TZS First Austria Electric Pressure Cooker 6L Review: a no‑frills multicooker that gets the job done

I’ve been using this TZS First Austria 6L electric pressure cooker for a few weeks now, basically to replace an old stovetop pressure cooker and a beaten-up rice cooker. I wanted something simple: throw stuff in, press a button, and not babysit the pot. No fancy app, no Wi‑Fi, just a basic multicooker that cooks fast and doesn’t burn everything.

In practice, that’s pretty much what this thing does. It’s a 1000 W multicooker with 12 automatic programs, 6‑litre capacity and a non‑stick inner pot. On paper it can handle rice, stews, soups, steaming, and slow‑cooker style dishes. I used it for rice, lentils, chickpea curry, beef stew and a basic chicken soup. Nothing very advanced, just weekday meals.

The main feeling I got is: it’s not fancy, but it works. It heats fast, pressure builds in a few minutes, and food comes out cooked evenly. I didn’t have any disasters like half‑raw beans or mushy rice, as long as I paid attention to water and time. Where it falls short is the documentation: the included booklet is pretty weak, and you end up guessing a lot at the beginning.

If you like clear step‑by‑step guides and loads of recipes, you’ll probably find it a bit frustrating out of the box. If you’ve already used pressure cookers or multicookers before, you’ll adapt quickly and it’s a decent tool for the price. It’s not perfect, it feels a bit basic, but for everyday cooking it gets the job done without drama.

Considering the specs (6L capacity, 1000 W, 12 programs, stainless steel body) and the user rating around 4.4/5, the value for money is pretty good. You’re not paying for brand hype or tons of smart features. You’re basically paying for a straightforward electric pressure cooker that can also do rice, steaming, and slow‑cooker style dishes. For a family or someone who batch cooks, 6L is a nice size: big enough for soups and stews, small enough to still fit on the counter.

Where they clearly saved money is on the extras and documentation. The recipe booklet is thin, and the instructions are not very detailed. If you want a hand‑holding experience with dozens of recipes and clear tables for every type of food, you’d need to either look online or pay more for a higher‑end brand. So part of the value here is accepting that you’ll do a bit of trial and error at the start.

On the upside, you get: a non‑stick inner pot that’s easy to clean, safety features (steam valve, insulated handles), and a machine that genuinely shortens cooking time and uses less energy than leaving a pot simmering on the stove for hours. If you compare it to buying a separate rice cooker, steamer, and slow cooker, this single unit is clearly more economical and saves space too.

So for me, value is good but not mind‑blowing. It’s not the cheapest no‑name cooker out there, but it’s also far from the expensive big names. If your priority is a reliable daily tool and you’re fine without fancy bells and whistles, it’s money well spent. If you want premium build, smart features, and thick recipe books, you might be better off saving up for a more expensive model.

Design-wise, this cooker is pretty straightforward. It’s a silver/black stainless steel cylinder with a glossy finish and an outer lid. It’s not exactly pretty, but it doesn’t look cheap either. It blends in with other stainless steel appliances and doesn’t scream for attention on the counter. The footprint is relatively square (32 x 33 cm), so it’s easier to park in a corner than some wider, oval models.

The control panel is simple: push buttons with icons and labels for the 12 programs (rice, meat, soup, etc.), plus time adjustment and start/cancel. The display is small but readable. I like that the pictograms are easy to understand, but I still had to test a few programs to figure out what they actually do in terms of pressure and time. There’s no dial or manual pressure selection, so you’re mostly trusting the presets and adjusting time.

The handles are heat-insulated, which is important because you’re moving a heavy pot full of hot liquid. They stay cool enough to touch even when cooking under pressure. The base is stable and non‑slip, so once it’s on the counter it doesn’t wobble when you stir or move the inner pot. The outer lid locks securely, and there’s a clear steam valve on top. The valve is a bit basic but it does the job, and I never felt unsafe using it.

