<ul class="summary-list"><li>Using an <keyword id="11910990" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="instant-pot" source="Orion">Instant Pot</keyword> is quicker and provides more consistent results than the stove-top method.</li><li>For perfectly cooked hard-boiled Instant Pot <keyword id="11947982" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="eggs" source="Orion">eggs</keyword>, use a simple "five-five-release" formula.</li><li>Pressure cook your eggs for five minutes, then let the pressure release for five minutes.</li></ul>It's not difficult to cook <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-long-to-boil-eggs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hard-boiled eggs</a> when you use an Instant Pot. In fact, an Instant Pot makes preparing the perennial picnic favorite nearly effortless!"The Instant Pot gives you eggs that cook and peel beautifully," says Daniel Shumski, the author of four cookbooks, including <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1523502061/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=bihk_082621_instant-pot-hard-boiled-eggs-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=1523502061&amp;linkId=d7708ef2df57572b01eb9515de018626df57572b01eb9515de018626" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">"How to Instant Pot."</a>You might want to use your Instant Pot for hard-boiled eggs for a number of reasons.<ul><li>It's a much quicker way to get hard-boiled eggs lunchbox or picnic ready, typically only taking 10 minutes to prepare.</li><li>You don't need to monitor your eggs throughout the <keyword id="11910989" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cooking" source="Orion">cooking</keyword> process - just set your timer and you can walk away with any fear of the pan boiling over. </li><li>Your hard-boiled eggs will peel better. Pressure cooking creates a moisture barrier between the egg white and the shell, which makes peeling it easier. </li><li>Your Instant Pot will cook your eggs more uniformly and consistently. </li></ul>Quick tip: If you're in the market for a new Instant Pot or multicooker, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/insider-reviews-expertise-in-product-reviews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Insider Reviews team</a> tested 10 models to find <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-pressure-cooker-instant-pot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the best ones you can buy</a>.<h2>How to use your Instant Pot to make hard-boiled eggs</h2><div type="image" title="Halved hard-boiled eggs topped with black and white sesame seeds on a slate background" height="1455" width="1940" msid="85673093" hostid="261"></div>The Instant Pot's amazing versatility means you can use the multi-function appliance to steam, <a href="https://www.insider.com/instant-pot-mashed-potatoes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pressure cook</a>, or slow cook your favorite foods and recipes. For hard-boiled eggs, the "pressure cook" function is the setting you'll be using. Some Instant Pots even have a built-in "egg" pressure cook setting.An Instant Pot is an easy way to make hard-boiled eggs by following Shumski's simple "five-five-release" cooking formula. "Essentially, you cook them for five minutes, let them sit for five minutes, and then release the pressure," he says. <ol><li>Fill the Instant Pot with water. Use one cup of water for six eggs. Place the steaming rack in the inner pot. </li><li>Place the eggs directly on a steaming rack. Space them evenly or use a silicone insert. Close and lock the lid and set the valve to "Sealing."</li><li>Set your Instant Pot. Choose the "Pressure Cook" option, select "High Pressure," and set the timer to five minutes. Press start.</li><li>Let the eggs rest. After cooking has completed, wait five minutes. This will allow the pressure to come down naturally, which will prevent your eggs from overcooking.</li><li>Release the pressure. Use a wooden spoon to turn the pressure release valve to "Venting." This will release the pressure. The round steam exhaust safety valve is positioned on the Instant Pot's lid. Some valves have a "handle," which aid in positioning.</li><li>Remove your eggs. Press "Cancel" and remove the Instant Pot lid.</li><li>Chill your eggs. Transfer your eggs to a bowl filled with cold water and ice. Allow eggs to cool in the ice water bath for five minutes to stop the cooking process, then remove.</li></ol>Quick tip: For easy removal of the finished eggs, Shumski suggests using a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WVVSBJV/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=bihk_082621_instant-pot-hard-boiled-eggs-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B07WVVSBJV&amp;linkId=32e191a01587ecf39aff33c58e1f69fb1587ecf39aff33c58e1f69fb" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">silicone</a> or <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WSRLD95/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=bihk_082621_instant-pot-hard-boiled-eggs-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B07WSRLD95&amp;linkId=82c7aedadafafac83b2368edb1e2e5bddafafac83b2368edb1e2e5bd" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">collapsible metal steamer basket</a> inside the bowl of your Instant Pot.<h2>Tips and tricks for the perfect hard-boiled eggs</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-tell-if-eggs-are-good" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Age matters</a> - old eggs are easier to peel. Select eggs that are a week or more old for hard-boiling.</li><li>To peel hard-boiled eggs, try this trick from the <a href="https://www.incredibleegg.org/recipes/easy-hard-boiled-eggs/">American Egg Board</a>: First, drain hard-boiled eggs under cold, running water to help the shell ease off. Next, gently tap the large end of the egg onto a hard surface until the shell is slightly cracked. Peel the egg, starting from the cracked end. </li><li>A green ring around the yolk means your egg was cooked too long or at too high of a temperature. This is harmless, but can be prevented by setting your Instant Pot pressure to "low" before increasing to "high" and reducing the cooking time by one minute. </li></ul><h2>How to store hard-boiled eggs</h2>Hard-boiled eggs should be stored in the refrigerator, at a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or less. Unpeeled, they'll keep for up to one week. According to the American Egg Board, peeled hard-boiled eggs should be used the same day.<h2>Insider's takeaway</h2>When you want to make hard-boiled eggs quickly, an Instant Pot is the answer. An Instant Pot creates uniformly cooked eggs that peel beautifully and, unlike the traditional stovetop method, you don't have to constantly monitor the cooking process when you use an Instant Pot. Set your Instant Pot timer to cook while you get dressed and pack some outdoor games, and both you and your eggs will be picnic-ready in no time. <a data-type="61152f2def8e79623d3ff7b5">How to make perfectly poached eggs, which isn't as hard as you think</a><a data-type="611ff264ec3f554c5268516a">How to make mashed potatoes in an Instant Pot</a><a data-type="60fb1425f1315a085968f36f">How to make foolproof rice in an Instant Pot</a><a data-type="59920009b0e0b5da098b4c57">The 4 best Instant Pots and electric pressure cookers we tested in 2021</a>

