Pressure multicooker comparison test: the hostess turns into a cook and then a wizard.

In my childhood, cartoons were called animated movies, but now multis are kitchen appliances that turn any average housewife into an experienced cook, and an experienced cook makes a real magician. No wonder. Automatic cooking programs, their diversity, ease of operation, the quality of bowls, friendly interface, then here the premium multicookers have no equal. Even the steam is reset automatically after a warning signal. And the Voice Guide not only helps to cook, but also creates a special atmosphere in the kitchen.

TEST PARTICIPANTS

WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU COME FROM?

I was unspeakably lucky this time: I was testing pressure cookers, and two of them were premium class. In my house came the era of delicious pilaf, rolls with perfectly cooked rice, homemade yogurt, tongue in jelly and airy biscuits. I’ve also cooked soups and porridge, pasta and buckwheat in multicookers. I got lazy: because all “my beauties” did.

And two of them even talked to me: one of them with a beautiful baritone voice, the second – in a gentle female voice. Anyway, they took away these handymen from me, and now I feel rather lonely in the kitchen – alone with the stove and the products. I do nothing but run to the stove, stir it, change the power, watch the time. Just like a multicooker: put the food, choose the program, press Start and you are ready to go!

The four multicookers tested can be divided into two groups:

The first is the premium, five-digit price multicookers from South Korea: the CUCKOO CMC-NE1055F and the ELEMENT El’chef FWA01PB. But, except for the price and homeland, these appliances are united by some similarities: the availability of Voice Assistant, rotary knobs on hinged lids, lids themselves, self-cleaning function, induction heating elements. But the set of programs, the way of control and design of these devices are different, which makes their comparison very interesting.

The second group are pressure cookers, which allow choosing the presence or absence of pressure while cooking MOULINEX Minut’cook CE400032 , and even adjusting its level OURSSON MP5005PSD . These models have heavy removable lids, reminiscent of pressure cookers of yesteryear, but their functionality is similar to that of modern multicookers.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Cold cuts in an hour, and even from second-rate beef – a busy woman’s dream. Modern pressure cookers can do it perfectly well – both those for which the pressure is set automatically, and those for which this parameter can be selected by yourself.

Multicookers, which have in their arsenal of simmering program, turn into slow cookers – a device known in America and England. More B. Pokhlebkin wrote that in the cuisines of these two nations there are dishes that were cooked for long periods at quite low temperatures: for example, cabbage soup in America or Christmas pudding in Britain. Right now the interest in simmering – cooking at temperatures below 100°C – is extraordinarily high in Europe. Three of the multicookers we tested all except the MOULINEX Minut’cook CE400032 allow this type of cooking.

But, first of all, we love multicookers for the ability to cook cereals and milk porridge. In all represented multicookers we cooked buckwheat and millet or rice porridge. These appliances were successful in this task: the milk did not run away, the groats boiled. But there are nuances, about them – in personal tests.

We will not describe in this article all the programs of the devices, focusing only on the mode For Creativity. It is present in the arsenal of three devices: CUCKOO CMC-NE1055F – Multicooker, ELEMENT El’chef FWA01PB – Chef, OURSSON MP5005PSD – your choice. These modes are interesting in that they allow you to change not only the duration of the program such an option is presented in many models , but also the cooking temperature. And the temperature range is very wide: from 50 °-70 ° C to 130 ° C. If it were possible to increase the cooking time in this mode of the ELEMENT El’chef FWA01PB multicooker, this device would produce yoghurt.

As for temperatures, we were surprised CUCKOO CMC-NE1055F multicooker: in 6 programs you can change this parameter, but, however, only in two of them we are talking about specific degrees, in the rest have to make do with some not very clear levels.

In general, if we talk about functionality, the priorities can be set as follows:

Most of the programs have CUCKOO CMC-NE1055F and ELEMENT El’chef FWA01PB, but they are different, so when choosing must be guided by your culinary preferences, a little inferior to the number of OURSSON MP5005PSD, but it is this multivark has the most flexible settings for time.

As for the MOULINEX Minut’cook CE400032, the small number of programs contains a large number of possibilities. There are two basic modes in the arsenal, differing in temperature and pressure level. The additional programs Stew, Roast Vegetables, Roasting can be used as auxiliary functions, e.g. for cooking pilaf, or they can be used independently for cooking various dishes.

When testing, we tried to fry meat chicken wings in the multicooker. It is clear that this is not the main function of these devices, but it is declared and there are special programs for it in some multicookers there is even not one, but two . Besides, we were wondering whether the device could cope with such a task. The results are described in the tests of multicookers.

HOW TO CONTROL YOU?

Buttons, screens and displays – that’s what we’re used to and what these multicookers have. Of course, all devices have a American-speaking panel, two multicookers are also equipped with a Voice Assistant. Let’s just say that the most expensive CUCKOO CMC-NE1055F and ELEMENT El’chef FWA01PB have the most elaborate and convenient controls, as well as the screen is perfectly visible.

In OURSSON MP5005PSD it is possible to watch on the screen not only cooking time but also the temperature: the indicators change quite dynamically. The MOULINEX Minut’cook CE400032 left a double impression: on the one hand, everything is simple, simple as pie but on the other..

It is difficult to monitor the operation of the programs, the countdown is only in two modes, it is unclear why the dot on the screen is constantly lit and blinking. In general, in terms of control, it is a bit “mysterious and contradictory”.

SAFETY IS IMPORTANT!

Unlike mom’s and grandma’s pressure cookers, these appliances are equipped with reliable multi-stage safety systems. The only thing: hot steam is always hot steam. To reduce the risk of burns, never hold your hands above the steam valves when the steam is released.

PRICE

Since we grouped devices by their ability to cook under pressure, we got a very different price group. It’s nice to know that all presented multicookers can cook well. In this respect, the cheapest in the group MOULINEX Minut’cook CE400032 is almost as good as the most expensive.

TEST TOTALS

Thank You With. Oursson, T. Karachevskaya Moulinex , Yu. Kima Cuckoo , K. To Yudochkin Element for the given for test devices and respectful attitude to our – often critical – remarks.