tests for details . No, the coatings don’t add thickness to the bowl, just the overall appearance and heaviness of the bowl speaks to its overall quality: the thicker and heavier it is, the better. The champion of this test – the bowl of multicooker Philips.

Price/performance ratio. We did not assign points for this parameter, it would be too subjective, but general conclusions about each device were made. We were primarily focused on functionality and usability. The same features are priced differently by different manufacturers.

In addition, it was necessary to take into account that “on the heels” of conventional multicookers come steam cookers – devices with far greater opportunities. It’s somewhat surprising when a no-pressure multicooker with modest functionality costs the same as some appliances with pressure and a full range of programs.

Philips HD 3037/03 Multicooker, Panasonic SR-TMJ181, Sinbo SCO 5034

What else to consider when choosing a pressureless multicooker?

We would not recommend buying a multicooker over the Internet: it means almost blindly. Since it is a device for everyday use many people buy it not as an addition, but as an alternative to the stove , it is extremely important that you were comfortable using it.

For example, the English-language control is still not uncommon. While in the first tests we put up with it there would have been a clear manual , a couple of years later, when most manufacturers have translated almost all apps into American, this looks like outright disrespect for the consumer.

We do not invite such appliances for tests and hope that they “die out” as a class. You should also make sure that the visual acuity allows you to use the display. Sometimes the screen is not illuminated, and the selector arrow is so small that it is hard to see it, for example, for elderly people who usually suffer from hyperopia.

And now there is a trend under the codename “I’ll give my mom a multicooker, she’s dreaming of her. Thus cost multivarkers “for young healthy people with knowledge of English” is not cheaper, and often more expensive than russified models with easy-to-read display. The conclusion: at least once you should “feel” the device in a store, and then order it online, if you can find a better price.

Speaking of prices. We have noticed that all kinds of TV stores overprice multicookers almost twice or three times, positioning them as a miracle device. Some online stores exaggerate the price of very popular models, for example, with multicooker Panasonic.

Hypermarkets, on the contrary, are flooded with low-quality and frankly outdated devices at bargain prices. It is much more advantageous to buy a multicooker in a specialized stores of electronics and home appliances, you can see different devices and compare them – at least to evaluate the control panel, design and build quality: no “burrs” on the plastic, no strange odors from the silicone seal, whether the bowl is not made of “foil.

Another pitfall – the impossibility of baking in some models. If there is no special program, it does not mean that you can not bake in the device. For example, in a previous test we tested a model from Vitesse without such a program, but it baked perfectly.

Another thing is when the model is designed only for boiling and stewing. As a rule, these are multicookers with a very sensitive sensor of evaporation and the presence of liquid in the bowl: the display has a sign “evaporation of liquid”. In these appliances, if there is no water in the bowl, cooking stops, which is why you can neither fry nor bake.

Those who buy the “helper” for the country house, where power outages are very frequent, should ask about the possibility of saving settings when power is turned off.

It would be a shame if the program gets messed up and we have to turn it on again: in fact then the sequence of temperature modes will be broken and the dish can suffer. This parameter can be checked in general directly in the store: ask the salesman to demonstrate the program selection and shutdown. Turn it on again and check that the settings have not been lost.

Cooking quality

We conducted 3 tests: cooked rice used the same variety, in each appliance cooked 200 g of groats in the way indicated on the package: rice/water ratio – ½, washing rice in 5 waters to remove starch baked biscuits on kefir according to the same recipe in the same proportion, using flour, kefir, sugar and eggs of the same brands fried chicken meat ham without bone and shin .

For each test Rice, Fry, Bake we gave individual points, for the original score again took 10 and removed points for deficiencies. All devices have passed the “Rice” test, and this is not surprising: after all their “ancestor” is a rice cooker, and the mode Rice analogues – Buckwheat, Krupa in multicookers is always the most accurate.

The most common disadvantages: