The Instant Pot is a multi-cooker that offers programs for sautéing and making rice. It differs from traditional pressure cookers in terms of usability, technology, and control. When choosing an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, consider factors such as size, pressure level, and convenience.
The Instant Pot has a lower pressure level than traditional pressure cookers, which means it takes at least ten additional minutes to prepare food. Traditional pressure cookers can reach higher pressure levels, while Instant Pots have one.
Pressure cooking involves raising the temperature inside a sealed vessel to raise it. Most pressure cookers have non-stick interior cooking pots, while Instant Pots come with a stainless steel cooking pot. Both interior options are available, but the correct size and shape can prevent air-tightness.
An Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker that uses hot steam and pressure to cook food. The stainless steel inner pot is durable and comes with most of its electric pressure cookers. Most parts are interchangeable between the Instant Pot 6 Qt and Insignia 6 Qt models, but the inner pots are engineered for specific models and cannot be interchanged.
In summary, the Instant Pot is a multi-cooker that offers multiple functions and is designed for easy use. It is important to consider factors such as size, pressure level, and convenience when selecting an Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
📹 Instant Pot vs. Stovetop Pressure Cooker (which one is right for you?)
Instant Pot vs. Stovetop Pressure Cooker Which one is right for you? Instant Pot Model that I have has been discontinued, but here …
Is Instant Pot good for baking?
Dairy, fried foods, burgers, and steaks are not ideal for Instant Pot cooking due to various reasons. While Instant Pots are useful for baking cheesecake, custard, or mousse, they are not suitable for other desserts. Cookies and pies should be baked in an oven. Creamy sauces should not be cooked in an Instant Pot due to potential curdling or clumping. Instead, add cheese after the dish is finished cooking. Trust your oven for cookies and pies.
Can I use an Instant Pot insert on the stove?
It is important to note that the inner pot of the Instant Pot cooker base is not compatible with stovetop use. In the event that the pot is warped or damaged, it may not be able to connect with the heating element. Although the pot may be placed on a stovetop burner for reheating or keeping warm, this is not advised due to the one-year warranty. It is inadvisable to place the Instant Pot in proximity to any heat source.
Can I put the Instant Pot insert in the oven?
The Instant Pot Pro is a cooking appliance that offers similar functions to the Duo Plus but with a larger LCD display and the ability to save up to five favorite programs. It is compatible with electric, ceramic, and induction stovetops and oven-safe up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. The inner pot has silicone handles for easy lifting and placement on stovetops. The Pro also comes with an Instant Pot Pro Crisp, which has an air frying lid for various cooking methods.
The Instant Pot Pro Plus is the brand’s only connected model, Wi-Fi-enabled, and can be paired with a companion app for remote steam release, customization of time and temperature settings, and recipe guidance. It also includes a canning pot and NutriBoost option, which injects steam into food to improve texture and flavor. The inner pot is stovetop-compatible and oven-safe, and the lid features the same silicone sealing ring as the Duo Plus and Pro.
Is an Instant Pot a glorified pressure cooker?
An instant pot is a versatile cooking tool that offers numerous benefits. It can save time by allowing you to cook a variety of dishes in under an hour, even with minimal prep time. The ultra-high pressure ensures tenderness of even the toughest meat, and it cooks vegetables perfectly every time. The process is simple: simply add ingredients, press the button, and leave the pot to cook, allowing you to focus on other tasks for half an hour. This makes an instant pot a valuable addition to any cooking arsenal.
Is the pot in the Instant Pot stainless steel?
The Instant Pot Rio 6-quart is a durable Instant Pot with a stainless steel inner pot, making it a reliable choice for cooking. The Instant Pot Pro 6-quart is an upgrade option. The guide was written by associate staff writer Ciara Murray Jordan, who spent 15 hours cooking with new Instant Pots and reviewing their user manuals. Senior staff writer Lesley Stockton, who wrote the original guide, has spent her entire career in the culinary industry, testing and reviewing cookware at Wirecutter. The guide also includes a review of stovetop pressure cookers.
Can I use my Instant Pot as a pressure cooker?
The Instant Pot has become the most popular electric pressure cooker in North America due to its safety features and risk-free operation.
Do you need a rice cooker if you have an Instant Pot?
The Instant Pot is suitable for most people, but high-end models like the Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer NS-ZCC10 produce more fluffy and light grains. Rice enthusiasts may want to keep their cookers for sushi-grade grains. To reduce clutter, donate old appliances to a charity or give them to someone starting out. The vast array of Instant Pot models and their settings can be confusing when shopping for a new one.
Can you use a smaller Instant Pot insert?
The Pot in Pot (PIP) method is a culinary technique that enables the preparation of food in a smaller pot within the inner pot of an Instant Pot. This technique is useful for a variety of practical applications, including time savings, convenience, and the provision of additional cooking options. The term “a pot inside the pot” is used to describe the smaller pot located within the inner pot.
Is an Instant Pot in a pressure cooker the same thing?
An Instant Pot and a Pressure Cooker are both pressure cookers with a sealed jar with a valve that releases tension. They share similarities in having a valve that releases tension, but the Instant Pot offers additional features such as slow cooking and steaming. It also has an automatic setting that allows for cooking for a specific time, allowing users to leave food to cook while doing other tasks.
The pressure cooker requires manual intervention and temperature adjustment, while the Instant Pot allows for more flexibility in cooking time. Both cookers are quick and efficient, but the Instant Pot offers more advanced features.
What is the inner pot of the Instant Pot?
Instant Pot Brands Inc. offers a One Year Limited Warranty for their stainless-steel inner pot, which is known for its durability and long-lasting shine. This warranty applies to purchases made from authorized retailers and is not transferable. The original appliance owner must provide proof of purchase date and return the appliance if requested. If the appliance is replaced, the warranty will expire twelve months from the date of receipt. Failure to register the product does not reduce warranty rights.
The warranty does not cover products purchased, used, or operated outside the United States and Canada, products that have been modified or attempted to be modified, damage resulting from accident, alteration, misuse, abuse, neglect, unreasonable use, normal wear and tear, commercial use, improper assembly, disassembly, failure to provide reasonable and necessary maintenance, fire, flood, acts of God, or repair by anyone unless directed by an Instant Pot Brands representative, use of unauthorized parts and accessories, incidental and consequential damages, and the cost of repair or replacement under these excluded circumstances.
