10 Foods You Shouldn't Cook in Your Instant Pot
Here are 10 food items and recipes you should never cook in your Instant Pot.
And for more cooking tips, check out nine cooking hacks that actually work, why you might be ruining your chef's knife and the top slow cooker mistakes to avoid.
Seafood
Shrimp is best cooked on the grill or in a sauté pan.
David Watsky/CNET
In general, seafood such as fish, oysters, shrimp, mussels and clams is just too delicate for pressure cooking and slow cooking modes. They are foods that are meant to be cooked quickly at just the right temperature, which is hard to do with an Instant Pot. A few seconds too long or at the wrong temperature, and you can end up with mush or rubbery lumps.
Besides, fish, shellfish and crustaceans are easily cooked with other methods, so breaking out the Instant Pot for them won't guarantee better results as it can for tougher meats.
The only exception is octopus and squid. Pressure cooking these tough creatures can make them tender while keeping the meat juicy. Just be sure to find a recipe that is specifically for the Instant Pot.
Fried and crispy food
Fries and other crispy foods don't work in the Instant Pot.
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Unless you've purchased a specialty model, your Instant Pot is not a pressure fryer and isn't designed for the higher temperatures needed to heat cooking oil for something like crispy fried chicken. Of course, an Instant Pot is perfect for a dish like carnitas, but to get the final crisp on the meat, after you remove the meat from the Instant Pot, transfer it to a skillet and brown for a few minutes or on a baking sheet to crisp up in a hot oven. (However, if you're looking for an air fryer that will get your food nice and crispy, you can check out our tested picks for the best air fryers of 2025).
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Dairy-based food
Just like in a slow cooker, most dairy products such as cheese, milk and sour cream will curdle in an Instant Pot, no matter if you use the pressure cooking setting or the slow cooking setting. Add these ingredients after the dish cooks or avoid making the recipe in the Instant Pot altogether.
There are two exceptions. One is when you're making yogurt, and that's only if you use a recipe specifically for an Instant Pot. The other is if you're making a cheesecake, and again, only if you're following an Instant Pot recipe.
Pasta and noodles
A pot of boiling water is the only way to cook pasta properly.
Getty/JannHuizenga
While you technically can cook pasta in an Instant Pot, it may come out gummy or unevenly cooked. Honestly, unless you don't have the option, boiling the pasta in a pot on a stovetop is just as fast and easy and will yield consistently better cooked pasta.
Read more: No, Salted Water Doesn't Boil Faster and 7 Other Pasta Myths
Two recipes at once
Cooking a roast with potatoes and carrots is a time-honored recipe, right? Not in this case. Don't try to cook a main dish with a side dish in your Instant Pot. They may fit in the pot together, but each food will need its own cooking time. Cooking items together will inevitably result in a dry or mushy mess.
Cakes
You aren't really baking a cake in an Instant Pot, you're steaming it. The cake will be moist -- which works for something like bread pudding -- but you won't get a nice crust on the cake or the chewy edges that everyone fights over with baked brownies. However, if you do need to throw something together for a potluck or quick family dessert, you can get a moist sponge in half an hour or so, excluding prep time.
Foods for canning
Canning, the art of cooking and sealing foods in jars, is often done in a pressure cooker. So, it may seem like a good idea to make a batch of jams, pickles or jellies in your Instant Pot. Don't do it.
With an Instant Pot, you're not able to monitor the temperature of what you're canning as you would with a regular pressure cooker. With canning, cooking and sealing the food correctly is key. Improper cooking and sealing can lead to bacteria growth that can cause food poisoning.
While you want to avoid canning with an Instant Pot, some of the newer models (like the Duo Plus) do have a sterilize setting that lets you clean baby bottles and kitchen items like jars and utensils.
Good steak
A pressure cooker is not a barbecue. An Instant Pot does great with tougher cuts of meat -- which the pressure cooker can easily break down -- but not so good with ones that are best eaten medium-rare, like a steak. Save those for the grill.
Yellow and red lentils
Not all lentils can stand up to an Instant Pot's pressure.
James Martin/CNET
We love lentils, but not all of them can be cooked in an Instant Pot. Brown and green lentils can hold up to pressure cooking, but the more delicate yellow and red versions turn to mush because they cook so quickly. Unless you're purposely making lentil soup or dhal, stick to cooking red and yellow lentils on the stove to preserve their texture and shape.
Cookies
Cookies aren't going in your Instant Pot, are they?
