Crockpot Turbo Express Pressure Multicooker 14-in-1 Review

Serve-up a delicious, homecooked meal in minutes with the Crockpot Turbo Express Pressure Multicooker 14-in-1. Known for slow cookers, the name Crockpot is synonymous with counter-top cooking. The brand started out with a bean cooker, over 40 years ago. Slow cookers made cheap cuts of meat tender and delicious, also establishing a convenient and energy efficient form of cooking. Crockpot's range has evolved into digital slow cookers and multicookers. Making a hearty meal is made even easier, thanks to the versatility and precision temperature control of the Crockpot Turbo Express Pressure Multicooker.

Crockpot Turbo Express Pressure Multicooker Overview

The key feature of the Crockpot Turbo Express Pressure Multicooker is the Turbo function, which makes cooking 40% faster than standard high pressure cooking. Also, this appliance offers versatility with 14-in-1 functions. It's the 5.6L round model which has the capacity to feed 6+ people. In short, the Crockpot multicooker is one space-saving appliance that does the job of multiple appliances.

In comparison to the Ninja Foodi MAX 15-in-1 SmartLid Multi-Cooker (RRP £319.99) this multicooker retails at almost half the price, with an RRP of £129.99. The Ninja appliance has the addition of an air fryer function which means you can bake, roast and dehydrate, in addition to everything the Crockpot multicooker can do. For £89.99 the Instant Pot DUO 60 Duo 7-in-1 Smart Cooker has the same functions as the Crockpot, except the Turbo feature.

Key Features

Turbo function reduces cook time by 40% faster than the standard high pressure setting

5.6L capacity serves 6+ people

14 ways to cook, including pre-set options: Meat/Poultry, Soup/Stew, Beans/Chili - Rice/Grains, Yogurt, Dessert and cooking functions: Pressure Cook, Slow Cook, Sous Vide, Sterilise, Simmer, Brown/Sauté, Steam, Keep Warm

Simple Steam Release Dial a safety feature that keeps your hand away from the Steam Release Valve

Precision temperature control – adjust in 1 degree increments with certain cooking functions

Testing The Crockpot Turbo Express Pressure Multicooker

What was the product tested for?

I've borrowed cookery books from family and I'm making simple yet comforting one-pot suppers that are bowl-licking good. I'm hankering for stews, casseroles, thick risottos and curries, styled with thick earthenware, wooden boards and fabric napkins with paisley prints. All for the Insta, of course. I owe my autumnal foray into making traditional foods all to my new kitchen gadget.

Pressure cooking has been around for a while, there's many a recipe in retro cookery books. It's a method that uses a sealed pot to trap steam and increase internal pressure, raising the boiling point of water in excess of 100°C. Benefits include faster cooking times, energy efficiency and concentrated flavour.

When I learnt the Crockpot Turbo Express Pressure Multicooker has a pressure release valve, I had visions of my uncle's misadventures with steaming sponge pudding on his hob. He had freshly painted the ceiling, then steamed a pudding for a couple of hours, which turned the ceiling yellow. Let's see how I get to grips with using the Steam Release Dial to vent steam rapidly.

I was in need of a counter-top appliance to replace my faulty slow cooker. As you may know from some of my other reviews, I'm all for a money-saving kitchen appliance. Intrigued by its multifunctionality of the Crockpot Turbo Express Pressure Multicooker, I thought it's the perfect opportunity to get creative with this appliance. The great thing about the multicooker is that it can cook in 14 different ways – and fast too. So, if I'm feeling a bit spicy when I get home I can whip up the Lamb Biryani of my dreams and not be faffing around until midnight to dish up.

I'll be testing to see if there's any flaws in its versatility, for example, will the taste of pork chops, curry and baked potatoes taint the delicate flavour of yoghurt?

How were the tests carried out?

Sometimes my ballistic approach to cooking results in mastery (air fryer cheesecake) and sometimes my cooking is like my art: a work in progress. But with an appliance that can expel a powerful whoosh of steam, I'm not taking any risks. I'll be reading the instruction booklet and rating it for clarity and safety guidance. Similarly, I'll be weighing up the durability of the cooking pot to rate the non-stick coating and see if high temperatures cause marking. Also, with sticky fingers, do the control buttons stain and smear?

