Instant Pot Advice Needed

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Instant Pot Advice Needed

Postby Caroveggie » Sun Oct 07, 2018 8:48 pm

Hi,

I'm interested in getting an instant pot but not sure if I want the 3 quart or 6 quart. I am leaning toward the 3 quart because the Instant Pot would be for only me. However, I'm thinking I could cook more recipes in the 6 quart (that might call for larger quantities) and just freeze the excess.

Does anyone have the 3 quart or 6 quart Instant Pot? Is the 3 quart too small or just right for an individual?

I live alone so it would be just for me.

I also have a rice cooker that's rather small but it's perfect for me. I make 2-3 cups of rice or quinoa pretty regularly in it. I know Instant Pots can make rice also but I don't think I'd be using mine for that. I'm thinking cooking beans and chilis, soups and stews in it. That kinda thing.

I appreciate recommendations and advice. Thanks!
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Re: Instant Pot Advice Needed

Postby Yomom » Sun Oct 07, 2018 9:14 pm

I am the only McDougaller in our household, and I have used an Instant Pot almost daily for more than two years now. The first IP I bought was the 6 qt, and last year I added the IP Mini for small batches and travel. Our 26-yr-old son, who lived with us for the last year, would use my 6 qt IP a couple of times per week for batch cooking his own food. When he moved out we bought him an 8 qt IP, as the 6 qt often seemed a bit small for his batches.

My recommendation would be to get the 6 qt if you think you would like to freeze some of the food. Remember the IP can only be filled about 2/3 full anyway, in order to work properly. I find that Chef AJ’s red lentil chili, which I love, often strains the capacity of my 6 qt IP — it juuust fits. The mini IP is good to make (in my case) oat groats (1cup dry plus 2 cups water) or brown rice, or enough soup/stew for one meal for me. The mini IP does not have the capacity to make enough food for me to have leftovers, but is small enough to take on roadtrips and has a small footprint on the kitchen counter.

Note that I gave away both my slowcooker and rice cooker shortly after I got my first IP, as I no longer needed them.
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Re: Instant Pot Advice Needed

Postby Idgie » Sun Oct 07, 2018 9:18 pm

At my relative's place last week, I got a chance to use her 8-quart IP. Not sure I need quite that kind of firepower, but it was really nice, I gotta say. Cooked up a huge mess of potatoes in practically no time without heating the house, and cooked some other foods for her, as well. Not sure I would want it because of the sheer size, but I think 3 quarts would feel too small for me since it can only be filled to the 2-quart line.
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Re: Instant Pot Advice Needed

Postby Caroveggie » Sun Oct 07, 2018 10:11 pm

Thanks for your advice! I think you've both convinced me to go with the 6 quart. I didn't realize you had to leave additional room for it to cook properly. Also, I want to be able to cook more variety of meals (like the lentil chili) and I can always freeze the excess. I love my little rice cooker and imagine I would just keep using it for smaller batches of rice or quinoa. So thanks again for your input!
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Re: Instant Pot Advice Needed

Postby Idgie » Sun Oct 07, 2018 10:15 pm

Hope you like it! Chef AJ advises to go big, because the big ones can do small batches, but not vice versa.
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Re: Instant Pot Advice Needed

Postby Lyndzie » Sun Oct 07, 2018 10:26 pm

I have the 8 quart. If you want to use it for cooking potatoes and having leftovers in the fridge, I would recommend the larger size. I have run into some sweet potatoes that don’t fit in mine. Also, the minimum amount of liquid needed to run the machine is 1 cup, so you can cook 1 cup rice, but not less (if you use it for rice)

I’m not sure about the other sizes, but the 8 qt has a yogurt feature that is kinda fun to try out.

Like Idgie pointed out, you can make smaller batches in a big one, but not vice versa.
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Re: Instant Pot Advice Needed

Postby exercise_guru » Mon Oct 08, 2018 10:54 am

Well I prep everything and store it in small quart baggies laid flat until frozen and then lined up in a plastic shoe box in my freezer. I also do this for different grains as well. It quickly overtakes my freezer. I recently started repackaging berries in single serving bags and on and on.