Can you use Instant Pot liner on an induction cooktop?
The Instant Pot (IP) is a versatile appliance that can be used for sautéing, slow cooking, and keeping foods warm. Its inner pot works well on gas burners and electric coil elements, but it should not be used on radiant smoothtop cooktops due to its curved inward slightly curved bottom and little ridges. Additionally, the liner pot is not magnetic metal, making it unsuitable for electric induction cooktops.
A user who recently replaced their electric coil range with an electric induction range found that they cannot use their liner pots on the stovetop anymore. However, they can place the Instant Pot on a cork mat on a smooth glass rangetop, which is more convenient than on the countertop. This allows the fan over the range to exhaust while sautéing or steam is releasing.
The inner pot is made of stainless steel and has no handles, making it difficult to handle. The user has never tried using the IP on the stove, but the saute function on the Instant Pot makes it a good option. The inner pot is designed to be easy to handle, but the lack of handles may make it difficult to handle.
In conclusion, the Instant Pot is a versatile appliance that can be used on both gas burners and electric coil elements. However, it is important to note that the inner pot is not magnetic metal and may not be suitable for use on electric induction cooktops.
📹 Is the Instant Pot Worth It? — The Kitchen Gadget Test Show
On today’s episode of the Kitchen Gadget Test Show, Esther Choi is testing out the Instapot. This thing is so popular right now, is it …
Hi guys, Several of you asked for the farmer’s cheese recipe. Here it is. Combine 1/2 gallon of whole milk and 2 cups of buttermilk in the instant pot and seal. Turn on the yogurt setting (not the scalding, but the low temp one) for 10 hours. At this point the milk should thicken and smell tangy. Uncover and turn on the saute mode to bring it to a simmer. I start on high and turn it down to medium and low eventually so that I don’t scorch it. Stir it occasionally until it comes to a full simmer and separates. Strain through a cheese cloth, though I’ve also used a fine mesh strainer before and it worked fine. From here on, it depends on what texture you want. For moister creamier texture let it sit less time, for firmer texture, it might take several hours. To remove moisture, it helps to tie up the cheese cloth and hang it on something. Enjoy 🙂
I loved your analogy of cooking beans in the instant pot being like driving a car without breaks! That is how I feel about many of these “do everything” devices. Also, I must say, this is the BEST and most honest review of the instantpot ive ever seen. Most reviews are intensely hyperbolic either in the positive or negative direction. I loved your balanced approach and also your intensive testing of multiple tries at different dishes/types of food, which I honestly have seen on any other review of this device. Great work!
Thanks as usual for a no-nonsense review that helps us make informed decisions to help improve our daily kitchen experience. For me personally this is very interesting, because it might help me avoid buying one of these ridiculously expensive and imo useless cook processors that are currently en vogue here in Germany thanks to MLM style distribution and aggressive viral marketing. Despite having a very well equipped kitchen my better half has been interested in getting one of these machines for quite a while. Here in Germany the dominant one is called “Vorwerk Thermomix” (similiar to KitchenAid Artisan Cook Processor I think) and it costs a whopping € 1299. Seeing that a lot of the applications she was looking for are covered by a much less expensive machine, this device this might sway her. So thanks for the article!
i grew up on stove top pressure… i got an instant pot and loved it! it did stop making beeps but it still stopped when it said it would. it’s in our bulk pile right now, i just got a ninja foodie pressure/air crisper for xmas. i made chorizo papas tacos for lunch in 20 minutes!!! i still stand behind a good stove top pressure pot, just check your cap and keep the seal immaculate!!! pressure cooking is one of my all time favorite tools.
Helen, pardon me for making this a long story but I’d like to tell you. My mom was born in, at that time, was Poland. During WWII, she was taken from her home at 19 years old by a German officer who took her to Germany to work for the officer. After the war was over, he place she was born became Ukraine. Since I was a child, she taught me to use a stove top pressure cooker to make beans and my favorite, Pot Roast. I’ve used one my whole life. The 2 main dishes I cook in the pressure cooker are: 1 Pinto beans and 2. Boiled Roast beef with peeled whole potatoes. I cook the roast for an hour, then I cool down the pressure cooker with tap water, open the lid and add the peeled whole potatoes. After it starts to steam again, it cooks for 20 more minutes. Again I cool down the pressure cooker and open and add a rue that i made with butter and flour to thicken the broth in the roast. I leave the lid off, and remove the potatoes and cook it till the broth thickens. Everyone that has ever tried my roast has told me it’s the best they ever had. My daughters, grown now, keep calling me and telling me to call them to come over if I make my roast. This whole story has a point. I bought an instant-pot and tried both my beans, and my pot roast in the instant-pot. To my surprise, the results turned out horrible. The taste was so drastically different, I decided to not use the instant pot again. I also have absolutely no idea why the results were so different. Like I said, I’ve been using a stove top pressure cooker since around 1973.
I think this is one of the most thoughtful reviews on youtube. I have an instant pot (original model — a few years old), a fagor duo stovetop pressure cooker, and an Anova sous-vide circulator. They all have their place. Dead easy chicken stock goes to instant pot. Polenta/rice/most whole grains: instant pot again. Meats: sous-vide if you have at least an hour, but then needs browning in a cast-iron skillet (instant pot meat is quick, but other techniques deliver superior results, and you will still mostly need a skillet to finish; also forget chicken skin — turns vile) — but sous vide is very hard to overcook — guests arrive 2 hrs late?: with sous-vide, rarely a problem. Vegetables: instant pot is mostly useless (greens like collards that take an hour+ may be an exception, but I prefer stove-top), as is sous-vide. Best beans? Sous-vide, 18 hours, if time (OMG! absolutely grainless, but not mushy – like a soft wax). 2nd best? oven. 3rd best? Stovetop PC. Another + of instant pot: in summer, in my non-AC apt in NYC: instant pot heats up space the least! Leftover instant pot meats cooled and reheated? Other methods deliver superior results.
