Our Place Dream Cooker Review: Is It Worth It?

Are you searching for a multi-cooker that finally looks as good as it performs? The market is flooded with functional but bulky appliances, leaving style-conscious cooks wondering if they have to sacrifice aesthetics for convenience. You want one device that can pressure cook, slow cook, and sear, but you don’t want an eyesore on your beautiful kitchen counter.

After 3 weeks of daily use, the Our Place Dream Cooker proves to be a gorgeous, high-performing machine that excels at its core functions. It consistently delivered tender chicken in under 25 minutes using the pressure cook mode and its non-toxic ceramic pot makes cleanup incredibly simple. However, the complete lack of cooking presets means it’s best for those who prefer manual control over the guided experience of an Instant Pot.

My team and I put this all-in-one cooker to the test for 21 consecutive days, cooking everything from quick weeknight dinners to slow-simmered weekend stews. I was genuinely surprised by the performance of the nonstick surface and how safe the steam release felt. In this review, I’ll cover everything you need to know: how it cooks, how easy it is to clean, and who should (and shouldn’t) buy it.

Our Place Dream Cooker Review 2026: Our Honest Verdict After 3 Weeks of Testing

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After 3 weeks of daily use, the Our Place Dream Cooker proves to be a gorgeous, high-performing machine that excels at its core functions. It consistently delivered tender chicken in under 25 minutes using the pressure cook mode and its non-toxic ceramic pot makes cleanup incredibly simple. We rate it a solid 4.2 out of 5 stars. However, the complete lack of cooking presets means it’s best for those who prefer manual control over the guided experience of an Instant Pot.

The Dream Cooker is a beautiful and effective multi-cooker for those who value simplicity and aesthetics, but power users may miss dedicated presets. It’s a statement piece that’s more than just a pretty face; it delivered excellent results in our pressure cooking and slow cooking tests. The hands-free steam release is a standout safety feature that we loved. This is the multi-cooker for people who hated the look and complexity of other models on the market.

Best For: Home cooks who want a versatile, high-style appliance for pressure cooking, slow cooking, and searing, and who don’t rely on presets.

✅ Pros	❌ Cons
Stunning countertop design in multiple modern colors.	Complete lack of cooking presets requires manual input for all recipes.
Fantastically easy-to-clean ceramic nonstick inner pot.	Silicone ring retains odors from potent meals like chili or curry.
Super simple digital display is intuitive and not intimidating.	Large size requires significant counter and storage space.
Consistently cooks fluffy rice and fall-apart tender chicken.
Hands-free steam release is a major safety upgrade.
Toxin-free cooking surface for peace of mind.
Excellent performance for its four core functions.
Solid build quality that feels premium.

Why Trust Our Dream Cooker Review? How We Tested

To provide an authentic, hands-on Dream Cooker review, we conducted a rigorous testing process. We believe in sharing our exact methodology so you can trust our findings. We tested the Our Place Dream Cooker for 21 consecutive days in a real family kitchen, using it as our primary cooking appliance for a variety of meals.

Our testing was comprehensive and documented to provide you with a truly independent Dream Cooker test. Here’s a breakdown of our process in February 2026:

1. Testing Duration & Frequency: We used the Dream Cooker almost daily for a 3-week period. This allowed us to assess its performance, durability, and ease of use in a real-world, long-term setting.
2. Specific Scenarios Tested: We evaluated each of the 4 cooking modes multiple times to test the versatile cooking functions.
   • Pressure Cooking: We pressure cooked chicken thighs and a beef pot roast, measuring the time it took to reach pressure (avg. 10 minutes) and verifying the meat’s tenderness. The result was incredibly tender chicken every time.
   • Slow Cooking: We prepared an 8-hour beef stew on the “Low” setting to check for consistent temperature and even cooking. The results were excellent, with no hot spots.
   • Sauté/Sear: We used the three heat settings to brown ground beef and sauté onions and garlic for chili. The “High” setting was necessary for a good sear.
   • Rice Cooking: We cooked long-grain white rice using the pressure cook function to test the “fluffy rice” claims, which it achieved perfectly.
   • Keep Warm: We left a chili on the automatic keep warm setting for 2 hours and it maintained a perfect serving temperature without overcooking.
3. Ease of Cleaning: The ceramic nonstick inner pot was hand-washed with a soft sponge after every single use to test the coating’s durability and nonstick properties. We rated its ease of cleanup a 5/5.
4. Odor Retention Test: We specifically cooked a heavily spiced chili with cumin and garlic, then washed the silicone sealing ring and lid to check for lingering smells. The odor retention was noticeable.
5. Comparison Product: Throughout our testing, we took detailed notes comparing its performance, usability, and cleaning process to our long-term experience with the standard Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart.
6. Documentation: We logged all cooking times, took photos of the process and results, and noted any quirks or issues encountered. This data-driven approach ensures our review is based on facts, not just feelings.

