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An electric pressure cooker review: What I learned

Electric pressure cookers (like the Instant Pot, Power Cooker and others) are all over the place today. And people are raving about their speed and convenience. Well despite so many raving electric pressure cooker reviews in favor (pretty much the whole world), here’s what I discovered. 

 

The trust factor

I can’t expect you all to trust me if I always say “This is so great! Eat it!” Don’t you get sick of that? That’s why I feel like it’s my job to tell you the truth even when I know it’s not going to go with the flow. You need an electric pressure cooker review that’s totally unbiased, and I’m going to give you mine.

I’m not much on gadgets–it’s true–but I borrowed my aunt’s Power Cooker because I was curious (and obviously cheap) so I could try it before I bought an electric pressure cooker for myself. Truthfully, it looked fabulous and I was excited to get started testing recipes and transforming fast dinners.

And it was fast. Like a lightning bolt. But that’s pretty much the last nice thing I have to say.

The trying

I had such high hopes of creating one-pot recipes you could use and love forever. I dreamt of recipe miracles I could pass down to you with pride. So I started studying all kinds of recipes, reading books, and joining Facebook groups dedicated to their love of these things. I asked a lot of questions. I studied some more. And I cooked in it. A lot.

And I hated every single thing that came out of it with the exception of some salmon fillets that I poached from frozen in 5 minutes. That was one of the seven wonders of the world right there.

And what’s worse? My family hated the food even more.

I started with mac and cheese (yes it’s safe to make pasta in an electric pressure cooker) and my family gave it a 3 out of 10. It went uneaten in the pot and I threw it out.

The trying again

So I kept thinking it was just me. Maybe I was doing something wrong. So I asked more questions. I read more, I studied more. I found a site that told me that the key to the perfect roast was 40 minutes on a roast no more than 2 inches thick. Any longer than that and all the flavor would force itself out of the meat and end up in your cooking liquid.

Okay.

Roast, carrots and potatoes. That would be awesome.

I seared the meat first, I seasoned it, I added beef broth and sealed ‘er up. 40 minutes later, I could not have prepared myself for the disaster inside that hunk of metal and plastic.

Bone dry, hard as a brick, and absolutely no flavor. Dinner was ruined, but we ate it anyway. Actually my daughter did and the rest of us had peanut butter and jelly.

I say all that to say this: There will be some of you out there who will hate me for my opinion. And I’m sure that somewhere in this world, there are a few recipes that might turn out okay in the electric pressure cooker. If you can live off of hard boiled eggs and rice you’re a better man than I am.

What you’ll have to like to enjoy your electric pressure cooker

In order to like what it produces, you have to be okay with soft food. One texture, and mostly one flavor. You have to be okay with forcing food that was meant to be cooked differently (and maybe more slowly) to cook quickly–compromising what it could have been had you cooked it in a different way or saved that recipe for a day when you had time to make it differently.

It’s just been an all around disappointment for me.

I’m not your judge, but apparently I am a snob

In discussing my frustrations on my personal Facebook page, someone (gotta love your family) called me a “food snob” and “out of touch with the reality of what life is like for busy families”. But that’s not true. The truth is I KNOW 100% that slow cookers and electric pressure cookers are one of the few ways that lots of families make a meal.

I know that most people don’t have time to make food from scratch and have to choose between the drive through and convenience of one of these. And for you all, do whatever you have to do. I am totally for you. But you won’t find those recipes here. I’m committed to giving you easy meal ideas–but they won’t come out of an electric pressure cooker.

Is there anyone out there like me?

And for the rest of you, what I hope is that somewhere out there, some of you can say “Yes I want my food to taste good. I want my family to enjoy what I make and I’d rather have that over rushed convenience.” Even if you’re busy, instead of using an electric pressure cooker, make a fast pasta, a hot sandwich and salad, or a make-ahead casserole that was meant to be made quickly instead–and we can all save our money for something that’s really worth it.

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46 Comments

  1. I love my pressure cooker. Loved the review too. Every cooker is different, you have to experiment and not trust others cooking times. I will admit there are things I’ve found that just don’t seem to work in a pressure cooker…like Leg o Lamb..so thankful that cut of meat was received not bought. For chicken, stew, veggies (especially Artichokes), I’ll happily bring out my pressure cookers.

    1. I’m glad your pressure cooker works for you! I can’t imagine trying to do lamb in one though…gosh that seems like it could turn out to be mess. Hahahaha! Whatever works for you, keep on doing it–that’s what I say. 🙂

  2. Thank you for this! I’ve seen this all over the internet, too, and kept wondering if I was missing out. It seems to me that food prepared slowly on the stovetop or in a slow cooker is better for you, more nutritious somehow. I’m not a nutritionist or doctor of any kind, though. This is what I’ve gleaned from articles about past cultures (and some current ones) who have always cooked their food slowly. I noticed a shift this century in preparing foods. Meats used to be browned/cooked on low to medium but now most recipes say to brown/cook on medium-high. I’ve not understood that? Time/convenience factor, maybe? Anyway, I’m another one who appreciates your honesty!

