Multicooker: pros and cons. Pros and cons of modern multicooker

29.04.2019 Grill menu

I recently heard a story. Parents came to visit a young woman. The woman left them the keys, and she went to work. Tired of the journey, the parents decided to have a hot breakfast, they looked - but there was no stove! There is an electric kettle and a microwave oven. But there is nothing to fry scrambled eggs on, you can't make coffee and you can't bake cheesecakes. We were surprised. We went to the store, bought a small electric stove, cooked borscht, fried cheesecakes and began to wait for the hungry daughter from work. My daughter came and was stunned: where did the tiles come from, and, most importantly, why? Here is a multicooker, in it you could cook the same borscht, fry the same cheesecakes, coffee, though you can't make it, but there is a coffee maker! Parents were embarrassed, removed the tiles, and upon arrival home they bought a multicooker for themselves. Indeed, it is easier, and, most importantly, faster. In this article, we will try to objectively consider all the advantages and disadvantages of multicooker and pressure cooker.

The multicooker is perhaps the most fashionable kitchen device today.

The speed of our life presupposes not hanging on the performance of one task: to cook borscht for an hour and a half, standing at the stove and laying vegetables in a certain order, we are already bored. We do not want to make sure that the milk does not run away and the porridge does not burn, this is already perceived as a hand wash: it is outdated, annoying, and even unnecessary. So, cooking will soon become an art for professionals, a hobby, and not a daily routine. The revolution in the automation of household work related to cooking occurred with the advent and proliferation of multicooker. The main advantage of multicooker and pressure cooker is that they allow the hostess to do other things or relax while cooking.

What is the Difference Between a Multicooker and a Pressure Cooker

A multicooker should be distinguished from a multicooker-pressure cooker.

A pressure cooker is a hermetically sealed "saucepan" in which food is cooked under high pressure. Unlike a multicooker, a pressure cooker has a special valve for releasing steam, which must be opened after the end of work. The advantage of a pressure cooker is that when the valve is closed, food is cooked much faster than in a conventional multicooker or on the stove.

All products are put into the pressure cooker at the same time, since due to high pressure, the cover cannot be opened during operation.

The multicooker outwardly differs from the pressure cooker only by the absence of a valve for releasing steam, in fact it is also a "pan" with a heating element at the bottom. The multicooker has a fairly high cooking speed, but the pressure cooker cooks even faster. The advantage of a multicooker is that during cooking, the pressure inside rises slightly, so you can add the ingredients gradually.

I tested the multicooker-pressure cooker and the regular multicooker, which I used mainly for cooking food for my child.

In general, the advantage of a pressure cooker over a simple multicooker is immediately obvious - dishes are cooked faster. But there are nuances: the pressure cooker is more difficult to wash, it is impossible to cook a very small portion (for one). Therefore, for example, I cook porridge for breakfast in a slow cooker - for myself and for the child at once.

Cooking buckwheat in a slow cooker takes 20 minutes, a pressure cooker can handle it in 7. But a pressure cooker requires preheating, so the total cooking time was 15 minutes.

Advantages and disadvantages of multicooker and pressure cooker when preparing various dishes

Pressure cooker porridge is perfect. Porridge cooked in a multicooker and pressure cooker turned out much better than on the stove. Well-cooked buckwheat, rice stewed in milk, oatmeal. True, this will only be appreciated by those who cannot cook porridge on the stove. For me, for example, this seemingly simple dish turned out to be quite problematic: either I digest it, then I don’t follow the milk, and it runs away. Besides, I feel sorry for the time spent at the stove in dreary contemplation of the process of cooking porridge. Therefore, we conclude that porridge in a slow cooker and a pressure cooker can and should be cooked.

For legumes, too. The multicooker does well with legumes.

Dishes for children are good. Vegetable puree, for example, it is prepared as follows: lightly grease the multicooker bowl with oil, lay vegetables cut into pieces (zucchini, pumpkin, carrots), pour water and cook in the “ Baby food". Then boiled vegetables you need to grind with a blender. Cooking cereals, compotes, soups is no different from dishes for adults.

The slow cooker makes mashed soups well. The filling soups, though tasty, are not ideal.