How to make hard-boiled eggs in an Instant Pot

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuHdbRWgnA8">23andMe/YouTube</a>The 23andMe DNA test is one of the top-selling items on Amazon.com on Black Friday.</div></div></div><ul><li><a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stock/amzn-quote" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Amazon</a> is responsible for nearly half of all online sales on Black Friday so far, according to estimates. </li><li>The hottest-selling items on the site include the Amazon Echo Dot and Instant Pot.</li></ul> Amazon is dominating Black Friday. The retailer has seized nearly half of all online sales on the shopping holiday so far, according to estimates by GBH Insights.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">AmazonThis Instant Pot is one of the top-selling items on Amazon.</div></div></div>Amazon hasn't released any sales figures but said Friday that customers in the US are shopping at "record levels."The company said these are the top-selling items on the website so far: the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DFKC2SO" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DFKC2SO&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1511644218670000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFoyKHroKphzrMGPpgCNO3ZaVTUMA">Amazon Echo Dot</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZV9RDKK" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZV9RDKK&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1511644218670000&amp;usg=AFQjCNF8wWyqT3e0v1PovytX3L8mbZ-S2A">Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0178IC734https:/www.amazon.com/dp/B0178IC734" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0178IC734https:/www.amazon.com/dp/B0178IC734&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1511644218670000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEZ_IOgUITlPDcgq-8VbyrSkJX9zg">TP-Link Smart Plug</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B1VC13K" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B1VC13K&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1511644218670000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEWmFlnyAkDA2mvAGBK0kZ5SsP5Mw">Instant Pot DUO80 8 Qt 7-in-1 Multi- Use Programmable Pressure Cooker</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G7PYQTM" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G7PYQTM&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1511644218670000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGzAujn6-CBLMMMSJNxIUNF9iQgIg">23andMe DNA Test</a>.The Amazon Echo Dot is a smart speaker and the Fire TV Stick allows users to stream content from Amazon, HBO, Netflix and other programs to their televisions. Both items are made by Amazon. The TP-Link Smart Plug is another Amazon product. It allows users to turn electronics on or off remotely using a tablet or smartphone. The Instant Pot is a cooking device that combines an electric pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker and more in one unit, and the 23andMe DNA Test is a genetic test. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-can-overwhelm-competition-with-brute-force-2017-10">Amazon can 'overwhelm the competition with brute force'</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

Amazon reveals its 5 top-selling items as it steals half of all online sales on Black Friday

