Pressure cookers have been slow to catch on in the U.S. (which is perhaps because many of us are still under the impression that they'll blow the house down and, as Rob Mifsud wrote for Slate, they can't win a convenience competition against a microwave).
At some point over the past eight months, without realizing it was happening, I completely fell in love with my Instant Pot.
Kelli Foster, The Kitchn
But is that set to change with the skyrocketing popularity of the Instant Pot, an appliance that—when you consider the price and the functionality and buy into all the hype—is almost hard to resist?
The Canadian-designed electric pressure cooker—that also acts as a steamer, warmer, slow-cooker, sautéer, yogurt maker, and magic carpet—was the best-selling item in the U.S. on Amazon's July 12 Prime Day. Prime members around the world purchased over 215,000 Instant Pots—and Amazon surely sold thousands more in post-Thanksgiving sales, when the six-quart model retailed for just under $70.
Think of how many homes have welcomed a pressure cooker into their kitchen in the past year! Maybe you have?
Shop the Story
And purchasing an Instant Pot doesn't seem to have been a bad decision in the least. In July, The Sweethome, which publishes lists of the best home goods after thorough testing, called the $99 six-quart Instant Pot IP-DUO60 the best electric pressure cooker on the market: "If you were one of the 215,000 people who bought an Instant Pot on Amazon’s Prime Day, you may be wondering if you made the right choice. You did!" The Kitchn has also wholeheartedly endorsed the Instant Pot, as has Bon Appétit.
This is a state of the art, stainless steel, super-sophisticated machine that will, in fact, change your cooking habits for the better.
Casey Barber, Today.com
And once you've read the reviews, convinced yourself you need one, and taken the plunge, you can join the The Instant Pot Community, a 300,000-member Facebook group in which people post questions, recipes, tips, and the occasional baby photo.
If you're a proud owner of an Instant Pot, we'd love to know...
- What do you use it for? What are its greatest strengths?
- Has it disappointed you in any way?
- What do you learn about an Instant Pot only from experimenting with it (rather than just reading about it)?
- Has it replaced any other appliances?
And if you haven't purchased an Instant Pot, do you want one? Leave your responses in the comments!
Written by: Sarah Jampel
Popular on Food52
87 Comments
Rochelle D.
July 23, 2017
The instant pot was a great start into pressure cooking without all of the fear that was induced by exploding pots in the 70's. Instantly I was able to make fluffy brown rice; and honestly who would have thought fluffy and brown rice would go together. I have experimented, weeknight beef stew, pork carnitas in an hour, hard boiled eggs of perfection, and flavourful dried beans and lentils. The best surprise by far, was how effectively I could steam a Christmas pudding cake, thanks to #hippressurecooking blog. Just bought myself a pressure canner primarily so I can make your genius tomato sauce and have it at the ready all winter long. So excited.
Lisa
July 21, 2017
I bought an 8 quart Fagor electric pressure cooker a little over two years ago, I used it 2-3 times a week and it died a week before the Amazon Prime day. I went back and forth on whether to get another Fagor or an Instant Pot. The Instant Pot had so many good reviews and the price was great so I went ahead and bought one. There are some things about it I don't like when compared to the Fagor, but overall it works well and it cooks pretty much the same as the Fagor. It will be easier to follow recipes now since most are centered around how the Instant Pot works. I talk up electric pressure cookers all the time, especially to those I know who don't have much time to cook. It's a time saver extraordinaire!
S J.
March 31, 2017
I LOVE my Instant Pot. Purchased last year and it replaced my slow cooker, rice cooker, & egg cooker. I use it frequently for soups, and convert a lot of slow cooker recipes to "fast cooking". Meats are so tender, eggs are perfectly hard-boiled, and the "1 minute quinoa" is a real winner! I cannot say enough about the Instant Pot. Haven't tried cooking cakes in it yet, but that's on my list to try.
Azura M.
February 8, 2017
I love Pressure Cooking! I make 5 minute dal on week nights and fall off the bone Madras lamb shanks on week nights. I've got a "traditional" pressure cooker....would love to procure an Instant Pot to test out more recipes...!
Margaret K.
January 19, 2017
That's true. The marketing has been brilliant. Electric pressure cookers may be more or less the same, but the difference in convenience between electric and stovetop pressure cooking is huge, and I never realized it until I came across the Instant Pot.
saatchi
January 18, 2017
The Instant Pot is just an electric pressure cooker/slow cooker that has been rebranded. The functionality is no different. What Instant Pot has done brilliantly is marketed these devices with what they are capable of doing under their own name and promoted them aggressively on social media. We bought one and my husband who was afraid of my old school pressure cooker has been whipping up a storm making one hour pot roasts, 10 minute beans, and 30 minute pea soups.
Margaret K.