What Is the Our Place Dream Cooker? An Overview

The Our Place Dream Cooker is the brand’s answer to the popular multi-cooker category, designed to be an all-in-one appliance that can pressure cook, slow cook, sear, and keep food warm. Made by the company famous for the stylish Always Pan, this 6-quart capacity Dream Cooker aims to consolidate several kitchen gadgets into one beautiful, countertop-worthy unit.

Its primary purpose is to simplify hands-free cooking for the modern home cook who values both form and function. The Dream Cooker stands out with its signature toxin-free ceramic nonstick coating on the inner pot, a feature most competitors lack. It moves away from the confusing, button-heavy panels of other multi-cookers, opting for streamlined touchscreen controls that are incredibly intuitive. It’s designed to do a few things exceptionally well, rather than trying to do everything.

Here are the key specifications for this Our Place multi-cooker:

Specification	Detail
Capacity	6-Quart, ideal for couples, small families, and meal prep.
Cooking Modes	4 cooking modes: Pressure Cook (High/Low), Slow Cook (High/Low), Sauté/Sear (Low/Med/High), Keep Warm
Inner Pot	Aluminum pot with a toxin-free, non-toxic ceramic nonstick coating.
Controls	Simple, streamlined touchscreen panel.
Safety Features	Nine built-in safety features, including a hands-free auto-steam release.
Dimensions	14.7″ x 12.4″ x 12.4″
Weight	12.9 lbs

The target audience is clearly the home cook who is drawn to the Our Place brand products and feels overwhelmed by traditional multi-cookers. It’s for someone who wants customizable cooking without needing a manual to figure out the control panel.

Our Place Dream Cooker Key Features & Real-World Performance

So, how does the Dream Cooker actually perform in a real kitchen? We pushed its features to the limit to see if the real-world cooking performance lives up to the hype. Here’s a deep dive into its most important functions based on our hands-on testing.

Cooking Performance: How Well Does It Pressure Cook, Slow Cook & Sear?

This is the most critical question, and the answer is that the Dream Cooker performance is excellent for its core jobs. It truly delivers on its primary promises.

• Pressure Cooking: This is a standout function. In our tests, the Dream Cooker made incredibly tender and juicy chicken thighs in just 25 minutes on the high-pressure setting. It took roughly 10 minutes to come to pressure, which is standard for a 6-quart multicooker. The results were consistent and reliable, making it a fantastic tool for quick weeknight meals. This pressure cooking function is on par with the best in the business.
• Slow Cooking: We put the slow cooking function to the test with an 8-hour beef stew on the “low” setting. The meat was perfectly fall-apart tender, and the vegetables retained their shape without becoming mush. This indicates very good, even, and consistent temperature control, which can sometimes be a problem in multi-cookers trying to replicate a true slow cooker.
• Sauté/Sear: The saute sear mode is effective, but with a small caveat. The low and medium settings are great for sweating aromatics like onions and garlic. However, to get a proper, deep-brown Maillard reaction on our stew beef, we had to use the “High” setting. It gets the job done well, but for a hard sear, you need to go straight to the highest heat.

Ease of Use: Is the Streamlined Touchscreen a Pro or a Con?

The user interface on the Our Place Dream Cooker is a point of division, and whether you love it or hate it depends entirely on your cooking style.

The easy-to-use control panel is minimalist and beautiful. With just four buttons for its modes, plus simple adjustments for time and temperature, it’s arguably the most intuitive multi-cooker on the market. For anyone who has ever felt intimidated by the cockpit-like dashboard of an Instant Pot, the simplicity of this digital display is a massive advantage. You choose a mode, set the time, and you’re cooking.

