Drew & Cole Pressure King Pro multi-cooker review

• Read our full guide to the best multi-cookers

We were grateful to see a handle around the lid when we had to wriggle it out of the box, and while there's no cord storage, you can pull the cord out and store separately.

How easy is the Pressure King Pro multi-cooker to use?

The controls are intuitive and straightforward, with clear labels for each function and buttons rather than a touchscreen panel. This is perhaps less sleek-looking, but does mean it's easier to use if you have wet or greasy fingers from cooking.

The instructions are well written and while you can manage without them for the most part, we found the breakdown of how to use each programme useful. For each preset listed, the manual details the default time, time adjustments (from shortest to longest), time increments (from one to 15 minutes), the default temperature, whether you can use the keep-warm setting, whether you can use pressure, and whether the lid should be on or off.

The slow-cook setting in particular spans from three to an impressive 24 hours, offering ample flexibility. Sautéing is more restrictive and can only be set to run for five minutes at a time on a medium-high heat, which is more frustrating if you want to caramelise ingredients slowly. The non-stick around the base of the pot is effective though, as nothing stuck despite browning quickly.

When releasing pressure, the steam spits a little but isn't too ferocious. The only issue we had was that the float-valve switch is at the back of the lid, so in theory we would have to lean across the body of the multi-cooker to turn it (we used a wooden spoon to keep a safer distance).

Cooking results

Our beef stew had a thick gravy that, despite separating a little, tasted rich and flavoursome. The meat also tenderised well though was slightly overdone – in future we would reduce the pressure-cooking time from 30 to 20 minutes. We were pleased with the texture of the vegetables too, which were soft with a slight bite.

Where the Pressure King Pro really wowed us was slow cooking. It produced an excellent chicken korma with succulent chicken and a thick, creamy sauce, in which the spices were well developed and cohesive.

Cleaning up is a simple affair and the pot can be put in the dishwasher. Drying up afterwards is more fiddly as there are tighter nooks around the lid that collect pools of water. Cooking smells also linger around the seal even after washing multiple times, but aren't too pungent.

How sustainable is the Pressure King Pro multi-cooker?

Much like the other multi-cookers we tested, most of the packaging with the Pressure King Pro is non-recyclable. There's plastic wrapping around the cooking pot, cord and steamer basket, and polystyrene inside the box too – and while this offers some level of protection, it does seem excessive.

This model performed better for energy efficiency and has a relatively low wattage for a multi-cooker at 1000W. Of those we tested, it's also one of the cheapest to run, costing just 3.97p to pressure cook for 30 minutes (based on a variable tariff of 31.8p/kWh).

Conclusion

The Pressure King Pro is a multi-cooker that doesn't mess around, and though it's without the bells and whistles of other models on the market, its quality performance, simple design and straightforward controls make it a reliable staple in the kitchen. Elements of it, like the sauté function, are more restrictive than we'd like, but for the price it offers fantastic value, both in its cost-to-run and expansive range of settings.

Pressure King Pro multi-cooker specifications

Wattage: 1000W
Dimensions (cm): 38 x 35 x 35
Presets: 14
Materials: stainless steel
Guarantee: one year

All costs-to-run calculations were done against the variable tariff at the time of testing (31.8p/kWh), which may have since changed – read more on the current energy price guarantee rates.