Also, I'll take an in depth look at pressure cooking, slow cooking and cooking with the lid off, using the Brown/Sauté and Simmer functions.

I tested this appliance over the course of a month in my kitchen. I've used it daily and with good reason – spoiler alert – it's great!

What Were The Results?

Performance

I'll go through in detail some of the functions and things I've enjoyed about this appliance. But, the top line is that this multicooker really comes into its own when you use a combination of functions. For example, browning meats and onions first before slow cooking. Or switch to the Brown/Sauté function at the end of slow cooking to thicken the gravy with cornflower.

You can switch functions during cooking. Press the START/STOP button and select the new cooking function. A new timer will appear on the display and the selected function will flash. Select time, temperature and pressure (if applicable) and press START/STOP. The new function will go through a preheating process.

Slow cooked vegetable stew and risotto

I stayed in my comfort zone with my first attempt using this multicooker. I tried a simple slow cooker meal with some thick chopped carrots, onions, celery, frozen butternut squash and spouts for greenery. The liquid component was a tin of chopped tomatoes and the protein was spicy Quorn fillets. I could choose between a Low setting, where 6-8 hours is the typical cooking duration. Or, I could have a hearty meal cooked between 2-4 hours with the High setting.

The instruction manual advises that due to the multi-functionality of this appliance, you may find you need to increase your usual cooking times for slow cooker meals. Also, although the Slow Cook function doesn't use pressure to cook, turn the Steam Release Dial to its release position, as some pressure can still build up.

It beeps when you turn it on. Because I have a digital air fryer I found the controls intuitive to use in terms of pressing the buttons on the control panel to set the temperature (Low/High) and time. The digital display is clear and overall I think the controls are simple and user-friendly. The control panel is easy to wipe clean if you have floury fingers.

Five-and-a-half-hours later I returned home to a delicious smell of cooked food. It put a smile on my face and I knew I was in for a bowl of delightful comfort food. There was a lot of condensation when I unlocked and removed the lid. I'd advise standing back and keeping your face away from the cooking pot. The vegetable stew looked was perfection – a great first meal, served with cracked black pepper and crusty baguette.

Usability

Remembering my calamitous last slow cooker that burnt every meal, this multicooker has a perfect score and nothing has overcooked in it. I gave up on soaking old slow cooker pot overnight in the sink, trying to loosen burnt on lentils. This Crockpot will replace it. And that slow cooker can go to the Great Recycling Centre on the Northern Distributer Road.

I'm ditching my freestanding two-ring countertop hob too, as I'm enjoying perfectly cooked broccoli in around three minutes and no faff with pans. I will caveat that by saying this multicooker needs to pre-heat for a few minutes before using the Simmer and Steam functions. So if you're trying to cook vegetables fast, it's more efficient to steam them in the microwave. That said, if you're catering for a crowd, the multicooker has the capacity to fed six people.

It's all too easy to get a scald from a boiling kettle. The Quick Release Dial causes this appliance to produce a concentrated jet of steam that's much more intense and could result in serious burns. Please make sure you position the multicooker so the Steam Release Valve is facing away from your face, arms and body. It also generates heat when in use. The surface of the lid, handles and knobs can get hot.

Use the Time Selection Buttons to set the cooking duration. You can increase the time increment slowly by pressing and releasing the buttons or press and hold the buttons to advance quickly. It's the same principle for the Temp/Pressure buttons.

The cooking pot is non-stick and is a lot lighter than the cooking pot that you may have in your slow cooker. Certainly, my last slow cooker pot was a heavy ceramic vessel. It's so much easier to lift this cooking pot and serve from it. This cooking pot is a doddle to clean, just avoid scouring pads and abrasives. I made the error of using a metal spoon to serve up a casserole, and it scratched the non-stick coating.