January 16, 2017
I love my Instant Pot, especially for yogurt. Only two complaints: 1) The ring does take on odors, but replacements are available and it's very easy to switch them. I'll try the coffee grounds trick. (2) Being large, it takes quite a long time to come up to pressure. Remembering to pre-heat the pot and pre-boil the water helps, but among all my other (6 Kuhn Rikon) cookers, nothing comes up to pressure as fast as the 2-quart Teflon lined one that I use daily for potatoes, beets, zucchini, carrots, rice. They don't make them anymore, so when the Teflon finally goes, I'll have to switch to the 2 qt waffle bottom one.
ktr
January 15, 2017
I have found the pressure cooker is a great way to make lean meats like moose and venison tender. I made "beef" stew last week using moose and the meat was as tender as if I'd used beef. I can't wait to try it with wild turkey which makes a tasty soup but is always tougher than chicken.
Linda L.
January 9, 2017
OK, so after reading through most of these comments, I have to ask why so many of you have rice cookers? I make perfect, all types, in a pot on the stove in 20-50 minutes depending on the variety of ride. It's so simple......why a rice cooker???? Thanks!
Tony
January 9, 2017
I cook my rice in a small pot too. But I've seen posts on other sites where users were cooking a very large pot of rice.
Millie J.
January 9, 2017
I've gone to cooking rice in the oven because my electric range doesn't keep a simmer going on the stovetop - it's always too high or too low, I constantly have to check and fiddle with it. Maybe you are cooking with gas? Back when I had a gas stove I too cooked rice on the stove without difficulty, but not now.
msmely
March 23, 2017
What if I'm making something in the instant pot already and I want rice on the side? If the whole point is set-it-and-forget-it cooking then a rice cooker is a natural sidekick.
Chocolate B.
April 14, 2017
If you live at high altitude--above 7000 feet--a good rice cooker such as the Zojirushi Induction cooker, makes a big difference in the quality of your rice. Requires less energy usage than stovetop, too
Tony
January 9, 2017
I use my IP a few times a week & love it! Because of my work, I most times didn't have time to cook a meal & was either having fast food or sandwiches. Now I cooking, just last night I had cube steaks & potatoes cooked in my IP in under 30mins. While they cooking, I roasted carrots in the oven. Last week I a 15 bean soup in 20 minutes, enough for a couple of meals which I bagged & froze.
noUturn
January 8, 2017
I love mine. Rice, broth, hard cooked eggs, soups, yogurt, and CHEESECAKES! Cheesecake in the Instant Pot has the most amazing rich, smooth consistency.
Tom
January 8, 2017
I love mine so far. Got rid of a rice cooker - loved it - and slow cooker - hated it cause everything tastes the same. I love how quickly it cooks. I haven't tried it for yoghurt etc. But I brag about how quickly it cooks.
Then I got a Sous Vide for Christmas. I love the long, slow cooking.
Then I got a Sous Vide for Christmas. I love the long, slow cooking.
Janice G.
January 8, 2017
Bought one of these and did use it a few times, and couldn't figure out why I was putting myself through having this thing on the counter to cook such simple things--a simple saucepan makes perfect rice in 30 minutes and hard-boiled eggs in 20, broth, unattended while I do other things, etc., and the actual recipes I used weren't good, with too many things coming out just "boiled.," (the beef stroganoff was swill,) and I'm not inept--I cooked with a stove-top Presto pressure cooker while working and raising kids, used it at least once or twice a week with decent results. Bottom line, I kept the Instant Pot for awhile (the beef stroganoff was the last straw) and then gave it to a relative, who if she has a lick of sense, has donated it or parked it at the curb by now. This thing is not worth the space it takes nor the effort needed to clean it properly. (I know. . .I am something of a food-prick. Some of the food people prepare in a slow cooker is horrid, too, and many are things that would cook on the stovetop in the 35 minutes it takes to prep them to cook in the slow cooker for six to eight hours. I would have made a terrible Millennial!)
cary W.
January 9, 2017
i am happy to read this Janice, as i feel the same way and was wondering what all the hype was about. i am definitely one to go out and buy anything awesome to help me make great food and was wondering if i had to buy this monster. now i think i'll spend the money on another chef's knife. thank you for your review :)
Linda L.
January 9, 2017
Thank you Janice!!! I am also a good old fashioned cook and I was having a really hard time wrapping my head around the value of bringing an IP into my kitchen. I totally agree with you about the ease of making real food as well as the problem with accidentally making boiled swill as opposed to getting great flavor/texture by braising or just simple roasting techniques. I just couldn't commit to this thing and you finally made me realize that I'm not missing anything....Thanks again!!!!
Saffron3
January 15, 2017
I totally agree, for me. I'm going to spend my money on a better casserole.!
Kathi P.