<ul class="summary-list"><li>It takes just 10 minutes to cook silky, fluffy mashed <keyword id="6399610" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="potatoes" source="Orion">potatoes</keyword> in the <keyword id="11910990" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="instant-pot" source="Orion">Instant Pot</keyword>.</li><li>Cubing the potatoes into equal 1.5 or 2-inch cubes ensures they cook evenly.</li><li>Experiment with mix-ins and toppings to elevate the flavor of Instant Pot mashed potatoes.</li></ul>The perfect mashed potatoes are silky, luscious, and fluffy and you can quickly and easily get that magical consistency by making them in the Instant Pot. Angela Lo, author of <a href="http://www.myinstantpotlife.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">My Instant Pot Life</a> likes to use this method because it's faster than the stovetop method and requires no monitoring. "How many times have you over-boiled water or boiled a pot dry because you had to multitask and forgot all about it?" Lo asks, adding that water boiling over doesn't just create a mess. It's potentially dangerous, too. For Lo, making mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot is the way to go for a number of reasons.<ul><li>It saves time. In a pot, potatoes usually take at least 15 minutes to boil. In the Instant Pot, they cook in 10 minutes.</li><li>Requires minimal cleanup. <keyword id="11910989" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cooking" source="Orion">Cooking</keyword> mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot requires only one pot. And there's no need to worry about water boiling over, leaving a mess on your stovetop. </li><li>Requires zero monitoring. On the stovetop, boiling potatoes require your attention to keep water from boiling over. With the Instant Pot, you can focus on other meal prep tasks, which is especially helpful when you're making Thanksgiving dinner or another holiday meal that requires a lot of multitasking.</li><li>Creates perfect results every time. You don't have to worry about under or overcooked potatoes. The Instant Pot cooks potatoes to the perfect consistency for mashing. </li></ul>Quick tip: If you're in the market for a new Instant Pot or multicooker, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/insider-reviews-expertise-in-product-reviews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Insider Reviews team</a> tested 10 models to find <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-pressure-cooker-instant-pot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the best ones you can buy</a>.<h2>Ingredients</h2><div type="image" title="A close up of a pile of Yukon gold potatoes" height="1412" width="1883" msid="85501241" hostid="261"></div><ul><li>Potatoes: Lo's favorite potatoes are Yukon gold potatoes because they create a smoother texture in the end. But any yellow-fleshed potato will also work.</li><li>Water: A cup of water in the base of the Instant Pot will steam your potatoes.</li><li>Butter: Adding butter to your mashed potatoes makes them richer and silky </li><li>Cream (or milk): Adding a splash of cream to the mashed potatoes makes them "pillowy soft," according to Lo. </li><li>Salt and pepper to taste </li></ul><h2>What else you need</h2><ul><li>An Instant Pot</li><li>The Instant Pot's trivet or steam rack</li><li>Wooden spoon</li><li>Strainer</li><li>Potato masher</li></ul><h2>How to make mashed potatoes in an Instant Pot</h2><div type="image" title="A pot of cooked potatoes being mashed with a potato masher" height="1414" width="1885" msid="85501243" hostid="261"></div><ol><li>Prepare your potatoes. Leave the peels on for added texture, or peel them for a silky smooth mash. Cube the potatoes into 1.5 to 2-inch pieces. Cutting the pieces into similar sizes will ensure even cooking. </li><li>Prepare your Instant Pot. Pour water into the Instant Pot. Lo recommends at least 1 cup of water for a 6 quart Instant Pot. Make sure to salt the water so the potato cubes soak up some of that briny flavor while they cook.</li><li>Add the potatoes. Place the Instant Pot's trivet or steam rack into the bottom of your Instant Pot and set the cubed potatoes on top. </li><li>Set the cook time. Select manual high pressure and set the timer for 10 minutes. It will take a short amount of time for the device to come up to pressure. Once that happens, the timer will start to countdown. </li><li>Manually release the pressure from the Instant Pot. Using a long utensil like a kitchen spoon, gently push down the Instant Pot's steam valve. Be careful- the escaping steam will be ultra hot.</li><li>Remove the potatoes with a ladle and strain them. Remove the steamer rack or trivet with tongs, being careful not to burn yourself and dump out the remaining water. </li><li>Mash the potatoes. You can place the strained potatoes back into the Instant Pot or use a separate bowl. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter and a splash of cream (or milk), along with some salt and pepper to taste. Make sure to try the potatoes before adding salt since you've previously salted the water. If you're also using salted or half-salted butter, you might not need to add more.</li></ol>Quick tip: Don't overwork your potatoes in the mashing process or they could turn gummy. Mash them just enough to get a smooth, creamy final product.<h2>How to serve your mashed potatoes</h2><div type="image" title="A classic Thanksgiving dinner with spiced turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and green beans" height="1414" width="1885" msid="85501245" hostid="261"></div>Adding additional ingredients to your mashed potatoes isn't necessary, but it's a great way to put a spin on this classic dish. Some of Lo's favorite mix-ins for mashed potatoes include roasted garlic, grated <a href="https://www.insider.com/types-of-cheese" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aged cheddar</a>, and <a href="https://www.insider.com/bacon-in-the-oven" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crispy bacon bits</a>.She also likes to garnish her mashed potatoes with garden-grown chives to level them up. "For the ultimate side dish, add them all," Lo says.Her favorite dishes to serve alongside Instant Pot mashed potatoes include pork roast, beef pot roast, ribs, and <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-steaks-for-grilling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">barbecue sirloin steak</a>. And, of course, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without a fluffy mound of gravy-soaked mashed potatoes right next to the turkey and stuffing.You can also top your mashed potatoes with gravy, cheese, sour cream, or extra butter to elevate the flavor profile even further.Quick tip: For vegan mashed potatoes, use a vegan butter substitute and dairy-free milk or coconut milk instead of milk or cream. You can also reserve and use the potato cooking water to mash them with. Serve them with slabs of crispy marinated tofu or tempeh or a tasty bowl of Instant Pot cooked beans. <h2>Reheating and storing mashed potatoes</h2>You can make a big pot of mashed potatoes ahead of time and store them in an airtight container, but expect them to have a slightly different flavor and be less fluffy when reheated.If leftover mashed potatoes are too dry, try adding a splash of milk and a pat of butter to moisten them. "Mine never last long enough to go beyond one day," says Lo, but leftover or made-ahead mashed potatoes should last around two to three days in the fridge.<h2>Insider's takeaway</h2>Mashed potatoes are ultra-easy to make in the Instant Pot. They require no monitoring and take less than 15 minutes to prep, cook, mash, and serve. For best results, use yellow or Yukon gold potatoes and be careful not to overwork the potatoes while mashing. Gently mashing with a handheld tool will keep the mashed potatoes from turning gummy.<a data-type="60fb1425f1315a085968f36f">How to make foolproof rice in an Instant Pot</a><a data-type="610d520804eb5919e94bb2dd">How to make baked potatoes in an Instant Pot</a><a data-type="60e4892eef8e794ded7cf086">How to make perfect bacon in the oven every time</a><a data-type="59920009b0e0b5da098b4c57">The 4 best Instant Pots and electric pressure cookers we tested in 2021</a>