Getty Images
Cookies are another baked food that doesn't work when made in the Instant Pot, either on pressure cooker or slow cooker mode. Instead, try your luck with convection heat by way of a wall oven, toaster or air fryer.
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These Depression-Era Recipes Still Save Money Nearly 100 Years Later
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She was raised in a big family on her mom's budget-minded home cooking, and by the time she was a young mom herself, she had mastered the art of making delicious, filling meals with what she had. If Grandma could feed her family of eight—stretching ingredients, swapping pricey staples for cheaper alternatives, and wasting nothing—then so can I. Thankfully, her recipes were preserved and passed down to all her grandchildren. As I cook her old-fashioned meals, I feel connected to her. My kids love not only her wacky chocolate cake, but also her simple potato soup, her fried bologna sandwiches, and so many more of the easy, inexpensive dishes she raised her family on. I love knowing that these meals don't just save money—they carry a little taste of Grandma's resilience. From the Dust Bowl to TikTok: Depression-Era Cooking Makes a Comeback Depression-era recipes remind me that good food doesn't have to be fancy—it just has to be made with care. And it turns out that not only am I not alone in thinking this way in my 2025 kitchen—social media food influencers are, too. With rising food costs and a growing interest in reducing waste, Depression-era cooking is officially a thing. Let's begin with a true pioneer of Depression-era online cooking content, Clara Cannucciari. With her grandson, Christopher Cannucciari, the great-grandmother, then in her 90s, filmed episodes of what became a popular YouTube series, Great Depression Cooking with Clara, from 2007 to 2012. The pair also put out a DVD and a cookbook. Clara died in 2013, but the videos, amassing millions of views, continue to be a warm and inspiring approach to home cooking with an eye on the budget. Her mantra? Embrace frugality. These days, #depressioneracooking has gained popularity on TikTok and Instagram. This hashtag leads to home cooks from across the country recreating Depression-era favorites. In 2020, you'll find a flourishing of likely pandemic-inspired videos, like dinner rolls made with mayo in place of yeast, candies made with apple cider vinegar, and hamburger casserole, not to mention TikTok phenom B. Dylan Thomas' take on vintage recipes, including his 2022 video of another, circa-1934, recipe for Wacky Cake. This spring, one home-cooking couple posted their version of Hoover Stew, a dish named after President Herbert Hoover, a bit of a poster boy for the economic collapse that led to the Great Depression. Making Magic from Almost Nothing: Depression-Era Kitchen Lessons The source of these original recipes and frugal lifestyle began on October 29, 1929, with an unprecedentedly cataclysmic stock market crash. At that time, there was no bank insurance, so thousands of banks closed. There was also no federal unemployment, so as the economy plummeted and jobs were slashed, Americans were out of work and desperate. 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Each dish is simple, affordable, and deeply comforting—a reminder that even in lean times, good food can bring people together. From the 1930s to Your Table: A Depression-Era Meal That Still Works Imagine sitting down at a kitchen table in the 1930s: a modest spread of hearty, home-cooked dishes that make the most of every ingredient. This four-course menu—a meaty loaf meant to stretch into tomorrow's sandwiches, creamy potatoes rich with flavor, a crisp salad gathered fresh from the yard, and a chocolate cake that needs no eggs or butter—captures that same spirit. Here's how to bring it to your own kitchen, step by step. Recipes reprinted from The Civilian Conservation Corps Cookbook by Amy Bizzarri, The History Press 2023. Three-Pound Meatloaf This recipe by John R. Graves, a former Civilian Conservation Corps Mess Sergeant from Fall Creek Falls, Virginia, was featured in the tome Favorite Recipes of the Civilian Conservation Corps Alumni. 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Snowflake Potatoes Snowflake mashed potatoes were a regular option on menus at nicer hotels, trains, ships, and restaurants in the 1930s. Ingredients 4 pounds potatoes, boiled and mashed 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened 1 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons salt 1 tablespoon pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup chives, chopped ½ teaspoon paprika 3 tablespoons butter, melted Directions Mix potatoes, cheese, sour cream, salt, pepper, and garlic. Stir in chives. Set the mixture in a greased baking pan. Pour melted butter on top and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) until golden, about 40 minutes. Dandelion Salad Recipe During the Great Depression, dandelion greens, which are packed with nutrients and can be plucked literally from most backyards, became a valuable food source for struggling families. Choose plants growing in areas free from pesticides or pollution, such as wild fields or your own backyard. 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We tested 8 of the best kitchen knife sets, and only 3 are worth it
