Tried and tested: Multicooker that replaces a slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer and hob

The Ninja Foodi 8-Mode 6L Possible Cooker (MC1101) has eight modes including sear/sauté, steam, pasta, white rice, brown rice, braise and 'keep warm'

Tried and tested: Ninja Foodi 8-Mode 6L Possible Cooker (MC1101).

Tried & Tested: Ninja Foodi 8-Mode 6L Possible Cooker (MC1101)

If you want a gift that will genuinely earn its spot on someone’s countertop, this is it. 

I didn’t tiptoe around with the Ninja —  I threw everything at it. Midweek pasta? Check. A slow-cooked beef casserole on a day when I was reaching for the takeaway menu? Yep! A last-minute curry when I’d forgotten to defrost anything? Heroic.  

This six-litre multicooker replaces a slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer and hob, with eight modes including sear/sauté, steam, pasta, white rice, brown rice, braise and "keep warm". The joy is how seamless it all feels: sauté your onions, brown your meat and slow-cook your dinner in the same pot. 

I tested the capacity claims too. It took 500g of pasta comfortably, cooked about 800g of rice without turning it into wallpaper paste, and handled a joint of beef big enough to feed five. The sauté function has real power, and the non-stick pot means you can get a proper sear with very little oil. 

The oven-safe pot (up to 240C) was another win: I finished off a shepherd’s pie topping under the grill, and it came out beautifully — no “where did I put the oven gloves?” Clean-up was one pot, into the dishwasher, job done. It’s also noticeably more energy-efficient than using the full oven, which brings the essential smug factor. 

Expect to pay around €149-€169, depending on offers. 

It’s available nationwide from electrical and home appliance retailers, and widely online.