The Instant Pot is a multicooker brand that offers various cooking functions such as pressure cooker, rice cooker, steamer, yogurt maker, and slow cooker. It comes in various sizes, from 3-10 quarts, and choosing the right size for your cooking needs is crucial. The most popular models are the 3-quart, 6-quart, and 8-quart sizes, with outliers like the 10-quart and petite mini version.
Inner pot dimensions are 9.8″ Dia 6.22″ High. The stainless-steel inner pot is celebrated for its durability and long-lasting shine. The easiest way to determine the size of your Instant Pot is to check the capacity markings on the inner pot. Most Instant Pot models have these markings. The most popular models are the 3-quart, 6-quart, and 8-quart sizes. However, size equals cost in the Instant Pot world.
The Instant Pot comes in various sizes, from a dinky 3-quart pot for small kitchens, singles, or couples to a huge 10-quart pot. The right one for your family will fit in a full one-pot dinner to feed you all, with a bit of room for expansion if needed.
The 6-quart Instant Pot is 12 ¾” tall and is the most commonly purchased from Instant Pots. It fits under low cabinets and does not take up a lot of space. The Instant Pot comes in four different sizes: the 3 qt is the smallest, the 6 qt is the most popular, the 8 qt is the next size up, and the 6.5-quart is a slightly larger size.
The Genuine Instant Pot inner pot is made of food grade 304 (18/8) stainless steel, with no chemical coating and a 3-layer bottom. The Instant Pot’s stainless-steel inner pot is celebrated for its durability and long-lasting shine, making it an essential tool for any kitchen.
📹 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 …
How big is the Instant Pot measuring cup?
The Instant Pot’s markings on the right side are for measuring liters, while the markings on the left side indicate cups. These markings refer to the little rice cup that comes with the Instant Pot, which holds 160 mL. By comparison, an 8 oz. measuring up holds approximately 250 mL. This makes it clear that the “10” on the pot does not mean 10 8 oz. cups.
The Instant Pot company is a Canadian company, which would account for the pot’s measurements being in metric. However, due to the huge US market, it would be nice if they could provide an inner pot for the US that provides markings for 8 oz. size cups and 32 oz. quarts. This could save a lot of confusion.
In my opinion, the Instant Pot is the best darned pressure cooker on the market. The markings in the pot are not in cups, but rather for cooking rice. I am still not sure how that works, but when I make yogurt using a whole gallon of milk, it doesn’t equal those markings when I pour the milk in to the pot. It’s unfortunate that they didn’t use actual cup markings, making it very confusing.
180 mL “cups” was supposedly the traditional serving amount of dry rice, and is still used in conjunction with most rice cookers. Numbered marking lines on the pot correspond to the appropriate amount of water to go with that number of 180 mL “cups” of dry rice.
Can I put canning jars in the Instant Pot?
The National Center for Home Food Preservation has determined that the Instant Pot Max, which is equipped with a canning button, is not a safe option due to the potential for temperature fluctuations during processing, which could result in under-processing and the subsequent risk of foodborne illness. It is similarly established that electric multicookers are safe for canning, although detailed information on safety is provided in a publication on pressure cookers and pressure cookers.
What size pan fits in Instant Pot?
The ideal size for insert pans in a 6-quart Instant Pot is 7. 5-inch diameter, allowing sufficient airflow for even cooking and maximizing food volume. These pans are often sold in sets of two with a wire sling for fastening. For Double Decker Dinners, the main pot of the pressure cooker is used for the bottom-layer recipe, as it is roomier and cooks faster. The set of insert pans comes with two lids – one solid and one with holes for steaming. While I usually cook PIP items without a lid, they are useful for storage, stacking leftovers in the fridge, and reheating them the next day.
What is the inside diameter of an 8 qt Instant Pot?
The pot has a depth of 7-1/8 inches and an internal diameter of 9-3/8 inches.
Are Instant Pot inner pots interchangeable?
The Instant Pot pressure cooking lids can be used with any matching size, except for the Duo Evo™ Plus, which has a new inner pot design. The silicone sealing rings can be used in any matching size of the lid, and the stainless steel inner pot is dishwasher safe. The 3-ply bottom has an aluminum core for optimal heat dispersal, but no aluminum comes into contact with the food. The inner pot is compliant with FDA food safety standards and does not contain any chemical coating.
Can you use a smaller inner pot in an Instant Pot?
The Pot in Pot (PIP) method is a cooking technique that allows food to be cooked in a smaller pot inside the inner pot of an Instant Pot. This method saves time, makes cooking more convenient, and offers more cooking options. It is particularly useful for delicate or quicker-cooking foods, as it reduces heat transfer by lifting the food away from the heat source. For instance, in a Japanese Chicken Curry recipe, half of the potatoes were cooked in a PIP stainless-steel bowl to preserve their texture and prevent mushiness.
Are there different sizes of Instant Pots?
Instant Pots come in various sizes, including 3-, 6-, 8-, and 10-quart, catering to various cooking needs. The 3-quart is ideal for singles or couples, while the 5-quart serves three to five people. The 8-quart can cook for six or more, and the 10-quart can handle batch cooking or whole ham. The electric cooker base should be cleaned gently with a damp cloth, while the removable inner pot is dishwasher safe.
Hand washing, dish soap, and gentle scrubbing can remove residue. However, the time-saving nature of Instant Pots can lead to poor flavor development, as the meat may need to be cooked separately for browning and fonding, extending the cooking process.
What are standard size pots?
Indoor pots come in various sizes, ranging from small to large. Standard pots range from two to thirty inches, with common indoor sizes being two, three, five, and seven inches. When selecting a pot, consider the plant and its root system diameter, and choose a pot that is at least one inch wider. If the plant grows quickly, choose pottery a few inches wider than expected root mass. When transferring plants to larger indoor pottery, ensure proper repotting for continued growth and health. Fresh potting soil may also be necessary.
Are Instant Pots discontinued?