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We loaded our cutting board with fruit, veggies, herbs, bread, meat and cheese and chopped, diced and sliced them all to see which blades performed best. In the end, we found three winners any home chef would find to be … er … a cut above the rest. A post shared by CNN Underscored (@cnnunderscored) Zwilling J.A. Henckels Pro 7-Piece Knife Block Set We found the knives in the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Pro Seven-Piece Knife Block Set to be super sharp and durable during testing. They feature ergonomic handles that make slicing and dicing easy. We think these high-quality knives will last a lifetime and suggest you give this kitchen knife set a good look. Cuisinart Triple Rivet 15-Piece Knife Block Set This 15-piece set from Cuisinart is a well-rounded knife set that delivers extremely sharp blades right out of the box, comes with an attractive light-shaded wood block and has a budget-friendly price tag. Cutluxe Artisan Series 8-Piece Knife Block Set The sharpness of this heavy-duty set takes a slight dip compared to our top pick. Still, it's a comprehensive, durable arsenal well-suited for casual to experienced cooks starting a kitchen from scratch. If you're in the market for a set of kitchen knives that are sharp, ergonomic and able to last a lifetime, look no further than this set from Zwilling. It comes with an 8-inch chef's knife, a 4-inch paring knife, a 5.5-inch prep knife and an 8-inch bread knife, as well as shears, a sharpening steel and a 16-slot hardwood bamboo block. Each piece received excellent scores on performance and quality during our tests. One of our favorites in the set was the chef's knife, which uses a wide curved blade that allowed it to effortlessly rock back and forth to mince parsley or garlic or slice onions without lifting the blade off the cutting board between cuts. With an ultra-sharp edge, it rarely required any pressure to cut through whatever we threw at it, and we could nearly drop an entire head of lettuce right through the blade. The chef's knife is typically the most used in a home cook's block, so the fact that this was the best piece in the set shows that Zwilling understands its importance. The block also comes with a four-inch paring knife, which was bigger than most others in our testing pool. The height of the blade seemed quite significant in our hand, nearly twice the width of other paring knives. We thought it was more like a smaller chef's knife. The chunky blade, while sharp, made it hard to do things like hull a strawberry or core a tomato, and it didn't work well for removing the peel from an apple or a potato. It did, however, work better than any of the smaller paring knives in our product pool for chopping smaller foods like garlic or shallots. We did enjoy the utility knife, which sliced cheese and salami with ease, and we found that the serrated knife swiftly cut through angel food cake and a loaf of crusty French bread. Each of the knives in this set is designed with a sloped bolster so users can achieve what's called the 'professional pinch grip,' where the thumb and index finger rest on either side of the blade to provide improved control while cutting. We liked this design choice and found that it made the knives more comfortable when chopping and slicing onions and carrots, and when mincing parsley. Buying a quality set of kitchen knives doesn't mean you have to spend hundreds of dollars, and this 15-piece set from Cuisinart is the perfect example of why. Priced at $130 (but often on sale for less than $100), it offers incredible value for at-home chefs of any skill level. The fact that it also comes in a wood block that looks good on any kitchen counter is a massive plus. CNN Underscored's senior testing editor, Rick Stella, tested this set in his kitchen for several months and walked away so impressed that he heavily considered pitching it not just as the best budget pick but as the best overall kitchen knife set. That idea faded after some side-by-side comparison to the Zwilling set, but the fact remains that this is an excellent set of knives for any kind of at-home chef. What particularly stood out to Stella was just how sharp the knives were right out of the box. They were so sharp that even a small nick from the side of the chef's blade was enough to cut his finger. The cut was nothing serious, but it did prove just how honed the blades were. He also appreciated that the set came with six steak knives. These are often the first things left off many kitchen knife sets, but Stella said that it's something that comes in handy when entertaining guests. These were also quite sharp and have held up to repeated (sometimes daily) use for several months. There's also something to be said about the overall design and aesthetic. Each knife (and the shears) has a pleasant white handle with silver accents that pulls off an elevated style. To top it off, everything is housed in a beautiful light-colored wood block that would look good in almost anyone's kitchen. For those who prefer it, the set is also available in black, with the handles of the knives and shears black and the wood block sporting a black 'Cuisinart' badge. If you're shopping for a kitchen knife set that won't break the bank and also won't be an eyesore, this set from Cuisinart is what you seek. A