Instant Pot 3 Or 4 Quart
The smallest in the range, the 3-quart, is big enough to make food for one to two people with almost no leftovers. Its perfect for those one-pot wonders when you dont feel like eating the same food for the next three days.
Its also a fantastic space-saver as it easily fits in smaller kitchens, such as those in RVs and dorm rooms. The smaller size might be convenient, but bear in mind you wont be able to fit food items like whole corn on the cob, ribs, or a roast.
Its slightly harder to find accessories that fit the mini 3-quart size. And the 3-quart can be as expensive as the next size up. It also takes longer to come to pressure due to the lower wattage over 11 minutes in fact. The 3-quart lacks a few of the buttons that the larger models have, but this wont overly impact your ability to use the appliance.
Lets Talk About Instant Pot Sizes
Instant Pot 3 qt If youre cooking meals for one or maybe two, the 3 qt might be all that you need. With most of the features of the larger versions, this option has a smaller footprint and is perfect for small spaces, an RV, or travel.
This is also a handy second pot if you want a smaller one for cooking rice or soups or eggs while your larger pot is in use .
If you are single or cooking for two but do a lot of meal prep or batch cooking, youll probably want to size up to to the 6qt. You can make bigger batches of food in the 6 quart, and if you have the space for the larger pot, I feel like you cant go wrong with the 6 quart.
If you like cooking larger food items, like a full butternut squash or a chicken, opt for the larger pot.
Instant Pot 6 qt This is what I have. I have a family of four, and its plenty big enough for my pretty basic cooking needs. I use it to meal prep . Its also been great for dinners .
You can easily fit a whole chicken inside the 6 qt.
This would be my recommendation if youre cooking for 3-4 people or doing meal prep. If youre doing a lot of meal prep, check out the 8 qt.
Instant Pot 8 qt This slightly bigger pot is perfect if you have a large family or do a lot of cooking. If youre the person who spends Sunday making giant batches of food for the week, this might be your pot!
If you are cooking for more than four people, this is probably a safe bet.
Do you have an Instant Pot? Which size did you get, and what were the deciding factors?
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes For Two
Making up a main dish in the oven? Whether its steak or meatloaf, these mashed potatoes are an undeniably delicious and comforting side dish. We all know they taste the best fresh from the pot anyway, so dont worry about using up leftovers with this recipe for the 3-quart pot. Recipe from Dessert for Two.
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The Bottom Line: Which Instant Pots I Bought
For Myself â Back in January 2017 , I decided to buy the Instant Pot Duo60 6-quart. I needed something bigger than the 3-quart, but wasnt sure I needed to go so huge as the 8-quart. Plus, I like that the 6-quart is the most common size, so the majority of recipes other people write are geared toward it, and â as a recipe developer myself â Ill be testing recipes in the size that most of my readers will be using when they make the recipes I create.
If I had it to do over again today, Id probably still make the same choice, with the possibility that Id go one notch higher to the Duo Plus , just because, as a food writer, Id like to experiment with the additional functionality. For me, the fine-tuning capabilities of the Ultra model and the wireless capability of the Smart WiFi model just sound like overkill for how I know Ill personally be using this. And, Im just not sure the Max is worth the money.
For My Mom â When I later picked out an Instant Pot for my mom , we ultimately decided shed be happiest with the Instant Pot Duo Plus Mini 3-quart. I honestly think she could have gone with the 6-quart size, but she really wanted the smaller Mini 3-quart size because it takes up less space.
Whew! Thats a lot of info!
Is A 3qt Instant Pot Big Enough
Its great for all those uses and much of your everyday cooking. But if you want to cook a whole chicken, a big pot of soup, or are having company for dinner, the mini would be too small. What is this? Above is a comparison photo of the Mini cooking pot on the left and the Duo Plus cooking pot on the right.
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Advantages Of Using An Instant Pot
Why would you use an Instant Pot? The reasons are plentiful with many advantages, some of which a lot of buyers dont even consider or realize until they have one in their kitchen.