The Instant Pot brand, currently undergoing a restructuring process, has seen a resurgence in recent times. This follows the decision of its parent company, Cornell Capital, to hire a restructuring team and file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The aim of this move is to ensure the continued operation of the brand while seeking debt relief.
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.
What size jars fit in Instant Pot?
The maximum capacity for canning is five 250ml (8 oz) mason jars or four 500ml (16 oz) jars.
📹 Instant Pot Duo 3, 6, & 8 qt UNBOXING – WHICH INSTANT POT TO BUY
Which Instant Pot to Buy in 2019-2020 with full unboxing of Instant Pot Lux vs Duo, Pros and cons on sizes, models, etc.
At age 71 I’ve use a true pressure cooker over 50 years. I’ve also tried 2 different Instant Pots. The first one broke after a couple months of use the pressure valve disintegrated. I return the second one to the store and I decided that this was just not for me. I was surprised by this review/comparison as I figured she’d favor the new version which was not the case.
I have both. I have been using pressure cookers for over 50 years so they’re not a mystery to me. My stovetop cooker sits in the cupboard most of the time. My Instantpot is used almost daily. It cooks at lower pressure than the stovetop one but it’s hardly noticeable. Cooks everything beautifully and is so convenient.
The instant pot has changed my life. I have literally been able to make things I never attempted before because I’m disabled and cannot stand for hours in the kitchen over the stove. Everything I have made has been so simple, flavorful and my husband cannot get over the wonderful food waiting for him after a long day at work. I have made beef stew for him several times which turned out incredible but it’s not going to happen in 15 minutes. Yes they take time to reach preassure but as someone who grew up in the 70s I remember those old pressure cookers. Whenever my mom would get ready to release the pressure she made sure all is kids were out of the kitchen. I grew up so afraid of the things. You won’t get me within 100 feet of a regular one. These are safe and comparing it to a standard one isn’t fair. How about testing it out for how it’s intended?
Completely agree with her. With my standard pressure cooker + induction cooktop it builds pressure in about 30 seconds 😂 compared to 15 mins in this instant pot. I can run my stainless steel pressure cooker under water making it lose all pressure again in 30 seconds while this thing takes at least several minutes.
Instant Pot cooks at 11 psi. Stovetop pressure cooker at 15, so the instant pot will take longer. But… you don’t have to let it come to pressure and turn it down, you don’t have to monitor it to ensure it’s simmering. You don’t even have to watch the time; it will switch to keep warm and slowly depressurize automatically at the end of cooking. I have both, but I only use the instant pot anymore. Convenience wins.
I think what’s also great about the instant pot is that is multi functioning. I use it a lot as a rice cooker since my real rice cooker broke. Also it introduces pressure cooking to the general public. Before I wouldn’t have even batted an eye about pressure cooking. But since I’ve been gifted the instant pot it has made making stews so quick and easy for me.
It’s not a fair comparison in this case. 1: She set the saute setting too low. Honestly, the saute setting at anything other than high with beef is pretty much useless! 2: With the much lower initial heat especially considering she used the low setting, of course it is going to take longer to come up to pressure. 3: The standard cooker she used was MUCH larger than the IP she used. Pressure cooking 101 is that the more room you have in the pot for steam, the more effective the cooking will be. It does look like she is using the 8quart IP, but the standard PC she used was enormous. 4: I’m not saying the IP is perfect, just that this was not a fair comparison really.
This is a disturbingly sloppy comparison, and clear that she doesn’t know how to use an Instant Pot. 1. She compared the price of a standard pressure cooker with that of the most expensive Instant Pot. Not cool. Instant Pot also does more things than a regular pot. 2. She did not use the High saute setting to brown the meat. 3. She apparently turned off the Instant Pot before adding liquid and let the Instant Pot’s pressure function bring the liquid to a boil. She should have done what she did with the standard pot, which was to add the liquid and and bring it to a boil before starting the pressure function. 4. The Instant Pot’s standard setting for stew is 35 minutes, but she knocked it down to 15, for some unknown reason.
In my family, we’ve used real pressure cookers for decades. Stovetop pressure cookers reach a higher pressure (15 PSI) which results in much hotter water inside. Electric cookers only reach 10-12 PSI, which results in a lower temp and a longer cooking time. Also, a stovetop pressure cooker can be removed from the stove and allow to depressurize naturally in 5 to ten minutes, which is much better when cooking beans or meat, whereas an Instant Pot can take up to 40 minutes to depressurize. Also, a stovetop cooker can be taken to the sink, have cool water run over the lid, which causes it to depressurize very quickly, which is useful when cooking things like risotto. This is much faster than opening the steam vent.
I mean, pressure cookers are pretty scary but if you know how to use them, they make everything way easier/quicker, in Mexican cuisine there’s a lot of frijoles (beans) and cooking them in a pressure cooker reaaally speeds up the process (and I think without losing on the flavor side), the same with other hard legumes and meats. My mom swears by it.
I agree the instapot is legit! At first I was like this glorified ricecooker can never beat my slow and low technique(simmering 3 hours or more). I was wrong. I’ve made so many dishes that take hours to make in under 1 hour including pho, braised meat dishes, connective tissue tendons, beef stock etc. but I also make perfect rice with less water and fluffier finish and kept nacho cheese hot for hours. It’s very versatile. Plus amazon had a Black Friday sale for only $48 free ship so I got it. I forgot to mention that you can sauté your aromatics then sear your meat and finish with a braise and have perfect result every time. Worth it for sure!!!
It’s definitely a trade-off. The Instant Pot can get most jobs done, but it doesn’t have the power of a good stove underneath it, and that means everything does take a little longer. I think it’s a question of if the convenience it provides (not necessarily in terms of speed, but in terms of the dishes you have to do and the amount of babysitting it takes to make sure nothing goes wrong) is worth the extra time things may take.