knife set priced over $300 can be a tough ask for someone just looking to stock their kitchen with the essentials. At half that price, the Cutluxe Artisan Series Eight-Piece Knife Block Set provides a hefty starting kit that feels solid, performs well and looks more expensive than it is. It wasn't the cheapest set we tested, but it was the best bang-for-your-buck standout. Housed in a massive acacia wood block, the Cutluxe set includes a 3.5-inch paring knife, 5-inch utility knife, 5-inch serrated knife, 7-inch Santoku knife, 8-inch chef's knife, 9-inch carving knife, 10-inch serrated bread knife and a honing rod. It's a gamut of blades that never really felt lacking, as the utility knife, sized between the paring and chef's knives, made it easy to specify roles. If one thing was missing, it was a pair of shears. The Cutluxe knives are heavier and bigger than our top set from Zwilling. Take the paring knife, for example: The Cutluxe lands at 4.9 ounces on the scale, while the Zwilling weighs in at 2.9 ounces. And it's obvious just by looking at them, as the handles on the Cutluxe knives are far bulkier. The size didn't bother us during testing, though home chefs with small hands might feel like they're wielding a small sword when breaking out the carving knife. Associate testing writer Joe Bloss deployed this Cutluxe set in his kitchen for months to assess how it performed and how severely its knives dulled over time. A significant decrease in sharpness was never detected. Though they didn't slice through ingredients with the buttery smoothness of our favorite knives and more expensive options, the blades of high-carbon German steel performed well. Casual cooks are the target here; serious home chefs are likely better off reaching deeper into their budget for sharper knives. Looks weren't the primary focus of our testing, but there's no denying that Cutluxe's woodblock stands out among the pool of candidates. It's huge — 13.1 by 2.3 by 16.1 inches when filled — and makes for a countertop statement piece. If you plan on stashing it beneath a cabinet, ensure you have plenty of clearance for removing and replacing the knives. Cutluxe backs this set (and its smaller five- and seven-piece sets) with a lifetime warranty against material and workmanship defects. That confidence means something when you're shopping in this price tier. We spent several weeks testing eight kitchen knife sets, comparing each model using the same criteria, including overall performance, build quality, added accessories and warranty. We also took detailed notes on how specific knives functioned, based on everything from sharpness and materials to heft and hand feel. In some cases, we ordered two of each set so that after spending several days slicing and dicing our hearts out, we could compare the used knives' sharpness to their just-out-of-the-box twins. Here's everything we considered while testing. Performance Chef's knife: This standard tool is made to take on most of the bigger jobs in the kitchen. Its weight makes it easier to chop loads of ingredients in one go, say, for a big pot of soup or to roast a bounty of potatoes and other vegetables. We tested chopping through meat, tomatoes, onions, carrots, herbs and more, noting the knife's design, grip, weight and general feel, and then we noted the ease of drawing the blade through the various food items. Paring knife: A paring knife needs to be nimble and precise, and feel good in the hand. So, for this knife, we cored and peeled apples and tomatoes, then minced shallots and garlic to evaluate its performance and feel. Utility knife: These knives are made to take on all the random jobs that no other knife feels right for — the chef's knife is too big, the paring knife too small. Too many items to list, including tomatoes, cheddar cheese, oranges and salami, were used to test how easily this knife could live up to its name. Serrated knife: Serrated knives are made to cut through things you can't press down and through easily, like crusty baguettes, angel food cakes and cantaloupes. We looked at the ease of cutting through these difficult foods, as well as how thin we could slice something softer, such as a tomato. Build quality and design Quality: We took into account the quality of materials, including blade and handle construction. Feel: So much of handling a kitchen knife depends on how it feels in your hand, so we paid special attention to the weight of the blades and handles, maneuverability, weight distribution and ease of sliding the knives in and out of their blocks. Knuckle clearance: Not all knife handles are created equal, so we measured whether or not our knuckles or fingers hit the cutting board while chopping. General looks: Aesthetics are important, especially for utensils that will sit out on your countertop 24/7. While we realize taste is subjective, we noted our general reactions to how nice they looked. Accessories and warranty Items and their usefulness: Some sets were very simple with just a few items, while others included a full array of steak knives, shears, honing steels, boning knives, slicers and more. We looked at what was offered and how useful those items were. Limited or lifetime warranty: Stuff happens, so we noted warranty information. (Most had limited lifetime warranties.) Forged or stamped Knife blades are either forged or stamped from steel. Forged