Kenwood
Triblade XL+ 1000w Hand Blender
1000 W · chop, whisk, mash
€99.99
3 interest-free payments of €33.33 with humm
Batch cooking
Multi-cookers, slow cookers, soup makers, hand blenders and freezers for cooking ahead.
Head to headSlow Cooker vs Pressure Cooker vs Multi-Cooker: Which to Buy?
In short
Batch cooking takes a pot big enough for several meals and freezer space to keep them. Pressure cookers such as the Ninja HyperHeat and Sage Fast Slow Pro hold 6 litres, and slow cookers range from 3.5 to 6.5 litres. A tall freezer such as the Hisense FV298N4ACE holds 240 litres and has Total No Frost, which prevents ice build-up.
Multi-cookers and pressure cookers
Cookers that pressure cook, slow cook or steam in one pot of 3.7 to 6 L.
Decide first whether you want pressure cooking. The Ninja HyperHeat, Sage Fast Slow Pro and Sage Fast Slow Go pressure cook, and the Fast Slow Pro and Go release steam hands-free; the Sage Risotto Plus slow cooks, steams and makes risotto instead.
Ninja
HyperHeat 9-in-1 Pressure & Rice Cooker 6L Black
€209.99
3 interest-free payments of €70.00 with humm
Sage
The Fast Slow Go Multi Cooker - Stainless Steel
€199
3 interest-free payments of €66.33 with humm
Sage
The Risotto Plus Multi Cooker Brushed Stainless Steel
€139
3 interest-free payments of €46.33 with humm
Capacity
6 L
6 L
6 L
3.7 L
Cooks by
Pressure, slow cook, steam
Pressure and slow cook
Pressure, slow cook, steam
Slow cook, steam, risotto
Settings
9 functions incl. rice, yoghurt
11 pressure settings
14 one-touch shortcuts
6 functions incl. sear
Also
1200 W
Hands-free steam release, LCD
Hands-free steam release, delay start
Bowl doubles as a serving dish
Ninja
HyperHeat 9-in-1 Pressure & Rice Cooker 6L Black
€209.99
3 interest-free payments of €70.00 with humm
Capacity
6 L
6 L
Cooks by
Pressure, slow cook, steam
Pressure and slow cook
Settings
9 functions incl. rice, yoghurt
11 pressure settings
Also
1200 W
Hands-free steam release, LCD
Sage
The Fast Slow Go Multi Cooker - Stainless Steel
€199
3 interest-free payments of €66.33 with humm
Sage
The Risotto Plus Multi Cooker Brushed Stainless Steel
€139
3 interest-free payments of €46.33 with humm
Capacity
6 L
3.7 L
Cooks by
Pressure, slow cook, steam
Slow cook, steam, risotto
Settings
14 one-touch shortcuts
6 functions incl. sear
Also
Hands-free steam release, delay start
Bowl doubles as a serving dish
Slow cookers
One big pot for stews, or two and three smaller pots for mains and sides.
Choose between one large pot and several small ones. The Sear & Stew takes 6.5 L for a full stew, while the DuoServe splits 3.8 L into two pots and the TrioServe 3.9 L into three, each on its own control.
Morphy Richards
Slow Cooker Accents Sear & Stew 6.5L Red
€69.95
3 interest-free payments of €23.32 with humm
Morphy Richards
Slow Cooker DuoServe 3.8L Brushed Stainless Steel
€94.95
3 interest-free payments of €31.65 with humm
Morphy Richards
Slow Cooker TrioServe 3.9L Stainless Steel
€119.95
3 interest-free payments of €39.98 with humm
Capacity
6.5 L, one pot
3.5 L, one pot
3.8 L, two 1.9 L pots
3.9 L, three pots
Controls
Three heat settings
Dial up to 12 hours, picks the heat
Separate control per pot
Separate control per pot
Pot
Aluminium, non-stick; gas and electric hobs
Aluminium, non-stick, hob-proof
Oven safe up to 150°C
Glass lid on each pot
Also
Pot and lid dishwasher safe
Keeps warm for 2 hours after cooking
Pots dishwasher safe
Cooks or keeps warm; 3 serving spoons
Morphy Richards
Slow Cooker Accents Sear & Stew 6.5L Red
€69.95
3 interest-free payments of €23.32 with humm
Capacity
6.5 L, one pot
3.5 L, one pot
Controls
Three heat settings
Dial up to 12 hours, picks the heat
Pot
Aluminium, non-stick; gas and electric hobs
Aluminium, non-stick, hob-proof
Also
Pot and lid dishwasher safe
Keeps warm for 2 hours after cooking
Morphy Richards
Slow Cooker DuoServe 3.8L Brushed Stainless Steel
€94.95
3 interest-free payments of €31.65 with humm
Morphy Richards
Slow Cooker TrioServe 3.9L Stainless Steel
€119.95
3 interest-free payments of €39.98 with humm
Capacity
3.8 L, two 1.9 L pots
3.9 L, three pots
Controls
Separate control per pot
Separate control per pot
Pot
Oven safe up to 150°C
Glass lid on each pot
Also
Pots dishwasher safe
Cooks or keeps warm; 3 serving spoons
Soup makers and hand blenders
Blend soup in the pot, or cook and blend it in one jug.