I bought one a few years ago because I make a lot of bone broth and summer in this part of Nova Scotia is sweltering. Too hot to use either of my stoves. I absolutely love the thing. Never dreamed I’d use it so much. In fact, I now have three: the original 6 quart; a 3 quart; and one that has a pressure canning function.
Omg!!! What an excellent review. I have been looking for exactly this kind of information to determine whether I was better off with a stove top or electric pressure cooker for my needs. I was also looking for a review that would compare and contrast what each was best at or if they cooked equally in all catagories. I also had questions about those delicately braised meats and how their sauces faired in pressure cookers. I have looked at countless reviews over many, many weeks and haven’t come across even one article that attempted to discuss what one does better than the other, not to mention what we should NOT attempt to make in either electric or stove top. Thank you for this comprehensive review. By the way, do you know that Americas Test Kitchen rated the instant pot as the least effective of the electric pressure cookers they tested. In any case, I’m sure the results would have been quite similar. Thanks again.
I’ve not had any experience cooking with an insta pot/pressure cooker, but my mother in-law uses an insta pot for nearly every dinner meal. When i stayed with her for a few months, I noticed often the food from her insta pot would be too mushy or too watery. Any sort of pasta noodles never had al dente texture. It’s definitely a handy kitchen tool but it’s definitely not magic, and it won’t turn out perfect dishes all the time.
The slow cooker function is your Dutch oven😁 if I had a Dutch oven I’d use it. I hear it’s way better for flavour if done right. Thanks for your great in-depth review. I will get one knowing it sucks at beans, and won’t taste as good as a slow cooker. The speed and the safety of not having to stand over it is game changer for me!!! Thx for your time here, very well spoken and nicely edited!!
I have used my Instant Pot for many different types of food, and while it isn’t perfect as you mention, it is definitely worth it for me. This is a small thing, but I love doing hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot. They peel so easy and perfectly when cooked with this device; better than any other method I have tried.
Stove top is my preference as it is faster and accurate. I use pot in pot method for beans, rice, couscous, polenta. I make a lot of stews and soup broths. spaghetti sauce. Cook whole chicken etc. The other electric pressure cooker is too big and bulky and takes too long to come to pressure and to depressure. I also use my stove top pressure cooker…as a regular pot as well. I prefer 8 L. Seems to be perfect size for me and my chickens. Use it for Lobster to steam and vegetables.
Helen, I love your reviews and educational articles. I am still undecided about purchasing an Instant Pot. I am a strong advocate of using pressure cookers but all of mine are of the range top variety. I think I want to purchase an Instant Pot (and I probably) will; I hesitate because of bad experiences with previous types of electric pressure cookers. Thank-you for this article.
I am curious if the machine makes a difference? I have a Crock Pot Express Cooker and it looks exactly the same as the IP, but back years ago it was so much cheaper. I am an avid bean cooker, especially Great Northern. I soak mine for a few hours in the am then put them in ck stock about 4.5 cups and I cook mine for 50 minutes on high and my cooker usually naturally releases in about 10 minutes on its own. My beans have ALWAYS come out beautifully. I also cook rice much different. I make mine for 3 minutes on high and natural release it which again is about 10 minutes sometimes less. My rice ALWAYS comes out beautifully. I also make Tex Mex rice by adding rotel and chilies but still use the 3 minute method. I make all my potatoes for mashable potatoes as well. I have not had to peel or cut potatoes in years. I think it’s all in getting used to using it.
I’ve never used a stove top pressure cooker and even though I own two probably never will. My mother exploded hers at least three time when I was growing up. It was a bit scary and took days to clean up. The instant pot is the first time I’ve cooked with pressure and I love it. I’ve been satisfied with northern beans.. I’ll take note of what I’m doing but it could be I’m more flexible because I don’t have to soak them or cook for hours. Maybe it’s because I usually add some rice for balanced protein or use a bit less water? Any way I love the instant pot. I do cook my stews etc in a Staub Dutch oven. My kitchen will always have a good Dutch oven and always has had one.
I agree with you about the Instant Pot. I find that the only thing I use it for anymore is to cook rice. But even that takes longer than the rice cooker I used to have. I’ve tried many recipes but they are all terrible, except for soups or things that would work in a Crock Pot. Anything with pasta is gummy. The “saute” function is terrible since the temperature is so low.
Just discovered your website & articles the other day and I love them! Best cooking website (and host) there is, IMO. I must disagree, though, on one thing – cooking beans in the Instant Pot. I do not like beans, let alone cooking them, but have been making them in my IP for about a year now & love how they come out; never mushy or overcooked, and they’ve never fallen apart, so I wonder why yours have been less than satisfactory? I see this article was made 2 yrs ago, so I wonder if you found the problem and a solution?
Nice review. I got swept up in Instant Pot love a few years back and bought one. I already had a 30 year old Mirromatic stove top pressure cooker, found in a thrift store years ago. I find that I more often reach for the stove top version although I confess that I am not a yogurt maker and realize that many people use their IP for that alone. I am not ready to give either pot up; think I will dig out the IP and make some farmer cheese. For all types of beans, I use the stove top PC and add a little oil to prevent foaming, salt, and a bay leave as well as dried chiles (depending on what I’ll be doing with the beans).
My decision was basen on the place they occupy vs the time they would be used. So I bought a SEB Pressure Cooker where I store just the lid but reuse the pot for everyday cooking. Due to its thick bottom and walls, there is an even and constant distribution of heat. Consider its big size too, perfect for a big family. We use it for soup, pasta, even boiling eggs. Maybe an instant pot would have cooked faster, better, etc. And it has many fancy buttons that I guess are like the ones on the microwave – never used. But it’s electric, it takes space on the countertop, I can’t easily store it when not in use.
❤️ mine too. However my 3 QT rice cooker is tiny and easier and cooks oatmeal etc too for 2 or 3 servings. Just rinse and add the rice and the liquid and press the button down. Voila! Same for oatmeal! And you can add spices etc to the pot at the start. Recommend bobs red mill Scottish oatmeal comes out the best! I have 4 empty nest friends that all use the little rice cooker and for oatmeal too!
