M4Y Rice Cooker Review: a compact 3‑in‑1 that mostly just gets the job done

I’ve been using this M4Y rice cooker/slow cooker/steamer for a couple of weeks, mainly for weeknight dinners for 2–3 people. I bought it because I was tired of babysitting rice on the hob and I don’t have space for separate gadgets. So I wanted something small, simple, and not too expensive that could live on the counter without being an eyesore.

Right away, I’ll say this: it’s not perfect, but it does what it says. The rice comes out reliably good, the slow cooker mode is handy for basic stews and curries, and the steamer tray is fine for veg. It’s very much a “set it and forget it” kind of device, which is what I was looking for. If you expect professional-level gear, this isn’t it, but for everyday home use it’s pretty solid.

In day-to-day use, the main thing I noticed is how much less mental load it gives you. I throw rice and water in, press the right button, and walk away. No worrying about the pot boiling over or burning the bottom. Same with slow cooking: I put stuff in, set the timer, and it quietly does its thing. It’s not the fastest, it’s not the prettiest interface, but it’s straightforward.

Overall, after using it for multiple meals—plain rice, brown rice, a chicken curry, and some steamed veg—I’d sum it up like this: decent build, good rice, small footprint, and a few annoyances here and there. If you want a realistic opinion and not marketing fluff, I’ll break down what actually works, what’s just okay, and what’s a bit annoying in real life.

In terms of value, I’d say this M4Y cooker lands in the “good but not mind-blowing” category. It’s priced in the mid-range for rice cookers, and you do get three main functions in one: rice cooker, slow cooker, and steamer. If you were to buy those separately, you’d easily spend more and use up a lot more space. So for small kitchens or people who don’t want multiple appliances, that alone already makes it fairly attractive.

Where it earns its keep is the consistency of the rice and the convenience of the delay timer and keep-warm mode. If you eat rice often—several times a week—the time and hassle it saves on the hob is worth the price in my opinion. It’s also cheaper to run than constantly using the stove or oven for long slow cooks, and 500 W isn’t exactly power-hungry. The fact that it has different rice settings and slow cook modes gives it more flexibility than ultra-basic rice cookers that just have on/off.

On the flip side, there are a few trade-offs. You don’t get premium materials like a ceramic pot or stainless steel housing. The recipe booklet looks rushed. The steamer tray feels a bit cheap. And the capacity is limited; they say 1–6 people, but realistically I’d cap it at 3–4 people for rice and 2–3 for slow-cooked meals if you like generous portions. If you regularly cook for a big family, you might outgrow this pretty fast.

So, bottom line: if you’re a couple or small household, eat rice often, and want a compact device that covers rice, simple stews, and steamed veg, the price feels fair and the product is good value. If you’re expecting premium build or huge capacity for the same money, you’ll probably be a bit underwhelmed. For what it costs, it gets the job done, and that’s about what I’d expect.

Design-wise, the M4Y cooker is pretty basic: white body, rounded shape, and a simple front panel. It’s not going to impress anyone, but it also doesn’t look cheap in an embarrassing way. It’s about 25 x 25 x 24 cm and around 2 kg, so it’s quite compact. On my counter, it takes up less space than a standard air fryer, and it’s light enough to shove into a cupboard with one hand if I need the space.

The control layout is clear. The buttons are physical and have a decent click to them. Nothing fancy, just practical. I like that the main functions are clearly labelled: white rice, brown rice, quick rice, slow cook high/low, steam, delay timer, keep warm. You don’t have to scroll through 20 modes—you just pick what you need. The little screen is small but readable, and the 12-minute countdown at the end of cooking is actually helpful so you know when to get plates ready.

One design detail I did appreciate is the water condenser at the back. It catches the extra steam condensation so it doesn’t drip all over the worktop when you open the lid. It’s a small piece of plastic that you can pull off and rinse. It sounds like a small thing, but without it, some cookers leave puddles of water around them, which gets annoying fast. Here, it keeps things cleaner, as long as you remember to empty it now and then.

