Written by Connie Chen,
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In an ideal world, I would cook food at home as much as possible, experimenting with new ingredients or techniques and positioning myself for "Masterchef" success.
Unfortunately, things like social obligations and pure honest-to-goodness laziness usually get in the way.
If you often find yourself deferring to ordering takeout even when you have perfectly good ingredients in the fridge, or are helpless when it comes to using kitchen equipment, these appliances just might be your saving grace.
Using them requires prep as minimal as chopping up ingredients and throwing in spices and sauces, so yes, you do still have to put insome work, but it's nothing compared to the full, "proper" way of cooking.
You can trick yourself or your guests into thinking you really paid your dues in the kitchen, but I'll know the secret to that delicious braise or pasta dish is one of the convenient devices below. Need something to make breakfast for you the next morning? We have you covered for that, too.
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An upgraded version of everyone's favorite all-in-one cooker
Now with three new programs: egg, cook, and sterilize, the Instant Pot Duo Plus is a kitchen mainstay thanks to its ability to make pretty much anything. You'll have dinner ideas for days with this huge recipe collection or you can prep healthy dinners with this cookbook.
Instant Pot Duo Plus 6-Qt, $119.95, available at Amazon
A slow cooker that automatically switches to warm once the cook time completes and is easy to transport from place to place
Crock-Pot's slow cooker lets you set cook times of up to 20 hours, so you can come home at the end of the day to a hot meal waiting for you. Its locking lid has a rubber gasket to ensure your food won't spill, whether you're carrying it to your dinner table or taking it to a gathering. Slow cookers are perfect forbothhearty mealsand healthy dishes.
Crock-Pot 6-Quart Programmable Cook & Carry Slow Cooker with Digital Timer, $39.50, available at Amazon
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A rice cooker that also steams meat and vegetables at the same time
If rice is a common element of your meals, this inexpensive cooker won't fail you. It has specialized functions for brown and white rice and a Quick Rice function for when you don't have a lot of time. Complete the meal by placing your favorite meat and vegetables in the steam tray above the pot.
Aroma Housewares 8-Cup Digital Cool-Touch Rice Cooker and Food Steamer, $29.92, available at Amazon
A roaster oven that's perfect for the holiday season
Cooking a big turkey is an intimidating feat, and many things can go wrong during the process. With this handy oven, you don't need to baste it and you'll get a juicy turkey in just a couple of hours.
Oster 22-Quart Roaster Oven with Self-Basting Lid and Defrost Setting, $43.03, available at Amazon
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A way to cook meals without using unhealthy oils or additives
BELLA's steamer has two baskets so you can cook multiple things at once, from fish and meats to dim sum and eggs. If you're looking to shift to a healthier lifestyle, switching cooking methods is an easy way to still enjoy your favorite foods.
BELLA 7.4-Quart Healthy Food Steamer, $22.49, available at Amazon
A set of pots for pasta lovers
Spaghetti nights just got easier with this set, which includes a stockpot, steamer insert, and pasta pot. You won't need to pour the noodles out into a colander and you can steam your protein as the sauce cooks below.
Cook N Home 4-Piece 8-Quart Pasta Cooker Steamer Multipots, $33.99, available at Amazon
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A traditional pressure cooker for the purists
Pressure cookers cook foods super quickly and are great for retaining the nutrients and flavor. It might require more monitoring since there isn't a timer to keep track of, but it does have apop-up pressure indicator and an overpressure plug that will let off steam if it builds up excessively.
Presto 6-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker, $45.32, available at Amazon
Connie Chen is a former senior reporter on the Insider Reviews team, where she led coverage of home textiles, home entertaining, and food and drink. While at Insider, she specialized in all the things that enhance life at home, from the most comfortable bed sheets and fluffy pillows to cool online wine clubs and bartender-approved co*cktail shakers. She combined rigorous testing methods, conversations with professionals, and active knowledge of the home and kitchen space to help readers get the most out of their money. When she's not changing duvet covers or washing towels twice a day for articles, she loves talking about and trying the newest snacks, drinks, andfood gifts. You can see more of her testing process and other behind-the-scenes of being a product journalist on her Instagram @connayreviews. Connie joined Insider Reviews as an early member in 2017 and has also reported on products and services in the style, tech, fitness, travel, and e-learning spaces, with a particular interest and expertise in emerging startups. She has represented the team at CES and moderated panels on media business and the future of retail. Connie graduated from UC Berkeley with degrees in media studies and business administration, which help inform her perspective on and coverage of industry trends, as well as the competitive e-commerce landscape at large. Read some of her work: The 4 best co*cktail shakers in 2021 The 7 best women's bathrobes in 2021 The 5 best wine openers and corkscrews we tested in 2021 The 5 best bed sheets we tested in 2021 The 5 best cordless vacuums we tested in 2021 12 direct-to-consumer kitchen startups that are changing the way we shop for cookware and knives 8 tableware startups changing the way we shop for dishes Even chefs experience cooking burnout — here's how they get re-inspired in the kitchen How businesses create successful virtual experiences 50 cookbooks from famous restaurants across the US that will help you recreate their best dishes at home Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Learn more about how we test kitchen products.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
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