Pressure cooker

• • • • Pressure cookers have exploded in popularity as of late, as many people working from home have been spending more time in the kitchen —unless you’ve relied on With so many on the market — that all look the same, to be honest — the best pressure cooker to buy is based on your budget, preferred size and how tech-y you’d like it to be. With a good model, you can create flavorful meals in a pinch, from braised roasts to creamy stews. And, with a good Not to mention, pressure cookers pair well with some of the best Before you’re ready to go full-send on a new multipurpose cooker, it’s important to know some of the basics on the handy-dandy appliance that’s getting all the love. What is a pressure cooker? First things first. A pressure cooker is essentially a large pot with lots of steam. Since it’s super-steamy, the pressure cooker — true to its name — builds up high pressure which, in turn, makes your food cook faster. How does a pressure cooker work? We’re giving it to you straight with no physics class required. As a steamy sous chef of sorts, a pressure cooker will raise the boiling point of water (typically to 250 degrees F). As a result, the pressure is raised and more water enters the pot. This helps tougher foods, like thick meat, become nice and tender. How do I use a pressure cooker? First, add your food and liquid to the pot, ensuring the pressure setting is to your preference. For electric pressure cookers: select the cooking program and time. Once pressure ...

We tested nine top-rated, well-reviewed multi-cooker models from different brands. We considered multi-cookers in the 6-quart size with and without bells and whistles or extra features like air frying capabilities. First, we pressure-cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts and noted which were the most tender and how easy each batch was to shred. Then we cooked long-grain rice under pressure and checked for fluffiness and made sure nothing stuck to the bottom of the pot. Finally, we pressure-cooked dried chickpeas, which were evaluated for doneness and then blended into hummus. For models with air fryer capability, we tested frozen French fries and cooked according to manual directions. We downloaded and tested apps (when relevant), read through all the manuals and washed every piece of equipment for each model as directed by the manufacturers. Stainless steel and gray with an intuitive digital interface, Cuisinart's multi-cooker cooked superbly in all our tests — the rice was tender and fluffy, the chickpeas made creamy hummus and the chicken pulled perfectly. It's easy to program with just four buttons (and one knob) that are self-explanatory even without peeking at the manual. The inner pot is dishwasher-safe and the lid is easy to clean because of its streamlined design. It was the well-designed lid that ultimately put this model at the top of our charts: It opens, closes and locks with a simple twist of the top knob. There's no struggling to attach it and no questio...

Cons • It takes up a lot of space on the counter and wherever you store it. The sous vide function can be inconsistent. Equipped with 28 smart program settings for specific pressure levels and cook times, the Instant Pot Pro 10-in-1 Pressure and Slow Cooker gives you greater control over your cooking while taking care of the work for you. You also have the option to control cook times manually through "natural" or "quick" steam release. Plus, Instant Brands improved this new model's steam value release button for safety during the quick-release mode. Other safety features protect from overheating, though it's important to maintain proper liquid levels and follow the manufacturer's instructions. In fact, this multi-cooker boasts a total of 11 safety features and five programmable settings for your favorite go-to meals. Its presets are perfect for soups, stews, and meats. The sauté function allows you to brown meats and toast spices in the pot before pressure cooking. Clean-up is easy with a dishwasher-safe lid, removable inner pot, and accessories. This 8-quart model can cook for a crowd or carry you through weekday meal prep. "Many things that can be made in a slow cooker can be made fast in a pressure cooker: stews, beans, and bone broth," says cookbook author and food writer Price at time of publish: $170 • Capacity: 8 quarts • Dimensions: 14.4 x 13.9 x 14.2 inches • Weight: 21.2 pounds • Presets: Pressure cook, slow cook, sous vide, sauté, sterilize, make yogurt, warm f...

The Instant Pot has a serious cult following resulting in nearly 155,000 Amazon reviews with a cumulative 4.7 stars on this model alone. In our tests, it earned high scores in nearly every test, and it was one of the few we looked at that made rice that was well-cooked (ahem, not mushy). It also aced our pressure-cooking and slow-cooking beef stew tests. The controls are highly intuitive and include settings for making soup, meat, stew, beans, poultry, rice, yogurt and other Though the Farberware 7-in-1 Programmable Pressure Cooker was one of the most affordable models we tested, it was still a really solid performer. Whether pressure cooked or slow cooked, stew meat came out melt-in-your-mouth tender and vegetables held their shape in our tests. Its presets offer lots of flexibility with settings for soup/stew, rice/risotto, steak/meat, chicken, beans/lentils, steaming fish or vegetables, browning/searing and slow cooking. The model also features keep warm and delay start settings, plus has a quick release valve on the lid that we found released pressure in just shy of 3 minutes. And though it’s a relatively bulky appliance, it’s sleeker than some other models, thanks to a stainless steel exterior, smooth touchpad controls and an easy-to-read LED display. The Fast Slow Pro is swankier than most pressure cookers, and i t offers tons of customizable cooking settings. You can control the precise temperature and pressure level (from 1.5 to 12 psi), and you can choose between ...