This Nontoxic Multicooker Has Replaced Three of My Single-Use Appliances

Tested by Taylor Murray

My slow cooker sees a lot of action. On busy days, it can be incredibly helpful to have dinner simmering away in the background, ready to be served up with minimal effort. Traditional slow cookers are great for low-and-slow cooking, but most lack versatility. If you want to sear meat before braising, cook rice, or transition a dish into the oven for a crispy finish, you usually need to dirty additional pans and appliances along the way.

Enter the Magnifique Clay Multicooker. Unlike a standard slow cooker, this appliance promises to handle everything from sautéing and braising to rice cooking and oven-finishing, all in the same vessel. It also stands apart thanks to its removable pure Kaolin clay insert, which the brand markets as a naturally nontoxic alternative to traditional coated cookware. Clay makes for an ideal cookware material that isn't made with PFAS, PFOAs or potentially hazardous materials. The material retains heat gently, looks beautiful enough to go straight from the kitchen to table, and gives the appliance a more elevated feel than the average Crock-Pot sitting on the counter.

Of course, versatility claims only matter if it comes with performance to match. I tested the Magnifique Clay Multicooker across a range of dishes, from slow-cooked chicken paprikash to rice and braised beef enchiladas, to see whether this multifunctional clay cooker could truly replace some of the hardest-working appliances in my kitchen.

What Is the Magnifique Clay Multicooker?

The Magnifique Clay Multicooker is a four-quart electric multicooker built around a removable Kaolin clay cooking vessel. According to the brand, the pot is made from 100 percent naturally nontoxic clay without chemical coatings or PFAS. The insert is also dishwasher-safe, oven-safe and attractive enough to move directly from the countertop to the dinner table.

The cooker includes presets for slow cooking, braising, sautéing and searing, white rice, brown rice, oats, pasta and keep warm functions. It comes with a cork trivet and a wooden spoon, and the interface uses simple tactile buttons paired with a digital display. Compared to bulky old-school slow cookers, the Magnifique feels noticeably more elevated and design-forward. The clay insert gives it a handcrafted, rustic look that feels closer to a ceramic braiser than a typical countertop appliance.

How I Tested

As soon as I got my hands on the Magnifique Multicooker, I unboxed it and flipped through the instruction manual and recipe booklet. The setup process was straightforward, and the controls were intuitive enough that I rarely needed to revisit the manual after the initial setup. To evaluate the cooker's versatility and performance, I prepared a variety of dishes using all the cooking functions.

Paprikash Test: For my first test, I made a chicken paprikash using the slow cook function. The chicken became impressively tender after about four hours of cooking, and the clay pot seemed particularly well suited for moist, gentle braising. However, I noticed that the onions placed on the bottom of the cooker scorched before the dish finished cooking. That stuck-on residue also surfived a dishwasher cycle and required hand scrubbing to fully remove.

Rice Test: Next, I cooked white rice using the preset. It cooked completely through and was tender and fluffy, but the texture leaned slightly overcooked and developed some crisping near the center of the pot. The cycle also took a little over 31 minutes for a one-cup batch — somewhat long compared to a dedicated rice cooker.

Baked Mac and Cheese Test: To test low-temperature cooking and oven capability, I prepared a slow-cooker mac and cheese before transferring the clay insert directly into the oven to brown the breadcrumb topping. This ended up being one of the Magnifique's strongest tests. The mac and cheese cooked evenly during the slow cook cycle without sticking to the bottom or sides, and the insert transitioned seamlessly from the cooker base to the oven. The top browned beautifully under oven heat, though the baked cheese layer eventually required soaking and scrubbing to fully clean.

Braised Beef Enchiladas Test: For my final test, I wanted to focus on a variety of functions. First, I seared a chuck roast using the sear/sauté function, a feature I was especially interested in since many slow cookers don't offer a browning function at all. However, this test also revealed the biggest flaw I encountered during testing: a noticeable hotspot in the center of the cooking surface. Meat directly over the center browned aggressively while surrounding areas lagged behind significantly. The hotspot continued to show up throughout cooking, causing some sticking toward the center of the pot while braising. Still, I was pleasantly surprised by how easily the ceramic released food compared to stainless steel or other metal cooking surfaces. Once assembled, the enchiladas simmered in the pot nicely, leading to an excellent final dish.

