Straight To The Point
The best Instant Pot is the Instant Pot Pro. It performs well and has nice features like a steam release switch and handles on its cooking pot. Our budget-friendly pick is the Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1.
Instant Pot has become synonymous with a type of electric appliance more correctly known as a “multi-cooker” . Similar to how Xerox has become the de facto term for copy machines, Instant Pot has become the most well-known electric multi-cooker, even though plenty of other companies make electric multi-cookers, too. While we don’t think Instant Pots should be considered in a vacuum , the fact of the matter is there are so many Instant Pot models that we think it’s worthwhile to sort through them. This review, then, is our look at everything Instant Pot offers to help you weigh those options, but it’s only part of the larger question of what kind of pressure or multi-cooker you should buy, which we answer in a separate review.
Test : User Experience
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
The test: In reading reviews from Instant Pot users, a common user experience complaint is fear about the steam released when venting the pressure cooker. To find the least scary option, we added 3 cups of water to each pot, sealed the lid, and selected the pressure cook option for 5 minutes. Once the cooking ended, we released the pressure and waited for the float valve to drop before opening the lid.
Another common frustration is about how the inner pot spins uncontrollably while sautéing. We took note of this behavior while searing the meat and sautéing the onions for the chili test mentioned above.
Intuitive design is also a heavy hitter in affecting user experience. The control panels on each model vary some use buttons while others have dials for navigating options. Each model gives information about whats happening inside the pot through different status indicators.
Ease of cleaning, of course, is also important.
All of the pots spun while we was searing and sautéing except for one: the Duo Pro. We tested this pot both on the stovetop and in the machine and it was stable in both methods. It had handles that held it put in the cooker’s base.
The Duo Pro was the easiest to navigate, and the steam release felt safe and simple. The upgraded inner pot that doesnt spin when stirring and can be used on the stovetop is a true value-add.
Instant Pot Ceramic Inner Cooking Pot
I cant express enough how nice it is to have two inner pots. Having an extra will allow you to cook two parts of a meal without transferring and cleaning the original pot after the first step. I use this for things like Meatballs & Mashed Potatoes and Orange Chicken with Rice. You can cook the Main dish in one pot, then replace it with a second to steam the rice.
If youre going to get a second inner pot, I recommend a ceramic non-stick version to compliment the stainless steel version. This 6-quart version has a ceramic non-stick interior coating, and is plastic, PTFE, and PFOA free. It can also be transferred to the oven up to fairly high temps, so you can keep the food in it warm while cooking in the second pot.
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Silicone Egg Bite Molds
These egg bite molds made the a few extras list because they could make fun treats for a party, or maybe even a Tuesday afternoon. A lot of people use them for egg bites, but they will also work for mini-muffins and even mini cheesecakes or chocolate lava cake. Now Ive got your attention, right? Wouldnt that be fun for some bite-sized fuss-free party food that looks extra special?
Instant Pot Official Round Cook/bake Pan With Lid
To cook a small meal for 1 or 2 people in the Instant Pot is very difficult, because theres so much space in the inner pot, but this bake pan with dividers makes it very easy to cook or reheat multiple items for a complete meal, all at the same time.
Its best use case is for a meat, like chicken, potato, and dessert. You can put these three elements into the various sections of the pan and cook them for 10 minutes in the Instant Pot and theyll all be cooked perfectly at the same time.
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Can I Use Pyrex In The Instant Pot
Its generally safe to use Pyrex in the Instant Pot. But make sure its not broken, scratched, chipped, or cracked to avoid the rare case that they shatter.
You must follow all Pyrexs safety precautions such as avoid sudden temperature changes. Some tips to prevent breaking Pyrex glass:
- Dont place the hot Pyrex on a wet or cool surface .
- Dont handle the hot Pyrex with a wet towel or potholder.
- Before washing, refrigerating, or freezing the hot Pyrex, allow it to cool on a cooling rack, dry potholder, or dry cloth.
What Is The Best Boiling Method For Eggs
Normally, boiling eggs is not a particularly difficult task. But if you dont own an egg-boiling kit, you will need to find a method that will ensure your eggs remain safe for long enough to cook. An egg-boiling method should be a closed container that prevents the temperature from reaching high levels. Whether this is a pot or a clay pot is up to you. Either method will work, but there are some advantages to using a clay pot. When you put eggs in a clay pot, the pot is designed to prevent the water from evaporating too quickly. This is due to the fact that clay pots are made of clay. Because clay is porous, it will not trap water, so there will be less risk of high temperatures. This means that there will be less risk of scrambling or burning your eggs.
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What Is The Pot
When talking about the pot-in-pot method, most people use the acronym PIP.