blades are hammered out of molten metal, while stamped blades are punched out of a large sheet of steel. In general, forged blades are sturdier, are easier to control and hold an edge longer. Between the handle and the blade, they have a bolster, which is a band of metal that strengthens the knife, helps to balance it and protects your hand. Forged knives have a full tang, which means the blade runs through the handle. When you use a forged knife, you can sense that the handle controls the knife. But you will find it heavier to hold, less flexible and more expensive. You may feel a stamped blade is more comfortable to hold and maneuver, especially for tasks like peeling an apple, coring a tomato or working around bones. Choose your style Western-style knives are thick and heavy, as they originated in Europe where cooks prepare a lot of root vegetables and large cuts of meat. They often have a curved blade to make it easy to rock back and forth when cutting and mincing. Asian knives, which were designed to cut fish and make precise cuts, are lighter and thinner, and have blades with a smaller angle. While they're comfortable to work with, they're more delicate and must be handled carefully. Don't even think of using one to hack through a butternut squash or the backbone of a chicken. Comfort You're the one who's going to be using the knives, so it's important that they feel comfortable in your hand, especially if you're going to be chopping and slicing large quantities in one session. Factors like the size of your hand, the type of grip you use and what food you prepare will affect your preference. When you pick up a knife, it should rest comfortably in your palm or between your fingers if you use a pinch grip. The knife should be balanced, meaning neither the handle nor the blade is heavier than the other. Pick up the knife and grip it lightly where the blade meets the handle to see if it will seesaw. A balanced knife will remain level in your hand, while an unbalanced one will teeter down on one side, indicating either the handle or the blade is heavier. A well-balanced knife reduces hand fatigue, especially when cutting a mountain of vegetables, and gives good control, which is especially important when you want to cut precisely, let's say to turn carrots into matchsticks or onions into little cubes. Safe, accessible storage A storage block that sits on your countertop is handy for keeping your knives accessible as well as protecting their blades from being dulled or nicked in a drawer or accidentally cutting you as you reach for them. However, a block eats up counter space and isn't always aesthetically pleasing, especially if it's branded with the manufacturer's name. Blocks designed so that the knife handles point toward you make it easy to grab the one you want but aren't compact. Slim blocks that sit at the back of the counter are less obtrusive but make it harder to remove a knife, as you have to lift them straight up and may have to move the block forward. If you buy knives without a block, we urge you to buy an in-drawer storage organizer like this bamboo one. Another space-saving option is to install a magnetic strip on the wall. But keep in mind that to remove a knife, you either have to lift it straight up or use some force. Don't ignore sharpening We can't say it enough: Nothing is more important than keeping your knives sharp. The most well-balanced, comfortable-to-hold, sharpest-out-of-the-box knives are useless once their blades get dull. If you aren't diligent about sharpening, it doesn't pay to spend much on a knife set. Over time, you'll feel your knives getting duller, so when they no longer easily pierce the skin of a tomato or slice through a sheet of paper, it's time to sharpen the blades. Depending on how much you use your knives, you'll need to sharpen them anywhere from once a month to once a year. We recommend you invest in a handheld, or even better, an electric sharpener that holds a blade at a fixed angle as you pull it through the mechanism, and use it regularly. You can't rely on a butcher's or honing steel to maintain your blade. Caraway 5-Piece Stainless Steel Knife Set This knife set from Caraway is a beautiful five-piece collection that feels good in hand, is incredibly sharp out of the box and comes in six stylish color options. It is a bit spendy, though, and it doesn't come with a block to store any of the knives. We've long been fans of Caraway's kitchen tools here at CNN Underscored, and the same can be said for this five-piece knife set. Though it is expensive at $275 for four knives and a pair of shears, it does prove its worth by offering sharp blades and a gorgeous design. They also perform extremely well, no matter if you're slicing tomatoes, chopping garlic or cutting up some berries. We also appreciated that the set is available in six eye-catching colors, which can match a diverse array of kitchen aesthetics (or other Caraway products if you have them). The quality is top-notch here — if you have the budget. Cutluxe 15-Piece Knife Block Set This Cutluxe 15-Piece Knife Block Set is a great alternative to the eight-piece Cutluxe Artisan Series collection above. It doesn't come with the same premium Acacia wood block (this one's walnut), but it does have more knives and costs less. Although we deemed the Cutluxe Artisan Series eight-piece set as the best