In today’s market, there is a gadget for everything. We have zippers and washing machines and safety pins and thousands of other products designed to make everyday tasks that much easier. Indeed, a lot of them have been invented specifically to keep the time we spend in the kitchen to a minimum. We are busy, after all, with our own experience (and countless market research examples) proving that, as a society, we want products that make cooking for our loved ones less time-consuming and less expensive. And while there’s little doubt that the can opener is particularly useful, do we really need individual, prepackaged boxes of cereal and milk? Are plastic cups really better than paper ones? It seems that our quest for convenience has made us greedy (and lazy), often driving us to prefer an easy solution at the expense of quality, value and even common sense. Thus, instead of blindly accumulating a collection of the “latest and greatest” culinary contraptions just because we can, it’s important that we take a step back and ponder whether the item we think will make our lives easier really will. Take, for instance, the multicooker. You’ve probably heard the hype, but is a multicooker really for you? Here are three things you should consider before you even think of pulling out your wallet:
How Handy are You in the Kitchen? A multicooker is a type of automated appliance that allows you to cook food in a variety of ways. Most possess roasting, baking, frying, sauteing, steaming, stewing and/or pressure cooking functions that are programmable by time and temperature. Undoubtedly, they can be convenient, but if you aren’t prepared for the learning curve that such an appliance necessitates, you’ll likely end up frustrated with your purchase. Pressure cooking, for example, can be dangerous. You will need to take the time to understand the mechanics of the process so that you don’t inadvertently burn yourself or blow a hole in your ceiling! If you prefer to use more straightforward cooking methods — like boiling and baking — you might not like the fact that you have to learn additional cooking techniques with a multicooker.
How Many People Do You Regularly Feed? Multicookers can only accommodate so much food. Whereas an oven or stove allows for multiple dishes and larger quantities to be prepared at once, the largest multicooker usually only has the capacity to feed four to six people. If you have a bigger family or entertain a lot, a multicooker won’t make enough food for you.
Are You Prepared to Learn New Recipes? Multicookers require their own recipes. You will have to buy a cookbook designed especially for use with multicookers and/or seek out a community familiar with multicooker cooking in order to make the best use of one. And unless you want to prepare only those recipes for the rest of your life, you will also have to experiment on your own. Even if you know how to make a hard boiled egg on your stove, you’ll probably need a few attempts before you get it right with your multicooker. In short, if you only want to cook certain foods using certain recipes, a multicooker isn’t for you!
Instant Pot IP-DUO60 7-in-1 Programmable Pressure Cooker, 6qt/1000W, Latest 3rd Generation Technology, Stainless Steel Cooking Pot and ExteriorPresto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Canner and CookerMealthy MultiPot 9-in-1 Programmable Pressure Cooker with Stainless Steel Pot, Steamer Basket, instant access to recipe App. Pressure Cook, Slow Cook, Sauté, Egg, Rice Cooker, Yogurt, Steamer, (6 Quart)