January 8, 2017
I've had an Instant Pot (bluetooth) for over a year now and I really love it. I haven't done as much experimenting with the bluetooth as I thought I would ... I had hoped I would have worked out some cheese making scripts by now! But I'm making amazing stock regularly and I use it to cook stews, soups, dry beans, make yoghurt and it makes ricotta so well! It has replaced my slow cooker but I find myself wishing for a second instant pot (don't tell my husband). I'm in Canada and they seem to cost a lot more here, which is slightly annoying ...
Teddee G.
January 8, 2017
They've been slow to catch on? My mother used a pressure cooker from the time they came out, probably back in the late 50s or early 60s. I know I was quite young. The only problem is communicating how they work with every member of the family. The females in my family went shopping one day, leaving a small ham for my father's lunch in the pressure cooker on the back of the wood-burning range we still used. He was very strong and wrenched the top off without letting the pressure out. We came home to find a huge grease spot and shreds of meat on the ceiling!
Rhonda35
January 8, 2017
Exactly why a whole generation or so of cooks avoided using pressure cookers - family stories of the time so-and-so had one "blow up" and food was all over the ceiling. The new pressure cookers this article talks about are electric and have safety features built in to avoid the scary/messy explosions of the past, leading to a real come-back for pressure cooking. I hope your father wasn't injured in that pressure-cooked ham disaster!
Yvonne S.
January 8, 2017
Eggs, check. Rice, check. Broth upon broth upon broth. Braised kale and carrots. Kahlua pork (Nom Nom Paleo recipe). I made my favorite beef stew in 45 mins as opposed to 2.5 hours last week. I don't use it every day but I do use it every week and I have no regrets about buying it.
Yvonne S.
January 8, 2017
Oh! No it hasn't replaced my slow cooker but then I haven't slow cooked in it. I didnt have a rice cooker. And not disappointed at all. And I've learned that I do like kale in the instant pot. :)
Carla
January 8, 2017
Love, my pressure cookers. I have 3...old presto, newer Kuhn rikon and a pressure canner. If you haven't checked out Hip Pressure cooking web site...you are missing some great tips and recipes. http://www.hippressurecooking.com Even this old bird has learned some new things.
MerryChristmas C.
January 15, 2017
Carla, you are so right! Like you, I started with the stove-top Presto and migrated to the electric more than a decade ago. I have a Nesco Multi-cooker and use it very often for so many things. From chuck roast (in an hour tender and full of flavor) to beef stew (in about an hour including cutting the veggies and waiting for it to get up to pressure and release) to spaghetti sauce and broths which taste like I spent hours them. I make a great 7" cheesecake that is delicious. I can't imagine making a meatloaf in the oven ever again. Between my Cuisinart Rotisserie/Convection/Toaster oven and Nesco Pressure Cooker, I seldom use my stove. I don't need it for anything. I can make fresh veggies in under 10 minutes total, including bringing to pressure with water, a steaming rack and the pressure cooker. I brown my burger, beef, pork, lamb, whatever in it before I set the pressure. No other appliance in my kitchen gets as much use. My husband is a very finicky eater and never says anything but "excellent" when dinner is served. Mashed potatoes are so easy to make in far less time than it takes on the stove. AND Hip Pressure Cooking is my second favorite. My primary go-to for so many things to cook, with or without the pressure cooker, is www.TracyCooksInAustin.com. Tracy has recipes for everyone and every level of cook. I considered the Instant Pot but I am so happy with my Nesco that I bought a stainless steel pot to replace the teflon coated pan which came with it when I needed a new PC. I have friends who find the IP recipes to be tasteless or over cooked while I spent a little time getting familiar with my Nesco a decade ago and would never want to cook with anything else. Perhaps the day will come for an Instant Pot but my Nesco Pro is the be-all-and-end-all for me!
Jennifer N.
January 8, 2017
The taste of dried beans cooked is far superior to that of canned (and healtier too). When my friend was able to make me fresh huevos ranchers in 20 mins, i knew I had to get one. Mine arrived yesterday along with about 20 pounds of beans so now we can eat a million different recipes worth of beans that cook up in the time it takes to make a proper salad. After that, yogurt! Good Bulgarian slightly tart yogurt. All without fretting about an explosion in the kitchen :-).best of all, i can get rid of several other gizmos that take up too much space in a small kitchen.
Heidi
January 6, 2017
How are all of you learning how to make stuff? I have had a pressure cooker for several years, but haven't been able to find recipes to get myself started using it. The recipes I have found don't help me understand exactly what I'm doing, it's as if the writer assumes I already know how to use a pressure cooker. (For instance, am I putting different ingredients into the pot in stages, and stopping the cooking to add various things part way through? That seems to slow things down enough to minimize the speed and hands-off benefits of using a pressure cooker...I just don't really understand how people are using these to make complete dishes or meals, rather than simply cooking a single component of a meal.
