Instant Pot: Electric Pressure Multi-Functional Cookers
Instant pot multiple conveniences are making them more popular than ever before.
These miraculous machines have been around forever but here’s what you must know about them before buying, using, and/or spending your entire life fascinating over one.
What is an Instant Pot?
This small kitchen gadget is a versatile, multi-use appliance that can do the job of a pressure cooker, slow-cooker, sauté pan, steamer, rice cooker, yogurt maker all in one package and even more.
Also, it saves you counter space and, over the long term, money.
But, come to think of it, how can one appliance be a rice cooker and cake maker at the same time?
That’s the mystic of this appliance, which comes with preset programs that are specially designed to cook your food to perfection, be it cake, a stew, or porridge.
Also, below is everything you need to know about the Instant Pot Multi-functional Pressure Cooker.
How Exactly Is Instant Pot Different From A Pressure Cooker Or A Slow Cooker?
Answer– It’s all of the above and here’s a quick breakdown:
A pressure cooker is one of the most convenient ways to make a one-pot meal quickly.
A slow cooker is the best set-it-and-forget appliance choice for those who want to come home from a long day at the office and have a hot meal already prepared. A Crock-Pot is a leading slow cooker brand.
An Instant Pot is the top-selling multi-cooker brand and one of the most common kitchen appliances on the market today.
What all Instant Pots have in common is convenience, hands-free cooking, and multi-functionality.
Instant Pot Functions: Everything You Need To Know
The specific functions of Instant Pot differ based on which model you buy, but below functions are the elementary programs that will be present in most models:
- Slow cooker
- Pressure cooker (most models let you cook on high or low pressure, or select precise pressure setting like poultry or stew/meat)
- Yogurt maker
- Rice cooker
- Sauté/browning
- Warmer
- Steamer
Many models also come with additional programs, including cake makers, egg makers, and sterilizers.
Other Functions include:
- The cooking time depends on you.
The device also features a timer and various settings for whether you want to set to cook on low, medium, high, or keep warm.
- You can cook just about anything with the instant pot.
Yes, proteins and veggies are all good ideas.
- It’s Bluetooth welcoming.
The Instant Pot Smart offers more suitable modernization, such as being wireless linked to your phone.
- It self-regulates.
With this task, you not worry about over-cooking.
These machines come with sensors and self-adaptable structures for temperature and the amount of pressure.
- Cooks chunk of meat fast.
Side effects
- It tends to overcook veggies.
High-heat steam + veggies is a recipe for limp, waterlogged disaster, so avoid cooking veggies like broccoli, mushrooms, kale, zucchini, and Brussels sprouts and if you do, use the quick release to release steam.
- Can burn foods: an Instant Pot works via bottom burners
This means that if foods at the bottom of the Pot don’t have access to enough moisture, they can easily burn.
- Smells may be an eventual issue:
The Pot makes use of a silicone ring for locking the lid in.
The ring works great, but over time it may absorb the odors of foods, especially rich and garlicky foods.
- It’s been known to be dangerous.
But that’s in the past when trace amounts of lead were found in older models, though it wasn’t found on anything that directly touches the food.
- Will food lose nutrients during cooking?
While some people liken the high temperatures of pressure cooking with loss of nutrients, this is the reverse of the case.
Pressure cooking allows heat to spread uniformly and quickly, so you don’t need to dip foods like frozen vegetables into water.
- Is it safe?
Instant Pot nowadays is not the pressure cooker our grandmother cooked with back in the 1980’s.
Instant Pot pressure cookers have not been known to have issues with melting or overheating. Plus, it has several safety features installed’
- Is the Instant Pot worth it?
Apart from the just-cited lead bit, people normally contemplate their Instant Pots to be game-changers.
Types of Instant Pots
You can choose from about 20 diverse models and sizes ranging from 3 to 8 quarts.
Some models, like the smart Wi-Fi version, allow you to monitor and regulate your Instant Pot with your smartphone or tablet.
Below are the different models you can select from.
- Duo Evo Plus
- Lux
- Duo Nova
- Duo Sv
- Max
- Ultra
- Duo
- Duo Plus
- Viva
- Smart Wi-Fi
Instant Pot vs. the others
While the Instant Pot owns the brand name in pressure multi-cooking devices, however, it’s not the only player in the game.
Other brands have come out with comparable cookers and similar features. Devices like:
- The Mealthy Multi-Pot
- Taotronics 10-In-1
- Cuisinart
- Gourmia
- Breville
All offer pressure cookers and slow-cookers that can do similar things as an Instant Pot
Besides, some appliances, like the Ninja Foodi, combine pressure cooking and a unique cooking function, like air frying.
The best model
According to the Kitchen Appliances and Technology Lab’s Top Pick is the Duo, which comes in 3-, 6-, and 8-quart options.
Where to buy?
- Instant Pot’s site (https://instantpot.com/) lists out all the places you can find them,
- On Amazon, of course
- Jumia
- Costco, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Sur La Table all have them.
- Plus, you need some recipes. We humbly suggest:
https://www.delish.com/cooking/g3951/instant-pot-recipes/
3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe
Need more information? Please read:
The best Instant Pots for 2020
Which Pot should you buy? All of the models compared
The best Pot multifunction pressure cooker deals for February 2020
Amazon drops Instant Pot deals for Presidents Day, up to 50% off
Instant Pot Duo Crisp vs. Ninja Foodi: Which is better?