Operator error. She had the sauté function set incorrectly. Second, she allowed the stovetop pressure cooker come to a boil before putting the lid on but placed the lid on the Instant Pot then expected it to come to a boil. Far from equal testing. And as for her comment about slow cooks producing better flavour than a pressure cooker that is incorrect. In a study comparing foods cooked in a pressure cooker vs a Dutch oven vs a slow cooker, in EVERY case the slow cooker coming in dead last by a great margin with the pressure cooker and Dutch oven about even.
I got an IP Duo SV at Costco for $65 a few days ago – $160 sounds crazy. I’ve already made 4 meals in it – 2 of which were beans – everything came out more flavorful and cooked better than a slow cooker, plus I didn’t have to worry about learning how to use a stovetop pressure cooker. I feel like this article was sponsored by some other cookware company.
Heck yea it’s easy, and you can infuse more flavor in how you Season it. Also the new electric pressure cookers are more about safety, you can actually walk away, program it in the morning, from work and your food is ready for you! Walk away from an old pressure cooker and that food will be all over your kitchen especially the ceiling!
From other comments, I gather there were other errors in this article. But I essentially stopped at 0:58 because she was comparing a no frills, probably medium brand stove top pc based on the price with one of if not the most expensive ip pressure cookers. She also commented that the stove top pc was just a pot. That you couldn’t build flavor. That floored me. I have used traditional and multiple different electric pressure cookers. The only reason I prefer electric is the convenience of it. I prefer the IP because it has a better saute function. Then most electrics and I prefer a metal pot. I paid less than 120 for each of my IPs. I have two the regular duo 8 qt. And the 6 qt smart. But I also have a regular PC and a canning pc. This was a faulty comparison.
Funny true story. My husband had his parents visiting from Europe. He borrowed my mother’s pressure cooker and wanted to do chili with red kidney beans. Thank goodness I was at work. This is 30 years ago. He always knew everything about Everything. He put all the ingredients from the recipe into the pot. Started it and waited, and waited, and waited. You guessed right. I got home when the MESS was just about cleaned up. The cover blew off and the chilli made it to the walls and ceiling. I just purchased an instant pot because I NEVER felt safe using a pressure cooker (my mom’s) ever. We celebrated our 50th anniversary. The good news was that I got the kitchen re-painted.
I have sauteed more meat than this in the instant pot many times with no issues and it browns up very quickly and had no reason to sear it off in another pan first. I have made roasts and stew and even short ribs in 30 minutes or less that were as tender as if they had been in the crock pot for 12 hours. I made a large brisket, cut into chucks packed into it from FROZEN in 40 minutes the other day that came out like it had been cooking all day. Just sayin my experience with mine has been amazing.
This is a pretty fair assessment. With the past host the instant pot would have been written off, but having used it many times its definitely a great solution for weeknight cooking etc. 15 minutes babysitting the stove with a pressure cooker, or 30 (even 45) minutes where I can walk away and do other tasks is worth it to me. Browning meat is often recommended in another pot like cast iron is also a great way to go here!
Not sure about the $160 price quote on the Instant Pot. Just checked and Amazon has the 8 qt for $140. I got mine on sale for $80. Also, the saute feature on mine works fine at browning. At 15 minutes root vegetables have always been soft. This whole episode felt like a result and opinion arrived at in advance, played out for the camera.
For the beef stew I always use the manual setting on high pressure for the time needed. Also the sauté setting can be on high or medium, so be sure to check that too. I have always used a cast iron pan for my recipe and I this the IP definitely pulls its weight. What I like also is you don’t need to babysit the thing and you know boil over or heat up the kitchen like on the stove does.
Don’t put the lid on to saute. Be sure to adjust the Less/Normal/More setting, according to your needs. NPR all meats. Use tried and true Instant Pot recipes until you learn how it works. There are 18 IP models now. Don’t forget to mention the Yogurt function. I’d suggest using the Instant Pot regularly for a few weeks, then come back and do a comparison.
I think a lot of people here are trying to give the Instant Pot too much credit. I have one and I love it, but I do think this test was fair. Just because you can take the insert out and sear on the stove with it (which I frequently do), doesn’t mean you should have to if there’s a saute function, and if there’s a built in stew function, shouldn’t it work as advertised (which I say as someone who exclusively uses the manual setting)? Also, for what it’s worth, the ability to pull the insert out and use it separately isn’t even listed as something you can do in the most recent user manual (though I just picked the first google result, maybe there’s some model that does suggest doing that). Plus, it’s literally factual that electric standalone pressure cookers do not reach as high pressure as stovetop units, it’s even in my instant pot manual. The reality is that the convenience tradeoff you make with an electric pressure cooker ends up meaning that you get a less versatile, less powerful tool. For me, the convenience is worth it; for others, it might not be, and I think this test does a good job of showing that.
So much fail . . . Price fail. She intentionally tested the most expensive IP and failed to inform viewers that there are other IPs at less than half the price that she quotes – and in the same price range as her stovetop pressure cooker. Saute fail. Look at all that oil! You just want enough to coat the bottom. Also, the instructions clearly say to leave the lid off while sauteing? Yet she just as clearly ignored that. What does this woman have against following instructions? Also, I have sauteed in the IP many times and I doubt she had it set at the highest setting as it sautes better than what she showed here. Flavor fail. She claims that flavors are developed better in a slow cooker than a pressure cooker, when anyone who has used both knows the opposite to be true; Science fail. She attributes the fact (and this is true) that the IP will take longer than a stovetop pressure cooker to the heating element not heating the food as fast, when the real major factor is that the pressure is considerably higher on a good stovetop pressure cooker than what the IP achieves. THAT is why the IP takes longer. The pressure cooker is a specialty item. It excels at pressure cooking. It sucks at shutting itself off and automatically keeping your food warm after it is through. It sucks at being idiot proof and 100% safe. The IP is a jack of all trades doing a more than adequate job at all of them, but not being the best at anything.
