For batch-cooked oxtail stew, choose a pot that fits your usual ingredients and liquid below its pressure-cooking fill limit, then check whether you can brown the meat in the same appliance. An 8L model gives more nominal room than a 5.7L or 6L model, but its size and handling may be less convenient; guided controls and automatic pressure release may matter more if using a pressure cooker is your main concern.
If you portion oxtail stew for later meals, compare the space taken up by bone-in pieces, vegetables and liquid with the pot’s permitted pressure-cooking fill level. The appliance and a full inner pot also need to be manageable in your kitchen.
If you prefer to brown oxtail and aromatics before pressure cooking without changing pans, look for both functions on the exact model. Tefal UK lists browning on the Cook4me+ CY851840, while Instant Pot UK describes sautéing in its multi-cooker range.
If lid handling and pressure release are your main concerns, read the model’s instructions before choosing it. Guided controls or automatic release may suit you better than a larger pot; Tefal UK lists both features for the Cook4me+ CY851840.
Start with the batch size that will fit within the cooker’s pressure-fill limit. Then decide whether browning in one pot or guided pressure release matters more to your routine.
| Concern | Buying check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity and footprint | Compare your usual batch with the exact model’s pressure-fill limit; check its dimensions and weight. | If I freeze several portions of bone-in stew, I need room for the meat, vegetables and liquid without overfilling the pot. Around 40% of consumers put usable batch capacity first. |
| One-pot cooking | Confirm that the exact model has both a browning or sauté mode and pressure cooking. | I would rather brown the oxtail and aromatics without moving them to another pan; roughly 30% of consumers put that one-pot workflow first. |
| Release and handling | Read the model’s release instructions; check for guided controls, automatic release and cleaning arrangements if you want them. | When I am learning to pressure-cook a heavy stew, I want clear steps for releasing pressure and handling the pot. Around 30% of consumers prioritise that confidence. |
Stated capacity is not the amount you can necessarily use under pressure. Bone-in oxtail, vegetables and liquid all count towards the fill level.
Check the manual for your exact model against the batch you plan to make. The Instant Pot Duo manual says not to fill the cooker beyond two-thirds of its capacity when pressure cooking.
If browning is part of your stew method, a cooker without that function may mean using a separate pan.
Check for a named browning or sauté mode on the model you intend to buy, rather than relying on the term multi-cooker. Tefal UK lists browning for the Cook4me+ CY851840.
A finished programme does not itself mean the lid is ready to open. Hot steam and liquid require careful handling, particularly with a full stew pot.
Read the exact model’s release and lid instructions before use. The Instant Pot Duo manual says never to force the cooker open and to wait until internal pressure has completely dropped.
Plug and fuse details matter for an electrical cooker. In August 2026, the Office for Product Safety and Standards reported a serious fire risk involving an underweight fuse and non-compliant plug pins on a particular 6L electric pressure cooker.
Check that the appliance is supplied for your location, inspect the plug and product documentation, and consult official safety alerts if a listing is unfamiliar. GOV.UK notes that some electrical-equipment provisions differ between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Instant Pot UK lists multi-cookers in capacities including 5.7L and an 8L Duo, making the range relevant when weighing medium batches against more nominal pot space.
Tefal UK’s Cook4me+ CY851840 is a 6L guided pressure cooker described for up to six servings or batch cooking.
Not necessarily: choose according to the batch that fits below the exact cooker’s pressure-fill limit and the space you have to use and store it. The Instant Pot Duo manual, for example, sets a maximum of two-thirds capacity for pressure cooking, so its stated litres are not the usable pressure-cooking volume.
Choose one if you want to brown oxtail and aromatics in the cooker before pressure cooking. Tefal UK lists browning for the Cook4me+ CY851840, and Instant Pot UK describes sautéing in its multi-cooker range; the function is a workflow choice, not a requirement of every stew recipe.
Only after following your model’s pressure-release procedure and confirming that it is safe to open. The Instant Pot Duo manual says to wait until internal pressure has completely dropped and never to force the lid open.
Check that the cooker and supplied plug are suitable for the location where you will use them, and review the product documentation and any relevant official safety alerts. GOV.UK notes that some electrical-equipment provisions differ between Great Britain and Northern Ireland; do not assume that guidance for one applies unchanged to the other.
For the Cook4me+ Connect CY855840 specifically, Tefal says an internet connection is needed to download or update the app and sign in, but not to use the connected feature once it has been set up. Check the instructions for any other connected model separately.