I hardly cook fried soups, I put onions and carrots raw in the soup. If this option does not suit you, a multicooker may not work. In a multicooker, vegetables are boiled and sometimes digested.

The multicooker is good at cooking borscht, cabbage soup (ordinary and sour). They, too, can not be called masterpieces, but quite good.

To make the soup in a slow cooker a success, it is better to first cook the broth (cook beef for 20 minutes), remove the meat, then cook the vegetables for another 10 minutes. It is undesirable to store the soup in a slow cooker, because you will not be able to use it until the soup is over. It can be poured into a saucepan.

But the ear from the pressure cooker is wonderful! Fish, potatoes, onions and carrots, salt and some black pepper. Sprinkle with parsley when serving.

In a slow cooker, it is good to stew meat (even lamb). There is no excess fat, the meat is very soft. Pilaf is also good. Only amateurs cook pilaf on the stove, the process is too long. With a multicooker, cooking pilaf will take about 20 minutes.

I didn't like the baking, and there are no advantages over the oven. And what the oven baked pies smell like! No multicooker can replace.

Another slow cooker is a salvation for those who like to cook dishes from boiled beets (vinaigrette, herring under a fur coat), which needs to be cooked on the stove for so long. In a slow cooker, all vegetables are cooked at once. And fast.

Corn, which has been cooked on the stove for more than one hour, can be cooked in a multicooker in 20 minutes.

In general, buying a pressure cooker is worth considering if you cook a lot and often.

If you rarely cook, you can limit yourself to a slow cooker.

Few people want to live in a house where it is unclean, uncomfortable, food only in the form of semi-finished products, where it is not customary to invite guests, celebrate family holidays, where there is no tradition to gather at the kitchen table in the evenings and discuss everything that happened during the day over delicious food. Today, on the contrary, the forgotten cult of the family and the family hearth is being revived. People, even not adapted to housekeeping, try to master all the skills and secrets in order to become hospitable and hospitable hosts.

Today, family members no longer want to eat just quick and normal food, they want to eat healthy, beautiful, tasty and even original. Such dishes are present in abundance in good restaurant menu, but not everyone has the ability or desire to visit gourmet restaurants every day.

If this is your case, then this article, describing the advantages of a multicooker when using it in household written for you. If you do not yet understand whether you need this new technology, then we will help you make the right decision.

An important advantage of the multicooker is freedom from the stove

The multicooker will not free you from cooking, but it will free you from the need to spend several hours over the stove, conjuring over the next culinary masterpiece... All you need to do to cook, such as a roast, is to peel and chop potatoes and vegetables, and rinse and chop the meat. The multicooker will do the rest. She will make sure that everything is ready at the right time for dinner, so that nothing burns or escapes, that the taste of vegetables is not overcooked, and the meat is very soft. Once you try to cook with this device, you will no longer be tied to the stove. It doesn't matter what model you have, or your needs, you can even make soups in a slow cooker.

The main advantage of a multicooker is free time.

If earlier, when you came home from work, you frantically grabbed at cooking dinner for your family, without even having time to change into your home clothes, and after hastily eaten you tried to make preparations for breakfast and lunch. next day, then it is not necessary to rush with a multicooker. It will free up time for you to do something more enjoyable. For example, porridge in the morning or yogurt can be cooked while you sleep, and soup for a child - while you and your husband are watching a movie after a quiet dinner.

Kitchen where you are - the advantages of a multicooker for summer residents

The multicooker works wherever there is an outlet. Therefore, even in an unfinished dacha, you will feel confident with it. No dry water, no food from home, instant porridge and soups. Your kitchen is you and the slow cooker, especially since while she is cooking, you can well play badminton with your son and husband.

Space for creativity - the advantage of a multicooker for novice cooks

Even if you do not like to cook and do it only out of a sense of duty to your family, then with the advent of a multicooker at home, everything will change. Most likely, you will start creating in your kitchen, experimenting with new ingredients, spices, sauces, complex recipes... Your food will not be as simple and ordinary as it used to be. You will stop counting potatoes cooked in a multicooker with chicken breast- food worthy of your family. But, get ready for the fact that in the first months of experimentation, your food budget may increase!