Celecel
January 6, 2017
Heidi, I'm not sure if you have an electric or stovetop cooker. I started with a stovetop and then bought an electric because there is no eyes to monitor the electric pot. A good cookbook Is THE GREAT BIG PRESSURE COOKER BOOK by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarborough. It has a good introduction with the kind of info you're looking for. It also has 500 recipes with instructions for both stovetop and electric pots. Lately, I've been getting a lot of my recipes from the Internet. You can Google recipes as well a look at blogs, such as This Old Gal, Hip Pressure Cooking and Pressure Cooking Today. There are FaceBook groups, some of which are private. However, this FaceBook site, Instant Pot Cooks Market, is open to all. It allows people to post their recipes and also items they may sell specifically for electric pressure cookers. There are some really tasty recipes there posted by mostly amateur cooks from around the world. My recommendation is to try a recipe for a food that you're familiar with, try it out and take notes as to your cooking time so that you can adjust things for the next time you make the recipe. I have to say that I have had no failures with soups and stews, but I have overcooked grains because I didn't believe the cooking time posted. I hope you look into some of the online sources and wish you much success in using your pressure cooker.
Karen W.
January 8, 2017
Thanks, I was less than thrilled with the cookbook I ordered with my Instapot, and I bought 2 Kindle ones (99¢) neither of which were worth any more than that.) The Great Big Pressure Cook Book will be here Tuesday.
Steve N.
January 8, 2017
Karen,
Try Serious Eats - http://www.seriouseats.com/search?term=Pressure+cooker
or the aforemetnioned Nom Nom Paleo: http://nomnompaleo.com/
Try Serious Eats - http://www.seriouseats.com/search?term=Pressure+cooker
or the aforemetnioned Nom Nom Paleo: http://nomnompaleo.com/
mungo
January 9, 2017
Check out Lorna Sass's cookbooks! Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure was my bible for years.
MerryChristmas C.
January 15, 2017
Karen, most recipes will tell you if you need to release the pressure, add ingredients and cook some more. If it just says, "brown and add" or if it says, "dump it all in" it means put it all in and proceed with putting on the lid and setting the pressure (always high unless it tells you to use low) and cook for the amount of time it calls for. Pressure cooker cooking is quite forgiving. For example, when I make a cheesecake in the PC I can take it out, let it sit on the counter to cool. and then discover it was not quite done and put it back in the pressure cooker for another 10 minutes and repeat the cooling process. The same is true with everything. Let's say you are making potato salad and have set you potatoes in on the rack, topped it with your eggs to cook, cooked and released pressure only to discover the eggs are done but the potatoes are not. Just put them back in for several minutes and try again. There are a number of websites like Barbara's at Pressure Cooking Today. http://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/. Barbara has detailed recipes specifically for beginners and even has a page which will help you learn how to use it http://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/getting-started-with-your-new-electric-pressure-cooker-or-instant-pot/
Use those to see how to use the Instant Pot. As I said, I don't have an IP I have a different one but her recipes are easily adaptable to any needs. Good Luck!
Use those to see how to use the Instant Pot. As I said, I don't have an IP I have a different one but her recipes are easily adaptable to any needs. Good Luck!
Karen W.
January 18, 2017
Thanks. That's the best site I've seen. I pinned post after post. We've now had two meals with the Instant Pot, and both were a big hit. Looking forward to more "experiments."
Jrichmondfood
January 6, 2017
I love the instant pot, I use it to make chicken broth when my family has a cold and frequently now make bone broth. I also make a killer Thai and Japanese curry: Yellow Chicken Potato Curry, Green Pork Eggplant Curry, Beef Japanese Curry. The meat in the curry is well seasoned and tender. Potato cooks very well on the pressure cooker too, so we do loaded stuffed potatoes an mash potatoes often. Very convenient way to cook fresh food in small amount of time and the plus is less cleaning!!
Celecel
January 5, 2017
The Instant Pot has changed the way I cook. I am an empty nester and live alone. The IP excels in making pots of soup (all types) which I freeze in individual portions. I make congee using the porridge button. Steel cut oats take very little time, and I top it with yogurt that I make in the pot in pint size canning jars each week. When you can cook cubed potatoes with whole unpeeled eggs in 4 minutes (not counting the time it takes for the pot to come up to pressure) making potato salad is a snap. Spare ribs, pulled pork, even cheesecakes have all been successful in the Instant Pot. My adult kids call it the magic pot. It's truly revolutionary, and yet electric pressure cookers have been around for a long time.
Kristie
January 5, 2017
I now MUST have an Instant Pot. we are building an outdoor kitchen and I won't have a cooktop but who needs one when you have an outlet? Wahoo! TOP of my wish list since everywhere I look, they are top rated for healthy cooking, safety (stainless), and perfect cooking! Can't wait!
Newpat
January 5, 2017
I got mine last month and have used it to great success several times. I have one miserable fail trying to make Au gratin potatoes in a ceramic crock with lid. 90 minutes in and all I had was hot raw potatoes with cheesy milk. Apparently ceramic casserole with ceramic lid is not the way to go. Tonight I'm experimenting on my own. Fingers crossed.
