Can you imagine coming home after a long day of work and finding your food ready? With a better electric pressure cooker it is possible ! You can eat rich and healthy without wasting
time in the kitchen.
No more arriving tired and eating the first thing in the fridge, or spending hours cooking when you could take advantage of your time to rest or be with family. So in this article I’ll show you the 7 best electric pressure cookers on the market and, at the end, I’ll leave you a buying guide to help you choose the one that suits you best.
What is a best electric pressure cooker of 2023?
As the name suggests, this is a pot that you can program to start cooking at any time you want . Its operation is very simple, you just have to add the ingredients and program it. She will take care of the rest of the work on her own, without you needing to be home to watch her. Sounds good, right?
But before I put the best electric pressure cookers on the table, I want to tell you a bit about the different types you can find:
- Programmable pressure cookers: these are pans that allow you to cook under pressure. They
also have many other functions such as slow cooking, steaming, sautéing, baking, cooking rice, etc. - Programmable slow cookers: these are pans that only have the slow cooker function. They tend to have low power and a cheaper price.
- Multi-Function Programmable Pots: These are pots that perform a wide variety of functions but are not capable of pressure cooking.
Before choosing an electric pressure cooker, you need to be clear about the dishes you want to cook, the functions needed to prepare them and whether you want it to be programmable or not. You’ll often see the term ‘food processor’ being used to refer to programmable pans, which can be confusing.
The possibilities offered by each device are very different. Just keep in mind that programmable pans can only cook while food processors are also capable of processing food.
Before seeing each of the best electric pressure cookers in detail, I will first leave you with a comparison of the best pressure cookers available.
How do I choose the best electric pressure cooker for me?
If this is the first time you are going to buy a programmable electric pressure cooker and you don’t know
anything about it, in this guide I will help you know what questions you should ask yourself and what features you should look for to choose the best one. electric pressure cooker for you.
How will you use it?
As I mentioned at the beginning, there are different programmable potentiometers. Some are capable of pressure cooking, others perform multiple functions but do not pressure cook , and still others allow only slow cooking . It is therefore important to ask yourself what you are going to use it for.
For example, if you want to prepare meals in a very short time, your pot should have a pressure cooker function. On the other hand, if you only want to make traditional dishes in the slow cooker, a simple pot with this function will be more than enough and it will be better for you.
What are the advantages of buying a programmable pressure cooker?
- You’ll save time: when cooking, you won’t have to watch your dishes all the time. You won’t have to worry about burning ingredients or checking that they’re ready. With a programmable pot, all you have to do is choose the program, add the ingredients and you’re done. And in the meantime, you can devote yourself to other things.
- You clean less: you only have to worry about washing one pan. In addition, being closed you will no longer have to clean up all the spills.
- You will eat healthily: as we don’t have time, when we get home we do the first thing we find in the fridge. With a pot, being programmable, you can adjust it to cook for you while you’re away. This way, when you arrive, you will have the food ready and hot, and you can continue to enjoy the healthy dishes.
- Economic price: compared to food processors, a programmable cooking pot is much cheaper, with prices ranging between 100 and 200 euros. On the other hand, a good food processor can cost you more than 200 euros.
- Take it with you: Some pots are super light and compact, so it won’t be difficult to take them with you to your second home or while traveling.
Features to consider
Now that you know what you are going to use it for and all of its benefits, there are a series of features to take into account to find the perfect electric pressure cooker for you.
Power
The power is related to the heating time. Therefore, the higher the power, the faster it will reach the necessary temperature, cooking your dish in record time . If you ever doubt the functions that an electric pressure cooker can perform, a good clue is its power.
On the one hand, pressure cookers capable of cooking under pressure have a high power, between 1000-1200 W.
On the other hand, those which perform several functions but do not cook under pressure, such as the Maxichef Advanced, have a power between 700-1200 W. 900 W. As for slow cookers, their power is quite low, between 150-300 W.
Aptitude
The vast majority of pans have a capacity of between 5 and 6 L, which makes it possible to cook for 4 to 8 people. It is ideal for large families or if you have many dinners with family or friends. But there are also pressure cookers of greater or lesser capacity, adapting better if there are many of you at home, if you are a couple or if you are going to cook alone.
It is important to take into account that some cooking pots are able to adapt the cooking according
to the number of guests, such as the Cookeo from Moulinex or the GM model H from Cecotec. This
function is very useful if you want to use the same pan to cook for your family, for a dinner with friends or to cook in batches and thus have food for the whole week.
Cooking modes and programs
Electric pressure cookers have come to solve our lives in the kitchen. To do this, they have different cooking methods. On the one hand, they have the preset programs and, on the other hand, they have the manual cooking mode.