Only with the advent of new technical assistants do you realize how precious your free time is, how important your work is and how good it is that there is an opportunity to devote at least a little time to yourself. After all, otherwise life turns into a vicious circle, which, in the end, with severe fatigue, ceases to please and surprise. And we have one life, and one family - so, let's live fully and happily with our loved ones!

Pros and cons of a multicooker, advantages and disadvantages, harm and benefit.

Multicooker is touted right and left. What is the use of multicooker cooking? And this immediately begs the question. Are these devices really so unique that the advantages of a multicooker completely overshadow its few and minor disadvantages? Is there any harm from a multicooker to health, and if so, what is it? Yes, multicooker is really good at performing many tasks, but, as the reviews show, it has both advantages and disadvantages.

Multicooker: pros and cons

So, let's start all the same with the most obvious, that is, with the pros.

1. Pluses of a multicooker

Versatility. This device can really solve a wide range of tasks related to how to quickly cook all kinds of food. The presence of numerous regimens will diversify your diet, as a result of which you can boast of new successes in your culinary skills... What is it worth? tasty food like milk porridge or pilaf, or healthy meals instant cooking in pressure cooker mode.

Speed. With a pressure cooker, food can be cooked in a maximum of 10-20 minutes. Without the pressure cooker mode, they will cook about the same as on a regular stove, but without your direct participation.

Delayed start. You can sleep peacefully in your favorite bed or sit out your pants at work while the multicooker is panting over the preparation of the given dishes. In my opinion, this is what main benefit multicooker.

Unlike ordinary saucepan, many models of devices allow you to cook not only porridge and pilaf, but also pastries, yoghurts, bread, etc. That is, there is more than enough variety.

Teflon covering the working bowl will prevent the dishes from burning and the milk from leaving the bowl. You don't need to use oil, although a little dripping will never hurt.

Security. If you use your multicooker correctly, you will never be afraid of splashing oil or escaping puffs of hot steam.

As you can see, there are a lot of advantages. However, now it is worth finding out whether a slow cooker is harmful from one point of view or another?

2. Disadvantages of a multicooker

Price. Devices that will really delight you with wide functionality and ideal parameters are quite expensive. In budget models, one is laid down necessary minimum, which is provided for by the developed standards, but miracles should not be expected from them.

Insufficient speed. If the model does not have a pressure cooker function, then it is unlikely that you will feel that your food is cooking faster. And if you have gas stove, then a multicooker without a pressure cooker is unlikely to be of interest to you.

Scatter of functionality. Despite the fact that a multicooker is a bread bin, a yoghurt maker, and an oven, each of these devices individually will provide you with much greater possibilities than a multicooker technique. Therefore, if you love yoghurts, buy a full-fledged yoghurt maker.

Is the multicooker harmful? Is a multicooker harmful to health? Controversial issue. Some users claim that a high cooking speed completely destroys useful material and vitamins, although the manufacturers themselves not only deny this, but also claim the opposite. Whom to believe? You decide.

The disadvantages of the multicooker can also include Teflon, which is very easy to damage by careless handling. After damage, there is no longer any protection against burning and speech. Therefore, you need to take care of it like the apple of your eye.

conclusions

As you can see, the harm and benefits of multicooker are two sides of the same coin. At first glance, the devices are fine, but if you look in more detail, you can identify both advantages and disadvantages.

      • Add a comment (you can take a photo)

        Currently you have JavaScript disabled. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. on how to enable JavaScript in your browser.

        You can add your photo (jpg)

        • The choice of a refrigerator by climatic class, types, Russian realities.

        • How to choose a silent refrigerator for your home, the reasons for the noise.

        • How to check your TV for dead pixels when shopping in a store?

        • Which auger juicer is better to buy for home, reviews.

Before buying household appliances, many people ask themselves the question: “Is it worth buying? Do we need it? " This article describes all the advantages and disadvantages of a multicooker to help you answer your questions.

What is a multicooker?

Multicooker - this is a saucepan placed in a small oven, which is programmed for cooking various dishes in automatic mode. The inside is covered with a non-stick layer. The top is closed with a sealed lid. The lid has holes through which excess steam escapes. It contains from six to three dozen cooking programs.

