1) ENDO ADVANCED VACUUM MAGIC COOKER E-AVMC4.5 (4.5L)  [Editor's Rave]

$299, from major department stores 

WHAT’S HOT 
• This was the best thermal cooker for getting meat tender, even with tougher cuts like beef chuck. The chicken for my stew was also considerably softer than those cooked in the other pots. 
• It managed to coax flavour out of the root vegetables into the beef soup. 
• On the stove, it was the best for sauteing ingredients – the inner pot is the heaviest of the lot. Garlic and onions were evenly browned and I did not have to worry about getting them burnt. 

WHAT’S NOT 
• I had to ensure the inner pot was placed properly into the outer pot – the cooker won’t close fully without that precise fit. But once it clicks in place, it’s fine. 

VERDICT 
An all-rounder for soups and stews alike, it retained heat and extracted flavours very well, and softened food efficiently.

SCORE
8/10 

 

2) THERMOS SHUTTLE CHEF KBG-4500 (4.5L) 

$290, from major department stores 

WHAT’S HOT 
• The cooker beat its rivals when it came to creating the most complex flavour profile and sauce body for the chicken stew. The gravy was thick and flavourful while those in the other pots were thinner and more watery. The chicken was firm, though not fall-off-the-bone soft like with the Endo cooker; the mushrooms were flavourful and had a good bite. 

WHAT’S NOT 
• The beef stock was much more bland than the others. 
• Like the Endo cooker, the inner pot is tall but sports a small base about 20cm in diameter, although both have the same 4.5-litre capacity. It was a tad hard to stir-fry and brown the chicken in the inner pot when I made the stew. 
• This is the only pot without a handle and a lock on the outer lid, so it is not meant to be toted out for picnics, unlike the other two cookers. 

VERDICT 
Get this for stews.

SCORE
7/10 

 

 

3) TIGER THERMAL MAGIC COOKER NFB-C520 (5.2L) [Great Find]

$449, from major department stores 

WHAT’S HOT 
• This is great for cooking soups. It extracted every last bit of flavour from the meat, carrots and celery for a robust beef soup. And the beef chuck was reasonably tender after slow-cooking for six hours. 
• The inner pot is slightly wider than that of the other cookers, and is a more comfortable size to cook in, especially when browning meat. 

WHAT’S NOT 
• The chicken could be more tender, especially after four hours. Next time, I’ll cut the meat into smaller pieces so they cook and soften more quickly. 
• Keep the fire as low as possible when sauteing garlic over the stove – the pot heats up quickly and I had to keep an eye on the garlic to ensure it didn’t burn. VERDICT 
It may be slow but bide your time as it’ll work magic on your soups.

SCORE
7.5/10

HOW IT WORKS 
A thermal cooker has two pots. Over the stove, first cook your food in the inner pot for 15-30 minutes. Then, place this pot into the insulated outer container and leave it for two to six hours. The latent heat from the inner pot will continue cooking the food.

 

Written by Mia Chenyze for Simply Her.