Cooking a homemade meal can sometimes feel like climbing a mountain if you're constantly juggling work, errands, or family responsibilities. But what if one gadget could make your life in the kitchen so much easier? Multi-cookers are that solution. They’re smart, all-in-one devices that help you prepare everything from soups to yogurt without using multiple pots and pans. Whether you’re a busy parent trying to get dinner on the table fast or someone living alone who loves minimal cleanup, these devices are perfect for saving time, energy, and effort. They steam, sauté, pressure cook, slow cook, and even bake. If you’re looking for the right one for your home, check out these top multi-cookers.

Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1

The Instant Pot Duo is a classic that deserves its reputation as a game-changer. It’s ideal for those new to multi-cookers and versatile enough for seasoned home chefs. With seven cooking functions, this unit allows you to tackle a variety of meals. You can pressure cook, slow cook, steam, make yogurt, and more. This Instant Pot is a little cheaper than some other models at $70.

Why It’s Great: The pre-set programs are incredibly beginner-friendly, so you can make everything from rice to stew without guessing at the settings. It’s also compact enough to store in smaller kitchens.

Potential Drawback: The stainless-steel inner pot can make cleaning sticky foods like oatmeal a little more effort. However, it’s dishwasher safe, which balances it out.

Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 XL Multi-Cooker

The Ninja Foodi takes multi-cooking to the next level by incorporating an air-frying function. This means that besides pressure cooking or slow cooking, you can also cook crispy fries or golden-brown chicken, all without extra oil. Its spacious eight-quart capacity is a blessing for large families or meal preppers. The Ninja Foodi comes in at around $130.

Why It’s Great: The combination of pressure cooking and air frying in one device saves both time and counter space. It’s perfect for anyone who loves crispy textures without deep-frying.

Potential Drawback: It’s larger and bulkier than other multi-cookers, so it might not be ideal for kitchens where space is limited.

Crock-Pot Express Crock Multi-Cooker

For those on a budget but still looking for solid multi-cooker performance, the Crock-Pot Express is a fantastic pick. It offers functions like slow cooking, pressure cooking, steaming, and sautéing at a fraction of the price of its competitors. Crock-Pot is also a well-known brand, so you can trust it. You'll pay around $150 for this device.

Why It’s Great: It’s simple, affordable, and comes in various sizes. This makes it perfect for singles, couples, or families. It’s also fairly lightweight and easy to store.

Potential Drawback: It doesn’t have as many advanced features, or cooking presets as some of the more high-end options.

Breville Fast Slow Pro

Breville is known for making durable, high-quality appliances, and the Fast Slow Pro is no exception. This multi-cooker is for people who love having precision and control over their meals. Dual sensors monitor temperature and pressure levels to ensure your food is cooked perfectly every time. You can purchase this Breville for around $300.

Why It’s Great: Its automatic adjustment features make it perfect for recipes requiring accuracy. Whether you’re making tender meats or delicate sauces, this device ensures even cooking.

Potential Drawback: Its high price point might not work for those with a more modest budget, but the build quality and consistent results could make it worth the splurge.

Zojirushi Multi-Cooker

Zojirushi’s multi-cooker specializes in slow cooking, steaming, and sautéing. It’s particularly well-loved for recipes like congee, risotto, or soups that demand careful attention to temperature settings. The Zojirushi costs around $200.

Why It’s Great: It’s highly reliable for less common recipes that require specific temperatures. Think of it as a chef’s tool for precise, one-pot meals.

Potential Drawback: It doesn’t have pressure-cooking abilities, so it’s not as versatile for those looking to speed-cook meals.

Hamilton Beach 10-in-1 Multi-Cooker

Looking for something simple and effective? The Hamilton Beach 10-in-1 Multi-Cooker offers excellent features without overcomplicating the cooking process. It boasts everything from steaming and sautéing to slow cooking and rice making. You get all that at a budget-friendly price of $50.

Why It’s Great: The sear/sauté feature is a standout, allowing you to brown meats or veggies directly in the pot before cooking them further. This adds flavor and saves on dishes!

Potential Drawback: The pressure cooking function takes a little longer to get up to pressure compared to faster options like the Instant Pot.

Instant Pot Pro Plus

For tech-savvy cooks, the Instant Pot Pro Plus takes convenience to a whole new level with its Wi-Fi connectivity. Using the Instant Brands app, you can control the cooker remotely, explore hundreds of recipes, or monitor the progress of your meal. Instant Pot is all about making a name for itself, and that means it can come with a heavy price tag. This one is around $150-$200.

Why It’s Great: Advanced customization and app compatibility make this product feel luxurious. If you’re the kind of person who likes to experiment or adjust settings remotely, this one’s for you.

Potential Drawback: All those extra features can feel overwhelming if you’re looking for something straightforward.

COMFEE’ 6 Quart Multi-Cooker

Compact and efficient, the COMFEE’ 6 Quart Multi-Cooker is ideal for small families or individuals who want a straightforward solution to meal prep. It includes 12 cooking presets, making it easy to whip up soups, stews, or even desserts with minimal effort. It's also one of the cheaper multi-cookers on the market at around $75-$100.

Why It’s Great: Its smaller size and affordable price make it especially practical for single people or small households.

Potential Drawback: Its size can feel limiting if you’re cooking for a larger group.

All-Clad Deluxe Multi-Cooker

All-Clad is all about quality, and their Deluxe Multi-Cooker offers unmatched durability and performance. You can grab this for around $150. This premium device takes multi-cooking to gourmet levels, making it perfect for serious home chefs.

Why It’s Great: With expert construction and foolproof capabilities, this device meets the needs of anyone looking for top-tier performance.

Potential Drawback: It’s one of the pricier options, so it might be a better fit for dedicated cooks rather than casual users.

Mueller UltraPot 10-in-1 Pro

Another feature-packed yet budget-friendly option, the Mueller UltraPot offers 10 cooking functions, from sautéing to pressure cooking. It heats evenly for consistent results and includes safety features like a quick pressure-release valve. The Mueller can be purchased for around $400, depending on where you get it.

Why It’s Great: A versatile and affordable device, perfect for busy families or anyone cooking in larger quantities.

Potential Drawback: It doesn’t feel as high-tech or customizable as models like the Instant Pot Pro Plus, but it gets the job done efficiently.