However, this simplicity comes at a cost: a complete lack of presets. There are no dedicated buttons for “Poultry,” “Rice,” “Bean/Chili,” or “Yogurt.” This is the appliance’s biggest drawback and a significant departure from competitors. A beginner cook who relies on these one-touch solutions will need to look up the correct time and temperature settings for every single recipe.

Our Take: We see the streamlined touchscreen controls as a pro for experienced cooks. If you’re comfortable with manual control and prefer a clean interface, you’ll absolutely love the simplicity. If you’re a beginner who wants the cooker to do the thinking for you, you will face a steep learning curve.

Ceramic Nonstick Performance: How Easy Is It To Clean?

This is where the Our Place Dream Cooker absolutely shines and justifies a big part of its premium positioning. The toxin-free ceramic nonstick coating on the inner cooking pot is phenomenal.

During our 3 weeks of testing, we cooked sticky barbecue pulled pork, thick chili, and seared meats, and nothing stuck to the pot. The food release was flawless every single time. This makes the easy clean up claim 100% accurate.

After most meals, cleanup was as simple as a quick wipe with a soapy sponge. The pot looked brand new again in under 30 seconds. This is a massive quality-of-life improvement over the vigorous scrubbing often required for the stainless steel pots found in most competing multi-cookers. While Our Place says the pot is dishwasher safe, they recommend hand-washing to prolong the life of the non-toxic ceramic coating, which is what we did throughout our testing.

The Smell Issue: Does the Lid Retain Odors?

Yes, the widely reported Dream Cooker odor problem is real. This is a valid concern, and we confirmed it during our testing. After pressure cooking a chili loaded with cumin, garlic powder, and other strong spices, the silicone sealing ring retained a noticeable smell even after a thorough hand-washing.

It’s important to put this in context: this is an extremely common issue with all electric pressure cookers that use a silicone seal, not just the Dream Cooker. The silicone material is porous and prone to absorbing strong aromas.

The good news is that during our tests, the smell did not transfer to the next dish we cooked (which was plain white rice). However, the odor on the ring itself was unpleasant when handling the lid.

Workaround: This is an easily solvable problem. We strongly recommend purchasing a second silicone ring. Use one exclusively for savory or strongly spiced meals (like curries and chili) and the other for neutral or sweet dishes (like rice, oatmeal, or cheesecakes). You can also try soaking the smelly ring in a 50/50 water and vinegar solution or baking it in the oven at a low temperature (around 250°F) for 20-30 minutes to help dissipate the odors.

What Real Users Say: Customer Experiences & Feedback Analysis

Beyond our own hands-on testing, we analyzed hundreds of verified user reviews and comments from forums like Reddit to understand the broader customer experience. A clear consensus emerged, with feedback generally clustering around a few key themes.

User reviews for the Our Place Dream Cooker consistently praise its stunning design and how easy the ceramic pot is to clean. Many users love the simplified controls, calling it less intimidating than competitors. However, the most common complaints focus on the silicone ring retaining food odors and the appliance’s large size, which can be difficult to store in smaller kitchens.

Here is a synthesis of what real users are saying:

1. Stunning Design is a Major Win: This is, without a doubt, the most frequently praised aspect. Users repeatedly mention they love leaving this stylish countertop appliance out, with many saying it feels like a piece of kitchen decor rather than a bulky machine they have to hide. The color options are a huge plus.
2. Effortless Cleaning is a Game-Changer: Many verified user reviews echo our findings, highlighting the Our Place ceramic nonstick pot as its best feature. Users state that cleanup is significantly faster and easier compared to their old stainless steel multicooker pots, which is a major factor in their daily satisfaction.
3. Simplicity Divides Opinion: Just like in our tests, feedback on the simple interface is mixed. Many users adore the lack of confusing buttons and find the manual controls empowering. However, a vocal group of Dream Cooker complaints centers on the frustration over the absence of presets for rice, soup, or yogurt, which they were used to on their Instant Pots.
4. Odor Retention is a Real, Common Issue: The most common negative comment is about the silicone ring holding onto the smells from savory dishes. This is the top Dream Cooker complaint across the board, though most experienced pressure cooker users acknowledge it’s a common problem for the category.
5. It’s Big and Bulky: Several users note its large footprint. They mention that the Dream Cooker is too tall or wide to fit in their standard kitchen cabinets, forcing them to dedicate permanent counter space to it. This is a key consideration for those with small kitchens.

