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Are you looking for the perfect cooker? If so, we are here to help you. The perfect cooker is small and compact and can cook most foods. We think pressure cookers fit the bill completely. Rice cookers are also ideal as they can do so much more than cook rice. The advantage of both is that they are speedy and have a range of cooking possibilities. In this article, we will give you our top choices for the perfect cooker and tell you more about pressure cookers and rice cookers.
Table of Contents
- What to Look for in a Pressure Cooker
- What Size of Pressure Cooker Should I Buy?
- What to Look for in a Rice Cooker
- How to Cook Rice in a Rice Cooker
- Final Thoughts
In a hurry? This is our winner!
Runner Up
The Perfect Cooker Reviews – Comparison Table
The Perfect Cooker Reviews – Reviews
This is our top choice because it has nine functions so is versatile. You can do almost everything with this cooker. It is a pressure cooker, air fryer, it sears/sautés, bakes, broils, steams, slow cooks, dehydrates, and makes yogurt.
The cooking pot is a massive 8 quarts in size so you could even cook a 7-pound chicken in it. It has a 5-quart cook and a crisp bucket.
This pressure cooker cooks up to 70% faster than traditional cooking methods. It takes as little as 20 minutes to defrost and cook frozen meats. This method of cooking locks in your juices and to get a crispy finish on your meat all you have to do is drop the crisping lid on top.
The air fryer is perfect for those among you who are watching their weight or trying to live a healthier lifestyle. It uses 75% less fat than a normal deep fat fryer does.
It has a reversible rack which means that you can steam and broil as well as crisp up 8 chicken breasts at one time.
It is made of durable stainless steel so you can expect to have it for a long time. To make cleaning easier, the removable parts are dishwasher safe.
- THE NINJA FOODI DELUXE XL: The deluxe pressure cooker that also crisps.
- TENDERCRISP TECHNOLOGY: Quickly pressure cook ingredients to lock in juices, then give them a crispy, golden air-fryer finish.
- COOK FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY: With an extra-large capacity 8-quart ceramic-coated pot that is nonstick, PTFE PFOA free, and easy to hand-wash.
- XL AIR FRYING CAPACITY: With a family-sized 5-quart cook & crisp ceramic-coated basket that holds up to a 7-lb. chicken to feed your whole family. Basket is PTFE PFOA-free, nonstick, and dishwasher safe.
- DELUXE REVERSIBLE RACK: Steam and broil, as well as TenderCrisp up to 8 chicken breasts at once or add servings to layered 360.
- Has 9 different functions
- Made from stainless steel
- Cooks 70% faster than traditional methods
- Reversible rack
- Parts are dishwasher safe
- Simple programming buttons
- One person complained that the lid arrived damaged
This rice cooker is also versatile. It has settings for white rice/sushi, brown rice, mixed rice, porridge, steam, quick-cooking, and even cake. Now that really is versatility if you can bake a cake in a rice cooker. The manual that comes with the cooker gives you recipes for sponge cake and cheesecake. On the white/sushi rice setting, all you have to do if you want to make sushi rice is add sushi seasonings like sugar and vinegar.
The controls allow you to set the rice cooker to automatic keep-warm, extended keep-warm, and a reheating cycle. You may want to cook enough rice for a couple of days so just press the controller for extended keep warm. The cooker has an easy-to-read LCD display with clock and timer functions.
The outside of the rice cooker is made from durable stainless steel. The inner cooking pan is nonstick which will stop your rice from sticking. Rice which you have to scrape off the bottom of the pan is not nice, but you don’t have to worry about this with this cooker.
The rice cooker comes with a steaming basket so you can steam vegetables and seafood in it. The steam basket allows you to steam food at the same time as you are cooking rice. The maximum amount of rice you can use is 1 cup. If you are cooking rice on its own, the capacity is 5.5 cups.
Other benefits include a removable lid for easy cleaning and a retractable power cord. The cooker has a melody and beep signal to tell you when your food is done.
