To Our Valued Customers
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Reasons To Buy A Stovetop Pressure Cooker
The Instant Pot has been craaaazy popular for several years now. The IP Duo has more than 60,000 reviews on Amazon and an average rating of 4.6 stars–that’s impressive! It’s a great kitchen tool.
But we think there are valid reasons to consider a stovetop pressure cooker, instead. If you’re one of the few out there who hasn’t yet bought an Instant Pot, or maybe even if you have, here are 5 reasons to consider getting a stovetop pressure cooker instead of an Instant Pot .
Which is best for you?
Who This Is For
If youre a set-it-and-forget-it type of cook who needs to get dinner on the table with minimal effort, an electric pressure cooker may become your new favorite cooking tool. Making meals can be stressful and time-consuming, but an electric pressure cooker can do a lot of the work for you. As with a slow cooker, you add your ingredients to a pressure cooker, seal the lid, turn it on, and walk away. But instead of leaving it to simmer all day, you can cook dinner in an electric pressure cooker in under an hour . Pressure cookers speed up traditional braising, stewing, boiling, and steaming methods by trapping steam inside the pot. As pressure increases, it heats the moisture in the pot beyond the boiling temperature , so it can cook foods more quickly.
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After cooking many pounds of brisket, rice, and beans in six pressure cookers, we think the Fissler Vitaquick 8.5-Quart Pressure Cooker is the best you can get.
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How Does A Pressure Cooker Work
A pressure cooker traps ultrahigh heat within the pot so that foods steam and boil quickly. The more pressure, the higher the heat and the shorter the cooking time. The lid is sealed tightly until the pressure releases, making the cooker safe and efficient. It can be used to cook many foods, but people often choose it to sharply cut back long cooking times, such as for beans, meats, and potatoes.
What Are The Pros Of A Pressure Cooker
Pressure cookers save time since you can cook food three to ten times faster than other methods. Most of them are made with strong, heavy-gauge aluminum for fast and even heating.
Pressure cookers save energy compared with slow cooking, which requires a low level of heat for several hours.
Pressure cooking preserves flavor and nutrients in food. The longer food cooks, the more nutrients are lost. Many people find pressure cooking to enhance the overall richness and taste of food.
Finally, pressure cookers result in less cleaning. Cooking with regular stovetop pots can leave residue on the stovetop and surrounding areas.
A pressure cooker, however, has a well-secured lid that prevents any splashes or spatters from escaping the pot. And when the cooking process is complete, theres only one pot to wash.
Recommended Reading: How To Delay Start Instant Pot
Product Review: The All
Listen up. If you’ve never cooked with a pressure cooker or even if you have with mixed results, your world is about to change. All-Clad’s recent introduction of their PC8-Precision Pressure Cooker is a welcome addition to a marketplace chock full of a number of indistinguishable pressure cookers. At around 300 bucks, it’s at the high end price-wise . But its handy and intuitive controls and quality construction more than justify choosing the PC8-Precision over the rest of the bunch.
Of course, if you’ve played around with a pressure cooker, you already know about how you can cook braises that normally take 3 or 4 hours in about a half hour to 45 minutes or that you can cook beans in 10-20 minutes. Basically a pressure cooker can slash cook times by 50% or more on tons of items. You need to get one.
Are Macy’s Black Friday 2021 Deals Available Online
Yes. Customers can shop all the best Macy’s Black Friday deals online, with plenty of convenient shipping and pickup options available. While Macy’s stores will be closed on Thanksgiving DayThursday, November 25shoppers can still browse and buy gifts online or through the Macy’s app.
When you shop the Macy’s Black Friday 2021 sale online, you can get your goodies fast with access to same-day delivery through DoorDash and flexible payment choices, including a buy-now-pay-later option.
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At A Glance: Isnt Instant Pot Just A Pressure Cooker
Yes, the Instant Pot is a pressure cooker. But its way more than just a pressure cooker.
The Instant Pot is truly a multi-cooker. Its an electric pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, yoghurt maker, and sauté pan. The immense versatility is just one reason so many cooks find this appliance a must-have in their kitchens.
Both Instant Pots and stovetop pressure cookers trap steam and build pressure to cook food faster. The main difference comes down to convenience. But there are other considerations, as well.
If you need a versatile cooker and are prepared to learn how to use it, then go for the Instant Pot.
But if you prefer something with a small footprint or dont want to learn how to use yet another appliance the Presto 8-Quart Pressure Cooker is a simple option.
