We are in an era where we do almost everything at home due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This is a nice time to try something great in the kitchen. Whether you are searching for ways to eat healthier or you just need a multi-task appliance to prepare beans and oatmeal faster, a pressure cooker is one of the must-have kitchen appliances you need to get the job done as fast and easy as possible.
There are many reasons you need at least one of these pressure cookers, either the electrical countertop or stovetop ones. They are excellent kitchenware you will always need to achieve delicious, consistent, well-made meals and a higher speed than conventional cooking. Pressure cookers make food boil at a higher temperature. This makes them an ideal choice for cooking foods that take a longer time to cook, such as beans, nuts, seeds, oatmeal, and other dry foods.
They come with a lockable lid and a valve that controls the steam pressure within. Pressure cookers are mainly designed for water-based cooking, although the Instant Pot pressure cookers are designed for Pan-frying and sauteing with very little oil or butter. Electric pressure cookers are simply not made for pressure frying or deep-frying.
More so, during conventional cooking, liquids begin to boil when they attain 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Certainly, this leads to efficient and speedy cooking, unlike many other cookware. Moreover, the maintained higher temperature within the pressure cooker can make your cooking up-to 70 percent Faster than a normal pot or cooker. With this, you can easily soften those tougher meats, like briskets and stew.
Buying the best pressure cooker may not be as easy as you may think. Out of thousands of brands and models on markets, you may be surprised that not all are up to the standard of preparing your food as fast as you want. On this list, we rounded up the top best pressure cookers in 2021. Some of these include the electric countertop ones with digital controls and the stovetop ones for a different approach. Below are our top picks with expert reviews. This guide is a mixture of both digital and stovetop pressure cookers. See a comprehensive guide on the best digital pressure cookers.
Instant Pot Smart Wi-Fi 6 Quart Multi-Use Electric Pressure Cooker
If you want a smart pressure cooker with smart features, you should opt for this pressure cooker from Instant Pot. This is far from the traditional pressure correct you will likely find in your grandmother’s house. Aside from the fact that it is easier and faster to use, it is also very easy to clean. In addition to its numerous function keys, it works well with a smartphone Wi-Fi connection plus a smartphone app that makes it possible to operate your pressure cooker from afar. It is quite tiring when cooking a whole chicken for more than 20 minutes. With this, your chicken will be well cooked within just 10 minutes.
Not only does it work with smartphone apps, but you can also control it with voice assistants like Alexa, Google voice, Ecobee, and many others. In contrast, you may need to subscribe for premium usage to use the app; however, this works well even without an app.
HAWKIN Classic 2-Liter New Improved Aluminum Pressure Cooker
Here is a non-electric stovetop pressure cooker. It’s less expensive and suitable for a small kitchen and can fulfill everyday cooking tasks. You can use this every week to cook up meals as it has a durable stainless steel body that makes it last longer and easy to clean. However, this comes with a two liters capacity. If you plan to cook large meals, check out some other bigger best options on this list.
T-Fal Pressure Cooker, Stainless Steel Cookware, 15-PSI Settings, 6.3-Quart
This is quite larger with a more sleek design. If you are just buying your first pressure cooker, we recommend you opt for this. More so, the lid is easy to lock firmly and doesn’t require your whole strength to unlock from its base or lock into its base. More importantly, when it comes to its user manual, the instructions were made simple as possible. This makes it easy for newbies to learn the proper and safe usage. It also comes with a larger volume which is enough to cool every size of food.
Breville Fast Slow Pro Multi-Function Cooker
This is for anyone who wants to get in full control of his/her cooking. This cooker comes with automatic controls and dials with an interactive LCD screen that shows the pressure and temperature. Importantly, it comes with diverse controls, which makes it even easier to use. Once you close and set up the lid, you may not need to be in the kitchen every time. It automatically attains proper pressure and then ensures to keep your food warm till you are ready. More so, it doesn’t burn your food and is very easy to clean.
Crock-Pot 8-Quart Multi-Use XL Express Crock
If you are looking for a pressure cooker to cook your meals, this is a multipurpose fast pressure cooker. It comes with digital controls which enable you to switch to different modes of cooking. If you don’t want your cooking to be fast, you have a choice to switch to the slow cooking mode. This pressure cooker also has a large volume and is ready to do every task you want. With this, you can make yogurt, sterilize yucky baby things, make delicious soups faster than you can expect.