Is The Instant Pot Worth It

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What Are The Worst Foods To Cook In An Instant Pot

Is The Instant Pot Worth It? | Gear Heads

Even though Instant Pots are great, there are definitely some things you shouldnt cook in your Instant Pot.

Pasta is one.

Pasta can overcook so quickly, especially in an Instant Pot. I tried this once with penne pasta. I thought it would be robust enough to stand up to just a few minutes of pressure cooking. It came out mushy. Gross.

You shouldnt use an Instant Pot for canning, either.

Canning needs to be done at a precise temperature. Electric pressure cookers cant be set to a particular temperature. This means that you cant guarantee the elimination of harmful bacteria. Canning should be saved for that stovetop pressure cooker.

Food that sputters a lot doesnt do well in a pressure cooker. Ingredients that sputter can clog the release valve, creating too much pressure.

Things like cranberries, applesauce, rhubarb, and split peas sputter when cooked under pressure.

It doesnt mean that you cant cook with them. It just means you have to be careful. Dont overfill your pot and be sure to carefully follow the recipe you are using.

If youre not baking in your Instant Pot, youre missing out! Cookies-and-Cream Cheesecake AND Confetti Birthday Cake are happening on this weeks #PressurePoint

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What I Expected From The Instant Pot

After having read so many positive reviews I expected that the Instant Pot would be a huge time saver. As a plant-based foodie I was dreaming of beans that could be cooked in a fraction of the time that it normally takes to cook beans.

Yes, somewhere in the back of my head I also expected that the Instant Pot would change my life just a little bit.

Instant Pot Accessories That Are Worth It

Price: From $63. Buy at:, Best Buy, and Target.The air-fryer lid combines two of the most popular countertop appliancesmulti-cookers and air fryersinto a cooker that can do it all. The lid fits on top of the Instant Pot, turning it into a mini convection oven that adds roasting, baking, broiling, reheating, and dehydrating functions to the multi-cookers already long list of programs. But while it saves you from buying yet another space-hogging appliance, its not exactly compact: Its 11 inches wide and 7 inches tall. And its not compatible with all Instant Pot models, so be sure to check here before you buy.

The lid comes with an air-fryer basket that you slip into the Instant Pots stainless steel inner pot. The downside is that the 3.5-quart basket is quite small. It may not make sense for large families, but its just right for couples or people cooking for one, or if youre willing to do multiple batches.

Though you need the basket to crisp up fries, you can use the air-fryer lid with just the Instant Pots stainless steel pot to brown and bake. I pressure-cooked a whole chicken in the stainless steel pot and swapped out the lid for the air-fryer lid to crisp up the skin. The result was a tender, juicy chicken with golden-brown skin.

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Food I Would Not Cook In The Instant Pot

I see some people online who like to throw absolutely everything into the Instant Pot, and I do not agree with that. There are a couple of foods that are easier to cook on the stove and some that just dont do that well in a pressure cooker.

As mentioned above, I dont want complicated recipes. Im not all about that.

I want to dump everything in, set it and forget it.

Here are a couple of foods that I think are either too tricky to cook in the Instant Pot, or not worth cooking in there:

  • Oatmeal. Oatmeal is so easy to cook on the stove. And you only need one pot to cook it. I wouldnt mess with that.
  • Pasta. Some people do it. Im not saying it cant be done. But a lot of times your past ends up mushy. I find it best to cook on the stove, then add to your recipe after your pressure cooking is done.
  • Broccoli. This goes with some other veggies too. Broccoli cooks too fast. It can end up mushy real quick. You can either steam on the stove, then add to your Instant Pot meal, or add in at the very, very end when your meal is done. Just add the broccoli to your meal, replace the lid and let it steam for a minute or two with the pot OFF.
  • Now let me tell you about my favorite foods to cook in the Instant Pot.

    Is The Instant Pot Healthy

    Instant Pot Reviews

    I was initially resistant to pressure cooking because it seemed opposite to our ancestors way of cooking things low and slow over the fire.

