I like the fact that you can do a whole meal in one pan as you can sauté and then slow cook. I've started to use the pressure cooking setting more and more - it makes excellent rice for example."(Vetted by Mumsnet user QueenofLouisiana) Our verdict Both are convenient methods of cooking because you simply place your ingredients in the cooker and it prepares the dish for you, with little intervention needed. However you may see some pressure cookers labelled as multi pressure cookers, or air fryers that also have other cooking functions, such as fry, roast and grill. Some multi cookers are more like slow cookers, with a less powerful heating element built into the base. We select pressure cookers from retailers UK consumers go to most when shopping for them, including a mixture of stove-top and electric options.

This roundup was updated by Katya Weiss-Andersson, a writer and editor who has nearly a decade of experience as a professional chef; Katrina Munichiello, a writer and editor who specializes in the tea and food industries; Rachel Werner, a cookbook reviewer, culinary writer, and former World Food Championship judge; and Julie Laing, a cookbook author, food columnist, and editor.

3. Best compact pressure cooker: Drew & Cole Pressure King Pro Electric Pressure Cooker

Prepare your ingredients and put them into the cooking pot. If you plan on sautéing first, heat the pot up with the lid off and brown the ingredients before adding in the rest of your ingredients. Most electric pressure cookers have a sauté program for this. Cake costs 11p on average in a multi cooker, though the cost range was wide with the cheapest being 7p and most expensive 17p. A typical air fryer will cost about 6p to bake the cake, while an electric oven would cost 19p and a halogen oven 25p. We love these top-of-the-range stovetop pressure cookers from Swiss brand, Kuhn Rikon, available in a four- and eight-litre capacity.

We rated each multi cooker on the overall cooking experience, how long it took to cook (including any preheat time), and how the food looked and tasted afterwards.We also take note of the size of each pressure cooker and consider how easily they could be stored away in a typical kitchen. A better question might be: What shouldn't you cook in a pressure cooker? Most people don't recommend pressure-cooking breaded meats or veggies (they'll turn out soggy, not crispy), pasta (which gets mushy), or delicate cuts of meat. Dairy is usually a no-go because it will curdle, but there are some yogurt and cheesecake recipes specifically developed for pressure cookers with the appropriate settings. There is a small learning curve. Many challenges with stovetop pressure cookers are due to user error and inexperience. They are less foolproof and require more time to master than their electric counterparts. Chefs tend to prefer stovetop pressure cookers and, of course, being present during cooking. For home cooks drawn to hands-off convenience, electric pressure cookers take the guesswork out of cooking and offer pre-programmed settings, from baking to air frying, with no need for prior experience. I have had a cheap Tower pressure cooker from Argos. It’s been excellent and I have no complaints at all! I use it most weeks as a pressure cooker and also the large pan size is useful for cooking other things.” (Tried and tested by Mumsnetter MissingFriendandSad) Our verdict