Hi, a couple of points on my Ipot I always adjust the saute to ‘high’ as opposed to medium, and saute until browned (adding flavour) If you do this the temp in the IPot is high so that when you begin cooking it takes less time to reach steam and start the timer. I also always use the ‘manual’ button and time the cooking to 15 mins, NOT the pre set ‘stew’; function….and Voila well cooked tasty and fast lunch!
She didn’t need to use the instant pot to saute all the ingredients like she did with the pressure cooker, she could’ve thrown everything in raw, mix it up and set the stew setting. Then the time would’ve balanced out. I use my instant pot on a nearly daily basis, I live in an rv so space and convenience is super important and the instant pot offers that.
The comments are nasty to Esther Choi because she’s Asian. If she were white, and much worse, the comments would still be better. I’m seeing this pattern throughout YouTube – and it happens everywhere online, as well as IRL. Also, the comments keep referring to Choi as “her” – whereas if it were a white person, the comment would address her directly, like “I love your website!” That’s because white people are seen as people, and Asians are not. Also, when it’s an Asian, people are not gushing – instead, they’re unfairly harsh. And they suddenly turn more logical in their comments, instead of warm and effusive as they are towards white people. Also, there seems to be mild bullying going on in these comments – like the “glug glug” of the stupidly most-upvoted comment. Just replace her with a white/black/Hispanic person – and have that person say/do the exact same things – and watch the comments suddenly get more loving and effusive – instead of rude and condescending. This girl would be popular and respected in hipster areas like SF/LA/NYC. She’s VERY American and bold/hipster in her look and vibe. She would be feared/respected among Asian Americans, and by young hipster multi-ethnic crowds in cool, trendy areas. But most people perusal are simply discriminatory against Asians, even a very whitewashed and “cool” one like this girl. Given that, what is the model of the InstaPot? Should I get a 6 qt or 8 qt? And the 7-in-1 or 9-in-1?
I did the thumbs down and moved on but thought “that isn’t fair” so here goes. I have the same PC you are using and the first fail is not actually learning about the Instant Pot VS a stove top PC, or even reading the manual… ALL electric PC require more time for the same recipe because they do not go the the same pressure/ temp as stove top models. If you read the manual (it’s like 10 pages) you would know that you were on the wrong saute setting AND the wrong stew setting. You are also the only person I have ever heard say you should bring things to a boil and then put the lid on. I think that is probably bad advice since it adds time and adds evaporation. It will come to a boil faster with the lid on, because you are not losing heat out the top of the open pot. Also you do not start counting time from putting the lid on but from when it comes up to pressure. And you get a big fail on complaining “insta pot” wasn’t “instant”. Ya you can ding them on a silly name but if anybody bought this thinking you could put stuff in, hit a button and it would be done they were on way too many drugs. Electric PC’s are slower than stove top ones. Not a huge amount but slower. The other difference is you set the electric PC and go off and do other things, stove top you need to babysit it. Once you have done it enough you can be a bit loose with the babysitting but you can’t go out shopping. For quick stuff not a big deal but for a 45 min beef stock… Also prices. A stove top of good quality and stainless is about $70 up to $300 or so for a six quart.
You have no idea of how to use an instant pot. A: you have to put saute on high and you certainly should never throw that much meat in any pot to brown. B: I don’t know where you got your timing from. C: You don’t have to stand there and time a Instant Pot but walk away and let it do it’s thing and finally D: You never should quick release beef. It needs time to come down from pressure slowly so as not to make the meat fiber seize. Based on your complete non understanding of the “gadget” I would say yiou don’t do your homework and you are not worth perusal.
It’s remarkable how much less interesting she is than the other guy. Also, there’s a great solution to your saute problem – put the liner on the range. It’s stainless. It can take it. Also, don’t use the damn preset buttons, they don’t always account for every factor – how much meat, how much stock. In a world where there are sites like citizen sous vide, you should just use manual mode. She also didn’t mention the best part about electric ones over stovetop – no fear of scroching, and the requirement that one buy a higher end stovetop model to help prevent it.
everyone saying she messed up 2 ways. 1) she sautéed at lowest setting, which took longer to sauté and also meant took longer for instant pot to come to boil when preheating 2) she brought the stove top pressure cooker to boil and then started counting time for it. but didn’t wait for the aame for instant pot. which due to being set on low setting saute probably took longer. if true. then it wasn’t a fair comparison
I bought an Instant Pot last weekend, and I can say that the Sauté feature is crazy powerful! I had to turn it back to a normal and low setting because oil was splattering everywhere. I also don’t find it takes long to build pressure or heat up either. I have an Instant Pot Viva. Perhaps your model has issues with heating up quickly?
There are a couple of tweaks that need to be done to the instant pot, firstly while cutting up your meat and veg start the saute function to heat up, then fry the meat etc, when adding any liquids preheat in Microwave to speed up pressurize time. Like most gadgets you need to experiment to your liking.
#TestAllTheMultiFunctions 😢Please🙏 I’ve been debating with my self for the longest time over weather to buy the Instant Pot. And if I do, What size should I get because 1)it’s hard to get ingredients for single/small servings, 2) buget friendly cooking {like making Rice or a whole chicken}, and 3)the Time & Taste issue.
A couple points, I agree the Instant Pot has 3 sautee settings. The default setting is medium. I heard the reviewer state pressure cookers don’t develop flavors as well as slow cookers. Not 100% sure what she meant, but my pressure cookers seal in flavors and I read nutrition better than slow cookers. Why would you be able to taste seasonings in pressure cooker dishes when added at the beginning of cooking while you can’t in a slow cooker (it’s always advisable to season slow cooker recipes at the end of cooking)?
Children aren’t supposed to play with the Instant Pot. Especially those who can’t read. Did you know the sauté mode on this Instant Pot can be set to “low” & “high”? Duh! Also, people like the Instant Pot because they aren’t chained to it. The standard pressure cooker has to be monitored constantly. So, maybe if you’d have sautéed correctly & done a NR instead of QR (like you’re supposed to) the stew in the Instant Pot would have worked.