MerryChristmas C.
January 19, 2017
Newpat,
Did you put water in the bottom of the pressure cooker pot and, if so, how much? Often people put too much or too little water in the bottom. Did you use a trivet? Often this helps. One more recommendation, since I can't see your crock, is to leave the lid off and LIGHTLY not tightly cover with aluminum foil. This allows the heat to get into the crock without sealing it so the heat can't get to the food. Then it should be done in about 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of your PC. If you check the recipes for Pressure Cooker Cheesecake they recommend using a piece of foil to cover. I would strongly suggest trying this. Putting the lid on your crock seals the crock and could inevitably cause it not to cook properly. That is the only suggestion I have other than youtube videos. There are a number of them. Especially Matt In The Kitchen Ham and Cheesy potatos in the pressure cooker. You can leave out the ham but his recipe is spot on. If you have a stainless steel pot, putting it in your crock with foil (rather than the lid) and a cup of water in the bottom of your pressure cooker pot will make it work. If you have a Teflon or other coated pan, you can cook without the crock directly in the PC. I am sure you can do it in the stainless pot if you spray it before you cook. Every recipe I found for PC other than the YouTube videos says to put it under the broiler to brown. I never do this as I feel it defeats the "one pot" premise of the PC. Good Luck and hope this helps!
Did you put water in the bottom of the pressure cooker pot and, if so, how much? Often people put too much or too little water in the bottom. Did you use a trivet? Often this helps. One more recommendation, since I can't see your crock, is to leave the lid off and LIGHTLY not tightly cover with aluminum foil. This allows the heat to get into the crock without sealing it so the heat can't get to the food. Then it should be done in about 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of your PC. If you check the recipes for Pressure Cooker Cheesecake they recommend using a piece of foil to cover. I would strongly suggest trying this. Putting the lid on your crock seals the crock and could inevitably cause it not to cook properly. That is the only suggestion I have other than youtube videos. There are a number of them. Especially Matt In The Kitchen Ham and Cheesy potatos in the pressure cooker. You can leave out the ham but his recipe is spot on. If you have a stainless steel pot, putting it in your crock with foil (rather than the lid) and a cup of water in the bottom of your pressure cooker pot will make it work. If you have a Teflon or other coated pan, you can cook without the crock directly in the PC. I am sure you can do it in the stainless pot if you spray it before you cook. Every recipe I found for PC other than the YouTube videos says to put it under the broiler to brown. I never do this as I feel it defeats the "one pot" premise of the PC. Good Luck and hope this helps!
Jeanie P.
January 5, 2017
I just bought one 2 weeks ago and I love love love it! I've made super creamy steel cut oats in no time, the BEST hardboiled eggs ever, deliciously soft beans from dried in 25 minutes, perfect rice, and incredible lentil soup. I love to cook but I'm busy and the Instapot makes for fast, healthy and delicious meals and prepped ingredients (beans, eggs, rice). My biggest issue is the pressure cooker recipes don't always appeal- most are meaty stews. My next project is dahl. I'm looking forward to gaining confidence so I can try my own tried and true recipes in this handy appliance.
Millie J.
January 9, 2017
For your dahl (I call it dal) project, there are MANY cooking websites from South Asian cooks who assume you'll cook your dal in a pressure cooker. Their recipes are more about the lovely additional ingredients and seasonings but they do give proportions of dal and water (etc) to put into the pressure cooker. Just look up IP-specific instructions for cooking time.
jennifer P.
January 5, 2017
um. its good for pressure cooking and broth....but i just don't understand the people who use it for things like spaghetti and meat sauce. It really does not sauté all that well either, and the rice is not as good as a real rice cooker. Its been interesting, and I'm not sorry to have one....but its not replacing my stove or oven or slow cooker. Cooking in ceramic or cast iron has a different effect entirely on food. Cooking in a hot pan can't be replicated, and you cant roast at all. I did make a edible lamb tagine though, in less than an hour start to finish (but it never caramelized like it would have in a clay pot).
Cathy M.
January 8, 2017
I agree. I don't find it to be the end all, be all as some have found. I still prefer to braise beef in my Dutch oven, but the IP is worth the cost for hard boiled eggs, stock, bone broth, and dry beans. I have only had it a few months and am sure over time will find additional things I may prefer in the IP. Kanji had a great article on Serious Eats that I think describes what can be done well across various appliances/tools. http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/10/why-pressure-cookers-are-better-than-slow-cookers.html
MerryChristmas C.
January 19, 2017
Cathy and Jennifer,
I use my PC for everything. It has a browning and saute cycle and browns everything beautifully. With some things I use the browning cycle after it has cooked and it works perfectly. There is nothing I have found that browns as well as my PC. I only cook pot roast in my PC because I brown it first, including sauteing the vegetables on the browning cycle, put it all in the pot with a cup or so of broth and cook for 40-60 minutes, depending on the amount of food. My PC is a Nesco Professional and has a browning setting as well as steam, hi and low pressure, slow cook (which I never use) and others. Since the IP has more settings, I imagine the settings do the same thing. Browning is available before or after an item is prepared so if your food is not browned enough, try browning setting. Hope this helps.
