Now time is valued more and more. Not every person wants to spend it on cooking using standard methods. It is much easier to go to a restaurant, order a pizza or use a slow cooker.
Similar kitchen appliances appeared relatively recently. Initially, they were intended for cooking plov, but now multicookers can please more than a dozen modes. We are already beginning to get used to cooking porridge or even soup in this appliance. Perhaps the most difficult is the choice of the multicooker that will suit you for sure. After all, now on the shelves of stores you can find a lot of models that differ among themselves in one way or another parameters.
Main rules of choice
Estimate the capacity you need
When choosing a kitchen appliance, you should take into account for how many people he should cook. Perhaps you live at home alone, only occasionally inviting friends? Then do not look for a slow cooker with a huge bowl. If the family consists of three or more people - you need a more generous model.
Aesthetes need a large number of modes
Some like to eat the same almost every day. However, there is a certain type of people who want to try something new every day. They need to purchase multicookers with a large number of modes. In this case, you can regularly prepare different dishes. And some of them will also be of varying degrees of roasting. The most expensive models are capable of preparing unusual dishes - you just have to decide on an experiment.
Think about saving time
Of course, the slow cooker is able to cook with almost no human intervention. But this does not apply to every dish. Sometimes it is still required stirring, adding the next components and other interventions. Therefore, you should think about whether the device will not distract you? If the answer is yes, then focus on buying a device with a pressure cooker function. In this case, cooking will take a minimum amount of time, after which you can safely go about your business.
Power
Any household appliance powered by electricity has a certain power. In the slow cooker, the speed of cooking depends on this parameter. After all, the higher the power - the faster the internal capacity will be able to warm up to one or another temperature.
500-1000 watts
Models with power in this range can be called slow. Water poured into the bowl will boil long enough. In this regard, the preparation of soup can last for a half to two hours. Ideally similar multicooker is suitable for rooms with not the most reliable electrical wiring - for example, for wooden houses.
Pros: low network load.
Minuses: long cooking.
1100-1300 W
The vast majority of multicookers with an average price tag have the power in this range. Such devices are suitable for cooking, designed for several people. At the same time, they are not yet forced to be frightened by the increased electricity bills.
Pros: Not the greatest load on the network, the optimal cooking time.
Minuses: are missing.
1400 watts and above
Such a powerful model will be needed only by those people who do not save on electricity and want to get the desired dish as quickly as possible. But it should be noted that the device will not always use full power. After all, for cooking some dishes a certain temperature regime is necessary - in this case, the multi-cooker cannot afford to exceed it.
Pros: quick cooking of some dishes.
Minuses: very high power consumption, high network load.
Bowl capacity
Any multicooker consists of heating elements and internal capacity. It is in the bowl that all the products necessary for the preparation of a dish are placed. You can consider it an analogue of the pan - the only difference is in the missing pens and unusual coating. The size of the multicooker depends on the bowl capacity.
2-3 liters
If only 2-3 liters of liquid are placed in a bowl, then the multicooker equipped with it should not be used in any large family. The maximum in it you can cook a dish for two (two and a half or two portions). But such a device takes a very small piece of space - it can be less than a food processor!
Pros: compact dimensions, low power consumption.
Minuses: minimum capacity.
4-4.5 liters
The optimal volume of the bowl. If you live alone, there will be enough cooked soup for a couple of days (do not forget to put it in the fridge at night). A slow cooker with such a bowl is suitable for a family of three or four people. Its disadvantage is only increased power consumption - usually a more powerful heating element is installed in such a device.
Pros: good spaciousness.
Minuses: slightly higher energy consumption, not the quickest cooking.
5 liters or more
Such a large bowl contains the most capacious multicookers. They are designed for cooking for four to five people. Most often, a similar device is acquired by a family consisting of a pair of adults and several children — it is this tool that is most useful to her. Heat more than five liters of liquid - that is another problem. Therefore, such multicookers have very powerful heating elements. And this speaks of increased energy consumption - you have to pay for electricity more than before buying this household appliance.
Pros: huge spaciousness.
Minuses: huge size, high energy consumption.
Bowl cover
Ceramic
The internal capacity of the multicooker may have a ceramic coating. This material wears out quickly, so you need to carefully clean the bowl. He is also afraid of rapid temperature changes. After some time food staining stains may appear more often - you should not be afraid of this, such is the property of ceramics. This coating has excellent non-stick properties, so you can forget about the use of vegetable oil.
Pros: good non-stick properties.
Minuses: rapid wear, fear of temperature changes.
Teflon
In many multicookers there is a Teflon-coated bowl. This material is familiar to us in pans and even irons. It can be dangerous for a person when heated to a certain temperature - but the slow cooker is simply not capable of creating it. Such capacity also requires careful attitude, but it can still be washed in a dishwasher.
Pros: excellent non-stick properties.
Minuses: the possibility of the appearance of chips with careless use.
Marble spraying
The most expensive bowls have marble spraying. Such dishes can serve you almost forever - certainly much longer than the slow cooker itself. Such bowls are as easy to maintain as possible. However, their production costs a lot of money, and therefore the cost of the multicooker can bite.
Pros: simplified care for capacity, maximum non-stick properties, complete safety.
Minuses: very high cost.