How about FRYING the onions, they need higher than boiling temperature to be tender. Personally I’d fry the meat, remove, then add the onions… brown and add meat back. Then the other vegetables. You used too much oil, plus I’d have used beef dripping, lard or coconut oil… Or even olive oil. Vegetable oils are actually seed oils and are very bad when heated…free radicals are released, causing premature aging. Chef of 25 years experience.
I’m sure I don’t want to fool with a stove top pressure cooker – this isn’t 1957. You don’t show that you need to douse that stove top model with water to bring the pressure down. I love my Instant Pot, it’s been my best kitchen purchase probably in the last 20 years. I’m not sure where you get your $160 Instant Pot price, I purchased a newer model at Costco last month for $89. It seems you’re being over critical of the Instant Pot – I’ve not had any problems with my finished foods – try using it correctly. If I was making stew, I wouldn’t even use the “stew” button, just normal high pressure.
Your demonstration was flawed… sauté mode has low, normal and high settings.Your stove top pressure cooker works best in a restaurant. The instant pot works best for home cooking. I don’t have to stand over the Instant Pot, my kitchen doesn’t heat up because of the stove’s direct heat, it’s safer, and it’s digital. I LOVE IT! If you don’t have an instant pot go get one, it works…
There is a famous quote from Albert Einstein that many teachers like to quote: “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Same principal applies to cookware. I see nearly 90% of the comments criticising Eater for not understanding how to use the Instant Pot. She didn’t set saute to high, she apparently let the instant pot cool down before pressurising it, didn’t follow any instruction at all on how to use it (I don’t know why only men are stereotyped as not following/reading instructions) and was pretty much biased from the get go. This was a horrible review and let me know I definitely do not need to continue perusal anything you produce. Such poor quality work should fail.
The Instapot doesn’t get to as high of a pressure, honestly you could’ve cooked it for about 3-5 minutes more and it would’ve been fine. I have plenty of experience with stovetop and electric pressure cookers. I have a Ninjafoodi and that thing will get hot enough to brown meat without a problem, I’ve not tried an Instapot.
From the very get-go this chick sounded very biased. I don’t know how you can do an honest review on something and sound that biased from the very beginning. The Insta pot like many things that are multifunction do a lot of different jobs but they don’t do them all perfectly. Obviously this thing isn’t going to sauté like a frying pan on a stove top but it’s a space saver. You can do all kinds of different things with it and then once you’re done you can stash it in your cupboard.
Wanna make the instant pot more useful? Integrate it with an induction field underneath, making it pressurize in seconds. Increase pressure resistance making it reach high temps. Find a way to allow to go under running water to depressurize almost immediately. Integrade all this into the thermomix platform. There you go, the ultimate kitchen machine.
I’m sorry, you just didn’t know how to use the IP. 3 heat settings for saute and you used the lowest with a LOT of oil, and crowded the pot; no wonder the meat didn’t brown. Since I’ve had my IP and my air fryer I hardly ever use my stove anymore. I have the 8qt and 3qt IP and I use them constantly cooking 85% of our meals with them. I’ve made cheesecakes, banana bread, traditional English Christmas pudding, yogurt, cottage cheese, cooked a whole 10lb turkey last Thanksgiving in 1 hour, pho ga, chicken Makhani (butter chicken) and many other dishes. I’ve used Crock Pot slow cookers longer than you’ve been alive and I can guarantee you there is no advantage of using a slow cooker when it comes to flavor. Instant Pot sells by word of mouth, we have groups on FB, and the IP has been a sold out top seller kitchen appliance on Amazon. I encourage you to try again and this time read the directions.
Clearly she doesn’t have any idea what she is doing, watch the article of philips smokeless grill that she also review. She complain about not hearing sizzle sound in the grill. She did not wait for 6 mins preheat and put the meat and complain not hearing a sizzling sound. Clearly she is not good to do some product review she look like she doesn’t have any idea.
I use to read all the comments and not understand why everyone was hating so much. Now I get it. She just doesn’t understand how to use any of the gadgets that she reviews. She put everything into the pot and expects the pot to instantly sautés? Even a regular pan requires a pre-heat time. I still like to watch her articles because I like to watch gadget reviews. I guess you could say that these articles are a good test to see how a gadget performs in the hands of someone that absolutely has no idea how to use the gadget correctly…It’s still entertaining to watch though. Lol
As someone that cooks as the single dad a lot, we were at the 1:45 mark when I figured she was using the Instant Pot incorrectly. Saute on high and the beef browns quickly, evenly and conveniently. You’re doing it wrong. I make all my great grandmother’s pressure cooker recipes in my Instant Pots (I have two now) and the kids love them. It works perfectly and it is a lifesaver. You should do another Instant Pot pressure cooker test and get someone experienced to help. We make soups, rice pudding, rice, eggs (best easiest egg salad EVER with zero egg shell peeling), ribs, short ribs, bulgogi, pot roast, frozen chicken, pasta… the list goes on. Got rid of my slow cookers and bought more of the IP’s. You have besmerched my beloved IP PC. It’s all good – just know you’re wrong. =)
I’m not trying to be mean, but the reviewer clearly had no idea how to use the Instapot. It appeared to me like she was familiar with the older pressure cooker method, which is fine, but at least bring on someone who has experience with the instapot. Bottom line this was not an apple to apples comparison
I have a question. What is the name brand of the traditional type pressure cooker? I have tried the InstaPot, didn’t like it much because it just didn’t make the food in a speedy time as it says it does. I am new to pressure cookers and I know how to use them safely. Safety first always. But you said other pressure was great. So, if I could get the name brand and size I would like to try it for myself. Thank you and I look forward to your response.
With her limited cooking/chef knowledge I am surprised they turned her loose with a pressure cooker. Then again I have seen the menu at her “restaurants” 🤣🤣🤣. I must say Dairy Queen’s menu is more creative. . Suggest she get more practice with the products she reviews so she gets acclimated to functionality.