The plastic spoon is excellent, mixing a creamy risotto and ensuring nothing sticks. It allows you to scrape food out of the pot without scratching it and avoid the awful sound of metal-on-metal.

Simmering with the lid off

We're fast approaching flu season so I made my Mum's renowned Ginger Elixir. I thought the pressure cooker might retain more of the goodness. I cut the ginger into small pieces using my bun-bun chopper. Then, I boiled it with lemons, taking care not to exceed the MAX fill line. As an experiment, I tried the Simmer function for 15 minutes. High temperature will bring the water to boil and Low will reduce the temperature to a simmer. Press START/STOP and note the status bar will show the process of reaching temperature The instructions states that the lid should not be on when using the Brown/Sauté and Simmer functions. It all turned out reasonably well, but I did perch the lid on the top of the pot to help it heat up faster. I got the wonderful gingery and lemony aroma filling my kitchen – practically inhaling the healthy vibes.

Stir the pot regularly and never leave the pot unattended when using this function. Just like stove-top cooking, sauces and soups bubble and spit. The temperature control from high to low is responsive and it seems more powerful than a conventional stove-top ring. After the cooking time has elapsed the multicooker defaulted to Keep Warm.

Warning, the cooking pot itself does get very hot. So, I had to allow for the pot to cool before handling it with a tea towel. I poured my elixir through a sieve into a bowl and allowed it to cool and further infuse with ginger and lemon.

Using the Delay timer

The Delay timer is suits my lifestyle. So, if I want to come home to piping hot soup, but don't want it cooking for eight hours, I can set the pot to start cooking for up to four hours. On a working day, I leave the house at 8am and don't get back until 6:30pm. So, I need an appliance that can cook low and slow and not burn the contents.

I wanted the multicooker to start cooking at 12 noon and to slow cook for six hours, so when I come home I've got a perfect Chicken Chasseur with button mushrooms in a garlicy stock. Press the Delay button and set the time using the + and - buttons in five minute increments. Nothing happens once you press START/STOP except a Delay countdown from the three hours that I'd set.

Steaming

When Steaming use the rack. Steam is a pre-programmed high pressure cooking setting. Using this setting 2-4 chicken fillets in 400ml water will take eight minutes to cook. Now, I regularly steam vegetables in the Crockpot as the fast cooking retains more nutrients than boiling. Be aware, the multicooker does have a habit of randomly expelling steam through the Bobber Valve.

The steaming chart in the manual advises 900g-1kg of white potatoes cooking in nine minutes with 400ml water. I inserted the circular steel cooking rack and used 250ml water, as I had two large baking potatoes that weighed around 500g. Allowing for around five minutes heat up time, the potatoes then steamed for ten minutes. In this instance, the Pressure Release Valve needed venting or I could have left the appliance to stand and naturally decompress. The potatoes needed longer. Therefore, I don't think Steam is the right function for jacket potatoes; but for a pan of new potatoes or for steaming vegetables it works a treat.

Brown/Sauté

I made an Irish Stew using a combination of the Sauté and Manual pressure cooking functions. First, I browned the onions with the lid off on Brown/Sauté, adding beef to seal the sides, stock to de-glaze, then lots of vegetables.

Pressure cooking

Then, I switched to pressure cooking the stew. The Manual function, allows you to set your own pressure cooking time, ranging from one minute to four hours. You can use Low, High or Turbo with this function. If you enjoy experimenting, this gives you scope to cook more unusual ingredients and create bespoke recipes.

High pressure is 6.5-10 PSI (45-70 kPa)
Low pressure is 3.3-6.5 PSI (23-45 kPa) and is suitable for delicate fish, chicken fillets and some types of vegetable Turbo pressure is 13-15 PSI (90-103 kPa)

Using the Turbo function

I opted to use the Turbo function, which reduced the cooking time to just 11 minutes for a recipe that would normally take 25 minutes on High. To deselect the Turbo function just press the button again and the multicooker will go back to the normal cooking time. Turbo reduces cooking times by 40% when used in conjunction with the Steam, Rice/Grains, Beans/Chili, Meat/Poultry, Soup/Stew, and Manual. The Bobber Valve will automatically start releasing steam. Then you know you're cooking.