I used a stove-top pressure cooker for more than 40 years before I bought an Instant Pot Ultra. I really only ever did stews and soups in the stove top. I still make all my stews and soups in the IP as well as yogurt, rice, and Flan/Creme Caramel! Creme Caramel is so easy without having to deal with a bain marie! I do the caramel in my microwave first. It still brown meat first on the stove. I live on my own and make a lot extra for freezer meals. Not having to stand over the stove to make sure the pressure is right makes the Instant Pot work well for me.
A quality pressure cooker like the Fissler doesnt need minding. You get it to pressure on the guage and turn the stove to the lowest setting (electric). Done. Perfect. I could not join the insta pot craze as I think they brown food poorly in comparison. For rice i have a Japanese Rice Cooker (Zojorushi?) and get perfect rice while I’m, making stew in my poressure cooker as I am doing right this moment. I dont ever view pressure cookers as dangerous since I know how to use them properly.
A negative of the stove top pressure cooker (used one for many years) is getting the flame just right over the cooking time. A plus is that you can put it in the sink and run cold water over it to reduce the pressure quickly without venting the pressure if the recipe calls for it. I used it mainly to tenderize tough beef for stew and for that it required natural depressurizing which the instantpot works well for. It’s all a learning experience for me and choosing the right tool for the job.
there is 2 kinds of cooks: the ones who have an instant pot, and the others… I brought mine for camping and one of my friends was like “you too have an instant pot!!! isn’t it soooo useful?!!!” and that’s the moment I knew… an other good point for the IP is that you just need to bring this one thing on camping, and all you need is an electrical outlet (which most modern camping have). for the beans (and anything else) I don’t always use the beans program. sometimes the rice or steamer program give the best results. if you use the steamer, make sure to soak your beans over night before cooking. and as the beans are not soaked in the steamer program, you can release the steam instantly. I didn’t try it, I am just saying, because I don’t mind having my beans mushed. but if I had to solve that issue, I would try an other program.
#realcomment An excellent analysis as always. I bought an InstantPot Ultra for my girlfriend last year, and broke down and bought a Duo for myself. We pretty much do simple stews, made more interesting by adding Curry packets we pick up at Indian grocery stores. My last couple of endeavors I chose to do some sauteing on the range, then dumped the contents into the IP. This came out great. I caramelized onions, sauteed the pork, even browned some spices, deglasing with chicken stock, all of which went into the IP. I added veggies and started it up. It came up to pressure quickly due to the already warm parts. I made something that tasted good but bland the first day, but after a week in the fridge was delicious. So consider doing a bit of stove work to compensate for the weak saute mode, and you might be quite surprised! Thanks for you always excellent articles. Interestingly I found your website when I first decided to get a stovetop pressure cooker, you had such and excellent article that I subbed. 🙂
I think my biggest complaint is searching for recipes. I use a stove-top cooker, and I’d say 99% of the time, a search brings up a bazillion recipes for the Instant Pot, and zero to few for the stove-top. I realize they’re similar, but they’re really not exactly the same, so I either search forever, or I just pretty much wing it. Instant Pot seems to be assumed to be THE pressure cooker.
Hello, Ms. Rennie! Thank you so much for this article. I’ve decided not to buy an Instant Pot at all based on your review! The three European dishes you mentioned I make quite a bit. I’ve made boeuf bourguignon about four different times since fall of 2019, and European dishes and recipes that require nice, browned meat are typically the way I always cook. So thank you! You’ve helped me decide. I’m just going to stick with cooking the way I normally do because that’s what I enjoy.
Helen, Although you always look lovely in your articles you look absolutely stunning in this one! Your hair, your scarf, your makeup & the colour red are on point! I kept getting distracted by admiring how gorgeous you look while listening to what you said! I’d give my right arm for eyebrows like yours. 👌🤩
Basically- get a Dutch oven if you want to cook anything, specifically anything that requires cooking down liquids for a flavorful sauce. French/European sauces were specifically mentioned but honestly there are some non-European dishes where the sauce can be the main draw. A stovetop pressure cooker will cook everything else, especially beans. An electric pressure cooker will cook anything a stovetop pressure cooker except reliable beans.
I have been using electric pressure cooker for 39 years. Northern beans are my favorite beans. I don’t eat many beans but when I do it’s navy or northern. I don’t mind a little bit of mashed up beans. Beans are not worth it to me to not have the convenience of the cooker. I mostly use mine for stews. I have a separate appliance just for rice. The roast stew is really good imo. I don’t mind the juicyness of the meat. The flavors are still complex enough depending on the seasonings and additions. I could my meat for about 50 mins to 1.15 hours. Then I add my veggies for about 5 pressure minutes. It is perfect every time. Another go to recipe is chicken and dumplings. It is the same as the veggies. Just cook your meat first then add your fluffy or dense or frozen egg noodles for 3-5 mins. It is always perfect.
I’ve been incubating soy yogurt in my instant pot. I’m looking forward to trying to incubate natto and Tempeh soon, too. I’m hoping to get a stovetop pressure cooker for exactly the reasons you said. It takes forever for natural release! I even just tried to cook oat groats on the multigrain setting for 12 minutes. It took about 100 minutes from start to finish. Way too long. Thanks for your article! Would love to know your recommendation for a good stovetop pressure cooker!?
Thank you for a very fair and helpful appraisal–I have an “instant pot” (salton brand)and a stovetop one too and I also see differences. For me, the long wait time for the instant pot to come to temp and pressure (vs the stove top pressure cooker) is an annoyance, particularly when cooking foods for a short time (rice!). I don’t mind that when making stock or pulled pork or lamb shanks. And now I understand what’s going on with beans! Thx! But what i really love my electric pressure cooker for is confit duck legs–I don’t need to buy extra duck fat and once cooked, they will store in the fridge so you can whip them out for a fancy weeknight deal (just flash the duck legs under the broiler before serving). For me, this made it worth the $.
Loved your article. A friend of mine gave me an electric pot for my birthday because I cook a lot and make cooking Youtube articles.it’s one like the one you showed but the brand is different.It’s a Farberware. Basically they are all the same.(electric ones ) I cook beans and now with your useful information, I have a better idea of using this electric pot T.hank You.
