I was an Instant Pot hater. The countertop multicooker, beloved by hordes for its speedy pressure-cooking abilities, felt to me like yet another bulky appliance I didn’t need and didn’t have room for.

Multicookers, such as the Instant Pot, can produce tender short ribs in a small fraction of the time required for traditional cooking methods. I was an Instant Pot hater. The countertop multicooker, ...