kitchen knife set for beginners, this other collection from Cutluxe came in a close second. First, it's a bit less expensive, albeit the quality is not as high, especially when it comes to the wooden knife block. But if you just want to stock an empty kitchen, that's a fine trade-off. This set is durably built and the knives feel solid and weighty in hand. They proved to be ultra-sharp right after we unboxed them too, and they stayed perfectly sharp throughout testing. This set was also in the running for best budget knife set (and it was close), but since the Cuisinart block costs less, we chose that one instead. Hedley & Bennett Chef's Knife Set One of our favorite sets in terms of weight and feel, this trio of chef's knives from Hedley & Bennett is made of Japanese steel and backed by a lifetime guarantee. It nails the basics at a better price than others of the same size too. Our most recent round of testing placed a lot of knives in Bloss' kitchen. and after evaluations, these were the ones he continued to reach for most often. Ergonomic and balanced, Hedley & Bennett's lightweight blades feel almost custom-made in the hand. The weight and size are just right, and they cut through veggies, meats and breads with terrific sharpness. Hedley & Bennett's set features just three blades: a 5.5-inch paring knife, an 8.6-inch serrated bread knife and an 8-inch chef's knife. We didn't award it a winning spot because it's not as fully loaded as other sets with additional knives, but this trio is a rock-solid foundation that the solo chef will rarely need to go beyond. At this price, unfortunately, it doesn't include storage, though you can bundle the brand's magnetic stand for a final cost of $260. Brabantia Drawer Knife Block Plus Knives Encased in a flat block, this drawer-friendly set felt cheap because of its plastic grips. If the ideal weight and feel of a perfect knife inspires confidence in the kitchen, the flimsy plastic grip on this trio did the opposite in our latest round of testing. Don't get it twisted: They performed decently, cutting through bread with zero issues. But this set, which doesn't include a paring knife, felt more like a backup plan to stash away in a drawer than the kitchen staples that never take a break. Brabantia, however, does support its longevity with a five-year warranty. Schmidt Bros. Bonded Ash 7-Piece Kitchen Knife Set Blade performance is adequate with this knife set, though you're likely better off opting for one of Schmidt Bros.' more inexpensive handle materials. Schmidt Bros. has such an expansive collection of knife sets that it was hard to zero in on the best fit for our testing. We landed on this seven-piece set complete with a 4-inch paring knife, 7.5-inch santoku knife, 6-inch utility knife, 8-inch chef's knife, 8.5-inch slicer knife and 8.5-inch bread knife with a magnetic stand. The ash handles on each look handsome and feel comfortable to hold, though knuckle clearance was a bit tight during use. Ultimately, this set was only average in performance while being priced close to our top pick. It could be a better buy in other finishes at lower prices, but in this variant, you're much better off with the elite performance from Zwilling. How many knives come in a kitchen knife set? How many knives come in a kitchen knife set? Sets can consist of as few as three knives or as many as 20 pieces, including an assortment of knives, a butcher's steel, shears, steak knives and a storage block. Don't automatically assume more pieces are better, though. The bigger the set, the more room it requires in a kitchen drawer or on a countertop. What kind of knives do I really need? What kind of knives do I really need? A utility knife, which is a little longer than a paring knife, and shears are items you're likely to use often. Santokus are all-purpose knives that are nice to have, especially for slicing. But you may never use a boning knife, and we consider a sharpening steel of minimal benefit. Ultimately, consider the included tools that come in a certain set and whether or not you need them. What are high-quality kitchen knives made from? What are high-quality kitchen knives made from? Virtually all high-quality knives are made from high-carbon stainless steel. The carbon makes them easy to sharpen and helps them keep their edges while the stainless prevents discoloration and rusting. CNN Underscored thoroughly tests the products in our testing guides and provides full transparency about how we test them. We have a skilled team of writers and editors who have many years of testing experience and ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when relevant to make certain we are testing each product accurately, recommending only the best products and considering the pros and cons of each item. For this article, associate testing writer Joe Bloss, senior testing editor Rick Stella and contributing writers Lesley Kennedy and Sharon Franke put each knife set through several cutting assignments in their kitchen. You should have seen the amount of knife blocks built up in their homes. Bloss, author of this guide's most recent update, is a seasoned product tester across various categories in the home and kitchen, including coffee makers and men's razors.
New York Times
10 hours ago
- New York Times
Firefighters Know How to Cook for a Crowd. Here's the Kitchen Gear They Swear By.