I used the Quick Release Method (more on that in the FAQs below). When I opened the Steam Release Dial, steam whooshed out of the vent for three minutes. It's loud and fills your kitchen with steam, so have a window open. You can clearly hear when it has stopped. Otherwise, wait ten minutes for the pressure to naturally dissipate. Use a heat-resistant glove to tilt the lid away from you. In addition to steam there may be hot water condensation that can cause burns. Do not put your face anywhere near the multicooker when opening it after pressure cooking.

Build

The shape and size of the appliance, plus the length of the power cable, mean I can be flexible where I position it. Ideal, if you're limited on worktop space. The valve looks a little intimidating at first. There's a small plastic box taped to the back of the multicooker that collects condensation. The Heating Base is heavy and sturdy, with a robust, metal-lined inner lid. I twist and pull to remove the lid.

Inside the main pot are the accessories. A metal sous vide rack, a plastic spoon, and a circular metal rack for steaming. The non-stick cooking pot resists stuck-on food and is dishwasher safe, making clean-up a breeze. Just, to say the cooking pot is not oven-safe, and it can't be used on a stove-top. It's exclusively for use with the multicooker.

I love the design of the multicooker, being circular, it fits snuggly into the corner of my worktop and gives me a little space to put a plate or chopping board next to it. It's smaller than a microwave and my Salter Aerogrill.

The display screen shows how long food needs to cook, shown in hours and minutes. The multicooker needs to go through a preheating stage, indicated by the word HEAT on the display screen. A status bar has a line of five lights. When all five lights are illuminated it's reached the required temperature and/or pressure.

The lid is a twist and lock operation. There is a triangle icon on the lid that lines up with open and closed padlock icons on the multicooker. Simply twist the lid in an anti-clockwise direction to close. The lid needs to be properly shut in order for pressure to build. You should feel it click into place. Additionally, the Steam Release Dial needs in the seal position for pressure cooking. Sensors ensure pressure is within a safe range.

The Steam Diffusion Cap helps to diffuse steam when releasing pressure from the multicooker. The cap slots onto the Steam Release Valve. Also, there's a removable Sealing Gasket on the inside of the lid. It forms the pressure seal, so it's essential you check it for wear and tear over time. It may need replacing after a couple of years.

There's lots of recipes on Crockpot's website. Additionally, the product manual is available to download, in case you lose your paper version. A customer service phone number has lines open Monday to Friday. Alternatively, you can contact customer service via a form on their Contact Us page or by direct message on socials.

The instruction booklet was clear and there's lots of Crockpot Youtube tutorials to help you use this multicooker safely, effectively and creatively.

Final Verdict: Crockpot Turbo Express Pressure Multicooker 14-in-1

This is the right tool for multiple cooking jobs. The locking, air-tight lid stays sealed under pressure for peace of mind. Just be aware of the safety guidance and don't misuse the appliance. It's ideal for a small kitchen where there's no room for a freestanding cooker. I just can't imagine using it in a caravan home though... well, perhaps if I stuck to letting it decompress in its own time when pressure cooking. As an impatient person I love how fast it can cook, especially using the Turbo setting.

In conclusion, this multicooker has replaced my hob and my slow cooker. I find myself cheerfully sautéing onions and bacon before breakfast, as the clean-up is minimal, Also, the cooking pot's heat distribution is better than my frying pan. It's also challenged my creativity. I devised a retro menu for a special meal, completely made in the multicooker. I fried off onions and pork lardons, de-glazed the cooking pot and thickened with cornflower to make a gravy. Separately, I boiled rice, then an assortment of vegetables. I let all the components cool and I made stuffed savoy cabbage leaves, with a rice and pork filling, served on a bed of vegetables with gravy.

Why not 5/5? After a month's use I noticed marking caused by heat in the heating base and the non-stick coating in the cooking pot had wear and tear. I use tomatoes in a lot of my recipes and the plastic spoon had slightly discoloured. I think the most important point is the chipping in the non-stick coating. However, I must take responsibility for that because I use a large metal spoon on occasion to serve.