This is just silly. Nobody should be surprised that built in hob is higher powered than an appliance meant to be plugged into a 110 outlet. One gets hotter, faster. Really? Gee. Also the times are not going to be the same as the regular pressure cooker is using a higher pressure. None of this has anything to do with the value of the Instant Pot. And what is that about waiting for it to boil before putting the lid on. Why? For what purpose? This website is very uneven with good and interesting vids and this kind of nonsense.
I will agree a stove top pressure cooker is going to be hands down the best pressure cooker. If you are running a restaurant where it is rush rush rush then instant pot is not for you. There were several errors in this article. 1. Smart (it has nothing to do with how it Cooks) it just means you can write program scripts and send them to the pressure cooker (eg when I make bone broth I use a script that brings to pressure, drops to rest, and repeats 3 times). Makes a nice full body broth. 2. Most Instant Pots (except the smart one) are less than $100 3. The element is slower than an induction top or similar. You wait till it says hot and put the stuff in. 4. Instant Pot does not have the pressure as high, so it takes longer than a pressure cooker on a high speed or induction stove Beyond that it was accurate that the stove top pressure cooker is faster and due to higher pressure is better at that. Instant Pot is a jack of all trades. It is not better than a device that specializes in that trade. A little look at the instructions would have led to that knowledge.
if one manages time correctly in the kitchen then a traditional pressure cooker is much faster than instant pot especially if you count in the time traditional PC saves by allowing you to depressurize under cold water it. Timers are cheap and alleviate any fears about explosions. In 5 to 15 minutes while on pressure you could clean the mess or set a table. Its a very simple equipment to use. It lasts far longer than electric ones, much higher pressure and importantly tastes better.
I have the power pressure cooker. Saute is the hottest setting without having to adjust and heats quickly. It has stew and slow cooker functions as well as pressure cooking. I eliminated 3 appliances (crockpot, rice cooker, and pressure cooker). The benefits regardless of brand are auto shutoff and lid can’t be removed until pressure is released. I’ve had mine about 3 years one love it. Set it and forget it. I’ve made stew in mine and the meat comes out great. I’ve seared the meat and just tossed it in with everything and comes out great every time. The best stew is made with leftover roast.
So lucky she didn’t try to make baked potatoes in the Instant Pot and not follow the directions. Using the saute settings on Low is not a fair comparison. Instant Pot saute on High is ah-mazing, as well as being the standard way to saute roasts & stew meat. In case you do want to make baked potatoes in the Instant Pot, stab them with either a sturdy fork or a knife on all sides or they WILL explode in the Instant Pot.
I have a competing product to the instapot but it is the same thing but with a different name. On my device I have both a “brown” and a “sauté” button. The brown button is much stronger. I would say that it is pretty equal to what I get on the stove. I say all of this because I wonder if the same thing is happening on the instapot.
I actually agree: I struggle to brown meat. But there’s a worse issue with the InstantPot vs stove top: my Spanish Rice recipe never comes to pressure! The recipe has the right moisture, but it tends to get too hot and the pot thinks it’s pressured. I’ve tried it many times and every time the meat comes out totally raw because it thinks it’s pressured. I’ve tried everything, push the meat aside, add more water, take the pot out for the element to cool, nothing. It won’t pressure with thick liquids. I’ve seen this a couple other times, like oatmeal, and it’s made me suspicious and nervous that it’s really cooking. It made me sad I gave away my stovetop version, which I can control better. Maybe I have to watch it a little more to control the heat, but at least I know it’s actually cooking and we’ll be able to eat dinner!
This article and its comments taught me: InstantPot is good for timer functions, not as replacement pressure cooker. Professional cooks will prefer professional tools. I probably want an InstantPot to cater to my attention span. InstantPot fans get absolutely rabid when their own bias is not confirmed.
The instant pot does not achieve 15psi which traditional pressure cookers do so you do have to allow some extra time for this with the usual recipes Also stovetop will heatup much faster they are both great instantpot is basicly a set and forget stove top you have to keep on minimum heat to maintain pressure which varies on which cooktop they both have their pros and cons i have both 🙂
Hi Everyone! Thanks so much for perusal this article! Make sure you check out my next article, 26 Instant Pot Tips, Tricks, Hacks, and Facts! I guarantee you won’t know at LEAST one of them!! youtube.com/watch?v=-5Z6NeBxnhY i’ve been working on my articles and I think you’ll really like this next one! – Lisa
Nice article, but I would recommend the 8 quart or now even the 10 quart. Why? Well you can only fill them about 2/3 of the way for one. If space isn’t a factor you can do everything in the larger instant pots you can do in the smaller ones. Finally, I’m single but I make huge batches of food and then freeze many meals. This is super convenient. I have the 8 quart and have not regretted it at all. 10 quart was not available when I purchased mine or I would have bought the 10 quart.
If you freeze meals and/or love leftovers, the 8 qt is a godsend…even if cooking for only 2 people. My husband and I cook things like chili con carne, sloppy joes, Huli Huli chicken, Italian-styled braised pork, and broth. We freeze leftovers with rice into 16 oz Reditainer Extreme Freeze Deli Food Containers with Lids. We find that having a variety of frozen dinners is handy. 🙂 Have Fun!!
Nice article, Lisa — well-done, informative, pleasant to watch. I’ve been loving my IP for several months, now, and often use it more than once-per-day, starting with steel cut oats, cooked in the bowl I eat them from, on the trivet. The versatility of use with it has moved my other counter-top assistant — the air fryer — to the utility closet, where I can fish it out when-needed, which is far less frequently than the IP! New users should especially appreciate your pointing out that the lid can be propped on the base unit’s handles. I’m one who made the expensive mistake of absentmindedly setting my lid down on a hot stovetop, resulting in excessive meltage. I see that others have also learned this lesson the hard way. Perhaps your article will help them avoid this!