For soup cooked in your own saucepan, compare wand length and power: the Kenwood Triblade XL+ models have XL wands and 850 or 1000 W. A soup maker cooks and blends in its jug; the Ninja Foodi Blender & Soup Maker also blends ice.
Kenwood
Triblade XL+ Hand Blender
850 W · XL foot, masher
€59.99
3 interest-free payments of €20.00 with humm
Ninja
Foodi Blender & Soup Maker
1000 W · soup in 20 min
€219.99
3 interest-free payments of €73.33 with humm
Morphy Richards
Stainless Steel 1.6L Soup Maker
1.6 L · smooth or chunky
€89.95
3 interest-free payments of €29.98 with humm
Complete the set-up
A hand blender and knives to go with the Ninja HyperHeat. Tick what you need.
The cooker
Ninja HyperHeat 9-in-1 Pressure & Rice Cooker 6L Black
6 L pot, 1200 W: pressure cook, slow cook, steam and sear in one.
€209.99
- €99.99
- €189.99
Running total
- HyperHeat€209.99
- Hand blender€99.99
- Knife set€189.99
Total for 1 item€209.99
3 × €70.00 interest-free
Each item at its own price.
12hours
is the longest time on the Easy Time dial; it then keeps food warm for 2 hours.
Morphy Richards Easy Time21minutes
for smooth soup, or 28 minutes for chunky, in the 1.6 L soup maker.
Morphy Richards Soup MakerFreezers
Room for cooked batches, from an 82 L under-counter freezer to a 286 L tall one.
Measure the space first: widths run from 55 to 59.7 cm. The Hisense under-counter and Belling chest freezers are 84.5 cm high; the Hisense and Beko tall freezers stand 169.1 and 186.5 cm.
Belling
98L Chest Freezer with Frost Shield - White
Product information sheet for Belling 98L Chest Freezer with Frost Shield - White, opens in a new tab3 interest-free payments of €66.65 with humm
Hisense
Freestanding Undercounter Freezer
Product information sheet for Hisense Freestanding Undercounter Freezer, opens in a new tab3 interest-free payments of €89.67 with humm
Beko
Tall Stainless Steel Freezer
Product information sheet for Beko Tall Stainless Steel Freezer, opens in a new tabSpread the cost with humm
Hisense
Tall Freezer - Stainless Steel
Product information sheet for Hisense Tall Freezer - Stainless Steel, opens in a new tabSpread the cost with humm
Type
Chest
Under counter
Tall
Tall
Capacity
98 L
82 L
286 L
240 L
Width
55 cm
55.5 cm
59.7 cm
59.5 cm
Cooling and defrost
Manual, front drain spout
Static cooling
Frost free
Total No Frost
Also
Runs in rooms down to -15°C
3 drawers, reversible door
Runs down to -15°C; 5 drawers
Fast Freeze; reversible door
Belling
98L Chest Freezer with Frost Shield - White
Product information sheet for Belling 98L Chest Freezer with Frost Shield - White, opens in a new tab3 interest-free payments of €66.65 with humm
Hisense
Freestanding Undercounter Freezer
Product information sheet for Hisense Freestanding Undercounter Freezer, opens in a new tab3 interest-free payments of €89.67 with humm
Type
Chest
Under counter
Capacity
98 L
82 L
Width
55 cm
55.5 cm
Cooling and defrost
Manual, front drain spout
Static cooling
Also
Runs in rooms down to -15°C
3 drawers, reversible door
Beko
Tall Stainless Steel Freezer
Product information sheet for Beko Tall Stainless Steel Freezer, opens in a new tabSpread the cost with humm
Hisense
Tall Freezer - Stainless Steel
Product information sheet for Hisense Tall Freezer - Stainless Steel, opens in a new tabSpread the cost with humm
Type
Tall
Tall
Capacity
286 L
240 L
Width
59.7 cm
59.5 cm
Cooling and defrost
Frost free
Total No Frost
Also
Runs down to -15°C; 5 drawers
Fast Freeze; reversible door
How to choose a cooker and freezer for batch cooking
From the product descriptions and our guides.