    But, there is some evidence that pressure cooking actually retains nutrients better than other forms of cooking. When you cook, many of the nutrients go into the cooking liquid. With pressure cooking, the liquid is usually eaten with the food.

    In addition, pressure cookers are more effective at removing anti-nutrients in our foods. Phytic acid is a common anti-nutrient that is found in things like rice, wheat, beans, kale, and more. Want to know more about this? Check out The Plant Paradox by Dr. Stephen Gundry.

    Also, as I mentioned earlier, not all Instant Pot recipes are healthy . If youre looking for some great healthy Instant Pot recipes, here are some of my favorites:

    • Skinnytaste
    • Nom Nom Paleo

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    Using The Instant Pot As A Rice Cooker

    Oh my goodness, rice in the Instant Pot is amazing its not sticky, its easy to make and it works EVERY single time!

    I literally measure my rice using cups and put the equivalent amount of water in and voila, perfect rice every single time in super quick time.

    This is the egg fried rice we had for tea last night and it was gorgeous!

    The Quickie Risotto Experiment

    Match-up: Instant Pot vs. pressure cooker

    Instant PotTotal time: 30 min

    Assessment: With the Instant Pots pressure cooker function, it took 10 minutes longer than the pressure cooker to finish the risotto . The final taste and texture were very comparable, giving you a risotto with great al dente bite.

    Verdict: If youre skipping a traditional stovetop risotto, the Instant Pot gets the job done .

    Also Check: Turkey Loin In Instant Pot

    Which Instant Pot Should You Buy On Black Friday

    If you’re here looking for guidance on the Instant Pot to pin down on Black Friday, you’re in the right place. This year brings a whole new set of challenges namely, severe supply chain shortages to a shopping holiday where Instant Pots are already at risk for selling out. It’s wise to do your research on the different models so that you can hit “add to cart” without a second thought when you spy the right model on sale. This could be literally whenever, as retailers have been throwing around Black Friday prices since October. We’re tracking Black Friday Instant Pot deals here.

    If you see a discounted Instant Pot leading up to Black Friday, your safest bet is to grab it before it goes out of stock . Better to pay a few extra bucks than have to write an IOU for a holiday gift.

    Last year brought us a $79 Duo Crisp and a $49 Lux . This year, we’re hoping for a more advanced model to hit the $50 price point, as well as frothing over a potential Pro or Pro Plus sale.

    The Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook: Easy Recipes For Fast & Healthy Meals By Laurel Randolph $779 On Amazon

    Is the Instant Pot Worth It? The Kitchen Gadget Test Show

    Amazon

    You might want some recipes besides the few that come with the manual and whatever you find online. The Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook: Easy Recipes for Fast & Healthy Meals is an Amazon shopper favorite . In this #1 best-seller, youll explore a variety of healthy, easy-to-make pressure cooker recipesfrom savory breakfasts to hearty stews to decadent desserts. And there are vegetarian, gluten-free, and paleo-friendly options so it can be your go-to guide for fuss-free, all-in-one cooking. Youll get 100 low-maintenance recipes that can take 20 to 45 minutes.Buy Now

    Check out these Instant Pot recipe round-ups for even more ideas:

    A post shared by Kristine | Easy Family Recipes on Jan 23, 2019 at 5:06pm PST

    Pot Roast is a go-to recipe for slow cookers, and so it is with this new tool. But an eight-hour recipe takes about 45 minutes with an Instant Pot. Somehow with the Instant Pot, the flavors intensify and the meat gets more tender, so less seasoning is needed. Get the Garlic Herb Pot Roast recipe.

    Recommended Reading: Instant Pot Smells

    How To Choose The Right Instant Pot For You

    If youre on a budget, go for the Lux model. If you want to be able to make yogurt, but dont need the fancy settings, consider the Duo.

