Different Models Of Instant Pot
When it was first launched, there was just one classic model called Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1. It came with an outer pot with button controls and a display screen on the front, the 6-quart stainless steel inner pot and the special lid with steam release handle and the pressure valve.
In the last few years, the Instant Pot company has released multiple new versions and sizes. We have Duo Plus, Nova, Viva, Ultra, and Max to name a few and most of them come in 3 popular sizes 6-quart , 3-quart and 8-quart . There is even a 10-quart version for extra-large batches of cooking. You can see the full range of Instant Pot multicookers on the official website here.
Each new model came with more functions and buttons, more sophisticated display screens and finer adjustment possibilities. The makers have also made some improvements to the lid, so the steam-release handle changed to a simple knob button on later versions.
However, as confusing as all these new models may seem, they all do exactly the same thing cook food under pressure in a controlled, safe environment. In our opinion, the newer models like Ultra and Max seem much more intimidating and overwhelming with bright digits and hi-fi buttons, so we prefer to stick with the classic models. All our website recipes are cooked in a 6-quart Instant Pot Duo or Instant Pot Duo Nova.
The Instant Pot: Heres Why Cooks Love It
People have fallen in love with their Instant Pots.
They may like their blenders, cherish their slow cookers and need their food processors.
But the Instant Pot a device that combines an electric pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker and yogurt maker in one handy unit sends even mild-mannered cooks into fits of passion.
You find the L word over and over in the 15,000 or so product reviews on Amazon. And if you click over to Instant Pots , youll find more than 360,000 members sharing their undying affection alongside their recipes for chili.
If youre a cook and got through last year without bumping into people who couldnt stop talking about their Instant Pots or any of the other multifunctional electric pressure cookers on the market then you wont have to wait much longer.
Electric pressure cookers is one of the fastest growing kitchen appliance sectors on the market, with sales doubling and tripling over the last four years, according to Robert Wang, the C.E.O. of Instant Pot Company.
When the Instant Pot debuted in 2009, it was one of the first brands to hit North America electric pressure cookers were already gaining popularity in China. In 2010, approximately 300,000 electric pressure cookers were sold in the United States and Canada, said Dr. Wang. By 2015, that number rose to over three million.
So why do electric pressure cookers inspire such a devoted following?
I bought one to find out.
It was that pork shoulder that turned me into a believer.
Magical Ways To Use Your Instant Pot
20 Magical Ways to Use Your Instant Pot! From soups, to yogurt, to snacks, to drinks: it does it all! One of our favorite all-purpose kitchen gadgets.
This post was originally published a few years back, but guess what!? We added four more ways to use our favorite kitchen appliance texture-perfect applesauce, a big pot of spaghetti, comforting risotto, and our favorite pot roast. Let us know in the comments how else you like to use this magical machine.
THE INSTANT POT.
Lets talk about the Instant Pot. Hands up if youre part of the club?
For a first-timer, it can feel like some sort of mysterious potential-to-explode gadget that ends up sitting in the back of your kitchen cabinet for years out of fear. Or, its only lugged out to make that pot of brown rice or mysterious batch of dry beans .
But weve been around the Instant Pot block a few times. And were here to tell you that this little beauty basically lives on our countertop at this point. Its our rice cooker, soup maker, freezer meal magician, last-minute dinner miracle all in one. And we just cant stop.
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What Are The Best Things To Cook In An Instant Pot
The options are endless! You can use an Instant Pot to make rice, cook hard-boiled eggs, and more. Plus, they’re great for large families or anyone who meal preps. I’m not even a good cook, but I love making a huge batch of rice in it, then using the same pot to sauté veggies and simmer with my favorite tikka masala sauce. Whenever I make that meal, my coworkers often say that my lunch smells great and I always tell them how easy it was to make in my Instant Pot!
Pro tip: Your Instant Pot takes time to come to pressure first before the actual cooking process begins. Expect meals with less liquid to come to pressure and start cooking much quicker than recipes that are mostly liquid , which can take a while to come to pressure first.
You may have thought making pasta was already easy, but wait until you realize how simple it is to make in an Instant Pot. There’s no need to wait around for the water to boil, and you don’t even have to drain it after cooking the little bit of starchy water that’s left over helps the sauce stick to the pasta.
Our Kitchen Appliance experts love cooking soup, stock, and chili in their Instant Pots. If you’re a fan of steel-cut oats, then you know how long they take to make on the stove but in an Instant Pot, they only take eight minutes! If you’re cooking meat, be sure to cut large chunks into smaller pieces so it cooks faster.
Who Invented The Pressure Cooker
Denis Papin was a French-born British physicist who is credited with inventing both the first cylinder and piston steam engine and the pressure cooker. His invention was simple enough: a “closed vessel with a tightly fitting lid that confines the steam until a high pressure is generated, raising the boiling point of the water considerably.” A safety valve stopped leaks and prevented explosions.
An early iteration of the commercial pressure cooker was showcased at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, while the first home-use unit was made available six years later, in 1945. Pressure cookers work by keeping extremely hot water and vapor in an enclosed space, maintaining the internal temperature of the vessel, thus speeding up the cooking time for food that typically takes a long time to prepare.