- Micro computerized fuzzy logic technology. Capacity Up to 5.5 cups / 1.0 liter,Dimensions (W x D x H) 10-1/8 x 14 x 8-1/2 inches. The electrical rating is 120 volts / 610 watts
- Automatic keep warm, extended keep warm and reheating cycle
- Easy to clean clear coated stainless steel exterior, 2 delay time settings
- Interchangeable melody and beep signal
- Built in retractable power cord
- It has seven cooking functions
- Made from durable stainless steel
- Nonstick coating
- Micro computerized
- Steam basket
- LCD display and 2 delay time settings
- One customer claimed that after 9 months the rice was coming out soggy
- Another customer complained that it wasn’t nonstick
This is a large crockpot at 10 quarts which will allow you to cook for a crowd. It will serve at least 13 people. Of course, it is still possible to cook smaller meals in it. It has 9 functions. It will pressure cook, sterilize, slow cook, sear, sauté, boil, simmer, steam, and make yogurt. The sterilize feature can be used to sterilize baby bottles, pacifiers, and utensils and there is a one-touch sterilization button.
A useful feature is an easy release steam dial which means that you can release pressure while keeping your hands away from hot steam.
The crockpot has 15 one-touch meal settings making it easy to cook your meals with just the press of a button. It also has a delayed start cook time so you can set it to start at any time you want which is useful if you are having a hard day at work and don’t want to bother cooking from scratch when you get in. There is an LED status bar for checking the pressure.
Other benefits include a steaming rack, serving spoon, and a recipe book. It has dishwasher safe parts and has a nonstick coating which is PFOA free. PFOA is a chemical that can be harmful to people.
- An all-in-one appliance that lets you pressure cook, sterilize, slow cook, brown/sear, sauté, boil, simmer, and steam
- Release pressure while keeping hands away from hot steam with the easy release steam dial
- Quickly know when the pressurization cycle is complete with the progress bar
- Sterilize baby bottles, utensils, and more with sterilize function
- Make healthy meals in a fraction of the time that conventional cooking requires with 15 one-touch meal settings
- 10-quart
- Nonstick coating
- 9 functions
- Easy release steam dial
- Delay start cook time
- Dishwasher safe parts
- 1 person complained that the nonstick coating came off very quickly
This rice cooker is multifunctional. You can not only make rice, but the appliance works as a slow cooker, steamer, stewpot, and it will also sauté. You can produce oatmeal, pasta, soup, and even dessert. A big bowl of stew will only take you around 30 minutes and 3 liters of soup will be ready in 20 minutes.
It has 12-digital cooking programs and an LED display. The cooker automatically switches to keep-warm mode which can last up to 12 hours. There is a 24-hour delay timer so you can set it to come on in time for your return from work.
The size of the Comfee is 5.2 quarts. It can produce up to 20 cups of cooked rice, 3 – 6 pounds of meat, or a whole chicken.
It is made from durable stainless steel and has a nonstick coating in the inner pot which makes cleaning simple. The inner pot, rice paddle, ladle, rice measuring cup, and steamer tray can be put in the dishwasher.
Other benefits include a cool-touch handle and a steam vent on the top.
- Multifunctional Use -12 digital cooking programs that could suit different eating habits, including rice, pasta, soup, stew, saute, steamed veggies and a DIY function to create as many possibilities as you want like cake, yogurt.
- 5.2Qt / 20 Cup Ultra Capacity - 20 cup cooked (5.2 Qt) capacity yielding anywhere from 10 to 20 cups of cooked aromatic rice, 3-6 pounds meat or a whole chicken. Designed for families, parities, or any other outdoor activities.
- User Friendly - The MultiUse Programmable rice cooker is user friendly with digital panel & LED display, automatically switches to keep warm for 12 hours and 24 hour delay timer is designed for flexible meal planning.
- High Safety - COMFEE' multi cooker is a good idea to make rice, stew, soup or chili and other food instead of cooking on the stove or any electric pressure cooker. Cool touch handle ensures your safety when you open the cooker.
- Easy to clean - Stainless steel external housing is easy to clean. With the non-stick coating, the cleaning of the inner pot is like a breeze. The inner pot and all of the accoutrements that comes with the cooker can be washed in the dishwasher.
- Made from stainless steel
- Nonstick coating
- 12-digital cooking programs
- Keep-warm mode and delay timer
- 1-year manufactures warranty
- 1 customer complained that water sprayed over the top of the lid
- Another customer claimed that the directions weren’t clear
There are presets on this pressure cooker for rice/risotto, multigrain, porridge, meat/stews, poultry, seafood, vegetables, beans/chili, egg, steam, canning, and yogurt. It literally can fulfill most of your cooking needs.
You can switch the pressure between low and high and the time can be set manually. There is also a slow cook and a sauté function as well as a keep-warm function and a delay timer.
