Immediate Pot Overview

Years in the past when Immediate Pots had been blowing up (not actually) within the dwelling meals scene, my mother jumped on the bandwagon and purchased my brother and me one every for Christmas. I bear in mind unwrapping the large field (and possibly hoping it was the costly winter jacket I desperately wished) and feeling a little bit of a letdown. Snob that I used to be, I cherished the rituals and slowness of cooking, and the Immediate Pot, simply in its identify, appeared the other.

However one fateful day, months later, the busyness of life acquired to me. I used to be having a good friend over and wished to make mashed chickpeas with seared chouriço, a playful Portuguese-esque tackle bangers and mash. Besides it was 5 o’clock, she’d be right here at 6:15, and all I had was a bag of dried chickpeas. I then remembered the forlorn Immediate Pot multi-cooker, nonetheless in its packaging, and swiftly unboxed it and acquired cooking. Forty or so minutes later, the chickpeas had been cooked, my mash was on its means, and dinner was saved. After that, the Immediate Pot earned a spot inside prepared attain in my cabinet and my respect.

Why the Immediate Pot Is Nice 

Electrical multi-cookers just like the Immediate Pot are versatile devices that may sluggish cook dinner, make rice, and even sear if you want to brown meat or sauté a mirepoix. And, as illustrated by my humble pie second above, the strain cooking operate of the Immediate Pot could make dinner goals come true—quick. It additionally is available in clutch when late-night cravings hit and all I actually need is a bowl of braised beef poutine: I can simply throw the braised beef gravy components within the Immediate Pot on excessive strain for an hour, press begin, and it’s off to the races. 

Whereas the Immediate Pot doesn’t attain the excessive pressures of stovetop strain cookers, I’ve by no means had subpar outcomes. If, say, a pot of black beans remains to be a lil crunchy, I simply screw the lid again on, set the strain and time, and cook dinner them a bit longer. This leads me to a different purpose why I really like my Immediate Pot: It’s extremely straightforward to make use of. Whereas a stovetop strain cooker requires monitoring and a few gentle talent to make sure nothing goes haywire, the Immediate Pot self-monitors the strain and releases it if wanted through the built-in valve. It has a no-frills button interface (or digital management panel, relying on the mannequin) that lets me choose the operate and set the time, in addition to a countdown timer. And, as soon as it’s performed cooking, it beeps heartily, and newer fashions have a button you may push to start out releasing the strain. (No have to poke the valve with a wood spoon and threat a spurt of scorching steam to the face.) Like a rice cooker, you may maintain meals heat in it, too. 

Whereas I nonetheless wish to take it sluggish within the kitchen, my Immediate Pot strain cooker has enabled me to make my wildest, most spur-of-the-moment meals goals come true. I’ll by no means snub it once more. 

Why We’re the Consultants 

• Grace Kelly is a commerce editor at Severe Eats, the place she’s been testing gear for over two years. 
• She’s had her Immediate Pot Duo Plus for greater than 5 years, and it’s nonetheless chugging alongside simply nice. She loves utilizing it to cook dinner dried beans in a flash. 
• We’ve reviewed a wide range of electrical strain cookers from Immediate Pot, in addition to stovetop strain cookers.