    When choosing one of the higher-end models, you should base your decision on what feature you most want to be able to use. The smart app is a great reason to choose the Smart. The center dial is a great reason to buy a model with that feature.

    If you want to use it as a sous vide machine, buy the Max. If you want to use it as a canning system, also buy the Max. To be perfectly honest, its hard to go wrong no matter what model of instant pot you choose.

    Ive had a Duo Plus for a long time and I love it. There could be additional features, but they arent necessary and dont stop me from cooking whatever I want.

    Can An Instant Pot Replace My Crock

    Funny story. I have both the Instant Pot and a Crock-Pot. I just cant seem to get rid of my Crock-Pot.

    However, Instant Pot does have a slow cooker function.

    And according to Consumer Reports, the Instant Pot does a fine job of slow cooking. The same article says that it may take a little longer in the Instant Pot, but that is the nature of slow cooking. Its slow.

    One of the best things about slow cooking is walking into a house that smells delicious in the afternoon. If you dont care about this, youd probably prefer to use the Instant Pot to slow cook. The locking lid prevents any smells from permeating your house.

    If you want to use your Instant Pot for slow cooking, and really like that food smell, you can purchase the glass lid. Just use it instead of the locking lid.

    Additionally, shape matters.

    If you have an oval Crock-Pot, you may not want to use the Instant Pot as a slow cooker. It doesnt come in an oval shape, so you wont have as much room for cooking large pieces of meat.

    The bottom line is that it comes down to personal preference. If you are running out of storage space, you can certainly replace your Crock-Pot with your Instant Pot.

    I prefer to keep mine.

    This Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipe is perfect for smaller gatherings and takes the pressure off of having to spend an entire day in the kitchen.

    Erin

    Recommended Reading: Instant Pot Frozen Hamburger Recipes

    Bonus Point: Beware Of Some Recipes And Use Common Sense

    I debated whether I should include this point. I mean, the article is called 7 Things You Need To Know About Instant Pot, not 8. But I decided it was something that needed to be addressed.

    A lot of people expect magical results when they start using their Instant Pot. They expect some life-altering appliance that will help them get dinner on the table 30 minutes after they get home. The reason for those expectations is the unrealistic recipes and videos that are all over Facebook and Pinterest.

    Food blogging is a business. Food bloggers rely on some tactics to get people to visit their blogs. And quick recipes is one of the best ways to drive traffic to a food site.

    Just two days ago I saw a recipe for Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff, the recipe boldly stated that it will be done in 6 minutes. Yes, thats right, just 6 minutes. It said 2 minutes prep time and 4 minutes cook time. The prep time of 2 minutes included dicing of the onion, cutting of the beef, lightly sautéing, and measuring and adding the rest of the ingredients.

    I consider myself a very adequate cook but even I cant do all of that in 2 minutes. In fact, I just recently made a shortcut version of a beef stew and with the beef already cubed, it took about 5 minutes to prep. That recipe for that beef stroganoff also conveniently forgot to add the time it would take to come to pressure and to release the pressure.

    Last Year When The Instant Pot Went On Sale On Black Friday I Decided That Was What I Needed To Click This All

    Is an Instant Pot Worth It? My Honest Opinion After 2 ...

    links in this post are Amazon affiliate links to products I love

    I was super elated and a bit nervous to try it out when this seven-in-one kitchen appliance arrived. Today Im sharing my experience with the Instant Pot. Is it really worth the hype?

    I have read so many positive experiences with the Instant Pot that I sort of felt a pressure to make this work. But I was skeptical and had some doubts.

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    The Perfect Rice Experiment

    Match-up: Instant Pot vs. rice cooker

    Test Recipe: Perfect Instant Pot brown rice, from the Instant Pot manual.Total time: 38 min

    Assessment: The finished rice was well-cooked with a nice bite to it, and was done in slightly less than 40 mins, the average amount of it takes a rice cooker to turn out a finished product.

    Verdict: Again, the Instant Pot delivers.