1.Get meals on the table faster the most significant advantage with an Instant Pot is that you can get meals on the table faster, and cook things you might otherwise not have time to cook, like pulled pork or roast chicken. Consider, for example, that a roast chicken can take upwards of two hours to do right in the oven. In an Instant Pot, cook time is about 25 minutes plus about 10 minutes to come to pressure, 10 minutes to naturally release pressure, and 5 minutes to saute first for a crisp skin. Thats still under an hour. For busy families, features like Keep Warm and Delay Start mean you can have dinner ready with minimal effort, and if youre running late, you dont have to worry about it because the food will be kept warm until youre ready to eat it.
3.Use Keep Warm function when running behind schedule as noted, the Keep Warm function is a really handy one for allowing you to make items ahead, like side dishes. If you make dinner in the Pot and run behind because a toddler is throwing a tantrum, the softball game went into overtime, or theres traffic on the way home from work, the meal will be kept in the Pot until youe ready to eat it.
Reputation Of The Brand
Consumers’ purchasing decisions are heavily influenced by the best small instant pot brand’s reputation. Your e-previous store’s customers’ reviews or the brand’s longevity are both taken into consideration while making this decision. More than 60 percent of buyers will abandon their shopping carts if the quantity of bad reviews on their best small instant pot product or service is significant. As a result, it is critical to keep an eye on the online store’s reputation.
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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.
What Are The Instant Pot Sizes
Instant Pots come in three main sizes:
3-quart The smallest of the bunch, the 3-quart Instant Pots are ideal for single individuals or couples who want to make a single meal each time, without loads of leftovers or to feed a larger group or family. A lot of fans also have a 3-quart in addition to a larger model that they can use for secondary cooking, like side dishes, vegetables, and more.
6-quart The most popular size, a 6-quart Instant Pot is ideal for both small families with enough for leftover as well as larger families with up to six mouths to feed each meal. If you want to make large batches of food like chili, sauce, or yogurt, or even make food for larger gatherings, a 6-quart will suffice.
8-quart The 8-quart Instant Pots are quite large so you dont want to opt for one of these unless you have the counterspace to accommodate it. For those who make big batches often, such as for weekly meal planning, who entertain often, have especially large families, or want to cook large-sized items , the 8-quart will provide that extra room. But for more, a 6-quart models will do just fine.
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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.
How We Test Instant Pots
When the experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab assess multi-cookers, including Instant Pots, we put each to the test in a variety of ways. We check overall functionality by filling the device with water to capacity, then activate the high setting and set a timer. We watch and listen once the cooker comes to pressure, we note the time. Then, we maintain pressure for 15 minutes and release the pressure, timing how long it takes for the pressure to drop. Next, our pros get cooking. We mix all of the ingredients for beef stew in the pressure cooker, cover, record how long the pot takes to come to pressure, cook for 20 minutes and record how long the pot takes to release pressure. Then, we evaluate the final product: Is the beef tender? How were the veggies cooked? Whats the overall flavor like? Finally, our pros cook a batch of rice in each device, combining all of the ingredients in the multicooker and cooking according to the manufacturer’s instructions. We then evaluate the rice: Whats the texture like? Is any rice stuck to the bottom of the cooker?
Our testers also consider ease of use, evaluating each product for how intuitive and clear the controls are, how many settings are offered, how simple cleaning is and the clarity of the owner’s manual.
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How Do I Choose The Right Model
If you know the size you need, you will also have to determine which model you should get.
The LUX model just offers the basics with no frills. As long you dont require low pressure, you should be fine.
The DUO model is a great choice if you want to make your own yogurt at home, as it has a button specifically for this purpose.
The SMART model has built-in Bluetooth technology, allowing you to control everything from your smartphone or tablet.
The ULTRA model gives you a few extra features like a backlit display. It is good for those who want the ability to cook food at any temperature.
Finally, the MAX model is also worth considering because of its pressure canning capabilities. You also have a Sous Vide option, which can really come in handy.
If I Already Have A Slow Cooker And A Rice Cooker Do I Really Need Another Appliance
Well, we cant dictate what you need. However, the Instant Pot is more functional than a slow cooker and a rice cooker combined because it can also pressure-cook. The word instant in the name gives it away: You can cook things astonishingly fast in a pressure cookereven notoriously slow-cooking or labor-intensive foods, such as risotto and brisket.
We think rice cooked in the Instant Pot is fine for most people, though the grains dont come out as fluffy and light as they do from a high-end rice cooker like our top pick, the Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy NS-ZCC10. Rice aficionados might want to keep their rice cookers, especially for cooking sushi-grade grains.