The advantages of a multicooker

  1. The first advantage is versatility this appliance... You can use the multicooker to cook many different dishes... These can be daily breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Or maybe holiday menu and even your favorite pies.
  2. The second plus is time. With the pressure cooker mode, you can cook food in 15 minutes. But even if you do not have this mode, you should not be upset. The multicooker will prepare dishes in the time that you usually spend while cooking, but without your participation.
  3. The third advantage is that you can sleep or be at work, and the multicooker will cook for you. This is due to the delayed start function. Choose the time and the multicooker will automatically start cooking food at this particular time.
  4. Another very important plus is non-stick coating... Your meals will never burn.

These are the most important advantages, but there are also many other:

  • Multicooker is very safe. Oil does not splash in them and milk does not escape. You practically don't need oil for cooking, usually a couple of drops are enough.
  • Unlike an electric cooker, a multicooker consumes less electricity.
  • With the reheat function, you can always heat food up to 60 degrees.
  • It is easy to look after her. The lid and pot are very easy to clean.
  • You can take it with you and use it where there is no stove.
  • Despite all the automation, you can control the device at any time by changing the temperature or time.

As you can see, there are a lot of advantages and they are significant.

Disadvantages of a multicooker

  1. Multicooker, which includes all modes and functions, cost a lot of money. The inexpensive ones are usually standard features.
  2. In a slow cooker, as mentioned earlier, you can cook pies, bread, yogurt. But for example you love homebaked bread then you better buy a bread maker. With her, you will have more options.
  3. The amount of food you can cook is limited. You are limited by the size of the pot. If you have many guests, you will have to cook the same dish several times to make sure everyone has enough.
  4. Is food cooked in 15 minutes healthy? It is not known! Opinions on this issue are different. Some argue that such food loses all its useful properties, while others, on the contrary, consider such food to be as useful as possible. Here you decide for yourself.
  5. With a multicooker, you need to be as careful as possible. If you damage the coating even a little, then you can forget about the protection against sticking.

Output: like any device, a multicooker has many advantages and disadvantages. The choice is always yours!

Multicooker occupies a leading position in the market of kitchen appliances. The rave reviews of friends, bright advertising and heated discussion on the forums make you want to buy this kitchen device.

Some ardently assure that they now cook all the dishes in this miracle saucepan, others do not find anything special in it.

But after all, each new product has its own pros and cons, which you notice after a certain period of its operation.

Why are there so many rave reviews? Should I buy the device for personal use? How to choose a multicooker? What are its pros and cons?

Let's try to sort out all the issues.

General characteristics

Multicooker Is a multifunctional kitchen electrical appliance with programmed control, designed for cooking food in different modes.

It connects several household appliances: bread maker, cooker, rice cooker, double boiler, yogurt maker.

There are 2 types of multicooker:

  • Pressure cooker - works under pressure. She is different quick cooking food and energy savings.
  • Double boiler - an ordinary multicooker, works without pressure.

The multicooker consists of a body and a bowl. The cooking process itself takes place in the bowl. And the body takes on the role of a thermos and does not release heat outside the unit. Heating elements are located at the bottom of the multicooker, more advanced models are equipped with additional elements on the sides and top.

There is a valve on the lid, it is responsible for adjusting the pressure during the cooking process. And at the bottom there is a container for accumulating condensate.

The electronic panel allows you to select a program, set the desired temperature and cooking duration.

Thus, a multicooker is a pan with its own heating element and a closed heat loss system. It does not need control and notifies of the end of the cooking process with a sound signal.