    How Many Different Instant Pots Are There

    Depends on the month or at least it feels that way. Instant Pot has introduced new pressure cookers to the family in 2019, 2020, and 2021, and the titles given to each model don’t give much away.

    Here’s how to compare each Instant Pot model:

    • Functions: Pressure cooking, slow cooking, rice cooking, steaming, warming, sautéing, and yogurt making
    • Sizes: 3-quart, 6-quart, and 8-quart
    • New lid with safe steam valve features: No

    Also Check: Can I Put Frozen Meat In The Instant Pot

    The Instant Pot Is Easy To Clean

    OK. I have heard people complaining that the Instant Pot is hard to clean. To that, I say, whhaaaaa?

    You have a single pot.

    One.

    One pot that all the food goes in.

    Not 3 or 4 or 5 like when I cook on the stove. One.

    You take it out, you clean it up, you put it back. I dont know how thats hard. When Im feeling really lazy, I just stick that pot in the dishwasher.

    The outside of your Instant Pot can get a little messy. Maybe thats what theyre referring to? Thats easy enough to wipe down though.

    Sometimes things stick a bit in the pot. But you just soak it in some soapy water. Everything comes right off. You can even burn things , and itll come off with a little soaking and a bit of scrubbing.

    I promise its easy to clean!

    Best Smart Home Integration: Instant Pot Smart Wi

    9 Reasons Why You NEED An Instant Pot! Is the Instant Pot Worth It?

    You may remember the first smart Instant Pot, the Instant Pot Smart, which was powered by Bluetooth. The company discontinued that model and replaced it with the $150 Instant Pot Smart Wi-Fi.

    This tech-forward multicooker connects to your phone’s Instant Pot control panel app for remote monitoring of your cooker, recipe customization and notifications. Instant Pot Smart Wi-Fi is also controllable via voice commands through both Alexa and . It’s important to note that this model is only available in a 6-quart size, so if that’s not a good fit for you, it may not be the best Instant Pot for your cooking needs.

    Programs included: Rice, Bean/Chili, Meat/Stew, Multigrain, Porridge, Soup/Broth, Cake, Steam, Egg and Manual or Pressure Cooking

    What it doesn’t have: Poultry, Canning, Ultra and Sterilize

    Recommended Reading: Cleaning Instant Pot Lid Dishwasher

    That Tricky Magic Seal

    The genius of the Instant Pot achieving that seal of pressure is also the cause of many headaches. The Instant Pot doesnt always seal properly, so you cant really ‘set it and forget it.’ I always find myself double-checking to make sure Im not wasting time by somehow falling victim to an improper seal, says Schmidt of Kali Eats Keto. Sealing issues could be anything from the lid not being locked properly, insufficient liquid, overfilling the pot to the float valve being stuck. When youve got your heart set on some chili to watch the game with and the pot isnt coming to pressure because steam is leaking out, cycling through this laundry list of troubleshoots may take longer than just cooking it from scratch on the stove.

    Insider Tip: If you want to delve into the technicals of the sealing function, this blog entry elaborates on why pushing down the Instant Pot lid is one of the top reasons your food comes out undercooked. Or it could also be the rubber gasket has a crack in it, so make sure you check this regularly.

    Is Instant Pot Good For Things Other Than Pressure Cooking

    Probably the thing that makes people more likely to find Instant Pot worth buying than anything else though is that it really is very good at cooking things in a variety of ways without sacrificing the build quality. It really does brown food nicely for an electric cooker. It can make yogurt well. I can serve as a very well made slow cooker or rice cooker.

    Regardless what type of cooking job you throw at it it really does great at replacing the dedicated single cooking type device in the kitchen. For this alone I think it’s worth buying. Unless you really think you’ll need to cook lots of things at the same time you can easily choose to buy one Instant Pot and skip over all the other devices it is supposed to replace.

    Yes, it costs more than many of the electric alternatives but it is built to last and it costs way less than some of the premium brands like Breville.

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