I started with an Instant Pot Lux. 6 qt. I wanted a basic to see if I liked it. I do. Next I bought a IP Duo Plus 6qt. Today I found a bargain on a IP Duo 3 qt. I really like my Instant Pots. My husband is the better cook in our house, but I’m getting pretty good with my IP’s. I got the 3qt mostly for side dishes. I didn’t want to use one of the other ones to do that. I really like your recommendation for proofing dough. T.Y. 😃
I went for the 3 because I am on my own but also one of the main things I bought it for was to cook rice. So I do not want a lot of leftover rice which I don’t like warmed up and I thought if I put one cup in that it might get dry at the bottom because it could be a too-small a quantity. Now I am worried I should have got the 6. However, reading the reviews lots of people saying 3 is fine for one person.
Great job on the article, Lisa! We also decided on the 6 qt Duo, a Star Wars R2D2 special edition that Williams-Sonoma had on sale. We’ve been amazed at the quality of the foods that can be made in it, and the speed at which you can make them! You make a great point on having more than one… within a week we ordered a second 6 qt so we could do multiple meal items at the same time. The addition was a Darth Vader version, so now our Instant Pots can cover both sides of The Force at once. Balanced meals. 🙂
Whatever you do DO NOT buy the 3 quart. I get when your a single person but still you never know if you need more. My story: I have myself and 1 child (15 yrs old) I got the 3 quart and now trying to sell it to buy a 6 qt because we like pork roast,BBQ ribs, and meatloaf in instant pot. Problem: yeah sure i can make a small amount but then there isn’t any leftovers. My problem: I work 2 jobs and am not going to cook everyday. so my kid will usually have leftovers the next day. but some items we make we barely have enough for one meal for the both of us. For example: when i make pork roast we add vegetables to it and can barely put a few potatoes and such in it. When I make BBQ ribs with the bones you can’t put much in a 3 qt. So even if you’re a single person, unless you know for fact you will stay single, and never have guests, DO NOT get the 3 qt. Any single person wanna buy a 3 qt. I got one for sale only 4 months old.
I actually went with an 8 qt simply for a few reasons. I like have a little extra breathing room in case I decide to make a little extra. I also tend to make meals that I can have for a few days. Money being tight and my desire to not have to cook for myself every day since I work overnights, I like to have lots of leftovers. I also tend to share with coworkers and family.
Wow so informative, thank you so much. Wished I had watched your article before buying mine more than a year ago and never opened and would have preferred the 6 qt one most likely. I have the 3qt duo plus and using it for first time today. I had applied the plastic condensation collector in the wrong spot which didnt fit right so your article was great to show where it should go. The booklet picture was not clear so that my husband even put it on wrong but now in the right spot its perfect. Also the lid stand, so cool to know that it does that too. I was so happy to learn that the Pressure Button is the same as Manual button which another article person seem to indicate that was a very useful button. All in all, your article is very helpful. And your beautiful smile made it very pleasant to watch. Thanks again. I might try to make yogurt someday too and will look for your recipe.
I have both the 6 qt & 8 qt. I use the six more often but when doing a large pork roast for making tamales they wont fit the 6 Qt. Tamales also work great in an Instapot and freeze well. I live alone but things like a big batch of tamales freeze well and are great for a quick lunch or snack so that’s when the big guy comes out to play. Also multiple racks of ribs and whole corn work better in the 8 . Thank you for what you do.
Thank you for sharing your instant information 💚I already bought actually 2 6qt instant pot, one is the viva, and the other is a duo. My intention was giving my son one because he does a lot of pressure cooking, me I am kind of petrified because I never used any type of pressure cooker. Someone once told me that their pressure cooker blew up and food was on their ceiling and so I’m perusal you to make sure that I’m getting the right information so I don’t make any mistakes as they have without a pressure cooker I’m sure the instant pot is definitely not like pressure cooker. I just wanted to contact you and say that I’ve watched a few of your articles on YouTube and I’m slowly getting up enough courage to use the instant pot and not allowed to intimidate me over what happened kissed someone else with the regular pressure cooker. I look forward looking at your recipes and my intention my first intention I thought of making was yogurt do you think that’s a good one to use for the first time? Thank you again for your good informational articles I look forward to seeing your recipes and trying new things with this instant pot💜 much love and respect, to you and your family.stay safe and healthy💙
Today i just bought 3qt mini latest version which have start button function…i Chose mini bcoz i just for myself… some more im staying in hotel room past few months so buying bigger one is not suitable and it cost alot since i cook for 1 pax..I will get my pot by nex week Thursday and cant wait to try lite cookings
Great to know that you have multiple Instant Pots! I got the 3 quart Instant Pot Duo Plus (can’t recall what the “Plus” means, already!) because it’s just my husband and me most of the time and I have very little space to put any appliance on a “non-combustible” surface. I ordered some silicone heat-protector pads for the counter, that I hope will make it so I do not have to put the pot on the stovetop between burners (obviously, when not using the stove!). However, I’m going to do that for the “test” run of the little 3 quart Instant Pot Duo Plus. Thank you!
I have the 3 Quart Instant Pot because I am a travel nurse and I live in a camper. The 3 quart is the right size to fit in my camper on my kitchen counter and it cooks smaller amounts for just me. I know you can cook smaller amounts in the 6 quart but it was really too big to fit on my small counter in my camper. Eventually when I stop traveling and move into a house I’ll probably get the 6 quart, but the 3 quart is really really nice, you just have to be careful with the recipes because most of the recipes are for 6 quarts and you have to downsize them for the 3 quart. Downsize does not always mean cut in half.