How to make mashed potatoes in an Instant Pot

The<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks"> Insider Picks</a> team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.<a href="http://williams-sonoma.7eer.net/c/196318/265127/4291?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.williams-sonoma.com%2Fproducts%2Finstant-pot-max%2F%3F" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Williams SonomaThe Instant Pot Max (front right), $199.95</div></div></div></a><ul class="summary-list"><li>Instant Pot has garnered a cult-like following for their pressure cookers that promise easy, delicious, healthy meals in a snap.</li><li>The brand just released their newest and most expensive model, the <a href="http://williams-sonoma.7eer.net/c/196318/265127/4291?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.williams-sonoma.com%2Fproducts%2Finstant-pot-max%2F%3F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instant Pot Max</a>, which retails for $200.</li><li>We tested out the Instant Pot Max to see how it compares to older models and if it's worth the higher price tag.</li></ul>Since moving into my tiny New York City apartment, my home-cooked meals have become a little lackluster. With just enough counter space for approximately one large cutting board, prepping lots of ingredients and dirtying lots of dishes in the name of a delicious, well-rounded meal is ultimately a hassle. Understandably, I've resorted to lots of egg scrambles, frozen meals, and excuses to order takeout.Recently overcome with the infectious "new year, new me" attitude, I've taken on some lofty goals - like saving money and eating better by cooking at home. So, when the opportunity to test out the new <a href="https://amzn.to/2SIfaKo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instant Pot Max</a> presented itself, I jumped on it- in the name of self-betterment, of course. My Insider Picks <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/worth-the-hype-instant-pot-ultra-review-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">team members rave about Instant Pots</a>, but they aren't the only ones - the brand has garnered a cult-like following for helping people make delicious meals with ease and efficiency. Given all the hype, I was excited to test one out for myself.The Instant Pot Max is the brand's newest model, boasting a few new features and a price tag that's about $50 more than the next "best" model, the <a href="https://amzn.to/2RDPn8T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instant Pot Ultra</a>.<h2>What's new about the Instant Pox Max?</h2>Like the other models, the <a href="https://amzn.to/2SIfaKo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Max</a> aims to replace many of your most commonly used kitchen appliances. On the Max specifically, the settings are: Pressure Cooker, Pressure Canner, Sous Vide, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Sauté/Searing pan, Steamer, Yogurt Maker, and Food Warmer. This breadth of uses allows you to make just about anything in the Max, from a decadent <a href="http://instantpoteats.com/instant-pot-chocolate-fudge-brownie-cake-guest-recipe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chicken risotto</a> to a fudgy <a href="http://instantpoteats.com/instant-pot-chocolate-fudge-brownie-cake-guest-recipe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chocolate cake</a>. The most noticeable of the updates is the look of the pot itself. The Max sports an LCD touchscreen, which not only makes for a sleeker display, but makes controlling the device pretty seamless as well. While older models require you to manually control the pressure release valves, the Max has an automatic pressure release valve. Users can choose how they want to release pressure (naturally or with a quick burst) on the touch screen, which is definitely an added bonus in terms of safety.More serious chefs can try their hand at canning and sous vide, two new features made possible by the heat capacity of the pot. What really stands out is the claims that the Max can seriously decrease cooking time. The Max is the first 15 psi electric pressure cooker on the market, which, in pressure cooker jargon, really just means it can come to pressure faster than previous models, which should make the whole cooking process faster.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://williams-sonoma.7eer.net/c/196318/265127/4291?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.williams-sonoma.com%2Fproducts%2Finstant-pot-max%2F%3F" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a>Williams SonomaThe new touchscreen display makes the Max even easier to control.</div></div></div><h2>My experience cooking with the Max:</h2>I'm new to pressure cookers, but I found the <a href="https://amzn.to/2SIfaKo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Max</a> extremely easy to use. To test, I settled on making pulled pork- it's something I would never attempt to make in the oven, but have heard lots of great things about making it in the Instant Pot. I threw in some white onion, a pork tenderloin rubbed with an array of spices, and lastly a few cups of Coca-Cola (it might sound weird, but I was following a recipe here). I set it to the "pressure cook" setting on high for an hour, as my recipe suggested. Within about thirty minutes, a sweet and spicy scent filled the air - and I was suddenly ravenous. During the last ten minutes of the cycle, I set the pot to QR (quick release), which, you guessed it, releases the pressure quickly.Since this was my first foray into <a href="https://amzn.to/2SIfaKo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instant Pot</a> territory, I let everything sit for an extra minute or two just to make sure all of the pressure was released. When I opened the lid, I was pleased to see the pork was cooked perfectly. My roommate and I went to pull it with two small forks, but even a slotted spoon did the trick - it was that tender. The meal was amazing, but what impressed me most was how efficient this pot made the cooking process. About 20 minutes spent prepping ingredients and 10 minutes cleaning my dirty dishes were all I needed to get enough pulled pork for a week's worth of lunches or dinners - not just for me, but for my roommate too. <h2>The verdict:</h2>My meal was delicious, the cleanup was fast and easy, and I have pulled pork leftovers for days - it's everything I wanted to get from this experience. Will I be using the <a href="https://amzn.to/2SIfaKo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Max</a> again? Yes! While it's definitely the largest cooking appliance I have, it makes batch-cooking healthy meals easy, efficient, and totally worth the space it takes up in my kitchen. But, I think many of Instant Pot's other models would have given me the same delicious results.If you want to expand your cooking repertoire and experiment with canning and sous vide cooking, then the Max might be for you. If your current pot is a little out of date, or you like having the newest gadgets, you'll appreciate the shiny, new features on the Max. On the other hand, if you're trying to save some money, you don't have to spend $200 to experience the benefits of pressure cooking - you can frequently find older Instant Pot models on sale, sometimes even for less than $100. I think an Instant Pot is a worthy investment and the breadth of models can help you pick the right one for your budget and lifestyle. For now, I'll be brainstorming what I'm going to whip up next. <h3>Shop the Instant Pot Max, $200, available at <a href="https://amzn.to/2SIfaKo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> and <a href="http://williams-sonoma.7eer.net/c/196318/265127/4291?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.williams-sonoma.com%2Fproducts%2Finstant-pot-max%2F%3F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Williams Sonoma</a>.</h3><figure id="img-574654" contenteditable="false" data-type="img" data-e2e-name="image-figure-image" data-media-container="image"><a href="https://amzn.to/2pXaAN1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a></figure> <a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/ci/insider-picks">Subscribe to our newsletter.</a> Find all the best offers at our <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/">Coupons page</a>. Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks">Insider Picks</a> team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently 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 sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.