The Instant Pot would also be the better option if you dont have ready access to a stovetop as the Presto Pressure Cooker needs external heat.
Is an Instant Pot the best option for you? Or should you go with a traditional pressure cooker? Keep reading to learn more.
Flaws But Not Dealbreakers
A few of the Instant Pots parts require extra effort to cleanbut this goes for every Instant Pot model, not just the Duo. The depression around the rim of the outer pot traps salt, crumbs, and gunk, but we clear it out with canned air and a damp rag. Though the lids silicone sealing ring can also retain smells, you can deodorize it or buy extras .
None of the pressure cookers we tested, including the Duo, cook rice as well as the Cuckoo CRP-G1015F electric pressure rice cooker . But the Duo is more all-purpose than a dedicated rice cooker, and it still makes fine rice that wed be happy to eat.
Weve never experienced an accident with hot steam on the Duo, and we think the new pressure-release switch is even safer to use. But you should still keep your face and hands away from the valve.
The electric heating element in the Instant Pot cant sear meat as well as stove-top techniques . For intense browning, sear meat in a separate pan on the stove, deglaze, and add the meat and drippings to the electric cooker. This process may kill your one-pot-dinner fantasies, but sometimes life is a compromise. If youre looking for more versatility, our upgrade picks inner pot is designed to work on most cooktops.
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Should I Shop Macy’s Black Friday 2021 Deals
Yes. The Macy’s Black Friday sale is the perfect opportunity to get all your holiday shopping done, and the best way to make sure you get everything on your wish list if stock shortages and shipping delays strike. You can scoop up markdowns on tons of our favorite brands during the early holiday shopping event and even take home must-have gifts for less than $5, $10 or $20.
How Do You Use A Slow Cooker
A slow cooker lets food simmer at a low temperature longer than you would typically cook it on a stovetop and with less hands-on time. This makes the cooker ideal for large cuts of meat, but it can handle everything from appetizers to desserts. You typically plug in the slow cooker, add the recipes ingredients, cover the crock with a lid, and set the appropriate heat and time. After that, the electric device does all the work for you.
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Other Stovetop Pressure Cookers We Tested
$259.95 at
With a strong and sturdy stainless steel pot and a lid that easily locks into place, we were big fans of the Vitaquick. For one, its large blue pressure indicator is easy to see, with two white ring markings: one ring means its at low pressure, two means its at high pressure. Other great features: a removable handle that makes cleaning a snap , clear measuring markings on the inside of the pot that mean you dont need to dirty extra dishes, and a handy helper handle to carry it without fear of dropping the thing. The materials are high quality and we appreciated the added safety feature of a lid with a button that turns green and clicks when its locked into place. We also really liked the steam release function in the handle that requires just the push of a button to begin rapid release, and that it comes with a lifetime warranty. So what kept it from winning? The Kuhn Rikon did just a bit better job on the risotto and costs a little less. But the Vitaquick was a very close runner-up.
$299.95 at
$69.84 at
Gowise Pressure Cooker: Instant Pot Alternative
If you have your heart set on an electric pressure cooker, there are other options available in addition to the Instant Pot. This GoWISE Pressure Cooker, for example. It has a capacity of 6 or 8 quarts , and it comes in a color choice of copper, silver, or stainless steel.
Like the Instant Pot, this GoWise pressure cooker is multi-functional. Its a 12-in-1 model that works as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, yogurt and egg maker, steamer, rice cooker, sauté pan, canner, and more.
The keep warm setting is great for warming food. And just like the Instant Pot, this GoWISE cooker also has a delay timer. It has a non-stick inner pot and comes with a recipe guide for beginners.
Finally, the GoWISE cooker comes with a detachable cord for storage and a special pressure release button for safety.
Buyers were highly pleased with the GoWISE Pressure Cooker. They used it for cooking eggs, beans, chicken broth, and many more recipes. Some users said their cookers suddenly stopped working. Those who had this issue within the return window had good customer service, but those outside of that were out of luck.
You can expect this cooker to be similar in price, albeit slightly less expensive, than the Instant Pot.
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Higher Pressure = Shorter Cooking Time
Instant Pots and other brands of electric multi-cookers have a maximum pressure of about 11-12psi, while stovetop pressure cookers can get up to 17psi, with 15psi being about the average high pressure.