General advantages and disadvantages

Pros:

  1. Exemption from participation in cooking. One of the main advantages is time saving. There is no need to wait for the water to boil, be afraid that the food will burn, it is impossible to burn a dish in a cartoon. It is enough just to cut the food, put it in the bowl and set the desired mode. And this kitchen gadget will take care of all further worries.
  2. Maintaining the right temperature dishes. After completing the cooking process, the multicooker automatically switches to heating mode. Warm dish will be waiting for you at any time.
  3. Delayed start function. The delay in cooking is a godsend for those who love healthy breakfast cereals. Pour the oatmeal into a bowl in the evening, cover with milk and set the right time... And in the morning, just put the hot porridge on the plates.
  4. Multifunctionality. The multicooker is great for lovers of minimalism or owners of oversized kitchens. It simultaneously replaces the yogurt maker, bread maker, oven, microwave and double boiler. In addition, combining all these functions in itself, it frees up not only space, but also saves money, because individually these devices are much more expensive.
  5. Multi-mode and easy to use. The device can fry, boil, bake, stew, simmer food, prepare desserts. Even a novice housewife will be able to cook a fragrant and appetizing dish in a miracle saucepan. Lots of recipes for a multicooker will help you avoid monotony in food.
  6. Preservation useful properties product. Food is cooked in a hermetically sealed bowl. The effect of the Russian stove preserves all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals in food. In addition, food prepared in a multicooker requires fewer spices and seasonings.
  7. Mobility. The compact kitchen appliance does not require much space and works wherever there is an electrical outlet. A real mini-kitchen weighing several kilograms and a convenient portable handle.
  8. When cooking in a multicooker, there is no such abundance of smells as when cooking on the stove.

On a note! In addition, food cooked in a multicooker requires fewer spices and seasonings.

Minuses:

  1. More long time cooking food in certain settings, such as soups, compared to a gas stove.
  2. Only 1 dish per cycle. Unlike a stove with several comforts, where you can immediately cook, stew and cook, you can cook only 1 dish in a multicooker. And this wastes time.
  3. The fragility of the coating. The surface of the multicooker bowl needs careful handling. Only plastic, rubberized and wooden spatulas or spoons are suitable for use. By the way, the standard bowl is only 5 liters, which means that the usable volume is a maximum of 3.5-4 liters. Prepare soup for a week at big family will not work.
  4. There is no automatic opening of the lid. Small trifle, but spoils appearance dishes. After the end of the cooking process, condensation accumulates on the lid. If you don't open it yourself, the drops will drip directly into the finished food.
  5. Scatter of functionality. The multicooker, like almost any multifunctional technique, is inferior in its functionality to specialized appliances. For the "Steam" function, it has a very small tray, it can hold a limited amount of food, unlike a double boiler. And yoghurts turn out to be thicker and tastier in a yogurt maker. Each of these kitchen appliances will provide more opportunities in full-fledged mode than a multicooker.
  6. A crispy crust does not form. Since there is no top a heating element, then the multicooker cannot brown the baked goods appetizingly, it has to be turned over.
  7. The multicooker does not have the function of stirring the dish.
  8. It is impossible to cancel the heating mode in many models, this function is not always appropriate.

On a note! To cook food in a multicooker in turn, you need to immediately transfer the prepared dish to another container, freeing the multicooker bowl for the next dish.

Which multicooker to choose?

Before buying, you need to decide on the following criteria:

  • Power;
  • The volume of the bowl and its coverage;
  • Number of modes;
  • Control type;
  • Constructive nuances;
  • Manufacturers.

Power

The power of the device varies from 200 W to 2 kW, this indicator depends on the volume of the bowl.

Interesting! The multicooker is proven to be more economical electric stove 2 times!

For a small family, a multicooker with a power of 800 W is suitable; it will cook at an optimal speed. The higher the power of the device, the faster the cooking process will take place, and, accordingly, less electricity will be spent.

Attention! The maximum power rating is achieved with a fully loaded bowl.

Bowl volume and coverage

Multicooker with a bowl of 1.5-3 liters is suitable for a small family or one person. Big family it is necessary to consider a volume of 5-6 liters. There are devices with a 10-liter bowl, but they are extremely rare.

It is optimal to purchase a device with a bowl of 4-5 liters, even if you live alone. Guests can always come, who will need to be fed, but with a small capacity this is unlikely to work.

When choosing a bowl cover, you need to focus on the pros and cons of each material.

