There’s a kitchen appliance for just about every food item these days. If you owned one of everything, you’d probably not have the space in your entire home to store them all. This means most of us need to be quite selective when choosing what appliances make the final cut – something that usually comes down to how often you’ll use them and if they’ll make a welcome improvement in the kitchen.
Let’s be honest, the best pressure cookers probably aren’t at the top of that list for most people. Why? The simple answer is not everyone knows how to use them, or rather, what they can be used for and why. In fact, I was in the same position before the Cosori 5.7L Electric Pressure Cooker landed on my doorstep.
Since the best air fryers have swamped the market, I’ve been left thinking: ‘why would I need to use anything else?’. Turns out, pressure cookers are pretty useful. For one, they can cook things air fryers can’t, like rice and stews and soups, and super quickly. What’s more, they preserve nutrients, which helps to enhance the flavours of foods, all while being energy-efficient.
I’ve been using Cosori’s latest pressure cooker over the past few months to see how it stacks up. Featuring 13 customisable preset programs and a large 5.7L capacity, the appliance has been designed to replace multiple kitchen gadgets, offering functions in addition to pressure-cooking, such as slow cook, sauté and even sous vide. But is it really worth the investment? Here’s how I got on.
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COSORI 5.7L PRESSURE COOKER REVIEW: PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
The Cosori 5.7L Pressure Cooker is £99.99 and available to buy at Amazon UK, which is a pretty decent deal considering all the features packed into this nifty gadget. It’s a great value compared to some of the pricier options out there, like those from Ninja. For example, the closest Ninja rival to Cosori’s offering is the Foodi MAX 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker 7.5L OP500UK, which retails for £249.99 (not available in the US).
For those across the pond, it’s available for an even better deal on Amazon US of just $79.98 (the time of writing). At that price, it’s a steal for anyone looking to add a versatile, multi-functional cooker to their kitchen arsenal without breaking the bank. The equivalent from Ninja is probably the Speedi Rapid Cooker & Air Fryer, which can be snapped up for $199.99.
So, whether you’re in the UK or the US, the Cosori 5.7L Pressure Cooker offers superb value for those needing quick, convenient meals or looking to experiment with various cooking methods. So if you’re in the market for a new kitchen companion, this one’s definitely worth considering.
(Image credit: Lee Bell / T3)
COSORI 5.7L PRESSURE COOKER REVIEW: DESIGN AND BUILD
Design-wise, the Cosori 5.7L Electric Pressure Cooker really stands out. Its satin-finish stainless steel sides make a nice change over the bog-standard all-black kitchen gadgets we all seem to own. It sports a sleek, modern design that makes it look way more premium than its price tag. Even with its 5.7L capacity, which is great for cooking for batch meals for solo consumption or larger feasts for medium-sized families, it doesn’t hog too much counter space. I mean, you are likely to find it quite bulky if you’ve got a small kitchen. Still, it’s compact enough to fit comfortably in most home without being a massive eyesore.
One nice design feature is that the lid boasts these handy alignment markers and a handle that makes it super easy to remove, unlike more traditional pressure cookers, which can take some fumbling around to get off. The pressure release valve is also clearly marked in bright orange, so it’s easy to find, use and – in some instances – avoid.
As for the digital display, this has been kept super straightforward and is user-friendly, which is a big plus in my book. Each cooking function has its own dedicated button, so you’re not scrolling through endless menus. Just tap and you’re good to go. When it comes to cleaning, the removable lid and dishwasher-safe inner pot make washing up a breeze. Plus, the pressure cooker comes with a ladle, spatula, metal trivet and a measuring cup, which are all really handy accessories, coming in handy for various recipes.
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COSORI 5.7L PRESSURE COOKER REVIEW: FEATURES AND PERFORMANCE
The Cosori 5.7L Pressure Cooker is a real multitasker in the kitchen. As I mentioned already, it packs 13 cooking functions into one compact unit, including Pressure Cook, Rice, Steam, Oatmeal/Porridge, Stew/Broth, Bean/Grain, Meat/Poultry, Yoghurt, Cake, Slow Cook, Sauté, Sous Vide, Keep Warm. This makes it incredibly versatile, letting you whip up anything from a quick weeknight meal to a slow-cooked Sunday roast.
The Keep Warm function is especially useful. After cooking, you can tap this button and – if your food isn’t quite ready to be served yet – it will keep it at the perfect temperature and do so up to a whopping 12 hours, which is really convenient if dinner plans change or if you’re waiting for guests to arrive. (Although anyone who still hasn’t arrived 12 hours after the scheduled meal time, you might want to send a search party).
I love how user-friendly this pressure cooker is, too. The digital display is clear and easy to navigate. There’s no faffing about with confusing menus. Plus, the pre-set programmes take the guesswork out of cooking different types of food. Fancy some yoghurt? There’s a setting for that. Need to cook rice? Just hit the Rice button. It speeds up cooking and takes the stress out of having to constantly check on the food.
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Performance-wise, the Cosori’s latest pressure cooker doesn’t disappoint. I tried everything from a nice hearty beef stew to porridge as well as plain rice. It handled all really well. The beef stew was juicy and flavourful, and the porridge was spot on – creamy and cooked to perfection in just a few minutes. The rice, on the other hand, was good but, in my opinion, felt a little on the dry side. Although, this could have been down to me not putting enough water in to begin with.
My only gripe is a pretty minor one: the preheat time. It can take over 10 minutes to get up to temperature for some dishes, which feels a bit long when you’re hungry. However, once it’s going, it cooks quickly. Just be prepared to wait a bit if you’re cooking multiple items back-to-back.
(Image credit: Lee Bell / T3)
COSORI 5.7L PRESSURE COOKER REVIEW: VERDICT
All in all, the Cosori 5.7L Pressure Cooker is a cracking bit of kit. It’s sturdy, packed with useful features and super easy to use. Whether you’re pressure-cooking, slow cooking or steaming, results are generally very good. The only real downside is the relatively slow preheat time, but that’s a minor gripe considering how well it performs once it gets going.
At £99.99, the Cosori 5.7L Pressure Cooker is great value for money, especially when compared to pricier brands like Ninja. If you’re after a versatile, reliable multi-cooker that won’t break the bank, it should meet all your cooking needs without complaint.