I just got the 8 quart one. And mine didn’t come with all the stuff you are showing? I didn’t get rice scooper, ladle, condensation cup, rice cup, recipe book, etc? I got mine from Amazon. Thanks for all the wonderful articles that you do to help us. They help a lot. Love and prayers to you and your family.❤️❤️❤️🌈🌈✝️✝️🙏🙏
Honey Im sitting outside of my local Target going to look at what kinds of Instant Pot models they have to buy for my mothers birthday in a few days. Im very happy I came across your review articles, you are helpful and knowledgeable. This I appreicate, b/c I really had no clue which kind I would go with. I believe the Duo will be right for our household. And this is our first one, we look forward to trying it. Thank you for your advice I look forward to seeing how my meals turn out!!💕🙌🏾 🌈 #newsubbie
Oh crap brand new instant pot user here…. I just bought the 8 quart duo because it was on sale half price! But there is only me and my partner and we don’t really entertain guests. Did I make a mistake buying such a big unit? Can I still make most of the recipes work for us if I’m only cooking for two with the intentions of having leftovers for the next day? Or should I return it for the 6 quart?
My daughter is basically vegetarian, and my boys are young, so they don’t eat big portions yet, so I love my 6 quart, but always have too much leftovers, and have to try to make smaller batches of meals. That’s why I think the 3 quart will serve my needs better as I’m mostly cooking for myself, and occasionally my husband (I work day shift, and he usually works through dinner, and gets food while he’s out.) I’m sure the 6 quart will be more handy once my boys are teenagers. I’ve got two boys, one on the way, and a step-son who’s over every other weekend.
When deciding to try an Instant Pot, I was using Kohl’s Cash, so bought a 4 quart Zavor pot for a great sale price. There’s just my husband and me, and I’d been using a 4 quart slow cooker after giving away my 6 quart slow cooker as too large. The surprise is how much more I can do with an Instant Pot, so now I’m really thinking I need to add a 6 quart model, an extra inner pot, more seals, and one of those (or more) plastic lid covers for marinating meat. Finding your website is such a wonderful blessing. Now I can make better choices about those purchases!! Thank you for all your knowledge and wisdom.
I am new to the instant pot, I have been looking for all in one features to replace a lot of appliances I looked at the terminals and they are quite expensive. I’m looking for sous vide, pasta, cake, steam, ferment, can and etc. Can you please guide me in the right direction? I enjoy perusal you and I was going to consider an air fryer however, I have one already and I watched you cook with one, I truly love your site💓Thank you for sharing your experiences and appliances, and recipes❤HappybEaster🐰🐇
Hi Lisa, I am LDS from Toronto, On, Canada.. I found myself needing cornea transplants in 2015 and unable to cook. I had used a stovetop pressure cooker, Lagostina, for many, many years but I needed to change so I bought the electrical kind that is so much easier to cook with. It turns out my husband had to take over the cooking. He loves the 6 quart duo instant Pot. I am glad for the purchase because he cooks vegetables. It’s really hard when you can’t see to cook. I received my transplants after about 1 year. I am ok now but 2 years ago I broke my left hip. My husband really had to learn to do everything. He is my assistant. He is 80. All our married life we have stuck to the traditional way so it was not easy to change things. On top of it all I was born in France so I am a fairly good cook and demanding of good tasting food. Thanks for helping people!
hi,i have an 8 quart duo nova instant pot,when i put the lid on i dont have to do anything,it seals to pressure automatically,my son picked this out for me,i was so happy and amazed,its my first instant pot,i love everything about it,i dont have to worry about forgetting to seal for pressure because it does it on its own
unpleasant, wordy, and took soooo long to get to the point. 🙁 you’re the article maker.. all u gotta do is check/research 1 min on the parts where u said “i dont know”.. not sure if my nervous system is just shot today but there are just so many unnecessary sounds and clanging, and it was so slow. Some advice was like “duh” u didnt have to say that, of course they all come with a rice scooper and an instruction manual. But it took you like 3 minutes to say that. Sorry for being picky, i haven’t been this irked by a article for a long time.
I come back to this every once in a while and every time I think it would have been nice if you had taken the inner pots out of each size and put on the counter for comparison. Having the whole unit doesn’t really give an accurate idea of how much can be cooked in the 3 and 8 litre units. Right now I’m tossing up whether to buy a new Duo or just get a couple more inner pots. Decisions decisions. Thanks for the review….and I’m looking forward to the release of your new cookbook “Enjoy”. cheers
Lisa, I agree with you about the 6-qt being the best IP to start with. I chose the 6-qt Ultra, then picked up the 3-qt Mini Duo. I generally leave the Mini out on counter, to cook rice, hard boiled eggs, oatmeal, Mac & cheese, rice pudding, and most of all, YOGURT. I have to say, the Duo is so much easier to operate than the Ultra; it is more user-friendly and the Duo is less expensive. Thanks for sharing your tips, your articles are wonderful and so instructive. 😊
Hi! I’m a college student and I obviously only cook for myself. I am super confused about which size Instant Pot I should buy because there is not much of a price difference on Amazon (Germany). So I was thinking maybe I should get the medium one like you said but it looks kinda massive for just one person… (Even if that person is me, who likes to eat much.) But I’m also afraid that if I get the small one it would be perhaps too small. Any recommendations anyone?
I’d love a article comparing the 3 models since we know the 6 qt is the way to go and the duo seems to be the jack of all trades, what about the other 2 what are the pros and cons, what features do you get that maybe aren’t on the duo or what does the duo have that the others don’t? Thanks, awesome vid
Hi Lisa, I just found your website and so glad I did! You explain things so well and break them down into understandable parts, its great! I was looking to purchase an Instant Pot and had no idea which one, or how they work and felt a little intimidated by them. But your articles put everything in perspective and you give confidence where it is needed. So grateful to have found (and subscribed) to your youtube website! Thank you and keep those articles coming!
Hello I love how you explain the difference size nice but my questions are my sister I and I want to buy Instant pots but which Instant posts do you recommend ?because there are so many differences kinds of Instant pots. we just buy best qualities with good pressure cooking please reply I really want to buy one Instant pot the best that comes with everything’s thank you