Can't afford to spend a lot of time in the kitchen? But at the same time, you want to delight yourself and your household with a variety of delicious dishes? There is a way out - just buy yourself a reliable and multifunctional electronic assistant - we will tell you how to choose a multicooker for your home in 2019 so that it will take over your daily culinary responsibilities.
Choosing a good multicooker is not difficult at all. We will help you not to get lost in the variety of models and manufacturers, and will tell you about everything you need to consider when buying this thoughtful and convenient device. Specifications, functionality, equipment - all this will help you with the choice. How to choose a multicooker for your home? Weigh all the pros and cons of using this device, as well as determine the amount of work that you are ready to entrust to the multicooker. It is on your culinary preferences that, in general, the choice of this or that model will depend. But let's talk about everything in order!
Device and principle of operation of the device
A multicooker is a modern and versatile appliance that allows you to cook one dish at a time, with virtually no human intervention. It is enough just to put the necessary ingredients, select the mode and turn on the device. At the end of the work, the multicooker will turn itself off, which will be signaled with a sound signal. In some models, if you do not immediately open the multicooker and start eating, the function of keeping the dish hot is activated. This is convenient if you or someone from your family does not have time for lunch or dinner - the food will be fresh and hot by your arrival and you can immediately sit down at the table.
Structurally, household multicooker is a bowl for cooking, enclosed in a thermally insulated body. Heating elements are placed between the bowl and the shell of the device - heating elements responsible for supplying heat and preparing food.
The temperature inside the multicooker rises gradually. In parallel with this, the pressure rises. It is thanks to the competent combination of these factors that the food in the multicooker is prepared quickly enough, while it does not burn, does not fall apart and retains all the nutrients, vitamins and a complex of micro- and macroelements. There is no oil and cholesterol or carcinogens - basically, products are steamed, or amenable to stewing, boiling, baking. That is, multicooker is considered an effective way to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Although, this is more than just a steamer. After all, multicooker can do a lot - fry, stew, simmer, etc.
See also - What is the multi-cook function in a multicooker?
Advantages and disadvantages
How to choose the right multicooker so that it does not gather dust on the shelf? Before moving on to the recommendations, we will try to objectively talk about the pros and cons of using such a device in everyday life. First, about the good.
- Your intervention in the preparation of lunch or dinner is minimized.
- No special technological knowledge or culinary talent is required - even a newcomer to the kitchen can easily master the recipe book that comes with your chosen multicooker.
- As already mentioned, the multicooker prepares healthy food, as well as smokes, steams and sterilizes, makes yoghurts, deep fries and helps to create both simple and complex multi-component dishes.
- It is quite economical, and its operation will cost less than using a stove.
- Multi-cookers are compact and mobile, take up little space, and, if necessary, can be easily rearranged or even transported from place to place, from kitchen to kitchen. They do not require any permits, installation or connections.
- Both a young housewife and an inexperienced student or a bachelor can use a multicooker and feel like a skillful cook. Dishes, with the proper use of the modes of the device, always turn out! Undercooked or burnt rice, raw dough, tough meat, broken potatoes are all in the past.
But there are also nuances:
- You can only cook one dish at a time and it will take a lot of time. Therefore, you will hardly be able to figure out a quick lunch or dinner - everything must be planned ahead of time, with a margin of time.
- You should also pay close attention to experiments with modes and methods of cooking new and original dishes - not always invented recipes or advice from girlfriends are suitable for your device.
And that's probably all. Some may be scared off by the high price of improved multicooker with wide functionality, but if you calculate how much it costs to operate a gas or electric stove, as well as the time and effort we spend on it, then the choice of a multicooker becomes obvious.
Have we convinced you? Then let's start choosing!
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The choice of a multicooker according to technical characteristics
It is worth choosing a multicooker according to the parameters of power, capacity, and also taking into account the material from which the device itself is made and design features.
- The location of the heating elements. You should not chase cheapness and buy a multicooker, where the heating element is located at the bottom of the cooking bowl. Such a device does not guarantee uniform and fast cooking of food. Models of the middle price category most often have bottom and side placement of heating elements, but "3D heating" is considered to be the most optimal: top, side and bottom of the bowl.
- Power. The run-up of this indicator is from 300 watts to 2 kW. The higher the power, the less time it will take to cook. For a family of 3-4 people, it is better to choose a multicooker of at least 700 watts. Is the device capacity 5 liters or more? Look for a 1000 watt model.
- The capacity or volume of the bowl. When choosing a multicooker for this parameter, keep in mind that you will not be able to quickly cook an additional portion, so choose a model with a small margin. So, two, three liter models are suitable for bachelors or married couples. If you have a child, buy a 3-4 liter multicooker. Guests often come or you are a lucky one from a large family - choose a multicooker with a 5-6 liter bowl.
- The material the bowl is made of. The food container can be Teflon, ceramic, non-stick coated or marbled. Cheap models have non-stick bowls - cheap and cheerful. Teflon - easy to clean even in a dishwasher, but prone to mechanical damage. Ceramics are slightly more expensive, but stronger, better quality and more environmentally friendly. Marble spraying is a novelty, found in expensive and elite multicooker. It guarantees uniform heating, easy maintenance and a long service life.
- Management - mechanical or electronic. This criterion is relevant for all household appliances.Mechanics - knobs or buttons - a more reliable and unpretentious type. However, a touch panel or other electronics will look more stylish and modern. Of course, there is always the possibility of unforeseen breakdowns and this should be taken into account.
