The only thing I've made in mine is a single batch of speghetti sauce and that was last year right after Christmas. It turned out good but I guess I'm just not an appliance person because every time I get one, it never gets used and just takes up space in the pantry. It was a gift so I feel kind of guilty but I really didn't want one. Same thing with a beautiful very expensive bread maker. Got it as a gift but have only used it once. :c(

ETA the only exception is my Kitchen Aid mixer which sits front and center on the counter. It was a gift I bought myself a few years back for Christmas.

I use my bread machine mostly to just knead my dough. Seldom bake bread in it.

Sue

Miss my bread machine, but we were eating way too much bread, so away it went. Besides, at this house I really don't have room for one.

I love my electric pressure cooker! Makes excellent German Potato salad!

I also use it for roast beef and stews. Love chicken and dumplings in it too!

Love my instapot and probably the number one thing I make the most is italian chicken thighs. Stews, potatoes, rices too. I will use my metal rack to separate the potatos if I don't want them mushy. The Saute button makes for easy dishes. Sometimes I'm amazed how well it works. I think the key is of course the necessary water but using condensed stock, spices, herbs and plenty of onion and garlic. yum

I have an Instant Pot and I love it. My favorite meal is a roast. I can put in a frozen one and once it comes to pressure, it takes 50 minutes to cook. Fall apart tender.

I've thought a few times about a pressure cooker and came close to making the plunge a couple times. But then I started seeing how the speed is not quite what it's hyped up by the manufacturers. Cook in 20 min... OK, but they fail to mention it also takes 20 min or so to bring it up to pressure, then another what, 10-20 min to depressurize so the time savings isn't as significant. I didn't grow up with one and haven't been with anyone who uses a pressure cooker to know what the food is like so I don't know how I'd like it. The other concern I have is whether I'd clean it well enough. Seems to me you have to be pretty careful to disassemble and clean all the seals, valve and other parts of it thoroughly or it wouldn't seal properly. I've also read that the electric units don't build up the same pressure as a manual one so it would be longer to cook than an old fashioned one, although I would think I'd much prefer an electric unit.

Lastly, can't quite justify the cost although I've seen that Aldi occasionally has a unit at a pretty reasonable price. I need to get more of an education on them to make a decision. I enjoy reading about peoples' experiences and thoughts on them. Have watched a lot of videos on them already!

My smaller one is from Aldi and that is the only one I have used so far. I received a bigger one for Christmas, a Wolfgang Puck brand. Of course I have the stove top ones but have not used those for a long time. This seems nice, more or less, set it and forget it. So far I have just rinsed off my lid under hot running water, but don't think it is too hard to take apart and put back together. I do have the great big canners for canning and do use those in the summer for the most.

Sue

Cynic, my Fagor multi function electric comes to pressure in less than 10 minutes, more like 5. Lots of times I've used the browning function first so its already hot, maybe that makes a difference. There is a quick release option for immediately having your food available too, period of 1-2 minutes to open the lid. It's definitely a time saver.

Today's NYTimes has a big article about these, and tons of recipes for them. Melissa Clark, a major food columnist for the Times, also did an article in today's paper.

It does look interesting, but not sure I cook that way, and the thing is HUGE! I truly don't have room for something that big that I would not use all that much.

I have never in 50 years of reading the NYTimes Food Section found a recipe that was not absolutely delicious.

Oh it's absolutely a time saver! If your food isn't frozen, it doesn't take that long to bring it to pressure. And yes there's a quick release you can easily do. The pot itself comes out of the base and can be put in the dishwasher (stainless steel). Some people buy more than one ring so they can always have one ready. I have found the ring does retain the smell of the last thing that was cooked in it. But haven't had a problem washing it. Even if it still has a food smell to it, I haven't found that to affect whatever the next dish is I'm making.

I also like to season boneless, skinless chicken breasts and make a big pot of them so I have chicken to shred for a variety of dishes throughout the week.

Cynic, I didn't grow up with one either and when I first heard about it I thought it wouldn't be for me. But I truly love it.

I mostly make stuff like boxed meals in it haha I know seems kind of pointless but I just toss everything in and I don't have to babysit it.

If anyone knows a site with good chicken recipes please let me know. Most electric pressure cooker recipes seems to be beef or pork.

I make Quinoa every week. It makes great brown rice.. I save chicken carcasses to make stock. I have made large quantities of stew meat to use in soups. Pressurecookingtoday and hip pressure cooking are good sites to find more recipes.

Corned beef, beef cheeks, pot roast, to name a few.

We have the Cuisinart pressure cooker. We've mainly done roast and oatmeal in it. Also used it to tenderize dried beans instead of soaking them. Works great for that. I really need to get some recipes and use ours more.