PIP is a type of cooking method for your Instant Pot. With this cooking method, you cook with another pot inside the Instant Pots inner pot . It quite literally means a pot inside a pot.
So, you would cook food in a smaller pot that is inside the inner pot of your electric pressure cooker.
Instant Potinner Cooking Pot
easily prepare multiple dishes
This is the next best thing to having two Instant Pots! You dont know how many times Ive wanted to immediately start another dish in the pot, but couldnt because I had to clean up the liner, and the sink was already full of dishes. This would definitely solve the problem!
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What Does An Instant Pot Do
Yeah, why can’t you just get a regular slow cooker? At their core, Instant Pots are electric pressure cookers. The proprietary locking lid creates a seal that heats any water inside far past its boiling point, turning it to steam. When that steam has nowhere else to go, it creates pressure thus cooking food 2-10 times faster than what an oven or slow cooker could do.
The Instant Pot’s heart is a microprocessor aided by built-in temperature sensors that give Instant Pots the ability to 1. Mimic the cooking functions of multiple different appliances and 2. Switch between those functions at the press of a button. This collection of programs can be tweaked and tailored to perform super specific tasks that you may have struggled with pre-Instant Pot . They get down to the nitty-gritty of heat intensity, pressure, and cooking duration to achieve more precise results in the kitchen. Some of the more advanced models even offer personalized programming and will remember your settings for the next time.
Each Instant Pot model gains a new cooking method or two, so you aren’t paying for functions you won’t use.
Instant Pot Boneless Pork Chops
posted onAshley C.Jump to Recipe
These Instant Pot Boneless Pork Chops cook in a pressure cooker to create juicy tender pork chops. Serve them with any of your favorite sides for a complete meal.
Use your instant pot or pressure cooker to make these juicy and delicious boneless pork chops. You can even sear the pork chops in the pressure cooker before cooking to lock in the juices and flavor.
This easy instant pot pork chops recipe means you can have an easy weeknight meal in less than 30 minutes. While the pork chops cook in the instant pot, you can make your favorite side dishes.
There are so many reasons to love these easy pressure cooker pork chops.
- The entire dish cooks in an instant pot or pressure cooker.
- Searing the pork chops adds more flavor.
- Using the pressure cooker ensures the pork chops retain moisture and flavor.
- The entire family will love them!
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Can You Cook Frozen Chicken In An Instant Pot
Yes. There are a number of recipes devoted to cooking all kinds of foods from their frozen state in an Instant Pot. For some recipes, a little extra time is required to fully cook the meat, but in other cases the extra time required to come up to pressure is enough extra time to completely cook the food.
Butternut Squash And Beans
If you tend to do a lot of cooking with potatoes, switch mealtime up by using butternut squash, which has a different nutrient profile and adds a hint of sweetness to your meal. Here, the squash is paired with black beans to make a vegetarian chili. The prep time only takes five minutes and the whole meal comes together in 15.
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Max Temperature Reached By The Containers In Instant Pot:
3 QT Instant Pot Stainless Steel Inner Pot: The best container for Pot in Pot in the 6 Quart or 8 Quart Instant Pot.
- Overall, it has one of the fastest heat transfer rates.
- Due to its thickness, it has the best overall heat-retaining rate.
- Because of its taller height, itll prevent foamy food from spilling out of the container.
What To Consider When Shopping For An Instant Pot
Control panel: All Instant Pots currently on the market have relatively large control panels. It makes sense, given how multi-functional these kitchen gadgets are. But while theyre all rather comprehensive, the more sophisticated models offer sleeker, more digital control panels, including features like a dial to click through varying cooking functions and added guidance like OK to open lid.
Cooking pot: Though all Instant Pots have a stainless-steel inner pot with a tri-ply bottom for sauteing, more advanced models have additional benefits. The Instant Pot Pro comes with an added layer of extra-thick 3.5mm aluminum for faster, more efficient heating, while the Instant Pot Pro Plus has an inner pot thats stovetop-safe and induction compatible.
Pressure levels: On some models, there is only one pressure option: high. On others, you can choose from high or low pressure levels. And still others, you can even choose a max pressure level. High is perfectly suitable for most recipes, while low is good for slower cooking or things that you want to make more tender over a longer period of time, like beef stew, as well as foods that are delicate like rice, fish and even cakes. Machines with the extra-high pressure level will yield the fastest results and also make a really good and concentrated bone broth.