Cooking isn't just a necessity for firefighters working daylong shifts — it's part of the culture. 'The two most important times of our 24-hour shift are lunch and dinner because it's the time when all eight people come around the table,' said Mitchell Harr, a lieutenant on Engine 16 of the Aurora Fire Department in Colorado. 'We eat, we talk, we counsel, we make fun of one another — that's where all the therapy within the firehouse truly happens. If you can provide a good meal, it makes the experience that much better.' Of course, feeding a firehouse crew means planning for a crowd — and then some. 'If I'm cooking for nine, then I'm making enough to feed 15 to 20,' said Ben McGraw, a Richardson Fire Department firefighter in Texas who shares easy meal inspiration on Instagram as @firehousegrub. 'The last thing you want to do is run out of something. We're firemen. I would say we eat more than the average person does.' Whether you're meal-prepping for the week or cooking for a large group, you can learn a lot from these firehouse cooks. Below are the go-to tools firefighters rely on when they're whipping up meals for the entire crew. Plus, we share some helpful tips you can use in your own kitchen. Lieutenant Mitchell Harr (left) and Kevin Albert (right), the Aurora firehouse cooks. Elissa Sanci/NYT Wirecutter To observe the inner workings of a firehouse kitchen, I visited the Aurora Fire Department, where I spoke with Harr and Kevin Albert, two firefighters responsible for most of the meals at the AFD. I watched them make dinner for the crew in the bustling commercial-grade kitchen and then sat with them around the table once they called, 'Chow's up!' One thing was immediately clear: When you're cooking several meals a day for a large group, you need tools that can stand up to constant wear and tear. In the Aurora firehouse kitchen, there's nothing quite as instrumental as a cast iron skillet. 'There's not a day they're not used,' Albert said of the AFD's fleet of Lodge cast iron skillets, which also happen to be a top pick in our guide. The Aurora Fire Department has several Lodge cast iron skillets in varying sizes. Elissa Sanci/NYT Wirecutter Cast iron skillets are workhorses and can be used to cook just about anything, including searing steaks, frying eggs, roasting vegetables, and even baking cornbread or cakes. And, as long as they're cared for properly, they can last a lifetime. And few kitchen tools are as emblematic of that tradition than the cast iron pans that have been used by generations of firefighters. 'I don't even know how old they are,' McGraw said of the cast iron skillets he uses in the Richardson firehouse kitchen. 'These same pans were being used 70, 80 years ago. And that's not even specific to my firehouse — you go to any firehouse in the country, and they're gonna have the same cast iron pans from when the station was originally [opened]. The fire service is very big on tradition.' The AFD's Lodge cast iron dutch oven in action. Elissa Sanci and Jason Toledo/NYT Wirecutter But cast iron isn't only for skillets. 'Dutch ovens are big here,' Harr said, not only because they're versatile enough to cook a variety of meals, but they're also roomy enough for large-batch cooking. On the night I visited the AFD, Harr used the kitchen's Lodge 6-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven to prepare braised short ribs, moving the Dutch oven from the stovetop to the oven to finish cooking while we talked. The Lodge 6-quart Dutch oven, the top pick in our guide to the best Dutch ovens, has short sides and a wide base, which our experts say allow steam to escape more easily than deeper-walled pots. This gives you a better sear on meat and helps to concentrate flavors during cooking. Of all the tools in the kitchen, Albert considers a reliable instant-read thermometer the most indispensable. 'It's such a game changer,' he said. 'It's like looking inside the meat.' The Aurora firehouse kitchen has a ThermoPro TP15H on hand, but Albert says he prefers to use the ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2 when he's cooking at home. The ThermoPop 2 (a Wirecutter pick) provides fast, accurate temperature readings, displayed on an easy-to-read, backlit screen. According to our guide, it's also completely waterproof and able to withstand kitchen sprays and splashes. A good chef's knife is essential in any kitchen, and keeping it in good shape is a challenge in a firehouse. 'Guys will use knives then throw them in the dishwasher, and that's how they get dull,' McGraw explained, which he said can be frustrating. (Anyone who's been on a group trip probably knows the feeling.) To get around this, the RFD has two separate sets of knives. 'We have station knives, and then we have shift knives,' McGraw said. 'The station knives are the ones that get thrown in the drawers, and, you know, they're all beat to hell. So my crew, we all threw in together and bought a set of knives for us that we keep in our food locker.' Before the crew bought a new set, one of McGraw's co-workers brought in his Topfeel 3-Piece Butcher Knife Set from home to tide them over. They liked using the knives so much that they decided to buy a set of their own to keep in the kitchen. They've used the knife set now for a year, and he says that they've held up great despite being relatively inexpensive. The knives at the AFD have also seen better days. 