When it comes to aesthetic kitchenware, it’s hard to beat Our Place. Their colourful, multi-purpose kitchenware has been the inspiration for countless copycats, so whenever they launch something new, they have our undivided attention. Which is why we were so delighted to see they’re getting into small kitchen appliances, with the Dream Cooker being their second foray into the space (after the Wonder Oven, their take on the popular air fryer). We tested out the Our Place Dream Cooker for a month, read on for our honest review, how it compares to the Instant Pot, plus everything to know.
Related: We Tried the Our Place Perfect Pot — Find Out If It’s Worth the Hype
What does the Our Place Dream Cooker do?
Our Place describes the Dream Cooker as the “multicooker of your dreams” — it can pressure cook, slow cook, sauté and sear, and keep your food warm. It’s ideal for making quick weeknight curries, soups and stews, and even rice!
What special features does the Our Place Dream Cooker have?
The Our Place Dream Cooker has hands-free steam release (you can also use the quick release option), automatic keep warm setting for up to 12 hours, and nine advanced safety features. Most notably, it also has an intuitive control panel, which lights up when the Dream Cooker is on, but is invisible when it’s off. It’s a sleek design feature that definitely takes the intimidation out of pressure cooking.
How big is the Our Place Dream Cooker?
We’ll be honest: the Dream Cooker is significantly bigger than it looks in pictures. It measures in at 8.5 cm height, 31.6 cm diameter and 33.4 cm depth. It’s very close to the size of an Instant Pot, for reference.
What is the capacity of the Our Place Dream Cooker?
The inner pot has a 5.6 litre capacity, which is the equivalent to 9 cups of rice.
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What comes with the Our Place Dream Cooker?
Included with the Dream Cooker are the cooker base, locking lid, inner cooking pot, condensation collector and power cord.
Our Place Dream Cooker in Steam, Spice and Blue Salt
What colours does the Our Place Dream Cooker come in?
Currently, the Our Place Dream Cooker is available in four colours: Blue Salt (deep blue), Char (black), Spice (muted pink) and Steam (beige).
How much is the Our Place Dream Cooker in Canada?
The Our Place Dream Cooker retails for $320 with free shipping and free returns.
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What are the differences between the Our Place Dream Cooker and the Instant Pot?
It’s undeniable that the Dream Cooker is Our Place’s interpretation of an Instant Pot. The most striking difference is of course, how it looks. While the Instant Pot has a distinctly utilitarian look (which often gets shoved into cupboards as soon as it’s turned off), the Dream Cooker is the kind of appliance you don’t mind having sit on your countertop, with its playful colourways and smooth, clean look.
Another difference is the inner pot: while the Instant Pot’s inner pot is made of stainless steel, the Dream Cooker’s inner pot is coated with toxin-free ceramic nonstick coating, making it significantly easier to clean and also scrape food off while stirring.
One of our favourite details of the Dream Cooker is one that sets it apart from the Instant Pot: the intuitive control panel truly is intuitive. Despite being capable in the kitchen, we too have found ourselves puzzled over the many confusing buttons and presets on the Instant Pot. In contrast, the Dream Cooker control panel offers just 4 modes, with easy-to-understand buttons that make setting-it-and-forgetting-it a breeze.
Notably, another significant difference between the Our Place Dream Cooker and the Instant Pot is the price: while the Dream Cooker retails for $320, Instant Pots retail for around $150 (depending on model).
What are the disadvantages of the Our Place Dream Cooker?
Like any new tech, the Our Place Dream Cooker does suffer from a couple issues that could probably be resolved with a little more user testing. The function that bothered us the most was the nonstop beeping: once the Dream Cooker has finished pressure cooking, it beeps every 30 seconds before releasing steam. Our Place describes this “friendly beep” as one of the “nine safety features” they introduced so that users aren’t startled by the steam, but truthfully we found it annoying and ended up using quick release or just leaving the room during the Dream Cooker’s serenade.
Another issue we found with the Dream Cooker was its inability to switch modes after pressure cooking: once the pressure cook cycle was complete, the Dream Cooker would not allow us to switch to the sauté function to allow our stew to simmer uncovered. The Dream Cooker had no issues doing the reverse (switching from sauté to pressure cook), but even after unplugging and plugging back in, the Dream Cooker would not go from pressure cook to sauté. Given that this is something we do often with the Instant Pot, it is strange that the Dream Cooker was not programmed to have this ability.
Should I buy the Our Place Dream Cooker?
Ultimately, it comes down to what you’re looking for in a multi-cooker kitchen appliance. While the Instant Pot is an affordable, tried-and-true option, it doesn’t hold a candle to the visual appeal of the Dream Cooker. Moreover, if you already own an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, you’re better off investing in a different kitchen appliance that can actually do something else. That said, counter space and cupboard space are precious, and if you’re looking to dip your toes into the world of pressure cooking and slow cooking without sacrificing aesthetics, the Dream Cooker is a truly great option. As the owners of both an Instant Pot and a Dream Cooker, it’s worth noting that our Instant Pot hasn’t moved from its dusty corner of the kitchen since we tried the Dream Cooker, and honestly, we don’t think it will any time soon.