I use my PC for everything. It has a browning and saute cycle and browns everything beautifully. With some things I use the browning cycle after it has cooked and it works perfectly. There is nothing I have found that browns as well as my PC. I only cook pot roast in my PC because I brown it first, including sauteing the vegetables on the browning cycle, put it all in the pot with a cup or so of broth and cook for 40-60 minutes, depending on the amount of food. My PC is a Nesco Professional and has a browning setting as well as steam, hi and low pressure, slow cook (which I never use) and others. Since the IP has more settings, I imagine the settings do the same thing. Browning is available before or after an item is prepared so if your food is not browned enough, try browning setting. Hope this helps.
Monica K.
January 4, 2017
I have two instant pots. It is my every cooking device. Being Indian, I have used a pressure cooker for a long time. However, with the Instant Pot everything cooks perfectly everytime. I do not do any extensive stove top cooking in the winters because I do not like food odors lingering. I leave the Instant Pot on the deck table with stew, braises and so much more. Yo do not have to use pressure. I have a lid for the insert and use it in saute mode for many things.
Melisa
January 4, 2017
I use mine regularly for homemade yogurt, perfectly peeled hard cooked eggs, and quart after quart of chicken broth. You'll want all that broth tucked away on the freezer for soups, stews, pasta dishes, polenta, and rice, all of which taste so much richer cooked in the IP.
One thing no one has mentioned is the stainless steel inner pot. This is possibly my favorite feature, because the pot is removable and can be popped into a sink full of cold water to cool your food down quickly and safely. You can also sauté in the inner pot which is a time saver in terms of washing up.
One thing no one has mentioned is the stainless steel inner pot. This is possibly my favorite feature, because the pot is removable and can be popped into a sink full of cold water to cool your food down quickly and safely. You can also sauté in the inner pot which is a time saver in terms of washing up.
cary W.
January 9, 2017
melisa, can you tell me more about your perfectly peeled hard cooked eggs? i have hens but still buy eggs from the store to boil bc peeling a very fresh egg is torture. is there something special this cooker does to the egg that makes it easier to peel? thanks :)
LMBA 0.
January 4, 2017
Love my IP - bought one for my parents to replace their ancient stovetop and ended up buying one for my sister and myself. I have the Bluetooth version, which has an automatic altitude adjustment in the app (handy at 5400 ft). After a year I finally got rid of my stovetop pressure cooker and haven't used my crockpot in months. Never thought I would wax prosaic over a kitchen appliance but I use mine several times a week- steel cut oatmeal or hardboiled eggs, soups, ribs, beef stew. The fact that I don't have to babysit the IP is the best part. I've even candied ginger and made boba in mine. Along with an adjustable electric kettle - it's become a must have item for me.
kittykatofdoom
January 4, 2017
I've had one for over a year and I love it. I mostly use it for simple batch cooking, like dry beans or steamed sweet potatoes or medium eggs for toast/soup/etc or hard eggs for deviling or on-the go snacks BUT I do also braise a lot more now that I have it (beef stew, adobo pork, etc), and I'm a lot more confident cooking rice and grains. It's also a total life saver in the summer when I can't face turning on the oven.
Pretty much whenever I'm facing a new cooking challenge, I research to see if an instant pot would make it easier/more convenient, and usually it will.
Pretty much whenever I'm facing a new cooking challenge, I research to see if an instant pot would make it easier/more convenient, and usually it will.
Veggielover
January 4, 2017
I just bought an Instant Pot last week. It was an upgrade from my Aroma rice cooker. I LOVE it! I've tried eggs, yogurt, rice, soup and so far just fantastic and super fast. It's replacing my egg cooker, my rice cooker, my crockpot and making my microwave pretty lonely. I would love to see how others have made "stacked" whole meals!
Jeffro
January 4, 2017
I have had my instant pot for over a year and never get over using it. I didn't use my stove at all for a month. Some recipes need tweeking mostly due to altitude and the fact that it doesn't generate as much pressure as a stove top cooker.
Lee A.
January 4, 2017
I bought the IP Duo-60 last year on Amazon Prime Day and use it for so many things - beans, brown rice, quinoa, stews, soups, roasts, yogurt, cheesecake, etc. It has replaced my rice cooker and slow cooker.
Cassie J.