The newest Instant Pot is $200 - we tested it out to see if the price increase is worth it

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Xiaomi on Wednesday launched its first Windows 10 laptop, the <a href="http://www.mi.com/mibookair/" target="_blank">Mi Notebook Air</a>.Also known as the "Apple of China," Xiaomi has raised its profile in recent years on the back of affordable smartphones, branching out into everything from <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/xiaomi-mi-band-2-fitness-tracker-wearable-value-2016-6" target="_blank">fitness trackers</a> and <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/xiaomi-unveils-streaming-media-device-for-the-us-2016-5" target="_blank">media streamers</a> to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/xiaomi-announces-electric-bike-2016-6" target="_blank">electric bicycles</a> and <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/xiaomi-rice-cooker-2016-3" target="_blank">rice cookers</a> in recent months.Now, it's venturing into a consumer PC market that's still <a href="http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS41584116" target="_blank">largely in decline</a> across the globe, its native China included.That said, on the surface, the Mi Notebook does look like a slim, stylish, and solidly powerful Ultrabook at a relatively affordable price. Let's take a closer look.

The 'Apple of China' just launched a gorgeous and affordable MacBook Air competitor

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Xiaomi will begin selling its <a href="http://www.mi.com/en/mibox/">Mi Box media streamer</a> in the US "as soon as next month," <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2016/09/06/xiaomi-mi-box-launch/">according to a new TechCrunch report</a>. Citing "a source inside Xiaomi," the report claims the Mi Box, which runs the Android TV operating system, will be made available in the early part of the Q4 2016, and that it'll cost less than $100.The Mi Box was first <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/everything-google-announced-at-io-keynote">unveiled at Google I/O</a> this past May, where Xiaomi noted it was "working closely with Google" on a US launch. <a href="http://www.mi.com/en/mibox/#specs">Xiaomi's specs page</a> notes the little black box will use Android 6.0 Marshmallow, support 4K (at up to 60 frames per second) and (eventually) <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-hdr-tv-should-i-buy-2016-8">HDR10 video</a>, and run on a quad-core ARM processor with 2GB of RAM and 8GB of expandable storage.Though Android TV generally lags behind other streaming platforms in terms of app support, all of that could make the Mi Box a fairly competitive package for less than $100. Current 4K set-top boxes like the Roku 4, Nvidia Shield, and Amazon Fire TV normally sell for $100 or more, while the $150 Apple TV maxes out at 1080p. For the unfamiliar, Xiaomi <a href="http://ww.businessinsider.com/the-20-billion-club-meet-the-5-most-valuable-startups-in-the-world-2015-6">rose to prominence</a> in its native country by selling affordable yet high-quality smartphones. It cultivated enough popularity to be dubbed China's response to Apple, and by 2014 was considered the <a href="http://ww.businessinsider.com/the-20-billion-club-meet-the-5-most-valuable-startups-in-the-world-2015-6">most valuable tech startup in the world</a>.Xiaomi's phone business has <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/xiaomi-china-smartphone-sales-plummet-q2-2016-idc-research-2016-8">cooled significantly</a> since then, but the company has branched out into other categories such as <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/xiaomi-mi-notebook-air-announced-macbook-air-rival-2016-7">laptops</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/xiaomi-mi-band-2-fitness-tracker-wearable-value-2016-6">fitness trackers</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/xiaomi-announces-electric-bike-2016-6">electric bicycles</a>, and even <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/xiaomi-rice-cooker-2016-3">rice cookers</a>.All of this has occurred away from Western markets - currently, the company only sells a handful of headphones and USB battery packs in its <a href="http://www.mi.com/en/store/">US online store</a>. The Mi Box isn't likely to put Xiaomi on America's radar the way a good phone might, but it would be the furthest it's stuck its toes in the West's water.

