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Ovens & Ranges

Multicooker, slow cooker, pressure cooker: What's the difference?

Too many cook(er)s in the kitchen

From left: Ninja Foodi, Instant Pot, and GreenPan Slow Cooker on green background. Credit: Ninja / Instant Pot / GreenPan

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Pressure cookers, multicookers, slow cookers and Instant Pots.

You've probably noticed how quickly these small-but–mighty appliances have invaded countertops, cookbooks, Instagram feeds, and Amazon best-seller lists within the past few years.

Although these devices are each quite different, they all enable you to cook a meal in a relatively hands-off fashion. That set-it-and-forget-it mentality is why these little appliances are so popular among busy home cooks.

But what are they, and how do they work? If it feels like there are too many cook(er)s in the kitchen, we're here to help you sort out which one is right for you.

The multicooker

Ninja Foodi sitting on a green checkered background.
Credit: Ninja / Reviewed

The latest Ninja Foodi multicooker can perform 14 cooking functions under one lid.

A multicooker is a jack-of-all-trades device that can replace several kitchen appliances into one counter-friendly pot. It often combines the functions of the other appliances on this list—slow cooking and pressure cooking—into one workhorse machine.

Modern editions can do even more than you think: From simple tasks like boiling eggs and making rice, to making the perfect sous vide meal, frying ultra-crispy chicken, and even carrying the weight of Thanksgiving dinner. The latest Ninja Foodi, for example, has over 14 cooking functions, including simultaneous steaming and crisping.

Most models also enable you to sauté, sear, simmer, steam, cook rice, keep warm, and time delay. You can even make bread and yogurt in these cookers.

Multicookers can cook twice as fast as a stove, or for a long period of time at a low temperature—depending on which setting you choose. The newer models have gotten even more efficient in recent years, reducing cooking time by up to 70%.

There can be drawbacks, of course. With so many functions, some multicookers have the tendency to excel in certain categories and struggle in others. For example, the Instant Pot Ultra might be an attractively popular choice, but it is known to lack in slow cooking, often providing overcooked, dry results.

Get the Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 multicooker with SmartLid on Amazon for $200

The slow cooker

GreenPan sitting on a green checkered background.
Credit: GreenPan / Reviewed

It's best to invest in a slow cooker that offers lots of customization options.

As you might expect, slow cookers do exactly what they claim: They cook food slowly, and at a low temperature. That makes them perfect for cooking anything that's designed to simmer, like soups and stews, or tough cuts of meat that need time to become tender.

They're especially great for prepping meals first thing in the morning, so dinner's ready by the time you get home. (Some models can even be programmed to automatically switch to a "warm" setting after a set amount of time.)

They're almost impossible to misuse. Slow cookers typically consist of a simple structure: a cooking vessel or insert, and a base that contains a heating element. Just add all (or most) of the ingredients at once, and leave it to cook for four to eight hours. (Just don't forget to keep up with cleaning it regularly!)

Patience is required. Each time you remove the lid, you add 10 to 30 minutes to your cook time—so no peeking. And despite the vast number of slow cooker recipes out there, most end up with the same stew-like consistency. That's why it's best to invest in a slow cooker that has versatile temperature settings (like the GreenPan Slow Cooker), which allows you to cook to a precise degree. Otherwise, you might end up with results that are overcooked or mushy.

FYI: Although these appliances are [often defined interchangeably as "Crock-Pots", that's a false equivalency. Crock-Pot is a brand (of many appliances!), not a device in and of itself. And while it's a popular brand among slow cookers, it's not the only one. In fact, it didn't even rank within our top five slow cookers after testing.

Get the GreenPan Slow Cooker at Williams Sonoma for $250

The pressure cooker

Traditional pressure cooker and Instant Pot sitting on a green checkered background.
Credit: Presto / Instant Pot / Reviewed

The pressure cookers of the past are not what they used to be.

Pressure cookers are known for their ability to cook almost everything—and fast.

Here's how it works: Food and liquid are sealed together in the cooker, and the resulting level of steam allows for a high temperature and pressure point that speeds up the cooking process. So, meals that would typically take an hour-plus to cook can come together much faster.

Most pressure cookers nowadays are electric and sit on your countertop (like our favorite, the Instant Pot Ultra 10-in-1), but in the pre-Instant Pot days, stovetop pressure cookers like this stainless steel one from Presto were the norm.

Pressure cooker horror stories may have been a well-known TV sitcom trope, but—just like laugh tracks—they're largely a relic of another age. New models have safety seals and special locks to prevent lids from rocketing off as they've previously been known to do.

There’s a learning curve to using a pressure cooker. Pressure cookers are sealed, so the hands-off process and literal lack of visibility takes some getting used to—but the benefits are worth it.

Get the Instant Pot Ultra 10-in-1 Multi–Use Pressure Cooker on Amazon for $140

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