This may not sound like a big difference, but it equates to significantly shorter cooking times. If you’re adjusting an Instant Pot recipe for a stovetop pressure cooker, you can subtract about 25% of the cooking time needed.
For example, if an Instant Pot recipe calls for a cooking time of 40 minutes, it will take only 30 minutes with a stovetop pressure cooker. Or, if an Instant Pot recipe calls for 60 minutes, you can do it on the stove in only 45 minutes.
When you’re trying to get dinner on the table, that can make a big difference.
In addition to being faster, the higher pressure/higher temperatures you can achieve with a stovetop pressure cooker mean that you can produce more Maillard reactions–the reactions that cause browning and create the wonderful smells and flavors of roasted food. Contrary to popular belief, you can get Maillard reactions in a pressure cooker. This short article at Modernist Cuisine explains how. Adding a pinch of baking soda to veggies or meat in your PC helps with browning/caramelization too by raising the alkalinity, which encourages Maillard reactions to occur at lower temperatures.
To adjust an Instant Pot recipe for a stovetop pressure cooker, subtract 25% of the cooking time.
The Best Electric Pressure Cooker Is An Instant Pot
In 2021, Instant Pot streamlined its offerings. Weve tested the updated Duo, Duo Plus, and Pro models.
The Instant Pot is probably the most well-known electric pressure cookermore accurately called a multi-cooker because it can also slow cook, sauté, and morebut many brands make this handy type of appliance. A good electric pressure cooker can help get dinner on the table quickly and easily even when youre swamped. Of the 18 models weve tested from a variety of brands since 2016, the Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart is still our favorite. It offers great performance at a reasonable price, and its tried-and-true design makes it easier to use than other multi-cookers or gimmicky smart cookers.
Looking for things to make in your Instant Pot? Try these recipes for bone broth, corned beef and cabbage, salsa verde chicken, and classic beef chili from NYT Cooking.
Our pick
The Duo is a versatile time-saver in the kitchen. Its one of Instant Pots more basic and affordable models, and it does everything you need it to do with ease.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $90.
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Instant Pot Duo Plus 6 Quarts
Instant Pots have been wildly popular for the last few years, and its not hard to see why. From having multiple functions to flexible cooking times, the Instant Pot is great for the on-the-go cook.
The 6-quart option is the best for most people, but Instant Pot also offers a 3-quart and 8-quart option.
Literally, thousands of customers had high praise for their Instant Pots. They loved the versatility and how convenient it made cooking. Their biggest issues were the learning curve and the bulkiness.
Other Electric Pressure Cookers We Tested
$199 at
If you love the Instant Pot Duo and also love using an air fryer, this may be just the electric pressure cooker option for you. We found it performed identically to the Duo when it came to pressure-cooking our three recipes, and the interface is also essentially the same as the Duo, though it has four more cooking functions than that model .
However, its about twice as heavy as the Duo, and with the air fryer lid , it requires a lot of vertical storage and counter space . Included are a broil/dehydrating tray, multi-level air fryer basket, air fryer basket base, protective pad, storage cover and rack. So, if you think an air fryer-pressure cooker combo would save room and youd use it frequently, this model is certainly worth considering. Otherwise, the Duo will work just fine and the Pro Plus will perform even better.
$149.95 at
$52 at Walmart
$179.95 at
The Zavor LUX is a high-quality pressure cooker: It is simple to set up, with an intuitive digital LED display, including a super-handy preheating indicator, a lock icon, and screen that changes colors so you know when cooking has started the LUX also has a custom setting that lets you program your favorite recipes. There are 10 cooking functions and it comes with a steamer basket and trivet. We liked that the pressure valve includes a clean option that pops the piece out for easy maintenance.
$329 at Ninja
$149.95 at
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Pressure And Heat Control
Some multicookers only cook at high pressure, making it difficult to keep vegetables crisp and cook delicate foods, like fish. Having the ability to choose high or low pressure gives you more flexibility and prevents overcooking.
The same is true with slow cookers: The more control you have over the temperature, the easier it is to let a meal bubble away unattended. Slow cooker recipes typically tell you whether high or low heat is best to prevent scorching or undercooking a meal.
What Experts Didn’t Like
Culinary Expert
Chernoff is the dining editor of Better, a lifestyle website and print magazine. Her journalism started in the test kitchens of Weight Watchers Magazine. She holds a BA in English from Yale University and is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy. She has spent the last few decades styling, photographing, teaching, developing recipes, editing, thinking and writing about food.
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