Size the pot to the portions you plan to freeze
The Ninja HyperHeat and the Sage Fast Slow Pro and Go hold 6 L, and the 3.7 L Sage Risotto Plus is described as suitable for families and batch cooking. Slow cookers range from the 3.5 L Easy Time to the 6.5 L Sear & Stew. For soup, our buying guide suggests at least 1.5 L for a family batch: the Morphy Richards soup maker makes up to four servings in its 1.6 L jug, and the Ninja Foodi Blender & Soup Maker blends up to 1.4 L hot.
Pressure cooking saves time, slow cooking saves attention
A slow cooker works over several hours at low heat: in our comparison guide's words, set it in the morning and dinner is ready by evening. A pressure cooker can have a stew ready in under an hour. The Sage Fast Slow Pro does both, with 11 pressure settings, slow cook options from high to low and dual sensors that adjust time, temperature and pressure. A plain slow cooker such as the Easy Time is simpler still: turn the dial to the hours you want and it picks the heat setting.
Plan freezer space before the first big cook
A tall freezer gives the most room. The Beko FNP4686PS freezes up to 17 kg in 24 hours, and its fast freeze drops to -27°C, then switches itself off; the Hisense FV298N4ACE has Fast Freeze and the Belling chest freezer Super Freeze for newly added food. Check the defrost too: the Beko and Hisense tall freezers are frost free, while the chest freezer is defrosted by hand, with a front spout to drain the water. The Hisense under-counter freezer keeps food in three drawers.
Good to know
Should I buy a slow cooker or a multi-cooker?
Buy a slow cooker if long, low-heat stews are most of what you cook; buy a multi-cooker if you want one appliance for several jobs and less on the worktop. The Ninja HyperHeat, for example, has 9 functions, from pressure cooking and slow cooking to rice, pasta and yoghurt.
Can I brown meat in the same pot?
Yes, if the pot can go on the hob or the cooker has a sear setting. The Morphy Richards Sear & Stew and Easy Time pots go on the hob first, though the Sear & Stew pot suits gas and electric hobs, not induction. The Ninja HyperHeat and the Sage Fast Slow Pro, Fast Slow Go and Risotto Plus sear or sauté in their own pot, with no hob needed.
Can I keep a freezer in the garage?
Yes, if it is rated for cold rooms. The Belling chest freezer uses Frost Shield and the Beko tall freezer uses FreezerGuard, and both run in temperatures down to -15°C. The Hisense under-counter freezer is climate class SN-T, which covers rooms between 10°C and 43°C, so it is not suited to an unheated garage.
How long does a soup maker take to make soup?
About 20 to 30 minutes. The Ninja Foodi Blender & Soup Maker cooks soup in 20 minutes; the Morphy Richards soup maker takes 21 minutes on its smooth programme and 28 on chunky. On the Morphy Richards, chop the ingredients into 1 to 2 cm pieces for quicker cooking and better blending, and press Blend if the chunky soup is thicker than you like.
Can a multi-cooker cook rice as well?
Yes, if it has a rice setting. The Ninja HyperHeat has a dedicated rice mode as well as pressure cooking, and the Sage Fast Slow Go has Rice/Grains and Risotto among its 14 one-touch shortcuts. The Sage Risotto Plus has a rice and steam setting and its own risotto programme.
Guides
Choosing a cooker and making soup in batches.
