Chefman 6-Quart 13-in-1 Multicooker RJ40-6-V3: problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-17

Summary

The problems are mostly in the documentation and the support path: Chefman’s own product page and user guide disagree on whether the unit has a touchscreen or physical buttons, and every documented fault routes to customer support rather than a user fix. There are no consumables, so yearly cost is food plus an eventual gasket. It is a fair budget buy at $89.99 from Chefman direct (October 2026) and a weak one above $120; the Instant Pot DUO60 is the named alternative with far deeper testing.

Common problems and fixes

Err1 or Err2 on the display — temperature sensor fault; the guide routes it to Chefman Customer Support, with no user fix documented. [4]
Err5 on the display — pressure sensor failure; also routed to Chefman Customer Support. [4]
“Lid” on the display — the lid is not closed or not in the right position; re-close it per the guide, otherwise contact support. [4]
Lid hard to close or leaking — the gasket is not properly installed, is damaged, or has food on it; re-seat or clean the gasket, and contact Chefman Customer Support if it is damaged. [4]
Wrong manual or wrong expectations — the product page advertises a digital touchscreen and a different function list, while the guide’s control panel describes physical buttons and 13 named functions; Chefman’s document library lists several similar RJ40 guides side by side, so mix-ups are easy. [1][5][9]
Rice cannot be adjusted or delayed — a fixed 12-minute program; Sauté and Yogurt have no delay start and no automatic Keep Warm after cooking. [3]
Warranty registration friction — one owner reported in June 2026 not finding the model in Chefman’s registration listing; registration needs the model number, date code and access code from the product label. [2][3]

The warranty is one year from purchase when used per the guide. [6]

Parts and consumables

Gasket — owner-installed; wash in warm soapy water and inspect after every use for tears, because a damaged gasket will not seal; the guide documents no user-replaceable part and routes damage to Chefman Customer Support. [2][4]
Pressure regulator knob and floating valve button — removable for cleaning; keep them free of food debris; no replacement source is documented. [2][4]
Inner pot — stainless steel, washed with mild detergent; no replacement pot source is confirmed for this model. [2]

There are no consumables: no pods, filters or proprietary parts.

Yearly running cost

Not enough data. There are no consumables and no parts prices published, so a typical year costs food only unless the gasket needs replacing. No electricity estimate is available from the inputs; the heater is 1000 W per the manufacturer page. [1]

When it is a good buy

$80 or less: strong value for a pressure and slow multicooker with delay start and a stainless pot.
$81–100: fair; roughly parity with an Instant Pot DUO60-class machine that has far deeper testing and community history.
$101–120: weak; established multi-cookers with independent test histories cost the same.
Above $120: poor; no independent testing supports a premium over tested competitors.

Street prices at the 2026-10 check: Chefman direct listed it at $89.99 on sale from a $99.99 regular price; a Target search-result listing showed $87.99. [1][7]

Named alternative: the Instant Pot DUO60 — TechGearLab’s 2018 test of Chefman’s older 9-in-1 Programmable ended with the verdict that the DUO60 at the same $100 list price was the better buy, and the Duo has far more ownership history. The Breville Fast Slow Pro also tested slightly better on ribs. [8]