The 'Apple of China' may release its affordable Apple TV competitor in the US very soon

Every technology company wants to be the brain at the center of our futuristic automated homes. Mastering this technology will mean great control, from automatically recording a TV show to remotely unlocking the front door all through an app, to start with. 
 This technology is seeing great traction recently, especially after <keyword id="6354427" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Apple">Apple</keyword> Home, <keyword id="2586591" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="amazon-echo">Amazon Echo</keyword>, and <keyword id="6355629" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google">Google</keyword> Home have started seeing a great number of queries with people actively buying Amazon Echo speakers and people enquiring about if home Apple Home can work for them. 
 
The smartphone is still the center of a person’s daily life, and that makes smartphone-based home automation approaches like Apple’s and Google’s the better bet. 
 Towards that Smart Home vision, an <keyword id="1967280" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="IoT">IOT</keyword> <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Back2Basics-is-an-organic-food-startup-that-wants-you-to-eat-the-most-sustainable-and-the-healthiest-produce-available/articleshow/54407604.cms">startup</a> called <keyword id="3520972" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Oakter">Oakter</keyword> is making waves with already 10, 000 customers in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Practos-Shashank-ND-says-technology-startups-can-solve-the-countrys-biggest-healthcare-challenges/articleshow/54404481.cms">India</a>. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Delivery-technology-from-drones-to-bots-what-will-deliver-your-e-commerce-packages-in-the-future/articleshow/54044952.cms">ALSO READ - From Drones To Bots- What Will Deliver Your Future?</a> 
 

	Oakter is an IOT product for home internet enabled home automation solutions that simplify life- by giving you the option of controlling your home appliances just by adding a small add-on plug to the electrical socket. 
	 
	
		The Oakter smart-kit consists of a hub, smart plug, plugged in sensors and a mobile app. The mobile app smartens the existing appliances including water motor, air conditioners, geysers, rice cooker, coffee machine, printer, fans, and refrigerator or anything that you want. 
		 
		
			The hub takes up just 10 MB data per month to smarten your home. 
			 The best part? The price. The high-end model currently just costs Rs. 9750 with one year warranty and is available on <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword> and Amazon. 
				 
				
					Oakter has also come up with a Wi-Fi enable door lock which unlike the plug system, has to be installed on your door which means that up to Five family members can operate the lock using their respective mobile apps. You can even give temporary access to guests while also tracking the keyless unlocking real-time all for Rs. 7450 including installation. 
					 We are far away from the <keyword id="2511108" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jetson">Jetson</keyword>’s vision of a Smart Home but we seem to be getting there! 
						 
						Watch a customer talking about it here-

You Can Now Switch On/Off Your AC And Open Your Home-lock With One Mobile App!