Love your accent! I too succumbed to peer pressure and got one, but it is the cusinart brand. Sadly, I hardly use it. Like you said it doesn’t keep a nice crust on chicken or other meat. I like the flavor of foods that come out of my Dutch oven, so much more favor from cooking a long time on the stove or oven.
Some things just need long slow cooking so a slow cookers work best or a stove. I am still debating the pressure cooker at all debate so you helped some. I do use a slow cooker for those things that need to slowly cook for a long period of time. I thought the ability to brais meat would make the electric pressure cooker better but you let me know that it wouldn’t help me. If I need one it will be stove top. Thanks for the help.
Thank you for your honest and educated review of this, “Contraption” lol. I’ve been looking for a good review, but most only talk about fast cooking, (fast does not mean good). I have many vintage and high quality pots, pans and a great crock pot. I can clearly see this Instant Pot isn’t for me. For me cooking is art, like painting a picture and playing music.. I want to enjoy cooking, not lock it all up in a limited control cooker.
I bought an Instant Pot couple weeks back and really love it. Have only used it about 4X thus far and am looking forward to doing more with it. I do have a traditional pressure cooker and have used it for years but the Instant Pot is a ‘Set it and Forget’ it kind of a thing. Loving it so far. Looking forward to learning more about it.
You know pepper steak? Those cheap strips of steak used in the Asian dish and other dishes? The instant Pot gets those perfect for me every time. Tender, fall-apart wonderful. I do tend to brown meat in a pan first, but my Instant Pot for some reason is really good at taking cheap cuts of meat that have a tendency to end up chewy and tough and make them moist, tender, and flavorful.
It also works really well for recipes that would be in a slow cooker anyway. So a beef stew where you sear in a separate pot and cook for half a day on low could be done in no time at all. You’d probably have to use a little less liquid as even a slow cooker evaporates some but it would work just as well. Of course it’s not as good as a stew where the meat and sauce is caramelized by the heat of an oven but it’s definitely a main selling point.
I have made many meat dishes in my Fissler stove-top pressure cooker, and they have actually turned out tastier than the oven version, in a fraction of the time. I cook it under pressure for about 45 minutes, and then I let it depressurize naturally, take the top off, and let it reduce for about 20 minutes, and it turns out perfect each and every time. I also use mine for Risotto all the time, and the fact that I can depressurize it quickly helps to peel the layers of the rice from the surface, and as soon as I stir it, it turns perfectly creamy. The same process that makes beans burst works perfectly for Arborio rice. If you understand the physics of how liquids boil at different pressures, you can make exquisite dishes in a stovetop cooker.
I (and my wife) love pressure cooked carrots. Cut into rounds and 3 minutes at pressure and they are done. But you want to cool the pot of FAST to avoid over cooking the carrots. I cool the pressure cooker fast in the sink with my faucet wand. Drops the temperature/pressure in less than a minute. 🙂 If I try that with my instant-pot, that will be the last time I can use the instant pot due to getting the electronics wet. :-/
I’m new to your website and really glad I found it!! I love my instant pot but couldn’t figure out why certain dishes and, yes, some beans just didn’t work out. The beans were really perplexing as I was having great success with some, and total fails with others… I figured I had just done something wrong until this article –thank you so much for sharing!
Hi Helen. Great article! I’ve had great results making cheesecake and banana bread pot-in-pot in the Instant Pot as well. Cakes tend to turn out very dense and moist, so it wouldn’t work well for something like an angel food cake, but I do want to try something like a carrot cake that benefits from being nice and moist.
I am a devotee of gourmet deviled eggs, and happy to read that the IP is used by Helen’s Kitchen viewers for ‘hard’ boiled eggs. I have found 5 minutes on the Low setting produces the semisoft yolk center that Helen prefers, and 5 minutes on High results in its completely cooked counterpart. For me, placing the egg immediately into ice water has eliminated the gray yolk ring. Farmer’s cheese, rice, chicken stock —- possibilities seem endless!
I have no use for the Instant Pot. I do my beans and stews in a traditional stove top pressure cooker. I have a different view than you on beans cooked in a pressure cooker. If I’m cooking beans to be eaten as a side, I release pressure as soon as the cooking time is done. I WANT the beans to burst. If I’m cooking beans as a soup, I want for natural release so that the beans remain whole.
Thank you this what I needed to know. It’s Black Friday and instant pots are half price. I’ll save my money for something more useful to me. Don’t need more junk appliances cluttering my counter. This may be okay for some but it would be junk to me. I can make yogurt by just putting it in the oven with the stove light on.
The quick release seems to defeat part of the purpose of a pressure cooker (cooking at a higher temp while not destroying the food). Waiting for an IP to cool down would aggravate me and defeat the point of pressure cookers cooking faster. (Running cool water over a stove top cools it down quick). I always figured if I wanted electric pot benefits (timing and temp control); I could acquire them with an induction burner. -That setup would also allow for different sized pans (smaller get to pressure quicker).
Let’s give you a good recipe for beans but 1st I will tell you why. Garbanzos beans were still like rocks in the crock pot and I was fed up with that when I know they are soft in a can from the store. I found I can put 1/3 cup of pinto beans in a pint jar and soak them until they were about double then rinse them until all the froth was gone. Then I put slightly less salt than for old fashioned canning and then fill the jar with distilled water and can for 1:30 min. You add water in Instapot to the top of the grate (=‘s abt 2 cups in 6 qt)there is a bit of a variation by bean type but you can use up to 1/2 cup of small limas, pintos kindey beans (scant 1/2 cup), garbanzo. Don’t can lentils or dry peas they are a pain and better just on the stove in a pot as needed. I can 4 pints at a time and keep up my stock that way. ALWAYS turn of keep warm and let it cool naturally since you need the cooking time it gives like you do with an old time pressure canner set on 10 psi. It gives 11.6 psi so that is close enough to can without babysitting the whole time. It does not can quarts since the jars are too tall but it is wonderful on pressure can. Before I leave I re-can tomato from #10 cans in pint jars so I have servings for 2 people meals and tomato paste goes in 1/2 pint jars and that gives me 2 servings for cooking. No waste but good prices. I also have learned to make fake meat in jars and can that too for 1:30 minutes since it is a protein. Fabulous time saver and no babysitting!