Pressure cooker function
Some appliances have a pressure cooker function. It works on the principle of pressure boosting. Deprived of its devices prepare food a little longer than if you do it in the traditional way. If the slow cooker is endowed with a pressure cooker function, then it will cook two to three times faster than its simplified relatives. However, these models are much more expensive. If you value your time, then saving is definitely not worth it!
Other functionality
Each multicooker has a specific set of modes. But not all of them are used by average buyers. For example, the mode "Soak" is necessary for those who regularly cook dishes from legumes. And some people do not tolerate them! But the function of "heating" (not to be confused with heating!) Is useful to everyone. With it, you can heat up a ready-made cold dish - for example, some semi-finished product. Unfortunately, the cheapest multicookers do not always have this mode. As for the “Preheating”, this function tries to keep the dish hot for several hours after cooking.
A delayed start timer may be useful. It allows you to cook the dish at the moment you choose. For example, you leave the house for a couple of hours, while cooking porridge only takes 20 minutes. It is at such moments that the timer comes to the rescue - let the slow cooker start working after 2 hours and 40 minutes. In this case, you will come home and immediately feel the aroma of the finished porridge.
Also, some devices have toasting function. It exists for lovers of crusts. A more unique feature is the automatic opening of the lid. It is necessary to preserve the presentation of baking in the event that you have gone somewhere else. Finally, you should pay attention to the existing display. It is desirable to have a backlight - then the numbers on it will be clearly visible even on an overcast day. And certainly its presence is necessary in the event that a man with poor eyesight will use the multicooker.
The most popular multicooker manufacturers
Redmond
Redmond multicookers are most popular both in Russia and in some other countries. It so happened that the equipment of this particular company is able to provide the largest number of modes. A wide range allows the consumer to choose a multicooker for their financial capabilities and needs.
Panasonic
The Japanese company Panasonic for many years engaged in the production of household appliances. Best of all, its specialists succeed in hair clippers, electric shavers and other small appliances. Multivarki Panasonic are also in demand. The Japanese are trying to give them a roomy bowl and rich functionality. They are also able to offer pressure cooker models that prepare food under high pressure.
Philips
The Dutch company Royal Philips is now known for medical and lighting equipment. Consumer goods it produced much less. The Dutch do not leave only from the multicooker market, where they are located almost since its foundation. Products under the Philips brand are of high quality and good automation, which tries to reduce energy consumption, reducing power at times when it does not harm the cooking process.
Moulinex
The French company Moulinex was founded back in 1922. Initially, she was engaged in the production of spray guns and pumps. Later, the transition to the design, assembly and distribution of household appliances. Perhaps everyone knows curtains and hair dryers under this brand. Decent demand and multicookers Moulinex. Some of them can be called gigantic - there is a six-liter bowl inside them!
Binatone
The British company Binatone was opened in 1958. Its first products were transistor radios. The company was the first in the UK to use different colors for its consumer electronics. Now under the brand Binatone produced various small household appliances. Multivarki are endowed by the creators with a variety of modes, thanks to which they are capable even of cooking desserts and cakes. In the assortment of the company you can find devices with different capacity, including very tiny ones - with a 1.6 liter bowl.
Polaris
The Polaris brand has been around for over 18 years.Under this brand extends both climatic equipment and small household appliances - irons, electric kettles, meat grinders and multicookers. The devices are present in different price segments and offer a fairly wide range of functions.
Scarlett
This brand belongs to a Russian-Chinese company registered in the UK. On the shelves of stores you can find small-sized household appliances Scarlett - including quite good multicookers. They mainly belong to the budget segment, although there are also models for real aesthetes, endowed with maximum functionality.
Supra
Household appliances and electronics Supra primarily pleases with its price. You will not find very expensive Supra multicookers - they simply do not exist. But this does not mean that all products are made of poor quality materials! Just such devices are designed for the preparation of not the largest number of dishes.
Mystery
The history of Mystery Electronics is closely related to car audio. This company is engaged in the creation of car speakers, car stereos and even televisions, which, due to their small size, are easily installed in the car. Multivarki Mystery is a kind of experiment of the company. And it cannot be said that it came out unsuccessful - the products are in steady demand.
Endever
Products under the brand Endever is widely distributed in Russia. She can be found in many stores selling household appliances. Multivarki from this manufacturer please with a modest price tag and quite good quality performance.
Dobrynya
Multivarki "Dobrynya" is still relatively rare in stores. But a few buyers say that these devices justify the money spent on them. In addition, they are all quite inexpensive! Therefore, we can assume that this brand has a bright future.
The most terrible mistakes of buyers
The wrong choice can lead to unpredictable consequences. The most common example is getting tasteless dishes. Oddly enough, but this can happen in the case of austerity - a cheap slow cooker rarely cooks tasty. Although most often it all depends on the skills of the owner and the recipes he has.
Also, the device may simply not be able to cook certain dishes. He may not have the appropriate modes. Therefore, before choosing a slow cooker, be sure to remember which dishes you eat most often. Their device must be able to cook necessarily!
And the slow cooker can regularly cause a feeling of hunger. Most often, we start cooking only at the moment when we are hungry. And it will be very unpleasant if the food starts to boil or roast for a half to two hours. It will not be the most pleasant time you spent. Therefore, you should not save much - the slow cooker should be able to cook quickly!