January 4, 2017
I started using my Instant Pot in November. I primarily use it to make bone broth (and find it to be just as flavorful and with the added benefit of not smelling it cook for hours and hours) and some beef & pork dishes I previously made in my crockpot. The formerly crockpot meals turned out so much more flavorful with veggies tasting like veggies and meat tasting like meat with all the right texture instead of mushy veggies and fall apart meat that all tasted the same as the result of cooking all day. I didn't realize what I had been doing to the flavor of foods by keeping them in the crock pot all day (chili being the exception - that tastes good the longer you cook it with either method).
What I love is that I have only scratched the surface of how I can use it. I am going off of what is known and easy to figure out from quick Pinterest searches. But I know with a little more time and recipe research I could be doing way more with it!
I am not to this point yet but I could see myself getting a second one next year to have two going at once - a main and a side together for instance or broth at the same time as another dinner. Or one for yogurt, rice and less pungent things and one for my spicy and flavorful dishes.
My one complaint is how little information is inculudes about how to operate it in the manual itself. It is not very intuitive and it is only through Pinterest research tha I have been able to ensure I won't blow the house up doing something. I also have seen that a newer model than mine (and I thought mine was pretty new given I bought it in September) came with raised handles for they rack insert - mine isnjust a rack with no handle and seems awkward to try and lift after something has actually cooked without burning oneself.
I would definitely recommend the Instant Pot (and have to many already)!
What I love is that I have only scratched the surface of how I can use it. I am going off of what is known and easy to figure out from quick Pinterest searches. But I know with a little more time and recipe research I could be doing way more with it!
I am not to this point yet but I could see myself getting a second one next year to have two going at once - a main and a side together for instance or broth at the same time as another dinner. Or one for yogurt, rice and less pungent things and one for my spicy and flavorful dishes.
My one complaint is how little information is inculudes about how to operate it in the manual itself. It is not very intuitive and it is only through Pinterest research tha I have been able to ensure I won't blow the house up doing something. I also have seen that a newer model than mine (and I thought mine was pretty new given I bought it in September) came with raised handles for they rack insert - mine isnjust a rack with no handle and seems awkward to try and lift after something has actually cooked without burning oneself.
I would definitely recommend the Instant Pot (and have to many already)!
Windischgirl
January 5, 2017
Cassie, I have to agree with you about the user manual and included recipes--not intuitive at all!
I love the IP for broth and stews and beans, but had a recent Fava disaster: my daughter had some friends over, and there's nothing like having a 19 yo say, "um, it's leaking" as a fine mist of puréed beans is spraying into the air and a puddle of aquafaba is dripping off the side of my counter...
I'm thinking too much pressure for too long; it was only half-full!
Anyone have a recipe for Fava hummus?
I love the IP for broth and stews and beans, but had a recent Fava disaster: my daughter had some friends over, and there's nothing like having a 19 yo say, "um, it's leaking" as a fine mist of puréed beans is spraying into the air and a puddle of aquafaba is dripping off the side of my counter...
I'm thinking too much pressure for too long; it was only half-full!
Anyone have a recipe for Fava hummus?
Sarah D.
January 4, 2017
I have used mine to make coq au vin and love it! It definitely does save time to cook! I have heard that bone broth doesn't taste as good using the pressure cooker, but the meat is very tender. So if you don't care about the bone broth being as flavorful, it's totally a great appliance to save time! I have yet to try to make bone broth with it because of what I've read.
ktr
January 4, 2017
I personally have found my bone broth to be more flavorful using the pressure cooker than when I either cooked it on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. And because it takes me less time, I make it much more often.
Kathi P.
January 8, 2017
I definitely think my broth is better with the IP. I'm making broths like never before since I got this!! And I've been a very keen broth maker for decades ...
Leslie
January 4, 2017
I do not like this kind of blatant advertising, lightly disguised as commentary.
John C.
January 4, 2017
Lesli your comment makes no sense. How else do you write about a product when there is only one manufacturer? Wait til the future when there are dozens of manufacturers?
ktr
January 4, 2017
There are a few other manufacturers of electric pressure cookers, but the instant pot has the most features from what I've seen. I personally have an instant pot but I also considered buying the Breville electric pressure cooker. I don't believe any of the other pressure cookers have a timer so you can have it start cooking at a set time.
I was hesitant to buy one but I use it several times a week now. I make hard boiled eggs, bone broth, roasts, rice, potatoes, etc in it. Due to work schedules and trying to get little kids in bed early, I have very little time to cook in the evenings to it has become one of the most used appliances in my house.
I was hesitant to buy one but I use it several times a week now. I make hard boiled eggs, bone broth, roasts, rice, potatoes, etc in it. Due to work schedules and trying to get little kids in bed early, I have very little time to cook in the evenings to it has become one of the most used appliances in my house.
Celecel
January 5, 2017
There are other electric pressure cookers out there. I have 2 Instant Pots but I've heard that the GoWise is less costly and might even perform better than the IP. Both brands are made in China by the same company, and both have stainless steel inner pots (important if you don't like Teflon coated cookware.)
Kathi P.
