Cookware, blenders, pressure cookers, and appliances tested by Le Cordon Bleu chefs.
After 4 months of testing, the Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 is the multicooker I now reach for first when I want one appliance to do pressure-cook plus crispy finish. The pressure side reaches working pressure in 8 minutes (matching the Instant Pot Duo Plus), and the SearCrisp Lid produces genuinely crispy chicken thighs with no oil splatter on the counter. At $199, it's a fair upgrade over a standard Instant Pot if you actually want the air-fryer function — and a waste of money if you don't.
After 9 months and 320 hours of testing, the Vitamix A3500 is the only blender I'd buy myself — and I've cooked professionally for 14 years. It made the smoothest smoothies in our blind taste test (97 microns average particle size), heated soup to a steaming 165°F using only friction, and the wireless-connect lid lets the same machine do both. The 10-year warranty isn't marketing — Vitamix actually honors it.