My Review Based on Testing

Overall Performance: This multicooker performed best during slow, moisture-rich cooking applications such as braises, stews and creamy dishes. The clay insert appears to retain moisture very well, resulting in tender meat and evenly cooked food. Its biggest weakness is evident when using higher-heat functions. Across multiple tests, I consistently noticed a hotter center area that caused uneven browning and occasional scorching. That issue was most noticeable during searing and rice cooking. Some reviewers online have reported using parchment paper to create a heat barrier to help curb this problem. Even so, I appreciated the ability to sauté and braise directly in the same vessel rather than dirtying multiple pans.

Ease of Use: The controls are simple and approachable, with tactile buttons that clearly cycle through functions and time settings. Audible alerts indicate when preheating is complete, and the cooker otherwise operates quietly. The removable lid is easy to handle and typically does not get too hot to handle during extended cooking sessions. At 13.5 pounds, the cooker has some heft, but transporting the clay insert from the kitchen to the table felt comparable to carrying a ceramic baking dish or Dutch oven.

Features and Appearance: This is one of the most attractive slow cookers I've ever tested. The clay insert has a smooth, elegant design that feels much higher-quality than other types of cookers. I could easily see it functioning as both a cooking vessel and serving dish for parties or family-style meals. It comes in your choice of three neutral colors: oatmeal, sage and brown sugar. In addition to aesthetics, I also liked that the insert is oven-safe and dishwasher-safe, which adds flexibility beyond standard multicookers. I tested the four-quart version, but there's also a six-quart option that comes with additional functions, such as proof, pasta and steam. While the rice and sauté functions didn't outperform dedicated appliances in my kitchen, I appreciated having multiple cooking modes in a single appliance.

Care and Maintenance: Cleanup was a mixed experience. The clay insert handled dishwasher cleaning without any visible signs of damage or wear, but heavily scorched areas still required soaking and hand scrubbing afterward. Fortunately, the ceramic surface released stuck-on food more easily than many other cooking surfaces, like stainless steel and other metals, so the process wasn't too difficult overall.

Price and Value: The value of the Magnifique really depends on what you prioritize in a kitchen appliance. If your main goal is maximum precision and performance, dedicated appliances like standalone rice cookers or premium slow cookers will likely perform better in their individual categories. However, if you're drawn to naturally nontoxic materials, multifunctionality and the aesthetics of clay cookware, the Magnifique offers a unique experience that few multicookers currently match.

Bottom Line: Is the Magnifique Clay Multicooker Worth Buying?

The Magnifique Clay Multicooker won't completely replace every specialized appliance in my kitchen (though it can replace a handful), but it still won me over in several important ways. First, its aesthetics are undeniable, and it is nice enough to sit out on a counter or serve as a functional centerpiece for dinner parties. It excels at gentle braising, produces tender slow-cooked dishes, and offers a noticeably more elevated cooking and serving experience than a traditional Crock-Pot.

That said, the uneven center prevents it from being a flawless all-in-one machine. Rice cooking and high-heat searing were less successful than slower, moisture-rich dishes, and cleanup occasionally required extra effort after scorching. For home cooks specifically looking for a naturally nontoxic multicooker with beautiful countertop appeal and strong slow-cooking performance, the Magnifique remains an appealing option, especially if you're willing to accept a few quirks in exchange for the unique benefits of cooking with clay.

Why You Should Trust Our Tester

Taylor Murray is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University with a degree in Culinary Nutrition. She worked as a professional chef for over 10 years before moving into recipe and product testing and development. She has tested several hundred products for Food Network and other brands over the last six years, covering everything from soft-serve ice cream makers to carbon steel pans to food dehydrators.

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