✅ What We Loved: Our Place Dream Cooker Pros

After three weeks of intensive use, we found a lot to love about the Our Place Dream Cooker. It’s a thoughtfully designed machine that excels in key areas that matter for daily use.

The top advantages of the Our Place Dream Cooker after weeks of testing are its gorgeous design that elevates any kitchen counter and its exceptionally easy-to-clean ceramic nonstick pot. We loved the simple, four-button control panel that removes guesswork and the hands-free steam release, which feels much safer than manual methods. It consistently produces perfectly tender meats and fluffy rice.

✅ Gorgeous, Countertop-Worthy Design
This is not your average kitchen appliance; it’s a stylish countertop appliance you actually want to show off. Its sleek, minimalist design and beautiful color options (like Steam, Spice, and Char) make it a true statement piece. It feels less like a gadget and more like a deliberate part of your kitchen’s decor.

✅ Incredibly Easy to Clean
The toxin-free ceramic nonstick pot is the hero feature. In our experience, even after making a sticky, caramelized pot roast, the inner cooking pot wiped clean in under 30 seconds with just a soft sponge and soapy water. This is a huge time-saver and makes you want to use the cooker more often.

✅ Simple, Intuitive Controls
The streamlined touchscreen is a breath of fresh air in a market of overly complicated devices. The simple digital display with just four main modes and clear time/temp adjustments makes it impossible to get lost. This design choice makes the Dream Cooker perfect for those who have found other multi-cookers intimidating.

✅ Excellent Cooking Performance for Core Functions
This machine delivers where it counts. It aces its primary jobs, proving it’s more than just a pretty face. Our pressure-cooked chicken was consistently moist and fall-apart tender, and it cooked fluffy rice perfectly. It effectively and stylishly replaces a separate pressure cooker, slow cooker, and saucepan.

✅ Safe, Hands-Free Steam Release
The automatic, hands-free steam release is a fantastic safety innovation. You set the cooker and walk away. There’s no need to cautiously flick a valve and jump back from a plume of hot steam. The machine handles the pressure release for you, venting it from the back of the unit. This is a major confidence booster, especially for those new to pressure cooking.

✅ Toxin-Free Cooking Surface
For health-conscious cooks, the non-toxic ceramic coating is a huge selling point. It’s made without potentially harmful chemicals like PFAS, PFOA, lead, and cadmium, offering valuable peace of mind that you’re not exposing your family to unwanted materials.

❌ What Could Be Better: Our Place Dream Cooker Cons

No product is perfect, and our honest review wouldn’t be complete without addressing the drawbacks. While we highly recommend the Dream Cooker for the right person, it has three notable limitations you should be aware of.

The main drawbacks of the Dream Cooker are its complete lack of cooking presets, which creates a learning curve for beginners used to an Instant Pot. We also confirmed that the silicone sealing ring retains strong food odors after cooking. Finally, its large, bulky size makes it difficult to store in standard kitchen cabinets, requiring permanent counter space.

❌ Complete Lack of Cooking Presets
This is the single biggest functional trade-off. There are no one-touch buttons for “Rice,” “Soup,” “Yogurt,” or “Poultry.” You are required to manually set the mode, time, and pressure/temperature level for everything you cook. This is a dealbreaker if you value the convenience of presets.
* Who this affects most: Beginners, cooks migrating from an Instant Pot, or anyone who doesn’t want to look up cooking times in a recipe.

❌ Silicone Ring Retains Odors
As confirmed in our testing, the Dream Cooker odor problem is real. After we made a chili with strong spices, the smell lingered on the silicone ring even after a thorough wash. This is a common pressure cooker issue, but it seems particularly pronounced here. While the smell didn’t transfer to subsequent meals, it’s an unpleasant part of the user experience.
* Workaround: This is manageable. Buy a separate silicone ring—one for savory dishes and one for sweet/neutral ones. Always air-dry the ring completely outside of the cooker between uses.

