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I tried the new portable electric pot from Selena Gomez's beloved Our Place
Ideal for dorms, campers and hotels, this travel-friendly appliance lets you sear, steam and more without a stove.
I'll admit, I'm a sucker for pretty appliances. No, they can't be all form and no function — I used to bake professionally, after all, so quality is still number one. But there's something about using a colorful piece of cookware that makes being in the kitchen a wee bit more enjoyable. For that reason, I've acquired quite a few pieces from Our Place, a celeb-beloved brand (Selena Gomez has been a collaborator) that knocks it out of the park as far as aesthetics are concerned.
I cook with their Perfect Pot and Always Pan (or, "the kitchen magician," according to Oprah) almost every night, so when I heard they were releasing a new product — the Perfect Power Pot — I was intrigued. It's essentially an electric cooker/steamer combo that allows you to prepare hot meals without the need for a stove or oven. I was able to get my hands on one when it first debuted, so keep scrolling to see if it stacks up to the other pieces in my collection.
Sear, steam, boil and more — minus the stove.
- Compact, plug-in design makes it ideal for dorms, hotels and RVs
- Nonstick coating is made without "forever chemicals"
- Can be used for searing, steaming, boiling and more
- Steamer basket is made of plastic
- Batch cooking may be required if preparing food for multiple people
- Beechwood spatula feels a bit splintery
First impressions
Unboxing a package from Our Place never ceases to make me a little giddy, because I know I'll be greeted with something gorgeous. The Perfect Power Pot did not disappoint — I'd opted for the Spice color, which is like a muted coral, but it also comes in a black and gray combo if that's more your style.
In addition to the electric pot base, steamer attachment and glass lid, I received the brand's signature beechwood spatula (which rests right on the pot's handle via a little nob — so smart) and a detachable power cord, plus a cute little recipe booklet. Turns out, you can make everything from chicken tikka masala to ramen in this thing.
It also came with not one, but two instruction manuals, both of which featured easy-to-follow directions and diagrams. A few things you'll want to keep in mind: Handwashing is a must due to the electrical nature of this appliance, and it's intended for indoor use only.
Putting it to the test
Most weeknights, I throw together some sort of plant-based protein and vegetable stir-fry, so I figured starting with that would allow me to test both the pot and steamer. Per the instructions, I washed everything off with warm, soapy water. Next, I cut up my ingredients — a block of tofu and broccoli, in this case — plugged in the pot, added some olive oil and waited for it to heat up.
The settings are very user-friendly; there's a high heat function, low heat function and off. In just a minute or two, the oil in the pot seemed warm enough to start cooking with so I added some pieces of tofu, hearing a satisfying sizzle when they hit the surface. The Perfect Power Pot has the same nonstick coating as my other Our Place cookware, and I appreciate that it's made without PFAS, or, "forever chemicals."
Because the pot is quite compact, I could only fit about half a block of tofu's worth of pieces at a time. That said, one of this appliance's perks is its small real estate footprint, which makes it ideal for on-the-go cooking. Once I'd achieved some browning on all sides of the tofu, I added some sauce and seasoning, then turned the heat to low. The beauty of this machine is that it can be used to cook multiple things at once, thanks to its multilayered design, so I threw some broccoli florets in the steamer basket and placed the lid on.
I let the broccoli steam while the tofu simmered in the sauce for about five minutes, then checked to see if everything looked sufficiently cooked. It was! I added the broccoli to the pot to mix it with the sauce, then poured everything into a bowl and cooked the remainder of the tofu and broccoli for my husband. As far as taste and texture were concerned, I didn't notice any difference between this cooking method and my usual stovetop routine (in a good way).
Once the machine had cooled down, I washed everything with warm water and soap once again, which took no time because the components are so slick. All in all, a successful test run! Since then, I've tried making rice, boiling noodles and steaming dumplings. The only issue I ran into was slightly overcooking my rice using the recipe booklet's instructions — but that was likely user error since I didn't realize I was supposed to place the steamer basket onto the pot while it was cooking on low heat, and was a few minutes late with that step. The steamer has five little divots for holding eggs, so I'll be giving that a try next!
A versatile vessel
While the Perfect Power Pot is a bit too small for everyday cooking in my 2-person household, it's the type of appliance I would have loved having in my kitchenless dorm when I was in college. I could have prepared way more than instant noodles and microwaved mac and cheese! It would also be perfect for bringing on RV trips or even to a hotel if you'd like a warm meal without shelling out for room service.
One thing I'll definitely be using it for? Making sides for Thanksgiving. My stove's burners quickly fill up while I'm preparing holiday meals, so having an extra cooker I can plug in and use to warm up mashed sweet potatoes or gravy is a total boon.
Verdict: Is the Perfect Power Pot worth it?
If you're the road trip type, a regular traveler or know someone who's off to college, I'd say the Perfect Power Pot is a worthwhile investment. It's really portable — lightweight enough for my not-so-strong, five-foot-tall self to lift with one hand, and it would definitely fit in a carry-on suitcase. Just think of how much you or a student you know would save on eating meals out with this thing. I could also see it being a handy option for one-person households, as it can accommodate enough food for single servings and heats up quickly. Plus, being able to sear and steam at the same time is pretty clutch.
My only critiques are that the steamer basket is made of plastic (I would have preferred wood or metal, especially since it's a piece that gets heated), and the wood spatula feels a little rough and unpolished. In terms of the steamer basket, Our Place assures that they "only develop products made without PFAS (including PTFEs and PFOAs)," and my issue with the spatula is a minor one. Overall, this is a solid little gadget!
So, are you going with pink or black? Decisions, decisions!
Psst: I'd be remiss if I didn't give a little preview of the brand's bestselling Always Pan, which is what I usually use for cooking dinner!
This multi-use, nonstick beauty is the product that put Our Place on the map — and it just might become your most-utilized piece of cookware, thanks to its thoughtful design. The ceramic coating is slick and free of PFAS, while the handle smartly doubles as a spoon rest. Speaking of utensils, it comes with a wooden spatula and metal steamer basket that can be used as a colander, and it's oven-safe up to 450°F for added versatility.
Check out my full Our Place Always Pan review for more.
