Instant Pot

[cuddles]

Has anyone used an instant pot? I am considering buying one and would like to have some input on how other people like it. What are the pros and cons of the instant pot? Which model instant pot did everyone buy?

Cuddles

[Jack Monzon]

There are tons of threads on this: search.php?keywords=instant+pot&terms=all&author=&fid%5B%5D=1&sc=1&sf=titleonly&sr=topics&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

I had one. The cord started fraying around the base, and there was no way to replace it. It was a hazard. Sparks went flying one time, at which point I promptly threw it into a Dumpster. I didn't use it enough to justify buying another one, and the poor quality soured me on the brand.

[pundit999]

Jack probably just got unlucky. People on this forum generally are effusive in praise about the Instant Pot.
Amazon reviews are excellent too.

I have had one for about 2 years and it is still as good as new. It has replaced 3 older pressure cookers, several pans, a slow cooker and a steamer.

Amazing tool in my opinion.

[calvin]

With Mary's new IP in the news, it is better late than never that I thank

both
wade4veg for his Nov'15 heads-up on the Amazon sale which I took advantae of on smileDOTamazon so that Dr.M got a little positive cash flow.
and
GeoffreyLevens for his tip on using a vinegar-soaked cloth sitting in the bottom of the stainless steel pot over night to loosen up hard-to-remove foodstuffs so that non-aggressive abrasives like Soft Scrub are sufficient for cleaning without so much scratching.

Re the IP, no buyer's remorse here. Knowing what I know now, I would have no problem paying full pop. Granted my 8 months of daily use is not enough yet to say it has passed the test of time. But I saw immediately why Chef AJ carts this thing onto the airplane and others rave about it. You do not want to leave home without it.

Negatives
- About the only nitpicking negative I have is that the raised runes and arrows on the lid are hard for old eyes to see in low light. But the lid has only two positions, open and fully closed, and one is soon doing that by feel without having to look.
- I wouldn't mind if it turned itself completely off (i.e. LEDs not lit) without being unplugged, but no biggie.

Positives
- Look up in the sky. It's a bird, it's a plane, no it's an Instant Pot. Able to cook brown rice or groats in 20min and the dryest of beans, e.g. garbanzo (aka chickpea) in 75min. Soybeans probably take longer; haven't tried 'em yet.

- I don't like leftovers so I cook one meal's worth of whatever at a time, maybe three times a day. The pot is really kinda large for that so I use a small pyrex covered casserole sitting on a silicon pad in an inch or so of water in the bottom of the stainless steel pot. The silicon is immune to the heat. Pot does not have to be cleaned.

- Eventually you will pour something into the Instant Pot having forgotten that the stainless steel pot is not there. Messy, but not a safety issue. It all drains out onto the countertop WITHOUT getting onto or into the electronics. Whew! In my case, it was only water. But even soup or sauce or stew or whatever, just hose it out and let dry out.

- Ok, so you timed the kidney beans for 75min and they came out not quite done. Just put 'em back in for a few and write "90min" on the package.


What is the opposite of "buyer's remorse" anyway? You wont be sorry.

[hope101]

I've had my IP for 1 and a half years now. Bought all three of my siblings one for Christmas, too. They were puzzled when they received theirs, as we hadn't had a previous discussion about it and they don't McDougall. But they were game to give it a try and all consistently use it now. Mine gets used weekly at minimum, sometimes more than once a day.

About a year after purchase through Amazon, one sibling had a problem with her processor in that it started to display odd symbols and shapes. She contacted IP directly--without a receipt, mind, or being the original purchaser, or them being the original vendor--and they sent her a new exterior, no questions asked. She's back in the game and loving it.

Do you need one? No. But I have a super expensive stove-top pressure cooker. I haven't broken it out once since getting the IP. It's just that user-friendly.

[patty]

I have a Cuisinart and I love it. What is great about a pressure cooker is cooking beans. The Cuisinart like the IP you can brown onions etc. The IP you can make yogurt and how great is that. I purchased 3squares from Costco to make yogurt and because it takes up so much time I am grateful to have a separate machine. The Cuisinart doesn't have the stainless steel insert pan.. which is ok with me. Preparation is half the battle... I find a pressure cooker really helps but again it is a personal choice. This is a lifetime journey so kitchen tools are really helpful because of the joy of making your own food vs. eating food out or take out.

Aloha, patty

[colonyofcells]

Using a plain stainless steel pot is much simpler and does not require any maintenance. To save on cooking time, I just soak grains and beans overnight.

[MINNIE]

I love my Instant Pot and use it every day. I keep finding more ways to use it to-and I have had it fr three years.


I found the company to be good to deal with if I had questions or problems.

Of course you can cook just fine without it. But for me the convenience far outweighs the cost.

[Grammy Ginger]

I bought one last January and used it for a few months. Personally, I like the taste of soaked and slow cooked beans from a regular crock pot much better than pressure cooked or even slow cooked in the instant pot. Vegetables cooked in the IP are so mushy. I cook them until tender crisp on the stove (3 minutes) or microwave (2 minutes). IP rice is just awful and polenta rubbery. The IP was a hassle for everything I tried. THEN I accidentally put dry beans in the thing without the inner pot. I couldn't get them out, so I threw it away. What a relief!

Slow is less stressful and just as easy (and quick) if you plan ahead. Plus, I like walking in from a hike and smelling something yummy cooking. Like Mary, I got into a rhythm with my cooking, which makes the whole thing nearly work free. For breakfast we currently eat a pound of veggies and a couple boiled potatoes (just discovered oats are another allergen-aargh). Lunch is legume stew similar to Mary's over rice or potatoes or polenta. Dinner is always a super light: rice made in a rice cooker with a couple pounds of bright veggies cut like confetti and steamed for 2 minutes in the microwave with fruit for dessert. Simple eating is a beautiful, freeing experience. I don't need or want a big, bulky, expensive IP.

[spinner]

I have both a stovetop model and an IP and I just use the IP--it's so easy. Great for cooking soaked dry beans; they get tender without getting mushy on the outside and too hard on the inside. Also great for potatoes: set 7 or 8 on rack, add 1.75 cups water, and steam for 18 min. Perfect! No guesswork. Fix a salad while the pressure's on and you have several days' worth of food all ready.

[Timaca]

I use my IP every single day. Twice usually. Once for cooking sweet potatoes and yams and once for cooking brown rice. I love that once it's going I don't have to think about it. Oh, and I often cook beans in it too. It is my most used kitchen appliance.

[pundit999]

Another advantage of the Instant Pot I forgot to mention earlier is that the Instant Pot can be taken with you on vacation. You can cook easy meals in your hotel room. No mess, no fuss!

[Katydid]

Use my IP all the time, too. This weekend I made a pot of blue hominy (my "beans"), rainbow quinoa (1 minute at pressure, how great is that?), whole oat groats, and a portabella mushroom "beef-less" stew. Between my IP and my 1500 watt Ninja Kitchen I can fill my fridge and freezer with food in a matter of a couple of hours on the weekend.

Kate

[MINNIE]

Katy,how did you cook your hominy?

I can get dried posole corn here, but am not sure what setting to use and how long to cook it in the IP.

[Katydid]

Katy,how did you cook your hominy?

I can get dried posole corn here, but am not sure what setting to use and how long to cook it in the IP.

I use the "bean/chili" setting to cook my blue hominy. 35 minutes if I remember to soak it, 45 minutes if I don't.

Kate