Growing up, my mom used a pressure cooker constantly. I remember my dad yelling at me — almost on a daily basis — to “stay away from the steam” and not “take the lid off.” Now, my mom’s manual ...

The Instant Pot is a kitchen workhorse — an all-in-one slow cooker, pressure cooker, steamer, yogurt maker, sterilizer, rice cooker, sauté pan, food warmer, and probably a few other things as well.

Allie has been Lifehacker’s Food Writer since 2021. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Ithaca College in drama and studied at the Institute of Culinary Education to earn her diploma in Pastry and ...