Xiaomi has launched its first virtual reality headset, the Mi VR Play.The Chinese tech firm describes the device as "an entry-level product that seeks to bring the VR experience to a much wider audience." In other words, it's much more Google Cardboard than&#xa0;<a href="http://www.techinsider.io/oculus-rift-review-2016-3" target="_blank">Oculus Rift</a>, or even <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/samsung-gear-vr-review-2016-1" target="_blank">Samsung's Oculus-supported Gear VR</a>.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Xiaomi says the Mi VR Play works with smartphones ranging from 4.7 to 5.7 inches. It's composed of a Lycra fabric material, and uses a zip-up compartment to hold your phone in place.Xiaomi also wants to set the headset apart by selling it in a handful of colors in designs. Those go from basic black, to denim, to more flamboyant floral and leopard prints.Alongside the hardware is a Mi VR app, an "open platform" that currently has content from Conde Nast and YouKu (which is effectively China's version of YouTube). Think&#xa0;more "video clips" than "full-scale games."&#xa0;Xiaomi also tells us the&#xa0;headset will not be compatible with <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/google-announces-daydream-vr-platform-2016-5" target="_blank">Google's new Daydream platform</a>.As is often the case with Xiaomi, the headset is limited to China at the moment, and is available for cheap. It isn't fully available though - currently, Xiaomi's only giving the Mi VR Play to a few thousand beta testers. Those testers can grab it for 1 RMB, which translates to about $0.15.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>The headset will likely cost a little more than that when it arrives en masse, but Xiaomi&#xa0;isn't&#xa0;giving specifics for the time being.&#xa0;Likewise, a Xiaomi&#xa0;rep says the company has no information about overseas availability just yet.Xiaomi, once dubbed the 'Apple of China' by some onlookers, has&#xa0;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/xiaomis-revenues-flat-in-2015-report-2016-5?_ga=1.142233714.1555795297.1438087755" target="_blank">fallen short of its ambitious expectations</a>&#xa0;in recent months, but has branched out into a number of new markets in that time. After building its name on the back of affordable smartphones, it's gone everywhere from&#xa0;<a href="http://www.techinsider.io/xiaomi-mi-notebook-air-announced-macbook-air-rival-2016-7" target="_blank">laptops</a>&#xa0;and&#xa0;<a href="http://www.techinsider.io/xiaomi-unveils-streaming-media-device-for-the-us-2016-5" target="_blank">media streamers</a>&#xa0;to&#xa0;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/xiaomi-announces-electric-bike-2016-6?_ga=1.179384548.1555795297.1438087755" target="_blank">electric bicycles</a>&#xa0;and&#xa0;<a href="http://www.techinsider.io/xiaomi-rice-cooker-2016-3" target="_blank">rice cookers</a>.Now, it's hoping to bring its usual aggressive pricing to VR. That could be trickier here, given that cheap VR is typically very basic, but there does appear to be interest in the Mi VR Play either way - Xiaomi says its beta program received a million registrants in eight hours earlier this month. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-iphone-7-boring-different-from-6s-2016-5">Sorry Apple fans - the iPhone 7 is going to be boring</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="p3NGxtMzE6KnPx3Gi2rooC517XpgDrFR" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

The 'Apple of China' just launched its first VR headset - and it comes in leopard print