The pre-set programs will come in handy if you are not very invested in cooking , such as pressure cooking, steaming, frying, stews, proofing, etc. You just have to choose the program and add the ingredients, since the pot will take care of the rest. In addition, there are pans that will guide you at any time in the steps to follow, such as the Cookeo.
If, on the other hand, you like to experiment or want to make your own recipes, you can cook manually. You will have complete freedom to adjust the various parameters of temperature, time and even pressure.
In addition, some pans allow you to combine the two cooking methods. In other words, you can choose a program and modify certain parameters so that your recipe is to your liking.
Timer
The best electric pressure cookers are so called because they have the programming function. This is ideal if you
are short on time, as you can set the timer to start the cooking process at a certain time and prepare the food when you get home. Some pots are programmable for up to 24 hours , while others depend on the program you choose.
But there are also programs that do not allow this option. And even if it seems
awkward, it has its logical explanation. For example, some ingredients like meat, fish or
eggs, if left out for a long time, can spoil. Other ingredients like rice or
pasta, if they are left to soak for a long time, the result in their texture will not be as desired.
Other functions
Even if you plan your day, you may have unforeseen events that make you come home late. For these situations, the keep warm function comes in handy . After the program is finished, the cooker will keep the food warm. So you won’t have to worry about reheating your plate.
So you can cook without having to watch everything, because some pressure cookers have an automatic shut-off function. It will give you much more peace of mind, since you know that once it has done its job, it will automatically turn off.
Finally, if you are going to use the timer function a lot and want to make sure that every day you come home from work the food is ready, it will be important for your cooker to have a memory . An example of this is Cecotec’s GM H , so if the power goes out, when it comes back on it will continue to cook from the same point as if nothing had happened.
Design
The tray and its lining
There are three aspects that vary in a bucket: its shape, its side handles and its interior lining.
The shape of the bucket will be important depending on the recipes you want to make. For example, the vast majority have a round container, while the bowl of the Cecotec GM is oval so you can cook whole pieces of fish or chicken.
For more comfort when removing the bucket from the pot, you will want to have side handles for a better grip. Finally, there is the liner that lines the inside of the bucket. Most pans have a
non-stick coating so food doesn’t stick to the bottom. Importantly, it is free of toxic materials such as PFOA, as food will come into contact with this coating during cooking.
The Instant Pot is completely made of stainless steel, without coating. This is an aspect that its users appreciate a lot, because, despite the fact that stainless steel is not non-stick in itself, it is a resistant and non-toxic material.
Also, from my point of view, if you are going to use it a lot, it is important that you consider models that have an inexpensive and easy to find replacement pot.
Hinged lid
Most pressure cookers come with a hinged lid for easier opening. This way you won’t have to know where you put it every time you go to open it. In addition, some
pots allow you to cook with the lid open, as if it were a traditional pot. In this case, it is important that your kitchen is well heated to avoid smoke and bad smells.
Accessories
Accessories will help you prepare more recipes such as steaming vegetables. You can find between 2 and 5 accessories, including: steaming baskets, grids, spoons, spatulas and measuring cups.
With some brands, you also have the option of purchasing accessories separately, as is the case with the GM, and the Instant Pot. But if you want to make sure they’re compatible with your pot, try to buy the accessories made by the brand of pressure cooker you just bought so you don’t have any surprises.
Balance
If you’re going to be making lots of recipes that require precise amounts, a built-in scale will speed up the whole process, since you’ll be weighing the ingredients directly inside the bucket. The only pressure cooker with scales is the GM Deluxe model from Cecotec .
Although this is a nice feature, you can still buy a digital kitchen scale
separately . Finding an accurate and quality scale will not cost much at all.
Connectivity
Unlike kitchen robots, there are few pans with connectivity, the Cookeo Connect from Moulinex is one of them. The cooker includes an application with which you can update many recipes, follow the cooking progress via your mobile and even make a shopping list.
Cleaning
Too lazy to have to clean up all the pots and spills after eating, right?
Well, with an electric pressure cooker, cleanup is a breeze. The tray, being non-stick, will only
need a little soap and water. Always with a soft cloth so as not to damage it.
Despite the fact that most of the pressure cookers mentioned in the guide are dishwasher safe, I recommend washing it by hand to make it last longer.
Security
Potty safety is crucial. When cooking at high pressure, locking the lid is very important. To do this, they include different mechanisms to prevent us from opening it while it is running . Also, some have beeps or beeps from the control panel to indicate that the lid is securely closed.
Once the pressure program has finished, the pressure cooker must be depressurised. Today the valves are much safer and more advanced, to avoid getting burned with steam. Another safety mechanism they incorporate is automatic shutdown in the event of a short circuit or if abnormal pressure levels are detected.
And that’s all ! I hope this guide was helpful and you found the best electric pressure cooker for
you. If you have any questions, go to the comments!
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