Instant Pot

Instant Pot is the most popular multi-cooker brand, and basically all of the above. It has tons of functions, including pressure cooking, slow cooking, rice cooking, steaming, warming, and sautéing - all in one appliance that helps expedite the cooking process. The "instant" in Instant Pot is a little misleading. You can’t make five-minute meals in the Instant Pot. If anything, you spend at least five minutes waiting for the Instant Pot to pressurize before cooking.

When it comes to substantial, time-consuming dishes, the Instant Pot is extremely fast. Dry beans, for example, only take between 30 minutes to an hour to cook in the Instant Pot (and you don’t have to soak them beforehand). On a stovetop or in a slow cooker, that process could take three hours or more (plus often soaking the night before). The same goes for meats, stews, and fiber-rich grains (like black rice).