This is the second in a series of articles analysing the impact of 5G mobile technology on people's everyday lives. In Hangzhou, capital of eastern China's Zhejiang province and one of the country's major technology hubs, evidence of the city's smart infrastructure can be gleaned from how its public services function. Police officers are notified of major car accidents soon after they happen, traffic lights automatically adjust to changes in the volume of vehicles on the road, and in emergencies, fire trucks and ambulances are not stopped by a single red light until they arrive at the scene. Those advances are enabled by Hangzhou's City Brain project, a cloud computing and artificial intelligence-driven urban traffic-management system. It covers a total area of 420 square kilometres, which is about the size of seven Manhattans - referring to the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. When 5G mobile services start to roll out worldwide from next year, smart cities such as Hangzhou are expected to get smarter as the next-generation wireless technology helps industries realise the full potential of the internet of things (IoT). "From 2G to 3G to 4G, all of them serve people," said Cui Kai, a Beijing-based IoT analyst with technology research firm IDC. "But 5G, from the beginning of its infrastructure design, has the internet of things in mind." IoT envisions a self-configuring, adaptive and complex network that interconnects physical objects, each containing embedded technology to communicate, gather data and interact with mobile applications or other networks. The stakes are high for industries around the world, as global spending on IoT is forecast to exceed US$1 trillion in 2022, up from an estimated US$745 billion this year, according to IDC. It said adoption of IoT was happening across industries, in governments and in consumers' daily lives. Data generated by connected devices is now helping companies run more efficiently and gain insight into business processes, while consumers' access to data is changing how they are informed about the status of households, vehicles and family members, as well as their own health and fitness. "The next chapter of IoT is just beginning, as we see a shift from digitally enabling the physical to automating and augmenting the human experience with a connected world," said Carrie MacGillivray, vice-president for IoT and mobility at IDC, in a recent report. That shift is likely to become apparent as 5G networks are rolled out around the world. With peak data rates up to 20 times faster than 4G, 5G will serve as "the connective tissue" for IoT, autonomous cars, smart cities and new mobile applications - providing the backbone for the industrial internet, according to a Deloitte report. On the consumer side, 5G smartphone users will be able to send high-resolution 4K video within a few seconds, and both video games and apps based on augmented and virtual reality technologies will be seamless. The 5G networks will also be able to support the growing number of connected devices globally, from fitness-tracking watches to internet-linked televisions and smart speakers at home. The International Telecommunications Union, the United Nations agency overseeing development of the "IMT 2020" global standard for 5G, said the new wireless technology would support 1 million connected devices per square kilometre; 1 millisecond latency (representing the nearly instant time a packet of data takes to get from one point to another); greater efficiency in terms of power and use of radio spectrum; and a peak data download rate of up to 20 gigabits per second. <a href="https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3006582/power-change-world-heres-why-us-and-china-are-fighting-over-our-5g">With the power to change the world, here's why the US and China are fighting over our 5G future</a> The agency works in tandem with the 3rd Generation Partnership Project, an international collaboration of seven telecoms standard development organisations, which has approved the much-anticipated global technology specifications for 5G. That has kicked off work on initial deployments this year by some of the world's largest telecoms network operators. At the crux of many IoT applications is latency. For a YouTube viewer, it means the delay between clicking the play button and the moment when the video starts streaming. 5G networks will provide better latency than the average 50 milliseconds on 4G networks, enabling IoT applications that require near instantaneous data transmission such as remote surgery. In March, China conducted its first remote surgery using robots with the support of a 5G network deployed by telecoms operator China Mobile and supplied by Huawei Technologies, according to state media. During the three-hour procedure, a surgeon implanted a neurostimulator device into the brain of a Parkinson's disease patient in Beijing with the aid of robotic arms, which were remotely controlled about 3,000km away. Remote surgeries are widely expected to enable more doctors to help their colleagues at smaller institutions or in disaster areas. Low latency is also key to the smooth operation of autonomous vehicles. Sensors in a self-driving car gather information - from road conditions and nearby obstacles to traffic accidents along the way - and send the data to the car's on-board computer or to a cloud computing platform to make instant decisions. Seamless machine-to-machine communication would also be an important asset in military operations. A group of soldiers, for example, can wear smart wristwatches to know each other's location and vital signs as they operate in a tropical forest, for example, where satellite communications do not work. While 4G now allows up to 100 devices to talk with each other simultaneously within a radius of 500 meters, 5G can handle a lot more devices using the same communications protocol, according to Wilson Chow, a telecoms analyst with PwC China. <a href="https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/2189069/chinas-tech-moguls-bet-5g-help-lift-economy-amid-increased-security">China's tech moguls bet on 5G to help lift economy amid increased security scrutiny in the West</a> 5G's ability to handle massive amounts of data in ultra-fast speed also comes to play in industrial manufacturing and supply chains. While robots have already taken over the assembly lines in car assembly plants, 5G will allow someone sitting at headquarters to monitor the operations of dozens of factories in different cities in real time. That would be made possible by chips installed in fast-moving machinery, such as robotic arms and conveyor belts. In February, Swedish telecoms equipment maker Ericsson and China Unicom unveiled their 5G-powered <keyword id="24019" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="automation">automation</keyword> project at the Port of Qingdao in the eastern coastal province of Shandong. The initiative aims to slash 70 per cent of labour costs in one of the world's busiest container terminals. "In the future, manufacturing plants and retailers can achieve efficiency with improved workflows because every data point will be gathered, processed and analysed in real time," said Chow. For consumers, 5G is expected to broaden the use of smart home devices like voice-activated speakers and other advanced internet-linked appliances. The <keyword id="35145" type="DOMAIN" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-market">global market</keyword> for smart electric household appliances, for example, is projected to reach 1.5 billion units by 2020 when commercial 5G networks are online, according to data from analytics firm Dun &amp; Bradstreet. Such a trend will help grow the number of so-called smart homes to about 300 million worldwide by 2022, according to an estimate by ABI Research. <a href="https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3004743/us-catches-china-5g-readiness-race-heats-ultra-fast-mobile-networks">US catches up with China in 5G readiness as race heats up for ultra-fast mobile networks</a> Technology giants like Amazon.com, Google, Apple and China's Xiaomi Corp have already ratcheted up their efforts to churn out more smart devices, including speakers, vacuum cleaners and rice cookers, remotely controlled via smartphone apps or voice assistants. With 5G, uniform network connectivity and even energy savings would be realised as these devices are linked to the internet. "Previously, you needed to think about how much data you could send between devices and the cloud," said Werner Vogels, chief technology officer at Amazon, in an interview last month. "With 5G, companies will no longer be constrained. Every device, even your clock on the wall, could become internet connected." In China, which has the world's biggest internet population and largest smartphone market, the benefits of IoT adoption are expected to become widespread as 5G data consumption is encouraged by the government and telecoms operators, according to PwC's Chow. That would help take Hangzhou's City Brain, a project backed by e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding, to the next level. Alibaba is the parent company of the South China Morning Post. With 5G networks, Hangzhou's City Brain will be able to process greater amounts of data gathered from a range of IoT units, including lamp posts, manhole covers and electricity meters. The advanced mobile infrastructure would enable sensors to be deployed in underground pipes to find water leakage. "Every asset can be connected through the internet," said IDC's Cui. "The key question is what's the value of getting more data." <a href="https://www.scmp.com/tech/enterprises/article/2168665/made-china-2025-5g-offers-worlds-biggest-mobile-market-chance-seize">'Made in China 2025': How 5G could put China in charge of the wireless backbone and ahead of the pack</a> Still, more smart data-gathering systems mean increased security concerns. Under Chinese laws, internet companies operating in the country are required to store user data at local servers - and allow authorities to inspect those assets when deemed necessary. China has an estimated 200 million surveillance cameras, which amounts to about one camera for every seven people. The combination of 5G and IoT resources could turn a smart electricity meter into a real-time surveillance tool to tell whether someone is at home or not. "You can imagine after 5G is rolled out, China would like to make the whole country a smart country," said PwC's Chow. Additional reporting by Zen Soo This article originally appeared on the <a href="http://www.scmp.com">South China Morning Post (SCMP)</a>, the leading news media reporting on China and Asia. For more stories, please download our <a href="https://go.onelink.me/3586748601?pid=3rdpartycontentexchange">mobile app</a>, follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/scmpnews">Twitter</a>, and like us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/scmp">Facebook</a>.

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