The thing about the instant pot is the smaller one will be awesome for grains of any kind. The larger one will be great for batch cooking. I make 4- 10 cups of cooked beans at a time and label them and put them in the freezer. I have an extra freezer and the entire door is full of beans and grains in little lined up bags ready to dump into any recipe.

I also cook 3-5 potatoes or sweet potatoes at a time and put them in the fridge or freeze them for baking recipes etc. Then I take them out the night before and let them thaw . I haven't ate one like baked potatoe style but it would probably taste good.

My recomendation is go for the smaller one(3 quart). Use it and make your meals consistantly. If you find you have the room and the extra space in the freezer get the larger one as well later. That smaller one is probably amazing at making small batches of soups and rice and grains and beans. I also steam apples and fruit in it all the time. Its Just enough for 2-6 servings. I use my multi rice cooker everyday for all kinds of starches and my larger pressure cooker for batch cooking. It really bongs though when I try to just put one cup of stuff in it for a smaller recipe.

So I guess the question would be how many people are you going to cook for ( the smaller one could cook for up to 5 I bet) ?
Are you going to do a ton of meal prep ( cook once eat 5 times)?

and for those that have the larger instapot, How does it handle small batches ie cup of rice, cup of oatmeal, filling only the bottom 3 inches for soup etc. My existing pressure cooker HATES this so it would be good to know if you can cook in small batches in the big one or if it gets all dry and stuck.

Hey can I ask another question of anyone who has an instapot? I love the stainless steal insert but I wonder about the rice sticking like crazy? How does it do and how is it to clean when you just cook rice in it?

Honestly I think the 8 quart would be too large even for my needs. I have a 6 quart pressure cooker now and it takes everything I throw at it and makes it perfectly. I am asking for a 6 quart Instapot for Christmas because I want to be able to leave and go to the gym and not fear that I left the pressure cooker on and forgot it. I am going to cook in my MIL's 6 quart over thanksgiving break and then decide.
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Re: Instant Pot Advice Needed

Postby Lyndzie » Mon Oct 08, 2018 2:26 pm

I cook rice in my instant pot probably about 4 times a week. I have not had any issues removing old rice, but the sooner you clean it, the better.

Another way to cook rice is to put 1 cup of water in the pot, then the steamer/rack on top. Then, I place a Pyrex dish with my rice and water on top. Yesterday I made two batches of rice this way, first a batch of brown rice (for me), then a batch of white (for everyone else). What’s nice about this method is that your leftover rice is already in a storage container.

I’ve also cooked rice directly in the pot, and put the steamer basket on top with sweet potatoes.
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Re: Instant Pot Advice Needed

Postby Vegankit » Mon Oct 08, 2018 3:13 pm

I've cooked rice - brown jasmine, brown basmati and regular brown rice - no problem. Because I can't tolerate rice I tend to cook quinoa regularly as use it instead. I never had a problem cleaning the pot. I let it soak in cold water before washing.
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Re: Instant Pot Advice Needed

Postby Yomom » Mon Oct 08, 2018 3:36 pm

exercise_guru wrote:Well I prep everything and store it in small quart baggies laid flat until frozen and then lined up in a plastic shoe box in my freezer. I also do this for different grains as well. It quickly overtakes my freezer. I recently started repackaging berries in single serving bags and on and on.

The thing about the instant pot is the smaller one will be awesome for grains of any kind. The larger one will be great for batch cooking. I make 4- 10 cups of cooked beans at a time and label them and put them in the freezer. I have an extra freezer and the entire door is full of beans and grains in little lined up bags ready to dump into any recipe.

I also cook 3-5 potatoes or sweet potatoes at a time and put them in the fridge or freeze them for baking recipes etc. Then I take them out the night before and let them thaw . I haven't ate one like baked potatoe style but it would probably taste good.

My recomendation is go for the smaller one(3 quart). Use it and make your meals consistantly. If you find you have the room and the extra space in the freezer get the larger one as well later. That smaller one is probably amazing at making small batches of soups and rice and grains and beans. I also steam apples and fruit in it all the time. Its Just enough for 2-6 servings. I use my multi rice cooker everyday for all kinds of starches and my larger pressure cooker for batch cooking. It really bongs though when I try to just put one cup of stuff in it for a smaller recipe.