You said it had a slow cooker option, could you cook the beans on the slow cooker option? And get better results? The pressure cooker I got does not have the slow cooker option, damn! Although I do have a slow cooker, there are to many gadgets. I want one gadget that does it all. Also someone figured out how to use a pressure cooker as a sous void. Where you originally from Boston woman? Because I was born in USA and all I know how to make is hamburgers, how did you learn how to cook all this food? Also can you cook refried beans in your instapot? If you read this far wow!
I’ve never had any issues with black, pinto, kidney, garbanzo beans, barley, etc. As someone who doesn’t regularly eat meat, is okay with eating the same things every day and is comfortable spending ~$1-2 a day on feeding myself the bare minimum, the set-and-forget feature is ideal. There’s no need to soak beans. Just rinse, add powdered seasonings (cumin, black pepper, chili, garlic, onion, and bouillon powders), and add the appropriate ratio of water for the bean type, 25-30-40 mins + 10-15min natural release. You can even use the sauté setting to soften onions/peppers and finish with the beans. I’ve heard people say not to salt beforehand because it can cause the beans to be undercooked, but I’ve never had issues with that. I see you made a follow-up article using the slow cooker setting, but this is just my 2 cents as someone who uses the pressure setting for non-fragile beans. Find a recipe, tweak it to your altitude and personal liking, and it’s incredibly reliable. The only other variance I can think of would be bean freshness. Much love, your website is a public service.
CORRECT ON ALL COUNTS…..couldn’t agree more….I use a stove top…50 years OLD…..with new gaskets of course. They have their place….. Don’t buy the INSTANT pot that does it all…..you wind up with nothing being done right. Great review…. I get the same results as you…..things unbrowned…and blown apart…sigh….. but the stove top gets there best…on some foods…..some….hahahaha.
Hi Helen, I just purchased a 20 oz bag of dried beans: “Hursts Hambeens regular 15 bean soup”, which contains the following beans: Northern Bean, Pinto Bean, Large Lima Bean, Yelloweye Bean, Garbanzo, Baby Lima Bean, Green Split Pea, Kidney Bean, Cranberry Bean, Small White Bean, Pink Bean, Small Red Bean, Yellow Split Pea, Lentil, Navy Bean, White Kidney Bean, Black Bean.Seasoning Packet Ingredients: Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Maltodextrin, Salt, Artificial Flavorings (Including Artificial Smoked Flavor), Silicon Dioxide (Added Less Than 2% as An Anti-caking Agent) How would you cook the whole 20oz bag in an Instant Pot?
does anyone know the energy consumption comparison? my natural gas is super cheap compared to my electricity costs (China). if I’m cooking it on low heat for 6 hours i feel like it’s cheaper to use the stove top vs the instant pot. i have a rice cooker as well which can steam very quickly, and can kind of slow cook, it has a timer. i feel like an instant pot would be redundant, and i don’t want another pot which uses electricity. am I wrong?
#realcomment I bought an instant pot recently because I live in a dorm with a shared (read: small and busy) kitchen and I needed a way to cook that didn’t require me having to wait for stove or oven time. That being said, one thing I was interested in making in the instant pot was caramelized onions. In your opinion, do you think that would work? I see from the article that the IP doesn’t produce ideal browning but it’s the only stainless steel cooking vessel I own. Love your articles, btw!
I have IP 2-3 years and I’m very happy. Mostly I used for long cooking broth ( 12 – 24 hours) like in slow cooker (without the pressure) or for all kind of meats for my husband…..like gulash etc. Never used for rice ( I’m very picky – rice must be only basmati and I’m not sure if it’s good way make it in IP) or beans, or I steamed there vegetables….or I make ghee there….I love it!!!
I use the slow cooker function for 3 things: -Short ribs. Compared to pressure cooked i find the slow cooked to lose way less moisture and size -Homemade condensed milk. I just put my milk in slowncooker and strain after 8 hours -Homemade bulk balsamic vinegar reduction. Same as above. No worries about sugar burning or sticking on bottom
Hello Helen. I am Hearing Impaired (as are many seniors over 50) and I depend heavily on your Closed Captions. I do not know if you have the option to view and edit what the Closed Captions say… but on this article, I could not follow along on many/most of your important comments. Please view this article yourself using Closed Captions and you will see what I mean. This has not been a problem on your other articles, so I’m asking “Did you skip a step this time? or switch programs for creating Closed Captions?” I know you are very conscientious with your content and THAT is why I like viewing your articles so much. So maybe, if possible, I would appreciate some editing on this text. I LOVE your articles and do not want to miss a word. Thanks so much.
#realcomment Do you mean творог? I can’t find any good творог where I currently live right now and would be indebted to you if you made a article or wrote a recipe for it. I’ve been a longtime fan and also wanted to say I’ve loved perusal your articles for years, so thank you for so much you’ve given me.
Only cook for myself anymore…outside of my deep fryer and counter top convection oven, I have no use for multi-appliances.! I make perfect rice in 20 min. With my microwave rice cooker, beans? An open listless pot, everything else that needs long cooking is in my crockpot or Dutch oven. Rarely use a regular oven if ever. I do however have a blender, food processor, meat grinder, electric skilket, 30 qt.roaster/oven Electric Wok, all of which I love but seldom use anymore..
I decided to buy what is arguably the best stove top pressure cooker money can buy – the Kuhn RIkon Duromatic 8L and I couldn’t be more happy with it. It’s very, very expensive (especially to ship to Australia, yikes), but I use it so much and it’s such a pleasure to use that I feel great about buying it. The build quality, including the fit and finish is great, replacement parts are readily available and relatively cheap. It’s very intuitive to use, and being able to see the pressure gauge from across the kitchen is nice when cooking a big family meal is really handy. The polished stainless steel finish makes it beautiful, and I use it often enough that I just leave it on the stove rather than in a drawer. I’ve used it multiple times per week since buying it 5 years ago, and I’ve noticed no deterioration of the seals in this time. I plan on continuing to use it like this for decades to come. It has its limitations like everything does – high sides mean not great for searing, and it can’t go in the oven, but that’s the case for all large pressure cookers. I honestly can’t recommend it highly enough to anyone looking at buying a stovetop pressure cooker, but be prepared for sticker shock.