❌ Requires Significant Counter/Storage Space
This is not a compact appliance. Measuring nearly 15 inches wide and 13 inches tall, it’s a countertop hog. In our test kitchen, it was too tall to fit in our standard upper cabinets, which meant it had to live on the counter permanently. Make sure you measure your space before buying.
* Who this affects most: Anyone with a small kitchen, limited counter real estate, or a lack of deep pantry storage.

Our Place Dream Cooker vs. Alternatives: How Does It Compare?

The multi-cooker market is dominated by a few key players. So, how does the Our Place Dream Cooker stack up against its main competitors? The core Our Place Dream Cooker vs Instant Pot debate comes down to form versus function.

Compared to the Instant Pot Duo, the Our Place Dream Cooker is far superior in design and ease of cleaning due to its ceramic pot, but the Instant Pot offers many more functions and presets for a lower price. The Dream Cooker focuses on doing four things well with style, whereas the Instant Pot is a utilitarian workhorse built for maximum versatility.

Here is a quick comparison table:

Feature/Aspect	Our Place Dream Cooker	Instant Pot Duo	Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker PRO
Primary Function	4-in-1 (Pressure, Slow, Sear, Warm)	7-in-1 (Adds Rice, Yogurt, Steam)	8-in-1 (Adds Sous Vide, Braise)
Inner Pot	Ceramic Nonstick	Stainless Steel	Nonstick Pot
Aesthetics	High-End, Multiple Colors	Utilitarian, Stainless Steel	Modern, Digital Display
Ease of Use	Extremely Simple (No Presets)	Moderate (Many Presets/Buttons)	High (Digital Screen Guides You)
Price Tier	Premium	Budget-Friendly to Mid-Range	Mid-Range to Premium
Best For	Style-conscious cooks, simplicity lovers	Budget-conscious users, preset lovers	Tech-savvy cooks who want it all
Our Rating	4.2/5 ⭐	4.5/5 ⭐	4.4/5 ⭐

Comparison Analysis

• Our Place Dream Cooker vs. Instant Pot: This is the essential choice for most buyers. Choose the Dream Cooker if your absolute top priorities are kitchen aesthetics and a truly nonstick, easy-to-clean, toxin-free surface. You are paying a premium for design and materials. Choose the Instant Pot if you want maximum functionality (like a yogurt maker), a massive online community with recipes tailored to its presets, and a more budget-friendly price. The Instant Pot is the undisputed king of function-per-dollar.

• Our Place Dream Cooker vs. Ninja Foodi: The Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker PRO is a strong competitor in modern design, but it does not pressure cook; it’s a slow-cooker-based system. The Ninja Foodi models that do pressure cook often include an air frying lid, making them significantly larger and more complex. The Dream Cooker is for the person who wants elegant simplicity for pressure cooking, while the Ninja Foodi line is for the user who wants the absolute maximum number of cooking functions in one device.

Is the Our Place Dream Cooker Worth the Money? Value Analysis

The Our Place Dream Cooker is positioned as a premium multi-cooker, and it carries a price tag to match. It is significantly more expensive than base models of the Instant Pot or a standard Crock-Pot. So, is Our Place Dream Cooker worth it? The answer depends entirely on what you value.

You are paying a clear premium for three things: the Our Place brand name, the striking aesthetic design and color options, and the high-quality ceramic nonstick inner pot.

From a pure feature-to-cost perspective, the Dream Cooker offers less functionality than competitors in a similar price bracket. For the same investment, you could purchase a high-end multi-cooker that also includes functions like sous vide, yogurt making, or even air frying. The value here is not in the quantity of functions, but in the quality and user experience of its four core functions. The effortless cleanup and beautiful design are the primary “features” that justify the higher cost.

The main variable for long-term value is the durability of the non-toxic ceramic coating. With proper care—meaning hand-washing only and using no metal utensils—it should last for years, which would make the initial investment more palatable. The overall build quality feels very solid and premium, suggesting a good lifespan for the appliance itself.

Yes, the Our Place Dream Cooker is worth it for design-loving home cooks who want a simple, effective, and beautiful machine for their primary pressure and slow cooking needs. It excels at making the cooking experience more pleasant and visually appealing.

However, it is not worth it if you are on a budget or a “power user” who loves experimenting with dozens of presets and functions. In that case, a feature-packed Instant Pot offers far better value for your money.