Rating 4/5

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FAQs: Crockpot Turbo Express Pressure Multicooker

How much does the Crockpot Turbo Express Pressure Multicooker 14-in-1 cost to run?

Using the sum below, we can roughly work out how much it costs to cook in any appliance. It will vary depending on your actual unit cost for energy, but we'll use the national average rate. The Energy Saving Trust states that between 1 October and 31 December 2023, the unit cost of electricity has decreased and is now 27p per kilowatt hour (kWh)

Work out how much an appliance costs per use with this equation:

Appliance Power (W) x Amount of Time Used (p/h) x GBP per kWh (0.27) / 100 = Price Per Use

Amount of Time must be in decimals (0.5 is 30mins, 1.5 is 90mins)

I can cook small jacket potatoes in the multicooker using high pressure in 15 minutes and can fit four baking spuds in the cooking pot.

The sum is: 1400W x 0.25p/h x 0.27kWh / 100 = 0.95p

So cooking four jacket potatoes costs less than 10p.

How do I use the pressure cooker functions?

Create tasty, healthy meals up to 70% faster than a traditional oven or stove-top by utilising the pressure cooking functions. Ideal foods for pressure cooking include firm vegetables, such as beetroot and potatoes, soups, stocks, casseroles and steam puddings.

Pressure cooking functions need a minimum 250ml of liquid in order to work. An error will appear on the screen if you haven't added enough liquid. For pressure cooking functions the pre-heat time varies depending on the volume and temperature of food being cooked. The instruction manual states it can vary between 5-30 minutes. I've not known it to be any longer than five minutes. The cooking pot has 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 markings. For foods that expand such as dried legumes and dehydrated vegetables you should not exceed the 1/2 mark line. The sealed multicooker retains steam that builds pressure and raises the temperature of the liquid inside the pot exceeding boiling point. The increasing temperature of the liquid and concentration of steam results in faster cooking times.

How do I remove the lid after pressure cooking?

After pressure cooking, you need to wait until the internal pressure has been released. If the lid won't open, it's because the cooker is still pressurised and must not be forced open. Pressure in a cooker is a potential hazard. There are two ways of releasing pressure at the end of the cooking process. The Natural Pressure Release Method or Quick Pressure Release Method.

Natural Pressure Release Method

Choose this method if you're not in a hurry for food. I tested it when I cooked basmati rice, using the Rice/Beans function. My half pot of rice cooked in 12 minutes. Then, I switched the appliance off at the mains and let it stand for a further ten minutes, so pressure naturally released through the Bobber Valve. When I released the Steam Release Dial there was a gentle jet of steam, that lasted barely five seconds and emitted a smell of cooked rice. In total, cooking a pot of rice took around 25 minutes – from pre-heat to taking the lid off. Still, do take care when you eventually turn the Steam Release Dial to the release position.

Quick Release Method

Upon completing the cooking process, switch the appliance off. Open the Steam Release Dial to rapidly release the steam. Take care when using this process and keep body parts away from the Pressure Release Valve.

How do I clean a multicooker?

The Heating Base should only be wiped with a damp cloth and then dried with a paper towel or cloth. Remember to check the Condensation Collector after each use, empty any collected water and wash in warm, soapy water. The removable cooking pot has a non-stick coating, so avoid abrasive cleaners and metal utensils.

The lid and Sealing Gasket need checking before each use. The silicon Sealing Gasket may deteriorate over time and need replacing every 1-2 years. Replacement parts are available from Crockpot's customer service.

The Steam Release Valve and Steam Diffusion Cap need to be free of debris. The valve and cap are removable and can be gently cleaned and dried.

To inspect the Bobber Cap, press it down a few times to make sure nothing's caught in it. And do the same for the Lid Lock Pin. Make sure every removable component is completely dry before you place it back in the multicooker.

Natalie Knowles is a Homes & Garden Product Writer for A Modern Kitchen, specialising in kitchen appliances. When she's not testing coffee machines, she flexes her creative flair as an artist.