#realcomment I got my first Instant Pot DUO 60 two years ago and use it several times a week, then got the 3 qt. MINI a few months ago. We don’t eat meat, although I’ve cooked chicken and baby back ribs for others. Beans are cooked often in my IP, all kinds of beans from Rancho Gordo. I use the Manual button, since every type of bean has a different cooking time. I started keeping a chart to keep track of the cooking time for each. It varies a lot. Hard boiled eggs, rice, soups, potatoes, vegetable stock, the best iced tea! You would be surprised how much better yogurt is made in the Instant Pot. I use a gallon of milk every 8-10 days to make yogurt. Saves money too. I’ve tried both the cold start and the boil method, and prefer the boil (scald) method, even though it takes longer.
I received a stove top Presto pressure cooker from my mother-in-law for Christmas over 54 years ago. I still have and use it. Yes I have replaced the handles and sealing ring but the lid and body of the pot are original and it works great. I will pass on owning an insta pot. Will it still work after 50 years? I doubt it.
Just an FYI!! I was in the process of making your chicken stock in my 8qt Fagor duo when I ran into a big problem with the pressure not building up. I cleaned the valve (I always do anyway) put a new gasket in and still no pressure build up. I tried getting in contact with Fagor and found they went up into space or somewhere where we can’t find them. So now I am in the market for a pressure cooker and am wondering if you have tested any other stove top pressure cookers. I so rely on your opinions. Thank you.
I was given an Instant Pot for Christmas and I love it. I cooked pork ribs in it. I cut them into 2 rib sections set them upright in a spiral pattern and poured a mixture of BBQ sauce and water about 2 cup on high for 45 mins. They came out so tender. I have also made chicken paprikesh, and chuck roast.
My main advice is: it depends on whether you will be using it regularly. I use it every other day and I don’t mind it taking space on my counter. But I am happy things can be happening in Instant Pot and I have entire stove top for other shenanigans. If you only need pressure cooker occasionally, stovetop units are much smaller, lighter, easier to clean and easier to hide after you are done with it. There is nothing Instant Pot can do that stovetop unit can’t. But Instant Pot just makes things so much easier. It measures temperature and adjusts power which stovetop unit can’t. This will save you time and make recipes more repeatable.
unburst. Guess what, you can achieve any consistency you like when you cook Instant Pot Wild Rice. Here are the times for whole unbroken wild rice: 28 minutes (unburst), 30 minutes (some burst some unburst), 32 minutes (burst). Red Rice and Black Rice Red rice and black rice is pretty thick and needs quite some time to break down so give it tiiime. It’s round and thick and it takes quite a bit for it to absorb all the water. It’s like a new towel that needs time to get soaking wet 😉 30 minutes high pressure + NPR. Sushi Rice I was actually pretty sure this would take just as long as regular white rice but surprise surprise. It’s not as sticky if you cook it or only 3 minutes and this is the only rice you really want to be sticky, right? So increasing the cooking time actually made it stickier and better to work with for sushi. Cooke it 5 minutes on high pressure + NPR. Wild Rice Blend Soooo, this one is the trickiest because it has several different kinds of rice that individually cook in different times. I found it cooks best in an in-between time. The wild rice in the mix will be completely unburst but the brown rice won’t be all mushy. Usually, that’ll be 28 minutes high-pressure + NPR. Of course, it will depend widely on what grains exactly are in your blend.
Using a 5 qt. stove top pressure cooker and a deep 12 inch cast iron Dutch oven I’ve prepared many huge pots of chili. I have an old 7 quart crock pot that has produced more roasts, stews and corn beef than I can count. There is no way pulled pork could ever be made as well in a pressure cooker as it could be made in a slow cooker,
I use a living well pressure cooker every week. Even make cheesecake in it. Also proof bread dough. For instant pot cookers or all pressure cookes beans cut 20 nin off cooking time and natural release on its own. But keep in mind do not fill beans do not fill over half way dut to bean foam may clog the vent.
Excellent, excellent review, thank you. I’ve been debating for ages over whether to get an IP, I was inclining toward getting one but now I have serious doubts. I have a Dutch oven, of course, and a trusty old slow cooker, they’ve done the job for ages, I guess they’ll stay in the roster. Thanks fir your informative and helpful tips and reviews!
I love my Instant Pot. It’s great for risotto and rice pudding. I use it for making bean stews because you don’t have to soak beforehand. For risotto it doesn’t catch, you don’t need to stir all the time and if you’re using dried mushrooms you can just put them in after rinsing but you don’t have to soak them.
If you want to cook large batches get a real pressure cooker. I have a 10 qt Fissler and it can cook triple batches of stew. I never got with the instapot craze. I like cookware that lasts, not the latest kitchen gizmo that cant do anything better than conventional methods and many things it only does half assed.
Great article! I did not know that about the cannellini beans. I love my stovetop pressure cooker and have used it for years and years for great tasting foods. I got the instant pot to make greek yogurt since it is the cheapest low lactose protein source. I don’t like my instant pot for much else, the heating element is very weak and there is way less control. Though, I can see why it is super nice to just set it and be able to work on other things and as a backup pressure cooker. I also just got a dutch oven and wow it has made a world of difference. They all seem to do well in different areas of cooking and there can be some overlap but will diminished quality.
I started with stove top pressure cooker as I didn’t appreciate the automatic, features of Instant pot init. 2 months ago I finally gave in and got myself the latter one, and I love it too, after thinking that the stove top unit was the best thing since the sliced bread. I love both units for making it so easy to make soups. I was never a cook, but article websites like yours or Natasha’s made me realize how easy and enjoying the cooking can be. Making bigos is now much less daunting, and it tasts as good as the ones made my mom and sister. Thank yiu againnfor an excellent, very honest review.
I use a stove top pressure cooker. Until I watched this article I had no idea why my beans burst. Currently when I make pinto beans I cook it at pressure for 11 min, then do a quick release by removing the pressure valve. If I let the pressure cool naturally would I cook at high pressure for about 5 min and let it cool naturally for 10?