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Preset Buttons On Instant Pot Multicookers
The functions vary between Instant Pot models, so it can help to consider which functions you expect to use the most when choosing one. This helps ensure you get the model that fits your unique cooking style so you’re able to make your favorite dishes with greater ease. The Instant Pot Lux series comes with six integrated functions, and the Duo series and Ultra series have extra functions for things like making cakes and yogurt. Some of the common Instant Pot functions to look for include:
- Slow cooking for tenderizing tough cuts of meat and for preparing meals ahead of time
- Rice cooking to create side dishes
- Saute function to sear food and lock in flavors
- Pressure cooking to quickly cook meats and vegetables
- Steaming for preparing fresh, nutritious vegetables
- Warming to get leftovers ready without investing a lot of extra time or effort
It Can Keep A Throbbing Painfulness Under Control
While making soup, dont dispose of the bones. As a matter of fact, on the off chance that you slow-cook the entire remains with bones, ligaments, and tendons to make your soup, you get a scrumptious bone stock that is high in gelatin, collagen, and glycine that makes a characteristic calming difference.
A bowl of bone stock can advance sound defecations, further develop stomach motility, battle stomach irritation, and normally treat stomach dysbiosis. It likewise helps support invulnerability to keep stomach contaminations under control.
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Why Trust Good Housekeeping
Nicole Papantoniou, the director of the Good Housekeeping Kitchen Appliances & Innovation Lab, has been testing kitchen appliances professionally since 2013. She originally wrote this story and oversaw GH’s most recent round of testing of multicooker testing in August 2022. Brigitt Earley most recently updated the copy on this story in addition to having over a decade of experience testing and writing about consumer products, she holds a degree in Professional Culinary Arts from the French Culinary Institute .
How To Make Boiled Eggs In The Instant Pot
If youre new to the Instant Pot, its a nifty device that can quickly cook up a meal in a fraction of the time. When we have an egg and a day full of errands and activities, nothing beats the fresh, silky, and delicious egg that you can whip up in a matter of minutes. The Instant Pot comes with a liquid measuring cup, so you can cook an egg without the need for a measuring cup. You also get time settings that allow you to cook the egg the way you want.
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How To Store Extra Instant Pot Tortilla Soup
Assuming you have extras, youll need to store the soup independently from the tortilla strips so they dont get saturated. I put my tortilla strips in a zip-top sack and leave them on the counter, prepared to utilize the following time I need to warm up a bowl of soup.
The soup can be put away in the ice chest for as long as three days, or in the cooler for as long as 90 days. In the event that Im freezing the soup, I like to scoop it into silicone molds to freeze in single-serving blocks, then, at that point, pop them out and store them in sacks. They defrost a lot quicker than a major, frozen block of soup, and can be warmed effectively in the microwave or on the burner.
Instant Pot Safety Features To Consider
All Instant Pots are made with at least 10 important safety features that aren’t always found on other types of cooking appliances. Several of the safety features are focused on maintaining safe pressure levels when using the pressure cooker setting. These multicookers detect if the lid is properly closed before pressurized cooking will begin. Leaks are also detected by the device in case the seal is installed incorrectly. This is to prevent food from scorching.
The lids on Instant Pots lock until the pressure dissipates so accidental opening isn’t an issue. The vent is designed to prevent blockages so the steam can’t reach levels that are too intense to keep you safe. When you set the temperature for the type of food you’re preparing, a thermostat that’s seated under the inner pot keeps the heat at a safe temperature. If the Instant Pot begins to overheat, it notifies you so you have the opportunity to turn it off before your food burns. In fact, if the temperature climbs too high, an integrated fuse shuts off the cooker’s power to keep your food, and your family, safe.
Each Instant Pot contains a built-in pressure control sensor, and it’s used to ensure the cooker stays within a safe range while your food is cooking. There’s a steam release in the lid of these multicookers that releases pent up steam when necessary, and there’s a back-up pressure release system built into the pots to provide extra safety support to the first pressure sensor.
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Where Can I Find The Best Instant Pot Recipes
Good Housekeeping Instant Pot® Cookbook
Good Housekeeping Instant Pot® Cookbook
If you need recipe inspo for all the fuss-free meals you can make in your new Instant Pot, check out Good Housekeeping’s Instant Pot Cookbook. In addition to a primer filled with all the how-to info youll need to know, it features 60 delicious dishes, including Weeknight Tuscan Ragu, Vegan Black Bean Soup, Spicy Sesame Rice Bowls and Korean Pork Lettuce Wraps.
Avoid Mushy Food In Your Pressure Cooker
Things like potatoes and vegetables can get mushy when placed in water directly over a heat source.
Pot-in-pot cooking reduces the amount of heat transfer to your food by lifting the food away from the heat source.
Thus, it wont come out mushy. By using a stainless steel pot or steam rack your vegetables will come out tender, but not overly done. You can cook convenient one pot meals in one go without having to use a separate bowl or pot.
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