Electric pressure cookers, also referred to as multi-cookers, are common the rage right now. They're very versatile, and will prepare soups, stews and big cuts of meat or poultry within a fraction of times that traditional stovetop or oven-roasting methods take . They can also double (or triple) being a rice cooker and slow cooker, and testing points too they do also at those tasks as dedicated appliances. Many possess a delay start feature to ensure, if you are leaving the home, you'll be able to put the ingredients in, set the timer for, say, one hour before dinner, and are avalable home to a whole meal that's able to be dished out. Of course, be aware with raw meat -- it should not be at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. However, these countertop pressure cookers do cook at the lower pressure than traditional stovetop cookers, if you decide to would like to speed things up a step forward -- or occurs pressure cooker for canning -- see our discussion of stovetop pressure cookers elsewhere within this report.

We bought five 6-quart pressure cookers, both stovetop and electric, from popular brands like Cuisinart, Fagor, and Fissler, together with an inexpensive cooker from Philippe Richard. Products boasting the As-Seen-on-TV label are available, and we also tested the Power Pressure Cooker XL.

Testers headed to the kitchen lab, cooking staples including brown rice, black beans, and chicken thighs. The food consistently been found tender and delicious, and was ready considerable faster than when made by more fliers and other modes. Dried beans that may require at least 120 minutes on the stovetop or 12 in the slow cooker (following a 12-hour soak) were ready in an hour or so.

Countertop pressure cookers also provide more even cooking across the bottom and sides from the pot, minimizing the probability of scorching . This is especially useful when you are cooking sticky foods, like thick sauce, rice, risotto, and other grains. Because their heating elements are insulated and enclosed, countertop pressure cookers are more energy-efficient than stovetop models. Nearly all that juice enters into cooking your meals instead of heating your kitchen.