Best smart multicookers 2026

Yes for 80% of daily uses: braises, soups, risottos, steaming, yogurt, slow-cooked stews. 6 to 8 liter models (Instant Pot, Cosori) typically combine 10 to 15 automatic programs. For oven baking or large roasts, you'll keep a classic Dutch oven — but the multicooker frees your burners and monitors cooking for you.

Count 1 liter per person as a base, then add 2 liters for stews and leftovers. A couple: 3 to 5 liters. Family of 4: 6 liters. Large family or weekend batch-cooking: 8 liters. Beyond that, pressure build-up time becomes a drawback.

Useful for three cases: starting a recipe remotely on your way home, accessing preset recipes without manually entering temperature and time, and getting an alert when cooking is done. Less useful if you always cook the same dishes — physical buttons are enough.

The multicooker heats under pressure and simmers. The cooking robot mixes, weighs, and kneads in addition to cooking. For 200 to 300 EUR, a multicooker covers 90% of long cooks. For 1,000 EUR and up, a cooking robot adds integrated prep but performs less well on large pressure cooks.

Technically yes with pressure models reaching 115 to 118 degrees Celsius, but capacity limits to 3 to 5 jars at a time. For serial canning, a dedicated sterilizer remains more cost-effective. The multicooker is ideal for a trial run or a small weekly batch.