January 8, 2017
Funny, I've had that thought before but in this case I have an IP and I LOVE the darned thing ... I can see how this happens :)
Erica P.
January 4, 2017
I love my Instant Pot enough that I started a local Facebook group to share recipes (with ingredients we can source from stores around us). It's grown to over 500 members in only a few months, which floored me. We've gotten rid of our crockpot and rice cooker. My favourite uses are for cooking chicken or pork from frozen in only about half an hour - SO much easier for weeknight meals than having to advance plan or wait for meat to defrost. We use it regularly for eggs, potatoes, rice, steel-cut oats, beans, chili (that uses dried beans - that's a nice game-changer), soups, and I even made a coffee cake in it a couple of weeks ago. Our local group has been making a LOT of cheesecake recently, too.
Traci E.
January 4, 2017
I'd love to join your Facebook group for recipes. I've had mine for about a month and I've had some successes and some flops. My favorite is reheating leftovers in a glass dish with an inch of water in the bottom of the IP. Everything stays moist & juicy & doesn't get overcooked.
Linda L.
January 4, 2017
I am on the fence about buying an IP - We already cook at home most nights and despite the fact that we both work full time we are currently able to quickly grill a protein and roast a veggie.....maybe make a starch to have a healthy dinner and leftovers. Other nights, it's all leftovers in a skillet for a scramble and I was making sheet pan dinners before I knew it was a 'thing'.....I'm not sure where the IP would fit in....I wish I could just borrow one for a couple of weeks to see if I like it or not before committing to another large kitchen gadget.
Kate K.
January 4, 2017
We bought our Instant Pot three winters ago, and it's been wonderful. We've nicknamed it Sakai, after the Iron Chef, because it can make pretty much anything in under an hour. While they're not wildly innovative uses, I greatly value its ability to quickly and hands-off-edly cook rice, soft and hard cooked eggs, and hearty vegetables like potatoes and beets. I make broth a couple times a week by throwing in vegetable scraps and bones along with salt, a splash of vinegar or lemon, and herbs, then pressure cook it for a couple of hours before cooling and straining. Finally, I used it last summer to seal jars when I made tiny batches of jam, but that would probably make the USDA cringe. (We did learn that it's useful to buy a spare ring for sweet/neutral foods like oatmeal and rice because a ring used with meat dishes, even carefully washed, acquires a smell. Also, I am not convinced that it can cook beans well -- some always come out crunchy even while others in the pot are mush -- I still prefer the stove or oven for them.)
ntt2
January 5, 2017
I have had success storing thensilicon ring in a ziplock bag with coffee grounds.
Susan R.
January 4, 2017
Before moving to Cuenca, Ecuador, a couple of months ago, an expat living here advised me to bring one with me. Sold my crockpot and rice cooker, brought an Instant Pot, and am so happy I did. It's fast, keeps the flavor in the food, and takes the hassle out of cooking at high altitude (8300'). I love it.
Jody
January 4, 2017
Curious about this. How does it take the hassle out of high-altitude cooking? Don't you have to cook things longer and add more liquid? On the fence about the instant Pot but really tired of waiting hours and hours for beans to cook at high altitude (new for me).
LMBA 0.
January 4, 2017
Water boils at a lower temperature the higher you go - the pressure cooker increases the pressure inside the pot and raises the boiling point - things cook faster.
Here's a good article on the topic
http://www.hippressurecooking.com/pressure-cooker-psi-faq-the-stuff-you-didnt-think-to-ask/
The same 15 psi pressure cooker will cook 15 psi in San Francisco, California (sea level) but only 12.5 psi in Denver, Colorado (5,000 feet). Now, “standard pressure cooker” has become “non-standard” in Denver. This means that the recipes will need the same timing adjustments used for non-standard pressure cookers (see pie chart, above).
Here's a good article on the topic
http://www.hippressurecooking.com/pressure-cooker-psi-faq-the-stuff-you-didnt-think-to-ask/
The same 15 psi pressure cooker will cook 15 psi in San Francisco, California (sea level) but only 12.5 psi in Denver, Colorado (5,000 feet). Now, “standard pressure cooker” has become “non-standard” in Denver. This means that the recipes will need the same timing adjustments used for non-standard pressure cookers (see pie chart, above).
Jody
January 4, 2017
Things cook faster at higher altitudes than at sea level in a pressure cooker? That's not what the bottom chart says. According to it, I will have to pressure cook things 25%-30% longer than I would at sea level. Thank you for the chart. Very helpful.
Susan R.
January 4, 2017
Once the pot comes to pressure, altitude doesn't seem to be an issue. It takes much less time to cook things, especially beans.
LMBA 0.
January 5, 2017
Things cook faster at altitude in a pressure cooker than outside one. Beans take very long at altitude. Put them in a pressure cooker - which gets the pressure closer to sea level - and things cook faster. Not that things cook faster than at sea level.
See what other Food52 readers are saying.