  • Teflon, if handled carelessly, quickly loses its non-stick properties. The taste of food may change slightly due to harmful fumes that are released when the metal is heated. But on the other hand, Teflon containers are well washed.
  • Ceramic is resistant to cleaning agents, is hygienic and does not absorb odors. But it has increased fragility, which also requires careful handling.
  • The five-layer non-stick coating is easy to clean, durable, absolutely safe and retains maximum vitamins. But it has a high cost.

Attention! Based on the above, it is better to opt for a ceramic bowl. The main thing is to handle it with care.

Number of modes

Now they produce multicooker with a large selection of different programs. But are all these modes necessary? It is important not to overpay for unnecessary features.

The main ones are:

  • Cooking;
  • Frying;
  • Bakery;
  • Quenching;
  • For a couple;
  • Milk Porridge;
  • Buckwheat, rice.

Additional include:

  • Yogurt;
  • Dumplings;
  • Compote;
  • Stew;
  • Bread maker.

Many manufacturers supply the kitchen device with a bunch of unnecessary modes in order to attract buyers. This affects the cost of the multicooker upward. There is no point in overpaying an extra couple of thousand if you don't like baking bread or making jam.

Stop your choice on those modes that are really needed. Moreover, the name of the function does not limit its use, for example, pilaf and stew will turn out great in the stewing or baking mode.
Control type

The device provides 2 types of control:

  • mechanical;
  • electronic.

In the first version, there are various buttons and switches on the front panel. They are reliable and time-tested.

In the electronic version, a touchscreen display is presented on the panel.

The sensor is not important nuance when choosing a multicooker. It is good for those who like to keep abreast of all the latest technical innovations.

Therefore, if the difference is not fundamental to you, then it is better to choose a multicooker with push-button control, it will cost an order of magnitude cheaper.

Constructive nuances

Be sure to pay attention to such important points!

  • The multicooker legs must be rubberized. This will protect the table from scratches, and the multicooker from falling, it will stand securely on the table top.
  • A metal case will last longer than its plastic counterpart and will not fade over time.
  • The moisture trap provided in the design will collect condensate, protecting the dish from dripping drops.
  • A pleasant bonus will be a removable stand for spoons and spatulas, it is attached to the side of the device and does not cause inconvenience when looking for additional space for these devices.
  • The mains cable must be long enough to connect to the mains socket. Better yet, the cord is removable to make it easier to move around in a small space.
  • A multicooker with 3D heating is better in cooking, but its cost is higher than average.

On a note! The multi-cook function allows you to set your own temperature, time and experiment with recipes.

Manufacturers

The market is overflowing with manufacturers of these miracle pots. You need to pay attention to those brands that have proven themselves in production precisely kitchen appliances... Let's consider the most famous ones.

  • Redmond- is a leader, has a well-deserved reputation, and great quality and the functionality is well worth the price.
  • Moulinex- good multicooker, large bowls, high power.
  • Panasonic- reliable quality, the bowls have a multilayer coating, and the multicooker itself is equipped with a display, heating mode, multi-cook.
  • Polaris- good quality and design, but the developer mostly uses ideas from other manufacturers.
  • Philips- multicooker has bowls of different sizes, high power, steel body and microprocessor control.

To understand which model is the best from the manufacturer, you can go to the thematic forum. There are published reviews from real people who have already tried this device. In addition, there are special Internet sites where you can compare models among themselves in terms of functionality, price, power and other details.

Before buying, pay attention to the reviews of specialists, they will help you make the final choice and not overpay for a kitchen device:

  1. Check the display backlighting
  2. All functions must be in Russian.
  3. Auto shutdown. If your soup often runs away or something burns in a frying pan, then this function will be necessary.
  4. Pay attention to the warranty period, the longer it is, the more confidence in the quality of the product. The warranty must be at least one year.
  5. With mechanical control, all buttons must be pressed without force.
  6. Check if a separate bowl is sold for the selected model. So that in case of damage to the coating, not to change the entire multicooker.
  7. Inspect the multicooker body so that there are no rough joints or gaps on it.

Now you know how to choose a multicooker. Remember that a kitchen device is bought for long years, therefore, it is not worth saving on the purchase. But choosing the most expensive model is also not wise. Based on your capabilities and needs, read specifications device and choose a trusted manufacturer.