So I guess the question would be how many people are you going to cook for ( the smaller one could cook for up to 5 I bet) ?
Are you going to do a ton of meal prep ( cook once eat 5 times)?

and for those that have the larger instapot, How does it handle small batches ie cup of rice, cup of oatmeal, filling only the bottom 3 inches for soup etc. My existing pressure cooker HATES this so it would be good to know if you can cook in small batches in the big one or if it gets all dry and stuck.

Hey can I ask another question of anyone who has an instapot? I love the stainless steal insert but I wonder about the rice sticking like crazy? How does it do and how is it to clean when you just cook rice in it?

Honestly I think the 8 quart would be too large even for my needs. I have a 6 quart pressure cooker now and it takes everything I throw at it and makes it perfectly. I am asking for a 6 quart Instapot for Christmas because I want to be able to leave and go to the gym and not fear that I left the pressure cooker on and forgot it. I am going to cook in my MIL's 6 quart over thanksgiving break and then decide.


exercise_guru, I have never had a problem with rice sticking to the IP stainless insert, and I use my IPs frequently.
Your other question about cooking a small amount in the 6 qt size - again no problem. I regularly cook oat groats by throwing in one cup oat groats and two cups water - 36 minutes (at my high elevation) plus 20 mins natural release - perfect every time.
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Re: Instant Pot Advice Needed

Postby victw » Mon Oct 08, 2018 8:37 pm

@Caroveggie,

You might consider a different brand. They have different sizes (and different prices.) Our cosori 2 qt is too small for one person. But I've always felt like my 6 qt slow cooker was too much for 1 person.
I still haven't fully embraced the electric pressure cooker. But I made some risotto that was fantastic in the pressure cooker. And much easier than standing at the stove stirring.

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Re: Instant Pot Advice Needed

Postby Idgie » Mon Oct 08, 2018 8:38 pm

America's Test Kitchen preferred the Fagor multicooker, not Instant Pot.
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Re: Instant Pot Advice Needed

Postby thorn324 » Tue Oct 09, 2018 1:32 pm

Idgie wrote:America's Test Kitchen preferred the Fagor multicooker, not Instant Pot.


Laura Pazzaglia, who writes & runs the pressure-cooker site < https://www.hippressurecooking.com/5-electric-pressure-cooker-buying-tips-3-top-recommendations/ >, also likes the Fagor just mentioned. Just be aware, however, that the U.S. arm of Fagor is going out of business by the end of 2018. That will make issues of support and access to Fagor-made accessories (such as replacement parts) difficult at best & impossible at worst to get/purchase. Let the (potential) buyer beware!

Btw, the top three electric multicooker Pazzaglia recommends (found part way down on the page I linked) are in this order: the Breville Fast Slow Pro, the Fagor LUX, and the Instant Pot Duo or Duo Plus. You may also enjoy browsing this site, the best I've seen for all things pressure-cooker—whether stovetop or electric.
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Re: Instant Pot Advice Needed

Postby Idgie » Tue Oct 09, 2018 4:40 pm

Thank you! Back when I had a pressure cooker, I loved the Miss Vickie site. I wonder if it's still around and being updated.

(Answered my own question; looks like she's not updated anything since 2008 or 2010.)
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My recipes (mostly MWL) are at https://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=58361&p=586527#p586527
My new MWL-only recipe site is at http://mwlrecipes.weebly.com
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Re: Instant Pot Advice Needed

Postby hazelrah » Sun Oct 14, 2018 6:19 pm

Yomom wrote: I find that Chef AJ’s red lentil chili, which I love, often strains the capacity of my 6 qt IP — it juuust fits.


No fair mentioning delicious food without providing a link to the recipe. As for the OP, we were given a 6 quart from my wife's coworker, who didn't like it. ( Yeah, I don't know what's wrong with her, either.) If I were given only one kitchen appliance I would choose that. It seems big when you look inside, but the extra capacity seems to come at no extra cost; I can't imagine the 3 quart being much easier to clean or store, and even when cooking small portions, the extra space seems handy.

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