Cosori sent me their COSORI Premium 8-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker and I wanted to REALLY put it through my test kitchen and throw just about everything at it to see how it stacks up in comparison to The Instant Pot. I discovered that it may be possible to product test something to death.
What Do You Get?
You can of course watch my unboxing video to see exactly what comes with this particular Cosori pressure cooker.
You get the pressure cooker, spatula, ladle, measuring cup, a water collection cup (which I have never used)…
The steamer rack, glass lid and an extra sealing ring.
Product Testing Commences
I began quite ambitiously with learning how to make a soft boiled egg and how to make Homemade Shoyu Ramen in the pressure cooker. I was not new to pressure cooking and wanted to start strong with something completely new to me and the pressure cooker did great.
I did get confused because there is only one direction you should turn the release valve to remove pressure from the cooker but overall, it seemed pretty straight forward. There is also a red float valve that tells you when pressure has been normalized which my Instant Pot does not have.
Iced Tea
Then I turned to other recipes I had already put through my Instant Pot so I could compare like my lemon-infused pressure cooker iced tea.
In fact I found it easier to figure out how to adjust the pressure of the pressure cooker with the Cosori.
Hard Boiled Eggs
Next I made easy-to-peel pressure cooker hard boiled eggs and they worked like a dream too.
Steam Away!
I absolutely love the steamer rack and prefer it to the Instant Pot’s weird triangular rack that never really impressed me. I always ended up using my own steamer basket but with the Cosori‘s I used theirs all the time.
I tried some of its programmed settings for steaming vegetables and it totally over-cooked my veggies.
Rice! Rice! Baby…
It cooked rice, even the smallest amounts, really well.
Sometimes I do not want a whole heck of a lot of rice. That said, it cooks large batches of rice very quickly and beautifully. I even did a rice pilau in it and…
Quinoa! I know, what was I thinking? It was actually for Greta’s Yum & Yummer Meatloaf. More on that coming soon.
Perhaps that is when I pushed it too far.
Cosori Loses Its Foodie Mind
It was around this time of the product testing process that my Cosori started to go crazy. I was sitting trying to watch TV with Reg when it started to beep. Not at the right time and it would not shut the hell up. I gave it some time and it just started going bonkers. I went in and it kept going from C to F, beeping each time.
Reg looked up in the troubleshooting part of the manual and suggested I press the – and the + button at the same time to choose between Celsius and Fahrenheit. Did not work. It got so annoying I unplugged the damn thing.
Testing Resumes
The beeping did not stop the next time I used it. In fact, at first, it got worse. The machine was still working correctly but the beeping was driving me crazy!
Popcorn
The machine would remain quiet on the sauté setting (what a relief) so I got out the cool glass lid and tried to make popcorn as instructed in the cookbook that came with the machine.
Three attempts and very little popcorn ever popped. It was a great idea in theory but because the heating element is in the middle of the pot, most of the kernels refused to pop. Annoying! I am sticking with my stovetop method. Works every time.
Pumpkin Bread Pudding
I attempted to make their recipe for bread pudding but also ran into a few issues. I was all prepared to endure the beeping when I realized I needed to find a 2-quart bowl that would fit in the pressure cooker to make it. Umm… What eight cup bowl was going to fit into this thing? None that I had! So I got out my mini springform pan and decided to make half the recipe instead.
The recipe said add 3 cups of water, the steam rack and then the bowl. Ummm…. The steam rack has this big post on it?! Was I supposed to unscrew it?
The weird trivet from the Instant Pot saved the day. I was NOT going to mess around with that awesome steam rack.
The bread pudding was very good but was more of a steamed pudding. The psycho beeping started about 15 minutes in and I was so sad. I said, “Cosori, you were doing so well!!!” Thankfully the beeping seems to have subsided a little and when the company heard about my problem they sent me a brand new one ASAP. Talk about excellent customer service.
Foodie Conclusion
Cosori was so generous to send me one of their pressure cookers in the first place, hold a giveaway for one of my foodie friends and send me a brand new one when mine started to act weird. You know what Instant Pot has done for me? Nothing! My aunt bought it for me as a gift and I do not think the Instant Pot has ever acknowledged my existence online in any way shape or form despite how many posts I have done.
That said… I never have had any problems with it at all over the last four years.
This puts me in such a horrible spot! In so many ways I think the Cosori pressure cooker is superior and I love that they included an extra sealing ring, a glass lid (perfect for heating up leftovers) and their steam rack (unless you are baking). Despite having this weird electrical issue the pressure cooker still works fantastically and even seems to be calming down a bit and beeping less.
I do not think I have ever had a more challenging product to review ever. Taking into account the excellent customer service, their immediate call to action when something did go wrong and the fact that, well, something did go VERY wrong… I give this product four out of five wooden spoons. If it had not been for that psychotic beeping it would have gotten a five out of five (just don’t make popcorn with it) because it worked so well and has so much more going for it than the Instant Pot I personally have.
