Choose a pressure-capable multicooker if your pudding recipe calls for pressure cooking and shortening the cooking cycle matters to you; choose an ordinary steam multicooker if you prefer a conventional steaming method. For repeated batches, check that your covered pudding basin, rack and required water level fit the exact model before relying on its litre capacity, and consider which removable parts you will need to clean between batches.
If you repeatedly make sponge, fruit or Christmas puddings, a pressure-capable cooker may suit a recipe written for that method. Instant Pot UK describes a covered basin on a trivet or steam rack in its Christmas-pudding recipe; check the recipe and model instructions before using its stages.
If you already own a basin, its covered height and width, the rack and the space beneath the lid matter more than nominal pot volume alone. A larger pot is worth considering, but measure the complete setup before choosing a model.
If the cooker will also prepare everyday meals, consider its other functions and the washing-up between puddings. Check which parts of the exact model can go in the dishwasher rather than assuming that a removable bowl makes every accessory dishwasher-safe.
Choose when: Your pudding recipe specifies pressure cooking and reducing its cooking cycle is important.
Accept: You must follow that cooker’s lid, sealing and pressure-release instructions; a steam programme alone cannot stand in for pressure cooking.
Choose when: You want to follow a non-pressure steaming recipe and also use the cooker for other stated functions.
Accept: You cannot transfer a pressure-pudding recipe’s method or timing to a steam-only programme.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Basin and rack fit | Measure the covered basin’s width and total height, then check pot diameter, lid clearance and the raised rack arrangement. | If my usual basin cannot sit securely beneath the closed lid, pot capacity will not solve the problem. Around 36% of consumers put basin and rack fit first. |
| Pressure-cooking method | Check for a pressure-cook function and follow a pudding recipe and pressure-release instructions appropriate to the exact model. | When I make several puddings, I want a method written for shorter pressure-cooking cycles. For around 29% of consumers, that workflow is the primary concern. |
| Repeat-batch use | Compare usable space for your basin and confirm which bowl, lid and accessories may be cleaned in a dishwasher. | I plan to use the cooker for more than one pudding batch, so cleaning it between uses and finding room for other cooking matter to me. Those needs come first for around 21% of consumers. |
| Electrical and pressure care | Check the UK-market appliance and current safety notices; inspect its plug and cable and follow its manual for filling, vents and pressure release. | Before using a hot, pressurised appliance, I want to be confident I can set it up and handle it as instructed. Around 14% of consumers make safe setup their first concern. |
Instant Pot UK’s Christmas-pudding recipe uses a covered basin raised on a trivet or steam rack, with water below the basin rim. Nominal pot volume cannot tell you whether that arrangement clears the lid.
Measure the basin with its cover and lifting arrangement, then check the exact cooker’s internal dimensions, rack position and water guidance before ordering.
A non-pressure steam programme does not reproduce the pressure stages or release method in a pressure-pudding recipe.
Choose a cooker with the cooking mode your recipe requires, and use instructions appropriate to that model rather than copying timings across methods.
A rack can raise the pudding basin, but its presence alone does not establish basin clearance or whether the covered basin can be lifted out securely.
Check the rack and basin dimensions together, and use a heat-safe lifting arrangement consistent with the cooker and basin instructions.
A UK Office for Product Safety and Standards report identified a serious fire risk involving the plug and fuse of one particular electric pressure cooker; it is not a finding about every multicooker. Hot inner pots and pressurised steam also require careful handling.
Check current product-safety notices, inspect the appliance for damage and follow its own instructions for placement, lids, vents and pressure release.
Relevant if you want a pressure-and-steam approach alongside a published pudding method.
Relevant if you want pressure cooking and steaming alongside other cooking functions in a larger appliance.
Relevant if you want a mid-size pressure multicooker with steam functionality.
Relevant if you are deciding between pressure-capable cooking and a non-pressure steam programme.
These multicookers cover pressure-capable choices for recipes that require that method and steam-programme choices for conventional steaming. For any model, confirm the covered basin, rack arrangement and cooking instructions before planning repeated batches.
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Consider this for repeated pudding batches if its pressure and steam methods suit your recipe.
The stated 5.7L cooker has a ceramic non-stick coating; its named functions include rice cooking, slow cooking and sautéing. Check the rack arrangement and covered-basin clearance for your pudding, as well as the exact model’s UK electrical details.
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Consider this larger-capacity cooker if you make sizeable batches and want to use a pressure-based pudding recipe.
Its stated capacity is 7.1L, but that volume does not confirm space for your covered basin. Check the rack, lid clearance, water guidance and exact model’s UK electrical details.
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Consider this for a conventional steaming method rather than assuming it can follow a pressure-pudding recipe.
The title specifies a 6.5L pot, 1350W rating, 10 preset functions and dishwasher-safe pot and accessories. Check the covered basin’s clearance and use the method specified for the cooker.
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Consider this mid-size option if your recipe calls for pressure cooking and the cooker’s method fits how you plan to make repeated batches.
The stated capacity is 5.7L. Before choosing it for a particular pudding, check the rack arrangement, covered-basin clearance, water guidance and exact model’s UK electrical details.
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Consider this for a conventional steaming recipe if its steaming arrangement accommodates your pudding basin.
The stated capacity is 5L, and the named functions include steam, slow cook and rice. Check rack suitability, lid clearance and UK electrical details; confirm pressure capability separately if your recipe requires it.
Yes, if the recipe and exact multicooker support the required basin and cooking method. Instant Pot UK’s Christmas-pudding recipe places a covered basin on a trivet or steam rack and uses steam and pressure stages; follow the instructions appropriate to your cooker rather than transferring its timings or water level unchanged.
Its litre capacity cannot answer that on its own. Measure the covered basin’s outside width and height, then allow for the rack, lid clearance and water arrangement specified for the recipe and model.
Choose pressure cooking when your recipe is written for it, rather than expecting the same timing for every pudding. Prestige describes a 45-minute cook for its pressure-cooker lemon pudding against its usual two hours of steaming; that recipe-specific comparison does not set a timing for another pudding or appliance.
Handle the hot inner pot and accessories as the model manual directs, then clean the removable parts according to their individual instructions before the next batch. Check which components are dishwasher-safe for your exact cooker; do not assume the lid, rack and bowl all have the same care requirements.
Check the appliance’s UK electrical details, current product-safety notices and the condition of its plug and cable, then follow its own pressure-use instructions. A UK Office for Product Safety and Standards report identified a plug and fuse fire risk in one particular electric pressure cooker, not in multicookers generally.