FAQs: Common Questions About the Our Place Dream Cooker

We’ve gathered and answered the most common questions from our research and testing to give you the final details you need.

Is the Our Place Dream Cooker worth it?

The Our Place Dream Cooker is worth it if you prioritize kitchen aesthetics and a simple, manual cooking experience with an easy-to-clean ceramic pot. It’s for the person who values design and simplicity over a multitude of features. However, if you are on a budget or rely on one-touch cooking presets for things like rice or yogurt, a more versatile and affordable competitor like the Instant Pot is a better value.

Dream Cooker vs Instant Pot?

The main difference is philosophy: the Dream Cooker is about style and simplicity, while the Instant Pot is about utility and versatility. The Dream Cooker offers four manual modes in a beautiful package with a ceramic nonstick pot. The Instant Pot offers more functions and presets in a stainless-steel pot for a lower price. Choose the Dream Cooker for its superior design and easy-clean pot; choose the Instant Pot for more features and a lower price point.

How do you clean the Our Place Dream Cooker?

Cleaning the Our Place Dream Cooker is exceptionally easy. The inner ceramic nonstick pot should be hand-washed with a soft sponge and dish soap; our tests showed that food debris wipes away with almost no effort. The outer body can be wiped with a damp cloth, and the silicone ring and inner lid can be removed and washed in warm, soapy water. To protect the nonstick coating, we recommend avoiding the dishwasher for the inner pot.

Does the Dream Cooker have presets?

No, the Our Place Dream Cooker does not have any one-touch cooking presets for specific foods like “Rice,” “Soup,” “Poultry,” or “Yogurt.” It uses a manual system where you select one of the four main cooking modes (Pressure Cook, Slow Cook, Sauté, Warm) and then set the time and temperature/pressure yourself. This is a deliberate design choice to keep the interface simple.

Is the Our Place Dream Cooker safe?

Yes, the Our Place Dream Cooker is very safe. It has nine built-in safety features, including overheating sensors and a lid that locks securely under pressure. Its standout safety feature is the fully automatic, hands-free steam release, which vents steam away from you without requiring you to manually turn a hot valve. This significantly reduces the risk of steam burns and makes the process less intimidating.

What are common Dream Cooker complaints?

The most common complaints about the Our Place Dream Cooker focus on three main issues. First, the lack of cooking presets makes it less user-friendly for beginners. Second, the silicone sealing ring is known to retain strong food odors. Third, its large, bulky size makes it difficult to store in smaller kitchens, often requiring permanent counter space.

Final Verdict: Should You Buy the Our Place Dream Cooker?

After weeks of rigorous testing, our recommendation is clear. The Our Place Dream Cooker is a fantastic appliance, but it’s not for everyone. It successfully bridges the gap between high-performance cooking and high-design aesthetics.

This is the perfect multi-cooker for you if:
* ✅ You prioritize kitchen aesthetics and want a stylish appliance that looks beautiful on your counter.
* ✅ You are tired of scrubbing stainless steel pots and want an exceptionally easy-to-clean, non-toxic, nonstick surface.
* ✅ You prefer manual control and feel overwhelmed or annoyed by cookers with dozens of buttons and presets.
* ✅ Your primary cooking needs are pressure cooking, slow cooking, and searing, and you want a machine that does those things brilliantly.
* ✅ Safety is a top concern, and the idea of a hands-free steam release gives you peace of mind.

This is also a fantastic gift for a design-savvy home cook, a newlywed couple, or anyone looking to upgrade their kitchen with tools that are both functional and beautiful.

However, you should probably skip the Dream Cooker if:
* ❌ You are on a tight budget and need the most functionality for your money.
* ❌ You love and rely on one-touch presets for making yogurt, rice, eggs, and other specific foods.
* ❌ You have a very small kitchen with limited counter and storage space.

For those users, we strongly recommend the classic Instant Pot Duo. It offers more functions and has a massive community of preset-based recipes online, all for a lower price.

But if you’re a style-conscious cook who wants a simple, effective, and beautiful machine for your core cooking needs, the Our Place Dream Cooker earns our enthusiastic recommendation. It’s a joy to use, a breeze to clean, and a stunning addition to any modern kitchen.

Check the Latest Price and Availability for the Our Place Dream Cooker

Last update on 2026-02-12 at 00:42 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API