Kate McKinnon's multi-cooker makes meal prep easy

(Image credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic via GettyImages)

published 20 February 2025

Turning great results in the kitchen comes down to having the right tools. If you are new to cooking, or just don't have a lot of time, it can be difficult to know where to start. Luckily, Kate McKinnon's Instant Pot Duo Plus does it all in record time.

She explained her love for her instant pot in an interview with The Strategist. McKinnon stated: 'I don’t actually know how to use an Instant Pot [available from Amazon], but this one is an Instant Pot and pressure cooker. I make a pot of beans at the beginning of every week. I’m really coming across as like, wow, something else.'

The comedian loves the Instant Pot Duo Plus because of how quickly, and well, it cooks. She explains: 'I make a big pot of beans, and I was distressed that they were taking so long on the stovetop and that I was going through so much propane, so much energy to cook these beans. So, I sprung for this pressure cooker, which will get her done in 30 minutes. And they’re perfect, and I think it’s a wonderful invention.' It has nine different capabilities, to cook your food exactly how you want.

Stainless Steel

Instant Pot Duo Plus

This iconic appliance does it all: pressure cooking, slow cooking, rice cooking, yogurt making, steamer, and more. It's intuitive and easy to use, making it a go-to-option for those who are challenged in their kitchen and want to upgrade their kitchen game.

McKinnon's simple bean meal is an easy way to master your meal prep. She explains: 'I start with dried beans and soak them overnight. You don’t have to, not with the Instant Pot, but it improves the texture. Then I pop them in there with water to cover, press a button, come back an hour later, and there are your beans for the week.'

Editor's Picks for Best Multi-Cookers

13 in 1 capability

Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid

According to our Instant Pot Duo Crisp review, this is the best Instant Pot you can buy, period. With 13 cooking functions and an automatic pressure release, it can really do it all. The only downside is that the cooking pot isn't non-stick.

CUSTOMIZABLE COOKING PROGRAMS

Pro Crisp

The Pro Crisp is a true do-it-all option. Our Instant Pot Pro Crisp review ranks it 5 out of 5 stars. It's packed with modern features and has plenty of neat, versatile features. It's the brand's biggest and most expensive option though.

STEAMCRISP TECHNOLOGY

Ninja Foodi 14-in-1

If you like the Instant Pot style but want to try another brand, we love the Ninja Foodi. It works with just one lid and comes with fourteen functions. Pre-heating it is slow but worth the wait. Our Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 review ranks it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Cooking doesn't have to be difficult, and Kate McKinnon is here to prove it. With the best multi-cooker, you can accomplish everything you want to make with one easy-to-use appliance.

Sophie is a writer and News Editor on the Celebrity Style team at Homes & Gardens. She is fascinated by the intersection of design and popular culture and is particularly passionate about researching trends and interior history. She is an avid pop culture fan and has interviewed Martha Stewart and Hillary Duff.

In her free time, Sophie freelances on design news for Westport Magazine and Livingetc. She also has a newsletter, My Friend's Art, in which she covers music, culture, and fine art through a personal lens. Her fiction has appeared in Love & Squalor and The Isis Magazine.

Before joining Future, Sophie worked in editorial at Fig Linens and Home, a boutique luxury linens brand. She has an MSc from Oxford University and a BA in Creative Writing and Sociology from Sarah Lawrence College.

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