'We have horrible knives. Nobody knows how to take care of them,' said Harr. Albert added that hiding high-quality knives is a common practice across firehouses. In a past role at another station, he said he kept his Wüsthof Classic Ikon Chef's Knife squirreled away in his locker to keep it in tip-top shape. 'A lot of our stuff gets used so much that we get the commercial-grade stuff,' McGraw said, adding that his firehouse usually procures their wares from restaurant supply stores. 'Most of our cutting boards are the big, heavy-duty plastic cutting boards that you would see inside of a restaurant.' Plastic cutting boards are easier to clean and maintain than wooden boards, which make them the go-to in fast-paced firehouse kitchens. McGraw says the Choice White Polyethylene Cutting Board, a sturdy option sold by restaurant supply stores, is warp- and crack-resistant and can withstand heavy use. Plus, it's roomy enough to accommodate the volume of food prep necessary for feeding the Richardson firehouse crew. Harr learned to cook while on the job. When he joined the fire service in 1996, he had never cooked a meal before. On his very first shift, he found himself in the kitchen preparing dinner for eight people. Using canned vegetables and other prepackaged ingredients, he nervously threw together an enchilada casserole. 'Was it edible? Yes,' Harr said, but it wasn't necessarily good. 'I'm mortified — we would never make that today.' Almost three decades later, Harr has moved away from the bland firehouse staples that he used to keep on rotation — like boiled meat and potatoes and casseroles made with canned soups — opting for more-creative, flavorful meals made with fresh ingredients that take more time, effort, and a few extra kitchen appliances to pull off. The KitchenAid 5.5 Quart standmixer made quick work of whipping potatoes into a creamy puree. Elissa Sanci and Jason Toledo/NYT Wirecutter Though not an essential for the firehouse cooks I spoke with, a stand mixer is nice to have when they're planning to make something more adventurous. On the night I visited the AFD, they used a KitchenAid 5.5 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer to whip together creamy mashed potatoes (it's a recommendation in our guide to stand mixers). In the past, they've used the mixer to make fresh pasta and homemade bread. On the menu: Braised short ribs, mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus, and salad. Elissa Sanci/NYT Wirecutter Harr has found that a reliable rice cooker comes in handy when cooking for a crowd, too. Instead of tending to a boiling pot while juggling a number of other tasks, he can set it and forget it until it's time to eat. When preparing big batches of rice, the Aurora firehouse cooks use a Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker & Warmer, the top pick in our rice cooker guide. Though it's on the pricier side, Harr says the Nuero Fuzzy Rice Cooker is worth the cost. 'It's so consistent,' he said, adding that it makes the exact same rice every time. And, if cared for correctly, the machine can last years. 'My mom has had hers for … I don't even know how long!' The AFD Engine 16 crew sits down for dinner together every night. Elissa Sanci/NYT Wirecutter 'In our line of work, it's stressful. We see a lot of bad things,' McGraw said. Gathering around the dinner table offers the crew a chance to decompress and connect. 'It makes it that much better when it's a good meal that everyone enjoys.' Sometimes, though, dinner can be interrupted by an emergency call. 'That's the hardest thing' about cooking family dinner, Harr said. 'We try to make really good meals and we get interrupted.' When a call comes through, someone pushes an emergency button that cuts the power to the kitchen, which safely brings the cooking process to a standstill while they respond. On those nights, 'we eat a lot of cold food,' Harr said. This button cuts the power to the kitchen so the Aurora firefighters can safely respond to emergencies even if they're in the middle of cooking dinner. Elissa Sanci/NYT Wirecutter Because they're always cooking for a crowd, the firehouse cooks usually have leftovers to pack up after every meal. 'A lot of the single guys will take the leftovers home,' Harr said. 'And if it's something that I made that I like, then maybe I'll take it home.' To store all that extra food, the crew relies on durable Pyrex glass containers that can handle just about anything. Firehouse kitchens run on teamwork, tradition, and the kind of cooking that brings people together. No matter how many mouths they're feeding, these firefighters rely on tools that are tough enough to handle daily use and dependable enough to keep the crew well fed. And while their meals might occasionally go cold, the ritual of cooking and eating together always makes the effort worth it. This article was edited by Megan Beauchamp and Maxine Builder. Cooking can seem intimidating, but having the right tools makes all the difference. These 12 items are bound to give your kitchen ego a big boost. These buy-it-for-life Wirecutter picks will pass the test of time thanks to durable materials, solid construction, and generous warranties. They have one job, and they get it done! From our favorite cherry pitter to a leak-stopping peanut butter stirrer, here are the one-trick ponies we recommend.
