This beast makes fast work of practically any food...and yet it's also a peerless slow cooker. Go figure! (Photo: Instant Pot)
Haven't yet experienced the joy of an Instant Pot? It's time. The coveted 8-quart Duo Plus is on sale today for $120, 20% off the regular price — and the cheapest it's been all year! This iconic Instant Pot functions as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté pan, yogurt maker, warmer and more. Like all Instant Pots, it cooks up to three times faster than standalone appliances; unlike them, its super size means it can conjure up a delicious dinner for the entire brood with room to spare.
From sauces to soups, this book is about to be your new best friend in the kitchen (alongside your pressure cooker, of course).
"It didn't take long before we realized (my wife especially, since she does a lot of the cooking) how fantastic this giant culinary autoclave really is," said an erudite five-star fan. "Cook an entire dinner of roast chicken with red beans and rice in one go? Done. Steam a whole mess 'o veggies when some friends show up with their gaggle of kids for dinner? Easy. Meatballs. Tamales. Artichokes. Corn on the cob. All quick and (perhaps most significantly) very simple. And there's just a single pot to scrub at the end! Then just throw it back in the pantry until next time."
The easy-to-operate digital control panel lets you choose methods with the touch of a button, whether you want to make stew, chili, a roasted chicken, baked potatoes — this thing does it all.
And of course, with any Instant Pot you have access to more than 1,000 recipes by downloading a free smartphone app or by just asking Alexa. Not only will your meals cook flawlessly in a record time, but your dinner menu will expand beyond what you thought you were capable of.
If you're worried that your Instant Pot will only be used once before being relegated to a cupboard, you're not alone — it can be intimidating! Not sure where to begin? Invest in a cookbook that consists solely of fast and easy recipes made for the Instant Pot. Over 8,300 Amazon shoppers love The Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook by Laurel Randolph, not only for its tasty recipes but also because it breaks down how to get the most out of your new purchase — in way more detail than you get in the instruction manual. It's packed with step-by-step instructions on its capabilities and safety features, as well as plenty of cheat sheets and tips.
As for the recipes? The book will teach you how to whip up everything from risotto to a lamb curry and oxtail ragu. Even if you're not a pro in the kitchen, it provides clear instructions on exactly how to get the most out of your new gizmo.
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The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.