    1. I think, Aileen that today we cook foods on high to sear them and get color and then many times transfer the food to the oven for slower cooking afterward. That’s what many cooks use today to help seal in juices and boost flavor (browned=flavor). But you’re right. There’s a total shift in society anyway to hurry up and eat so whatever they can do to speed it up, they will. Nutrients tend to cook out of foods the longer they are on the heat (vegetables especially) but cooking slowly was the way for centuries. Sometimes in my heart I wish we had a society that could return to that–to family meals at the table, time talking about the day and enjoying food as part of that. Thank you for your comments–I was worried people would want to rip me apart for my opinion!

  3. I’m glad you was honest! Now I know what I have to do.. “power cooker for sale” . Thanks for your advise and the pre trial cooking. Now to rest my mind on that issue..

  4. My husband watches a lot of RV and boating blogs and he asked me about the Instant Pot. I read up on it (Consumer Reports tested them) and decided I didn’t want to try it. I have a regular pressure cooker that I use on occasion. I like the tender roasts that it produces especially for French dip sandwiches but that’s about it. I worked a 12 hours shift before I retired and a coworker sweared by her pressure cooker but I much prefer my slow cooker. I could put it on when I got home in the morning and dinner was ready when I woke up. But a pressure cooker had to be fixed after I woke up so still a hassle. So no hate from me-I agree with you!

  5. Love this, girl! I totally ignore trends but I was actually thinking of looking into it. Since I work from home (duh) I don’t have to have this convenience plus I love my crock pot when I need it. I’m learning to cook fresh more often and my hubby and I are almost empty nester and we can learn to cook together!

    Love the post engagement. Great job!

  6. I may be one of those “out of touch” people, but I find your review refreshing. I’ve been amazed at the rise of the Instant Pot (FB feed is full of rave reviews), but I don’t have a desire to buy one because, like you, I couldn’t imagine it could produce the same kind of slow-cooked meal you get when you actually slow-cook it. I do understand the challenges people face with time in the kitchen, but part of what I love about cooking is the actual process whether it’s a quick and easy dinner or a low and slow Sunday supper type dish. It just seems that the Instant Pot takes away all of that and it’s definitely something I would miss. Appreciate your honesty with this review!

    1. The end result of everything I made, was just “not right”. That’s the best I can explain it. When you’re used to eating something that was meant to be cooked one way, then forcing it to be rushed another way you can tell the difference in the final product. It’s just not the right tool for me or how I cook, and I’m glad to hear it’s not right for a lot of others either. Gotta tell it like it is, don’t we?

  7. Your honest review is very helpful and refreshing. It took courage to be candid and take a stand against a hot current trend. The quality of meals (flavor, texture, appearance, aroma, color, taste, temperature, and spiciness) is very important to many of us and would rank above speed and even convenience. I am a 71 year old male that was considering the value of one of these cookers. Based on what I have observed from you in the past, I believe I can trust your opinion, and have changed my mind. I would have had to convince my wife of 50 years, and would have ended up looking stupid. For years I have lived down the electric vegetable peeler. Thank you for a truthful review.

    1. Hahahaha!! I don’t have an electric peeler either Charles! I still use a box grater, and peel everything either with a knife or a manual peeler. I’m glad you find me 1) trustworthy and 2) truthful–that matters far more to me than any trend. And your wife would have never let you live that down…after 50 years together opinions roll freely!! Thank you for your comment! –Rachel

  8. I have a love-hate relationship with my Instant Pot. I use it mostly for rice and broth. 🙂 The broth is amazing but if I stew the whole chicken instead of the bones, the meat has a funny texture. It does cook tamales SO much faster than the stove top method, though. 🙂 I’ve loved it for tomato sauce as well but that’s when I treated it like a slow cooker. How can you not love getting to saute your onions in the same pot you are are going to simmer the sauce in? My roast beef was okay, but not out of this world. So yep, such a catch 22.

    1. Yep Katie–it does some things well. Like rice and hard cooked eggs. But for me, there’s very little I need a pressure cooker to do that I can’t do on my stovetop. To each his own I suppose!

  9. Thanks for your honest opinion. My sister has one and swears by it. I love my crock pot but like you I am cheap and didn’t want to shell out big bucks for an appliance I wouldn’t be using.

  10. Thrilled with this review! Didnt want one and now I can rest my weary mind! I am not a gadget person either. Thanks for the honest and helpful review!

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About the Author

Rachel Ballard, RN, BSN brings more than 20 years of professional nursing expertise to Feast and Farm. With a love for nutrient dense foods that support wellness, she works to distill complex health information and current trends into recipes that fuel the best version of yourself. Read more about Rachel here.