The only thing that feels slightly cheap is some of the plastic parts around the lid and panel. They’re fine now, but I can imagine them scratching or dulling over time. Also, it’s not a small gadget: at 5.7 kg, you don’t want to move it in and out of a cupboard every day. It’s more of a “leave it out on the counter” type of appliance. For the price, though, the design is pretty solid, functional and not annoying in daily use.

The cooker body is stainless steel with a glossy finish, and the inner pot is a non‑stick coated metal. That’s fairly standard at this price. The non‑stick pot is light, easy to lift with one hand, and food doesn’t cling too much. I cooked rice, curry, and stew, and nothing welded itself to the bottom as long as there was enough liquid. For sticky dishes, a quick soak and a sponge were enough to clean it.

The plastic parts (lid handle, top trim, control panel area) feel okay but not premium. They don’t bend or creak, but you can tell it’s not high‑end plastic. Still, during my tests, nothing felt fragile. The steam valve is also plastic with a small metal pin. It’s easy to turn and doesn’t feel loose. The sealing ring inside the lid is silicone, similar to other pressure cookers. It seals well, no steam leaks on the sides during my cooking sessions.

One thing I noticed: the non‑stick coating looks decent out of the box, but like any budget non‑stick, you’ll want to baby it a bit. I used only wooden or silicone utensils and avoided metal. After several uses, I didn’t see scratches, but long term, this will probably be the first part to wear out. The good news: the pot is light enough and apparently dishwasher safe, though I mostly rinsed it by hand to keep the coating in better shape.

Overall, the materials match the price bracket: solid enough, not luxurious. Metal where it matters (body, inner structure), plastic where they saved some cost, and a standard non‑stick inner pot. If you expect cast iron levels of durability, this is not it. If you want a functional multicooker you’re not afraid to actually use every day, it’s fine. Just treat the inner pot gently and it should last a reasonable amount of time.

On the safety side, this cooker feels reassuring. The lid locks firmly and won’t open under pressure, the steam valve works as expected, and there’s a safety valve system to release excess pressure. The handles stay cool, which makes moving or adjusting the cooker much less stressful. During my tests, I never saw steam leaking from weird places or heard any worrying noises. It’s clearly designed with basic user safety in mind.

For durability, it’s a bit early to judge years of use, but there are some clues. The outer stainless steel body is sturdy and should handle daily kitchen abuse without much trouble. You might get fingerprints and small scratches on the glossy finish, but that’s cosmetic. The lid mechanism feels solid enough; it doesn’t flop around or feel loose. The sealing ring is standard silicone, which usually lasts a while but will eventually need replacing like on any pressure cooker.

The main long‑term question mark is the non‑stick inner pot. With careful use (no metal utensils, gentle cleaning, not overheating it empty), it should last a reasonable time. If you’re rough with it or throw it in the dishwasher all the time, the coating will probably wear faster. Luckily, the pot is light and easy to rinse by hand, so taking care of it isn’t a big deal. If the brand sells replacement pots or rings, that would help extend the cooker’s life, but that’s something you’d need to check separately.

Based on build quality and user reviews around 4.4/5, I’d say durability is decent for the price, but this isn’t an appliance you buy expecting it to last 20 years. If you use it regularly and treat the pot with a bit of respect, it should give you several solid years of service without drama. If you abuse it, the inner pot will be the first weak point.

Performance-wise, this 1000 W cooker is pretty fast for normal household use. From cold water to full pressure takes around 5–10 minutes depending on how full it is and how hot the ingredients are. A beef stew that would take 1.5–2 hours on the stove was done in about 35–40 minutes under pressure (plus preheat and depressurising). Rice for two was ready in roughly 15–20 minutes total, including warm‑up and natural release.