On the downside, it’s all plastic on the outside, and the white colour means it will probably show stains and splashes over time if you don’t wipe it regularly. There’s no fancy stainless steel look or premium feel here. It’s just functional. If you care a lot about aesthetics and want something that looks high-end, this will feel a bit basic. If you just want a compact box that cooks rice and doesn’t get in the way, the design does the job without drama.

The cooker body is mostly plastic with an aluminium non-stick inner pot. It keeps the weight low (about 2 kg), which is nice when you’re moving it around, but it also means it doesn’t have that heavy, solid feel you get with higher-end multi-cookers. The non-stick inner bowl is the upgraded version (the 2026 improved coating, according to the description). In practice, rice really does slide out easily if you don’t mess up the water ratios, and cleaning has been quick so far.

I’ve used it several times for both white and brown rice, plus a couple of slow-cooked dishes, and the inner pot still looks clean—no obvious scratches or peeling. I only use the provided spatula or silicone spoons though, and I wash it by hand as recommended. If you’re rough with it or use metal utensils, I wouldn’t be surprised if the coating gets damaged over time. It’s aluminium with coating, not some heavy ceramic or stainless steel pot, and you can feel that.

The steamer tray is light plastic. It doesn’t feel fragile, but it’s clearly not designed for heavy loads. It’s fine for veg, dumplings, or fish fillets, but I wouldn’t pile a ton of food on it. The lid has a decent weight and closes firmly, and the inner surface wipes clean pretty easily. The water condenser piece at the back is also plastic and clips on and off without drama.

Overall, the materials are what I’d expect at this price: functional, not luxurious. If you specifically want a ceramic inner pot or stainless steel body for long-term durability, this isn’t that. But if you’re okay with a good non-stick aluminium pot and plastic housing, it’s pretty solid. After a couple of weeks of regular use, nothing feels loose, nothing rattles, and all the buttons still click properly. I’d just say: treat the inner pot gently, hand wash it, and avoid metal tools if you want it to last.

I haven’t had this cooker for years obviously, but after a couple of weeks of pretty intensive use (rice almost every day plus a few slow-cook meals), I can at least talk about early durability and how easy it is to keep in good shape. So far, the non-stick inner pot still looks clean, with no obvious wear. I always wash it by hand with a soft sponge, as they recommend, and that definitely helps. If you chuck it in a dishwasher or scrub it with something harsh, I can see the coating wearing out faster.

The exterior wipes down easily with a damp cloth. Being white, it will show stains if you let splashes dry, so I’ve got into the habit of wiping it after cooking. The lid seal and the inside metal surface haven’t discoloured so far. The little water condenser at the back does fill up if you use it a lot, but it’s simple to pop off and rinse. It’s one of those things you have to remember to empty, but it beats having water running down the sides.

Mechanically, all the buttons still feel firm and the hinge on the lid seems solid. The cooker doesn’t wobble and the inner pot still sits snugly inside without rattling. No odd noises, no plastic smells, nothing that makes me worry. The power cable is fixed (not detachable), which is one less thing to lose but also means you need to be a bit careful not to bend it too hard when storing.

Long-term, I think the main weak point will be the non-stick coating, as with most similar devices. If you treat it gently, use the plastic spatula, and avoid metal, it should last a decent while. This isn’t a heavy-duty restaurant-grade machine, but for home use a few times a week, I don’t see any big red flags yet. Maintenance is simple: quick rinse of the pot, wipe the body, empty the condenser, done. So far, it feels like something that should hold up fine if you’re not rough with it.

Performance-wise, the 500 W power is enough for what this thing is supposed to do. It’s not a rocket, but that’s normal for a rice/slow cooker combo. For two cups of dry white rice (enough for 3–4 portions), it took around 25–30 minutes on the standard white rice mode in my tests. Brown rice obviously took longer—closer to 45–50 minutes. That’s roughly what I’d expect and similar to other rice cookers I’ve used before. The quick rice mode shaves a bit of time off, but you’re not going to get rice in 5 minutes or anything like that.

The 15-hour delay timer is actually more useful than I expected. I used it twice: once to have rice ready for lunch when I was working from home, and once for an evening meal. You just set it, go do your life, and it clicks on automatically. Paired with the keep-warm mode, it means your food is ready when you are, not the other way around. It’s the kind of feature you don’t think you need until you’ve used it a couple of times.