- Design features. This includes the presence of rubberized legs so that the device does not slide on the table and does not scratch the countertop, the presence of a drip tray so that excess moisture does not get into your dish, a sufficient length of the power cord, as well as a stand for spoons and scoops that come with the kit. It is such a multicooker that boasts the presence of all of the above that will be considered convenient and practical.
In addition to technical indicators, your choice will be unambiguously influenced by the functions that a home multicooker should perform. And this is also a criterion for selecting a good and effective model.
See also - The multi-cook function in a multicooker - what is it?
Functional features of multicooker
As a rule, the simplest multicooker models have about 6 basic modes in stock - cooking, stewing, dairy dishes, cereals, liquid dishes and frying. For a small family, where the multicooker plays an auxiliary role for safety net, this is quite enough.
If you are going to entrust your electronic assistant with a full-fledged diet of your household, then you should spend money on a multicooker with advanced functionality. Such devices will help you:
- bake pastries or other foods;
- making fresh yogurt;
- smoke meat and fish;
- to cook such complex and varied dishes as pilaf, stew, compote, pasta, dumplings;
- deep-fry or grill;
- carry out author's recipes in the "multi-cook" mode.
Which multicooker will you choose - cheap and simple or multifunctional, with 10 to 30 programs? Depends on your culinary fantasies and possibilities. You shouldn't buy an expensive and versatile multicooker if you don't need to use its full potential and productivity.
See also - Functions and principle of operation of the multicooker
Additional features
A multicooker, like a real caring mother or wife, can delight you with a fresh breakfast or a heated dinner. This is the responsibility of such device capabilities as delayed start, timer, auto-heating, temperature maintenance mode. It is these "abilities" that significantly affect the price of the device, but the practicality and ease of use more than cover and justify these costs. Take advantage of the opportunity to save precious morning minutes on preparing breakfast at least once - just put food in the multicooker in the evening and enter the desired start time, and in the morning - wake up to the aroma of freshly boiled semolina or hot baked goods. Only in this way will you appreciate the beauty of using this useful device.
Also, modern multicooker has:
- protection from children;
- automatic shutdown in case of overheating;
- sterilization;
- maintaining the operating mode during power outages;
- voice alert for visually impaired people.
So, we told you what to look for when choosing the multicooker model that suits you best. Now, let me give you some useful tips that will make it possible to extend the life of the device.
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Useful Tips
- Always pay attention to the quality of the device. Rough joints and seams, a strong smell of plastic, hard or uneven movement of the regulators or control buttons are evidence of the unreliability and poor quality of the multicooker.
- The warranty period of the device must be at least one year.
- Having a service center nearby is a smart precaution!
- Give preference to those models that have smooth-walled bowls - such a container will be easier to wash off food debris.
- Also, ask if you can buy a new bowl in the selected multicooker if something happens to the old one.It will be a shame to buy a new device because of a broken or damaged container.
- If you move frequently - choose a model with a detachable power cord - then it is less likely that the cable entry point into the device will be damaged during the next transportation.
- Always wash your home multicooker after every meal. If the lid in the appliance cannot be removed, just pour water and turn on the cooking mode for 15 minutes.
- If you decide to clean the device from the outside, be sure to disconnect it from the power supply and do not turn it on until it is completely dry. It is better to wipe the multicooker with a damp cloth.
Follow the rules of operation and the selected device will repay you with an uninterrupted and long-term service.
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The most popular multicooker models
Traditionally, we have prepared for you a small multicooker rating of 2019.
Top 5 most popular models according to buyers of small household appliances for the kitchen opens Multicooker REDMOND RMK-M452... Stylish, spacious appliance, with a ceramic bowl of 5 liters and ample opportunities. Power - 860 watts, three-dimensional heating and the rise of the heating element guarantee you deliciously fried food, like in a pan.
Philips HD4737 / 03 also has a 5-liter bowl, but with a higher power of 980 watts. A variety of modes (jellied meat, pasta or pasta, yogurt, pizza), reliability and quality distinguish this particular model favorably among all the electronic variety. Also, the multicooker is equipped with options such as delayed start, timer, temperature support.
Inexpensive but reliable multicooker - Panasonic SR-TMH10ATW... The manufacturer tried to make its model extremely simple, but functional and practical. This is an economical and compact multicooker - 2.5 liters volume, 490 watts of power. Plus to this - 5 main modes, delayed start, keeping warm, Teflon coating of the bowl. Considering the cost of the device, this model has no drawbacks.
More productive - multicooker pressure cooker Moulinex CE 500E32... Capacity - 5 liters, power - 1000 watts, bowl cover dishwasher-safe. Sophisticated safety and thermal protection system, full functionality, stylish metal design and function "Multi-cook".
REDMOND SkyCooker M40S - smart multicooker, equipped with remote control technology. Popular model among buyers for 2017. In the arsenal - 700 watts of power, 5 liters of volume, a bowl with a non-stick ceramic coating, a book with a bunch of recipes, spoons, measuring cups and scoops included. Of the useful properties - protection against accidental switching on, delayed start, keeping warm, timer, multi-cook. More than 17 modes of operation, low price, meticulous assembly - what else is needed for a good microwave?
See also - Top best multicooker manufacturers 2019
We are sure that our short review helped you learn how to choose a good multicooker for yourself or as a gift for a loved one. All models have collected the maximum number of positive reviews and are in the highest positions in the popularity of sales. If someone is already evaluating the benefits of using such a multicooker in their kitchen, then why not join this number of lucky ones?
Now you know how to choose a multicooker for your home in 2019, so that your home is always filled with delicious and mouth-watering aromas, the table is full of dishes, and you have more free time for yourself and your loved ones. Choose wisely!
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