Appliances & Heat

Instant Pot

All-in-one electric cooker that pressures, slow-cooks, and sautés

A multi-function electric cooker that pressure-cooks, slow-cooks, steams, and sautés in one pot. The sauté setting lets you brown aromatics before sealing for a one-pot meal. Always check the valve is set to seal before starting a pressure cook.

The Instant Pot — shorthand for the whole class of electric multicookers — folds half a counter's worth of appliances into one: it pressure-cooks, slow-cooks, steams, sautés, makes yogurt, and keeps food warm, all in a single insulated pot with one set of controls. Its breakthrough was making pressure cooking foolproof and unintimidating: redundant safety locks, automatic regulation, and timed programs mean you brown, seal, and walk away while it does the rest. For one-pot weeknight cooking — sauté the aromatics, dump in everything else, pressure-cook, done — it's hard to beat.

The magic is the combination. Because the same pot sautés and pressure-cooks, you build a fond by browning meat and onions, deglaze, then seal and pressure-cook in one vessel with no extra pans. The one habit to internalize is checking the valve: the lid must be sealed (not venting) before a pressure cook will build, and a forgotten valve is the most common reason a meal comes out underdone or watery.

Types & varieties

Standard multicooker

The core model: pressure cook, slow cook, sauté, steam, rice, yogurt, and keep warm. The all-rounder that suits almost everyone.

With air-fry lid

A second crisping lid (or bundled model) adds air-frying and broiling, so you can pressure-cook then crisp the top in the same pot.

Size choice

3 L for one or two people and side dishes; 6 L as the do-everything family size; 8 L for batch cooking and big stocks.

Versus stovetop pressure cooker

Slightly lower pressure and longer cooks than a stovetop unit, but automated, timed, and far more forgiving — convenience over raw speed.

How to use it

Sauté first, add enough liquid, seal the valve, and let it ride. Remember that the come-up to pressure and the release both add to the listed cook time.

Use Sauté to brown meat and sweat aromatics, then deglaze before sealing — that's where flavor lives
Always include enough thin liquid to generate steam (usually at least 1 cup), or it won't pressurize and will scorch
Set the valve to 'Sealing' and seat the lid before starting a pressure program
Choose your release: natural (let pressure drop on its own) for meats and foamy foods, quick for vegetables

Care and gotchas

The silicone sealing ring and the valve are the parts that matter most. Keep them clean and clear, and watch for the common 'Burn' warning.

Wash and dry the sealing ring after each use — it absorbs odors; keep separate rings for sweet and savory
A 'Burn' alert usually means too little liquid or food stuck to the bottom — deglaze well and don't thicken before pressure-cooking
Don't fill past two-thirds (half for beans, grains, and foaming foods)
Layer thick sauces on top rather than stirring them in, so nothing scorches against the hot base

Common uses

One-pot weeknight stews and curriesDried beans and chickpeas without soakingRice, grains, and pilafsTough braises — chuck, shanks, pulled porkFast stocks and bone brothsHard-cooked eggs that peel cleanlyHomemade yogurtSteaming vegetables and cheesecakes

Tips & pitfalls

Check the valve. Half of all 'it didn't cook' complaints are a lid left on Venting instead of Sealing.
Brown on Sauté before you seal — the multicooker can't sear once it's pressurizing.
Thin liquids only for pressure cooking; stir thick tomato or dairy sauces in after, or you'll trigger the Burn warning.
Natural release keeps meat tender and stops starchy or foamy foods from spitting through the valve.
It's brilliant for unsoaked dried beans, weeknight stews, and hands-off rice — lean into one-pot recipes.

Good to know

What it is: Electric multicooker (pressure, slow, steam, sauté, more)
Capacity: 3 / 6 / 8 L; 6 L (6 qt) is the default
Pressure: ~11–12 psi (high) — slightly below stovetop cookers
Key check: Set the valve to 'Sealing' before pressure-cooking
Care: Wash the inner pot, lid, and sealing ring; replace the ring periodically
Best for: One-pot meals, beans, stews, rice, yogurt, stocks