Beyond the Appliance: What deep research reveals about household cooking transitions
In my work at 少妇自慰鈥檚 User Insights Lab (UIL), I’m often asked why qualitative research is central to the Lab鈥檚 studies. The answer is because we draw on anthropology鈥攖he study of people and cultures鈥攖o see and deeply understand systems in motion. Our work鈥攎ade possible by the generous support of Osprey Foundation鈥攊s immersive, contemplative, and interpretive, requiring us to suspend assumptions and empathize with the people we seek to understand. In this way, we鈥檙e able to glean the forces that shape their behaviors and decisions around cooking. This information makes it possible for companies to design clean stoves and fuels that match people鈥檚 real鈥攁nd not assumed鈥攏eeds.
The UIL鈥檚 first deep study: Use of Electric Pressure Cookers in Nairobi, Kenya
In 2024, Electric Pressure Cookers (EPCs) had only recently been introduced in Kenya. Companies told us their most advanced EPC could provide them with data on how much customers use their appliance but could not shed light on the nature of that usage: when, why, and in what circumstances people actually cook with them.
To better understand what happens once a family acquires an EPC, a team of UIL researchers spent a total of 90 hours in the homes and kitchens of 21 Nairobi households, visiting each one twice. We learned that cooking isn鈥檛 just functional; it鈥檚 also emotional, cultural, and social.
As Valerie, one of the study participants, told us, 鈥淐ooking is more than just a task. it鈥檚 a way of bringing everyone together, even if only briefly.鈥� Mary shared, 鈥淪eeing my family smile after eating the food I have prepared really makes all the difference.鈥� Jamilah reflected, 鈥淚 feel a sense of accomplishment. It鈥檚 rewarding knowing that I鈥檝e made something that nourishes and brings joy.鈥�
These stories and moments remind us that cooking is as much about culture, connection, and care as much as it is about the practical challenges of budgeting, efficiency, and convenience. 聽As Monica told us, 鈥淐ooking feels like the heartbeat of our home, bringing everyone together to share stories and meals.鈥�
That is why the UIL鈥檚 deep research takes place in people鈥檚 kitchens: when we are with people as they cook, we can observe and better understand the progress they are trying to make鈥攖heir goals, trade-offs, tensions, and constraints. Recognizing that emotional landscape is essential because it shapes how and when people choose to use鈥攐r not use鈥攏ew clean cooking technologies.
Contextual realities and cultural logics
Once inside participants鈥� homes, we learned about their contextual realities鈥攖he practical conditions of everyday cooking鈥攁nd their cultural logics鈥攖he reasoning systems that make those practices feel right or sensible.
We found that home cooks often used their EPCs alongside gas stoves, jikos (charcoal-burning clay or metal stoves), and bioethanol stoves, adjusting constantly for cost, fuel access, meal requirements, and taste.
As Eunice explained, 鈥淚 use appliances strategically: LPG for quick meals, and the electric pressure cooker for things like beans or stews that need longer cooking times. Fuel costs are always a consideration, so I try to be mindful of how much we use. Fuel costs definitely affect how I cook. If I can use the EPC to save on LPG, I will.鈥�
The study surfaced many other user concerns that could not have been known without deep research. Some participants worried about EPC use contributing to rising electricity bills, or were reluctant to use the EPC for fear of 鈥渟poiling鈥� it. Others questioned the practicality of cooking with only a single pot. The preparation of ugali, a Kenyan staple, was treated with particular care: many were cautious about preparing it using modern methods such as the EPC. Convenience, too, was a factor, with short power cords limiting where the EPC could sit. For others, safety was a concern, as hard-to-secure lids reminded them of the old manual pressure cookers they considered to be noisy and dangerous to operate.
These details may seem small, but they reveal why the adoption of clean cooking solutions is not inevitable without thoughtful product design. Behavioral patterns make sense when observed in kitchens rather than on spreadsheets. Doing this kind of work well takes time, patience, and openness. It is not easy, but it is always worth it.
Turning Insights into Action
Based on the UIL鈥檚 qualitative data, we built a series of visual frameworks that make people鈥檚 realities tangible and actionable. In this way, the trade-offs, motivations, and daily rhythms that researchers observed in people鈥檚 kitchens were conveyed to the EPC manufacturers and distributors in a usable format. Hosted on the UIL鈥檚 , these artefacts act as structured reference points that guide design, product, engineering, and marketing teams alike. For example, the portal鈥檚 鈥渃ognitive maps鈥� show daily trade-offs in EPC use; the 鈥減ersonas鈥� reveal people鈥檚 motivations; and the 鈥渞hythms of the week鈥� show EPC usage shifts over time. Together, these artefacts help build empathy and make the data easy to grasp and apply.
Closing the loop
To complement the UIL鈥檚 deep research, we surveyed another 300 EPC owners. Bringing these strands together showed how widely the study鈥檚 patterns held and where exceptions emerged鈥攇iving companies the confidence to make decisions, implement changes, and鈥攚e hope鈥攔un new experiments that lead to greater adoption of, and long-term loyalty to, modern cooking technologies.
Beyond sharing the study鈥檚 insights with companies, the UIL proactively considered how the findings could inform EPC design. We partnered with an industrial designer to create a set of 鈥渘apkin sketches鈥� that imagine how future EPCs could look based on what study participants had told us. We also developed five prototypes of clickable EPC displays, which we then tested with a subset of participants to explore usability, appeal, and whether these refinements improved the overall user experience. The benefit of this innovative approach is that it allows users to test new features and provide very precise feedback that can inform future EPC design.
Ultimately, deep research is about seeing what really matters to people when it comes to their cooking energy needs, and making sure those who design solutions can see it, too.
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