Slow cooker performance is pretty decent. On low, you can run it up to 10 hours, which is good for tougher cuts of meat or if you’re out all day. On high, up to 5 hours, good for quicker stews or curries. I also tried the “sauté” idea they mention (using the steam mode to pre-cook onions and meat). It’s not real browning like a pan, but you can soften onions and lightly cook meat before adding liquids, which helps with flavour. Just don’t expect proper searing; it’s more like pre-cooking than pan-frying.

Noise-wise, it’s quiet. You’ll hear some gentle bubbling and occasional clicks when it changes phase, but nothing annoying. It doesn’t heat up the kitchen like an oven either, which is nice in summer. The auto shutoff gives a bit of peace of mind if you’re the type to worry you forgot to turn things off. Overall, the performance is steady and predictable. It’s not fast, but it’s reliable, and for this type of appliance that’s what matters most to me.

Out of the box, the M4Y cooker is pretty straightforward. You get the main unit, the non-stick inner pot, a plastic steamer tray, a basic plastic rice spatula, a small measuring cup, and a slim instruction booklet with a slightly ugly but usable recipe section. Nothing fancy, but everything you need to start cooking right away. The capacity is 1.2 litres on paper, but in real life that translates to roughly 4 decent adult portions of rice, or 6 smaller portions if you’re serving it as a side and people aren’t too greedy.

The control panel is simple: a few clearly labelled buttons for rice types (white, brown, quick), slow cook (high/low), steam, delay timer, and a keep-warm function. There’s also a 12-minute countdown that kicks in at the end of cooking so you know when it’s about to finish. No touch screen, no app, no nonsense. Just buttons you press once and they work. Personally, I prefer that to overly smart gadgets that need a manual every time.

In everyday use, the accessories are… fine. The spatula is nothing special but it doesn’t scratch the non-stick coating, which is the main point. The measuring cup is small but matched to the cooker’s scale, so once you’ve done it once or twice, it becomes automatic: X cups rice, Y water, done. The steamer tray is light plastic and feels a bit cheap, but it holds enough veg for 2–3 people, which is honestly all I need most days.

If I compare this to more expensive brands my friends have, you can tell this is more budget/mid-range: the packaging is basic, the booklet looks like it was typed in a hurry, and there’s no fancy metal accessories. But functionally, everything you need is there and usable. It’s very much “no frills, but it works,” which fits the price point and target user pretty well.

On the core job—cooking rice—it does very well. I’ve tried standard white rice, basmati, and brown rice so far. Using the included cup and following the basic ratios, the rice comes out fluffy and evenly cooked. No hard bits, no mushy sludge at the bottom. Compared to cooking on the hob, the consistency is just more reliable. Once you dial in the water level you like (I prefer mine slightly firmer), you basically get the same result every time without thinking about it.

The different rice modes are not just marketing; they actually change the cooking time and behaviour. White rice is the default and takes about the same time as the hob, maybe slightly longer. Brown rice obviously takes longer, but it cooks through properly without being crunchy. The quick rice setting is handy when you’re in a rush—texture is a bit less perfect than the normal mode, but still completely fine for a weekday dinner. And the keep-warm function is genuinely useful: rice stays warm and still decent for a couple of hours without drying out too badly.

As a slow cooker, it’s decent but not mind-blowing. I did a chicken curry on low for about 6 hours and a beef stew on high for roughly 4. Both turned out good: meat tender, sauce reduced nicely, nothing burnt. The only thing is, the pot is smaller than a typical standalone slow cooker, so you’re looking at meals for 2–3 people, maybe 4 if you’re not huge eaters. So it’s great for couples or small families, but not ideal if you regularly cook in big batches.

The steam function is straightforward. I used it for broccoli, carrots, and green beans. It cooks them through evenly, and you can easily do veg while the rice is cooking (by timing it or using the steam mode separately). It’s not some high-pressure steamer, just a simple steam basket job, but for normal home cooking it’s fine. In short: it’s effective at what it promises—rice, slow cook, steam—without any real drama. Just don’t expect it to replace a full-blown multi-cooker with pressure functions and all that.