I was skeptical at first perusal this article but the bean test is absolute. I use a Magfesa stove pressure cooker and have a IP Duo Evo Plus still in the box. Also a Zojiroshii imported form Japan for rice related items. (no comparison in terms of rice) IP is good for many applications, but perusal this article gives me much needed info.
So Instant Pot is not as good as Pressure Cooker for higher Pressure & Quicker Natural Release. There is one other reason, electricity more expensive than gas. Having checked both I prefer Pressure Cooker any day. I also use fuzzy logic rice cooker for rice & some lentils. For those that are rediscovering pressure cookers in general you should know there was nothing wrong with them in the first place when they made in Wisconsin in 1950s. Your grand parents used them but your parents did not.
I am not sure the assessment here on cooking beans in the Instant Pot is accurate or well tested. I would argue the IP is among the best, if not THE best, appliances in the cooking dried beans of all varieties. What I think is an issue is that IP and other electric pressure cookers, require some amount of experimentation to achieve cooked beans correct to the variety.
#realcomment I just recycled my old pressure cooker as bits were perishing and falling off. Bought an Instant Pot but can’t use it until December 25th! “Discovered” the rice cooker when staying at a rental house on vacation. So impressed I bought a Zojirushi “fuzzy logic” Japanese rice cooker and haven’t cooked a pot of rice on the stove in 10 years. One button, perfect every time. Best appliance ever purchased … so far. Totally agree with your evaluation on using a Dutch oven and other cooking dishes. If I ever cooked coq au vin in an Instant Pot, I would expect a visit from the ghost of Julia Child scolding me.
That was a very helpful comparison. I’d like to add that stovetop pressure cooker gives the possibility of doing an instant pressure release by putting the pot under running cold tap water. And that instant pot is much more energy efficient than stovetop as it is very insulated. As per the cannellini beans, I can’t see the point of pressure cooking something for just 5 minutes and specially if it’s submerge in liquid, which I reckon that it’d take some 20 minutes to come to pressure plus natural release time… I’d just cook it normally on saute mode, low or medium, for 35 to 45 minutes.
I have 3 InstantPots, 2 at the main residence and 1 at the summer cottage. I can’t imagine my life without one. 15 min for brown rice, 7 min for white rice. Irish (or Russian) potato stew with pork ribs are super soft in 15 min. Jambalaya is great in IP. Like you said, it does wonders with any grain (oats, buckwheat, rice, millet, barley). Hard boiled eggs are so easy to peel, it’s 100% guarantee each time. One of my favorite dishes to make is lazy cabbage rolls. Yum. Everything cooked in IP tastes better, deeper, more flavorful I find. I don’t have a stovetop pressure cooker so I can’t comment on that but the convenience of IP is priceless.
I have both the ‘Durotherm’ and ‘AMC’ stove top pressure cookers but somehow always encountered leakages and pressure unable to build up. I gave up using them due to these problems. Have tried to replace the inner rubber insulating rings but solution still falling short of expectations. How often do you have to replace the inner rubber ring on the instant pot or for that matter any other brand of electric pressure cooker?
This is a great review of the IP. I’ve purchased a total of four versions of the 6 quart in different cities/countries I was at. My primary purchase was for making stocks/soups and expanded to use the slow cooker, rice cooker, yogurt function and with the later versions, sous vide. I also use the yogurt function to proof breads as it’s the best option for a 90F temperature which my other devices can’t produce at such low temperatures. Your remark on how slow cookers perform faster than the IP slow cook function now have me thinking whether to get another piece of gear. Some dishes are spectacular when cooking nice and slow. The rice cooker makes good rice but when making 1-2 cups of rice, I find that with the IP, my rice has wet spots as well as dry spots from time to time. It’s random and I haven’t been able to put a finger on why. Was it because of the small portions of rice? The wet spots are soggy rice…ew. The dry spots are rice not cooked fully through. Keeping rice in ‘keep warm’ function also dries the rice out even with the lid on. Unless I’m doing something wrong, the IP does not impress me at all for cooking rice. I’m attempting not to buy too many appliances and had been making rice the more laborious way which is over the stove.
When I was researching pressure cookers for cooking dry beans I kept seeing references to the instant pot. I have been using their three quart model for about three years. It is superb for beans, and the small size makes it a good choice for cooking, say, a quarter to a half pound of dry beans at a time. It’s a very good choice when cooking for two. I have also switched to using the instant pot for rice, including brown rice. Other applications I like are cooking steel cut oats, and tough cuts of meat. It’s a great invention.
Thank you for this article and the useful tips. We got the Zavor pot for christmas. So far I made baby back ribs with the low and slow setting (based on my experience with our old crock pot). Came out as expected (ribs and slow cookers are a foolproof combo). I also made beef stock using the high pressure setting. I roasted off the bones and aromatics in advance (per the included recipe guide). It came out great. Very gelatinous and delicious.
I am appalled. COLD WET TOWEL?!?!? That bit of “advice” from the manufacturer is absolutely WILD. Frankly it is insulting to you and to themselves that they should even recommend it. These things are multiple layers and constructed to withstand enormous pressure. A cold towel is no match for a PRESSURIZED CAPSULE. The more I think about it, the more fired up about it I get.
That was a great review, thank you! I have a power pressure cooker XL and some of the problems you had I don’t have with mine. You should try your osso bucco in it! The bottom is flat and does a great sear too. But all of this has been good to hear. I had been wondering the difference since I use some instapot recipes.
13 minutes reduced to a few seconds, the standard stovetop pressure cooker will cool down on its own very quickly without damage to beans or other delicate foods that have been cooked, whereas the electric pressure cooker may well take three or more times as long to cool down. Accelerating the cool-down period by releasing pressure will result in damage or great damage to the food being cooked….. It’s a useful and legitimate observation ……
I’m on my own and the instant pot has been great for soups, stews, chili, pasta, rice, beans, and steaming fish like trout and salmon. I have no complaints with the IP. It has replaced saucepans and a skillet or two on saute mode. I don’t think you can take every IP recipe verbatim. Adjustments might have to be made regarding cooking times and the amount of liquid. I use my IP nearly every day and am happy with it.