Everything You Need to Know About Instant Pots

People love their instant pots. The all-in-one instant pot sits on your countertop and does all of the work for you. It’s no wonder these versatile kitchen appliances have become a must-have item for anyone looking for an easy way to create delicious meals. You can whip up recipes that would typically take much more effort by throwing in a few ingredients and going about your day—talk about a time saver!

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If you don’t already have a friend (or friends) chewing your ear off about how much they love this electric pressure cooker, we’ve got all of the reasons you need to try these handy appliances mapped out for you.

Here are three reasons instant pots are an instant kitchen win:

1. What are they?

In short, instant pots are electric pressure cookers. Pressure cookers have been used since the 1600s and use high-pressure steam to cook food faster by effectively raising the boiling point of water, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. The stovetop versions of these appliances have a reputation for being dangerous—while the electric ones, like the instant pot, can be set and forgotten about as they quickly create classic dishes.

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So recipes that usually take all day—like Simple and Spicy Instant Pot Carnitas —can be finished in 20 minutes. You put the ingredients in, and press pre-programmed buttons like “rice,” “meat/stew,” or “steam,” and wait for the food to cook.

2. Why do people love them so much?

Because, as they’ll tell you, instant pots are so much more than just electric pressure cookers: They can act as a steamer, a food warmer, a rice cooker or in place of a slow cooker. And thanks to the pressure, they save time compared to all of these: Instead of waiting 20 minutes or more for rice to cook for a stir fry, the instant pot can finish white rice in just eight minutes. It can cook a whole Rotisserie Chicken in just 25 minutes. And for dishes like Pot Roast, it can act like a slow cooker—just toss in all the ingredients and press a few buttons—but it’s finished much faster: 90 minutes instead of all day.

3. Will an instant pot help with my diet?

If you think healthy meals take too long to prepare, you’re not alone: A survey of our neighbors in Canada found that more than 40 percent thought the same thing. Devices like instant pots help because they make food cook twice as fast—if not faster.

If you say you “can’t cook” and find that home-cooked meals are often a lot of work that wind up burned, dry or jut gross-tasting, an appliance like an instant pot can help you eat healthier meals, too: Just like a slow cooker, which people love because you dump ingredients in and delicious meals come out without precise stirring, sauteeing or flipping, the instant pot can do the same—but faster.

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And if you don’t like cooking vegetables, or you always wind up with a mushy, boiled mess, the instant pot can help with that, too: Steamed veggies that stay crunchy and bright can be cooked with just the touch of a button. And that can help you lose weight thanks to the fiber those veggies bring. Eating fiber makes you feel full, and then controls the speed of digestion. So even though your veggies take essentially no time to prepare, you feel fuller, longer.