There is no doubt in my mind that pressure cooking is here to stay. I highly recommend purchasing the Cosori pressure cooker for yourself, your friends and/or your family for the holidays.
Wow, Suzie, you really gave this pressure cooker a run! I am so impressed wit how much you have done to test it out. Cosori seems to have been doing great when it comes to customer service too. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Thanks Jamie! I gave this one my all. I really wanted to do the product justice, I am glad it shows. Yes, their customer service was absolutely incredible. My pleasure! Thanks for checking it out. 🙂
Hi. How were you sure the pressure valve was closed (besides being in locked position) on the Cosori?
The hissing eventually stopped. When it just keeps going and going I know that the valve is not in the right position. If it goes too long, there might not be enough water to do the cooking too so it’s important for it to stop after a little while. I hope that helps!
Good golly. You’re a tough cookie. Great job on doing such work. I agree, pressure cooking is here to stay. What I love, is how much fun you folks have with it. Doug has this model, your old one and the newer IP. Fun to see what you guys both make.
Cheers and boogie boogie.
PS: Wonder what the next Big Thing in cookery fun, will be?
Thank you THW!!! I worked my butt off for this one. I love that there appears to be no end to coming up with ideas on what to do with a pressure cooker. Lots of fun. Ah! I have been in talks with someone on Dragons’ Den about a very cool foodie tool I hope to test in the new year! So much fun…
I found you after looking for reviews on the Cosori as I am trying to decide which pressure cooker to buy. I just had a couple questions. Did you you try popcorn in the Intapot brand too? Also, I think I saw that the Cosori comes with the glass lid and can double as a slow cooker. Did you try that out? Thanks for your review but I’m still on the fence.
No, I did not try making popcorn in the Instant Pot. I did not see that as an option in the cookbook they included with it (from my memory) so I never considered it. Plus, my Instant Pot does not have a glass lid like my Cosori does. It does fit the Instant Pot but I think the issue of the slightly curved bottom would probably produce the same results. I have not tried the slow cooker option with the Cosori yet but yes, it does have a class lid and works great for reheating food. It’s a tough call, I know. I love having the steamer and the glass lid and if push came to shove, I probably would take the Cosori over the Instant Pot but that’s just me. I hope you can figure it out and have success with whichever one you buy.
I use a pressure cooker pretty frequently, and I was super excited when I saw this electric version. I will buy soon Electric Pressure Cooker.
Noman, electric pressure cookers rock! So easy to use, you can just leave them to do their things as oppose to stovetop ones. You’re going to love it!
I have this model and love it! Honestly, I chose it based strictly on price, although the price has increased since I bought it in February, 2018. I recently bought my daughter a 6 qt. Instant Pot Duo. I attempted to show her how to use it, and while I was able to help somewhat, there were enough differences we had to constantly refer to the owner’s manual. After that little adventure was when I realized I really did prefer the Cosori. And I’ve not had any issues with it. I’ve used it nearly everyday since it was purchased, sometimes two or even three times a day! I would absolutely recommend it.
Dianna, thank you so much for letting me know that you have had lots of success with the Cosori and that you actually prefer it over the Instant Pot! So glad you haven’t had any issues with it and use it all the time. That is awesome.
Thanks for the review. I have been using a stovetop pressure cooker for a few years. Great for stock, and beans of all sorts, etc. I have been on the fence on the electric models mostly out of worry that the electronics goes bonkers and you end up with a door stop. But the convenience… We have pretty much decided we need a second “slow cooker” for thanksgiving so that might be the straw to get this. All the (non idiot) negative reviews on Amazon seem to be about mechanical/ electronic issues. A bit higher than instapot, but some are for earlier versions.
The “next” tool is I think the Sous Vide circulators. If you haven’t tried one they are fantastic, at what they do well.
I just received both Cosori 8 quarts pressure cookers and only received one each sealing ring. Looking on line it appears there should be two (2) sealing rings per unit. How to I get the missing rings?
Did they say a second ring would be included in the set? If so, contact who you bought it from and say that the purchase was incomplete. If that doesn’t work and you want to buy a ring, they are available for a pretty good price on amazon.
My dogs are terrified of the pressure cooker. Any way I can turn the sound off and stop the beeping?
Thanks
You can just cancel it right before it is ready to go off Tiffany or unplug it. If the steam sound scares them too (poor little guys!) then let it to a slow natural release. I hope that helps!
This cosori pressure cooker is perfect for making any type of dish with ease. The Cosori pressure cooker is made with durable materials and is easy to use. It has a 5 star rating on Amazon, and many customers are happy with their purchase.
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Cosori Pressure Cooker is a professional pressure cooker that has been designed with professionals in mind. It is perfect for professional chefs and cooks who need a durable and reliable pressure cooker. This pressure cooker is easy to use and has a variety of features that make it perfect for your needs.
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