If youre worried about clutter, you can donate your old appliances to a charity, or hand them off to someone in your life whos just starting out. Were sure theyd appreciate them.
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Check The Model As Some Are Only Available In 1 Size
Certain special Instant Pot models are only available in a single quart size.
For example, if you have an Instant Pot Max, Instant Pot Duo SV, or Instant Pot Smart WiFi, you own a 6 quart model. These models are exclusively offered in the 6 quart size.
The Instant Pot Pro Crisp + Air Fryer is an 8 quart model. And this is the only Instant Pot to be offered as only at the 8 quart size.
Check the front control panel of your Instant Pot to confirm which model you own. The name should be on the upper right of the control panel on the front of your Instant Pot.
What Is The Smallest Rice Cooker
Compare with similar items
| This item Dash Mini Rice Cooker Steamer with Removable Nonstick Pot, Keep Warm Function & amp, Recipe Guide, 2 cups, for Soups, Stews, Grains & amp, Oatmeal Aqua | BLACK+DECKER Uncooked Rice Cooker, 3-cup, White | |
|---|---|---|
| Item Dimensions | 8.3 x 6.5 x 16 inches | 8 x 8 x 6 inches |
| Material | Plastic |
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Is An Instant Pot Really Worth It
Thereâs no denying an Instant Pot is a great kitchen appliance but you may be wondering if itâs really worth it? Or will it simply end up as another kitchen gadget that languishes on your countertop gathering dust?
Itâs important to remember that while Instant Pots offer a multitude of cooking methods, many of which means you no longer need to use an oven or a hob, they canât cook everything. For example, theyâre not an option if you regularly prepare pasta, noodles, or stir frys. And while some do come with lids that can air fry, we found making fries in an Instant Pot wasnât as good as using one of the best air fryers.
At the same time, you canât just pop the lid off and check the dish youâre cooking, as you would when using the hob, the oven, or a slow cooker. Youâll need to release the pressure, effectively stop cooking, and detach the lid. Then if the dish isnât ready, youâll need to start cooking again.
Similarly, an Instant Pot can certainly shave a few hours off cooking stews, ribs and other dishes that usually take the best part of a day to cook, however with dishes like rice or steaming vegetables the time saving is minimal, which may mean an Instant Pot isnât worth the investment.
What About Other Brands
Often people ask me to compare the Instant Pot to other brands. Im sorry Im not familiar with other brands.
The Instant Pot won me over because of its high ratings, the stainless steel insert, all the recipes out there written for Instant Pot , its safety features, and friends recommendations. I chose it and have not been dissatisfied in the least, nor inclined, at this point, to test out any others.
So, while I cant comment on other brands, I do know the Instant Pot in and out and can highly recommend it. I dont think anyone could regret choosing it.
When you choose your Instant Pot, you need to select both the model and size . Lets go over the choices now.
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Instant Pot Pro Crisp + Air Fryer
The 8-quart Instant Pot Pro Crisp + Air Fryer is the Duo Crisp turned up to 11. This pro model has all the same functionality of the Duo Crisp, plus an upgraded lid with advanced heat protection, auto-sealing, and gentle pressure release. The sturdier stainless-steel inner pot is made to handle anything its stovetop friendly and oven safe up to 450ºF.
Year released: 2020Built-in smart programs: 11Cooking functions: Pressure-cooking, slow-cooking, steaming, sautéing, food-warming, sous videcooking, air-frying, roasting, baking, broiling, and dehydratingSizes available: 8-quart Instant Pot
Other Instant Pot Resources
Which Instant Pot is right for you? A post and printable chart that talks about the different modelsInstant Pot DUO, Instant Pot Smart, Multi Cooker, and more. Which have a yogurt maker, which can sous vide, which have a slow cooker.
Healthy Instant Pot Recipes All of my favorite healthy recipes, with directions for the slow cooker, stovetop, and electric pressure cooker.
How long to cook meat in the Instant Pot Another free printable with instructions for cooking your meat perfectly.
How to remove odors from your Instant Pot sealing ring This is such an issue with ownersbut the good news is that there are some great tips in this post and in the comments!
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