The noise level is low. You hear some hissing when it’s building pressure and a bit of steam noise when you release the valve, but during cooking it’s mostly quiet, just a faint humming. It doesn’t shake, rattle, or spray steam everywhere. My kitchen stayed dry and there was no strong smell leaking out, which is nice if you’re cooking curry or something with strong spices. It’s stable on the counter thanks to the non‑slip base.

The timer and automatic programs are basic but usable. You select a program, adjust time if needed, and it counts down once pressure is reached. It switches to a keep‑warm mode afterwards, which is handy if you’re not ready to eat immediately. The downside: there’s not much feedback about what the cooker is doing (like exact pressure level or temperature), so you just trust the preset. There’s also no fancy delayed start programming described clearly, so I used it mostly in simple “set and go” mode.

In everyday life, the performance is reliable. I didn’t have any failed cooking cycles, no random error codes, and no half‑cooked meals once I got my timings dialed in. It doesn’t have the brains of high‑end multicookers, but if you just want to cook faster with less supervision, it does the job consistently. For the price bracket, the performance is honestly pretty solid.

Out of the box, you get the main unit, a 6L non‑stick inner pot, a plastic spoon, a small measuring cup, and a steam grid/steam plate. So you can start cooking right away, but don’t expect a full accessory set like some higher‑end brands. There’s no spare sealing ring, no glass lid, no fancy racks. The basics are there, and that’s it.

The cooker itself is fairly compact for a 6L model: roughly 33 x 32 x 33 cm and around 5.7 kg. On my counter it takes up about the same space as a medium‑size air fryer. The power cable is standard, nothing special, and the controls are front‑facing with push buttons and pictograms for the 12 programs. The interface is simple: a small display for time, a few mode buttons, and start/cancel. No touch screen circus, just basic controls.

Where it’s a bit disappointing is the documentation. The manual covers safety and the absolute basics, but doesn’t really explain how to adapt recipes or which program to choose for what. There is mention of a recipe booklet, but what you actually get is more of a thin leaflet rather than a real recipe book. For example, there’s a button for meat and another for soup, but nothing that clearly says, “for beef stew, use X program, Y minutes, Z water.” So the first few uses are a bit of trial and error.

Overall, the presentation matches the price: functional but minimal. If you’re expecting the polished experience of bigger brands with thick recipe books and detailed charts, this will feel barebones. If you just want the machine and don’t care about the paperwork, it’s fine. Personally, I would have liked at least a proper cooking time table for common foods like rice, beans, potatoes and stews.

In terms of actual cooking, this thing does what it promises: it cooks fast and mostly evenly. With 1000 W and a 6L capacity, it builds pressure in a few minutes and then just hums along. I used it mainly for rice, lentils, chickpeas, beef stew, and chicken soup. For rice, using the rice program and the included measuring cup, I got fluffy rice on the first try. Not restaurant‑perfect, but totally fine for everyday meals and not mushy or burnt.

For tougher stuff like beef stew, I had to experiment a bit. There’s a meat program and a soup program, but no clear guidance on which is better for stew. I ended up using the meat program and adding extra time. After two tries, I found a combo that gave me tender meat and soft vegetables without them disintegrating. Same story for chickpeas: soak them, then meat or bean‑style setting with enough water, and you get fully cooked legumes much faster than on the stovetop.

Vegetables under pressure came out well too. Carrots, potatoes, and green beans kept their shape and didn’t turn into puree as long as I didn’t overdo the time. The cooker preserves flavour and texture pretty well; nothing tasted washed out. The automatic programs do most of the work, but because the manual is vague, you will rely on your own sense of time and experience. After a week or so, I felt comfortable enough to just set a time and walk away.

So in practice: effectiveness is good, but learning curve depends on you. The machine itself cooks properly and seals well. If something goes wrong, it’s usually user error (wrong water ratio, wrong program). There’s no fancy guided cooking, no sensors telling you exactly what to do. If you want a reliable pressure cooker that speeds things up and you don’t mind tweaking times a bit, it’s perfectly serviceable.