The appliance is made from durable stainless steel. The inner pot is aluminum alloy with a ceramic copper nonstick coating, so you won’t have to worry about any of your food sticking to the pot. The inner pot is PTFE and PFOA free, both of which are harmful chemicals sometimes used in the making of pots and pans.
The GoWISE pressure cooker comes with a stainless steel basket, a measuring cup, a spoon, and a built-in spoon holder. There is a detachable cord which makes for easy storage, and a special pressure release button.
For safety, it has a dual-lock system which means that it won’t open unless it is safe. If you don’t want to wait for the natural release of pressure, there is a button that speeds up the process.
- This 12-in-1 pressure cooker features presets for quick cooking such as rice/risotto, Multigrain, porridge, meat/stew, poultry, seafood, veggies, bean/chili, canning, yogurt, egg maker, and steam.
- Stainless steel lid and body, inner pot comes with aluminum alloy and ceramic coating
- Time can be set manually, and the pressure can switch between low and high. There is a saute function along with a slow cook function, keep Warm function, and delay time function
- Comes a detachable cord and a special release pressure button
- Comes with a PTFE & PFOA Free non-stick ceramic coated pot, stainless steel rack, (1) stainless steel basket, measuring cup, spoon, detachable cord that makes it easier to store your cooker in tight places and a built-in spoon holder
- 12 settings
- Stainless steel
- Nonstick
- Keep-warm function
- Delay timer function
- Detachable cord
- Comes with a recipe book
- 1 person claimed it died on the 2nd usage
The Perfect Cooker Reviews – Buyers Guide
It is best to choose a pressure cooker or rice cooker that has been made from high-quality stainless steel. Look at the label and see if it is 18/10. This means that it has 18% chromium and 10% nickel. To make the cooker stain and corrosion resistant, the steel should contain at least 10.5% chromium. For the shine, nickel helps to increase the protective layer and adds a gleam to the material.
We will now look at pressure cookers and rice cookers separately.
What to Look for in a Pressure Cooker
Pressure cookers should reach 15 psi which is pounds per square inches so ensure that yours does. There should be an accurate indicator on the cooker that tells you when this level has been reached.
You should look for a pressure cooker that has a quick-release option built into the pressure regulator. This allows for pressure to be lowered without losing the heat and for you to be able to add other ingredients if needed before switching back to pressure cooking.
Make sure that your new pressure cooker contains safety features. On modern cookers, you should find that if there is overpressure, excess steam is released from a valve.
It’s a good idea to choose a pressure cooker which can do other things as well such as slow cook, braise, dehydrate, can, or make yogurt. This will free your stovetop for other elements of the dish you are preparing.
What Size of Pressure Cooker Should I Buy?
The thing to consider is the maximum amount of people you will be cooking for at any one time. Pressure cookers will cook small amounts of food even if they are big units, so it is better to go for one that is on the larger side. A 5-quart cooker is probably the smallest you should purchase. If you have the room to store it, go for a 7 or 8-quart pressure cooker. It is important to remember that you can only fill a pressure cooker two/thirds full for most foods. If you are cooking something that froths or foams, then only half fill it.
What to Look for in a Rice Cooker
A rice cooker no longer has to be just that. You can buy a rice cooker that will carry out a myriad of other functions. You will find rice cookers out there which also steam and make stews and soups. Some will also cook other grains such as quinoa and oatmeal.
You will want a nonstick inner pot as rice and other grains are famous for sticking to the bottom of the pan. Nonstick often doesn’t cope with metal spoons and other utensils. Make sure you buy plastic or wood.
Digital controls are a must. It is a good idea to buy a rice cooker with texture settings for firm and for soft rice.
How to Cook Rice in a Rice Cooker
The important thing to remember is not to open the cooker while the cook is progressing. This lets out water vapor which can cause the rice to dry out.
It’s a good idea to let your rice rest for 5 – 10 minutes after cooking, leaving it on the keep warm mode. This allows the water level to stabilize which lets extra moisture steam out of your rice.
Final Thoughts
We hope that you have found this article interesting and informative and that you have been inspired to invest in one of our choices. We stand by our top choice of the Ninja Foodi 9-in1 Pressure Cooker. It can perform nine different methods of cooking, including baking, air frying, and slow cooking, as well as pressure cooking. It is a good size for feeding a crowd, is made from durable stainless steel, and has dishwasher-safe parts. We don’t think you will be disappointed with this appliance.