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Fabulous Instant Pot Pasta Recipes
Oh, pasta! Its an undeniable love affair for many. Whats life without a little healthy indulgence? We love the endless varieties of pasta out there from hearty and sturdy penne to delicate angel hair and linguine dishes. Here are 20 pressure cooker pasta dishes that will impress even your Italian grandmother.
What Is Instant Pot What You Need To Know About The Popular Kitchen Appliance
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The Instant Pot is a holiday and birthday wishlist mainstay, but if you haven’t invested in one yet, you may still be wondering what all the fuss is about. These multi-use pressure cookers promise to replace other kitchen gadgets, including slow cookers, yogurt makers, rice cookers, steamers and air fryers, depending on the model.
Pressure cooking is a technique that prepares beans, meats, stews and more under high-pressure conditions. That pressure cooks food much more quickly than a similarly shaped slow cooker. Instant Pots come with safety features, such as overheat protection and a safe-locking lid, making pressure cooking seem like — well, a low-pressure endeavor.
Chefs and home cooks alike have gotten creative with this popular kitchen appliance. Find countless recipes designed for the Instant Pot, available both in cookbooks and online.
Here’s a breakdown of the most popular Instant Pot models, so you can find your perfect match.
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Can You Air Fry In An Instant Pot
You sure can. Where the Ninja Foodi’s crisping lid once had a leg up is no longer Instant Pot’s blind spot. The fall 2019 collection brought the Instant Pot Duo Crisp .
For folks who already have an Instant Pot and don’t want to replace it just to buy the Duo Crisp, Instant Pot released a standalone air fryer lid that attaches to regular Instant Pots and turns them into an air fryer. This lid works on all existing models with the exception of the Instant Pot Smart WiFi, the now- discontinued Duo Evo Plus, Duo SV, or Max.
If you’re still confused about what air frying even is, read up about the best air fryers here.
What Accessories Should I Buy
While you can already do a lot with just your Instant Pot and the tools that come with it, theres a whole world of useful Instant Pot accessories out there too! Some are helpful for making a specific type of food , while others can be used in a variety of different ways
Check out this post to learn about all of my favorite Instant Pot accessories!
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How Long Do I Cook : : : : : : : : :
Whenever you cook something using the Pressure Cook or Manual setting, youll be prompted to set a timer for the food youre cooking. Different types of foods take a different amount of cook time, and factors like temperature and size will affect the time as well.
More Ideas You’ll Love
But dont worry, you dont have to memorize dozens of cooking times or experiment blindly to find the right one. Just download my handy Instant Pot Cooking Times Cheat Sheet and use it to quickly look up common cooking times whenever you need them!
What Is An Instant Pot
An Instant Pot is a multicooker that has tons of functions, including pressure cooking, slow cooking, rice cooking, steaming, warming and sautéing all in one appliance that helps expedite the cooking process. The first-ever Instant Pot was introduced back in 2010. Fast forward to 2021, and Instant Pots come in plenty of different models with sizes ranging from 3-quart to 8-quart. They’re all great for slightly different reasons, but our experts say the Instant Pot Duo is best for most people especially since it has low and high pressure modes.
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Turn Your Instant Pot Into An Air Fryer With This Cheap Accessory
Instant Pots are a must-have in the modern kitchen. Theyre smart, versatile, and super convenient to use. You can safely brew a soup or stew while you do other things around the house, run errands, or even while youre at work. If you dont even have an Instant Pot yet and if thats true what are you doing you can always take advantage of the latest Black Friday Instant Pot Deals. But while most Instant Pots come with a variety of cooking modes and functions, generally if you want to fry foods or snacks, you need another device like an air fryer. However, there is one relatively cheap accessory that you can add to your Instant Pot to turn it into a fryer.
Its called the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid. How original. The on-the-nose name aside, its still a useful add-on that can extend your Instant Pots functionality beyond the norm. Having kicked off its Black Friday deals super early, with flying all over the place, the Air Fryer Lid accessory is part of that event! Normally $90, its on sale for over $40 off, bringing the final price to $50 with free Prime one-day shipping and returns. That is an excellent price, especially since it has 6 functions, including the air-frying mode.
Editors’ Recommendations
What Extras And Accessories Can You Buy For An Instant Pot
Since each Instant Pot model is a little different, its important to read the manual and learn about the various features and settings of your Instant Pot. Generally, every model will include an outer body with a display panel and buttons, a lid, a pressure valve, a steam release valve, a plastic collector cup to catch any condensation released during slow cooking, a stainless-steel or nonstick inner pot, a sealing ring that surrounds the lid and helps absorb odors, and a steamer rack or basket that sits in the inner pot and keeps food raised.
Any accessories you may choose to buy to bulk up your Instant Pots functionality are just a bonus. Depending on what you plan to make with your Instant Pot, extras range from practical and essential to plain old fun. Some people buy extra sealing rings so they can use one for meat and one for baked goods. Some invest in egg trivets if they cook a lot of hard-boiled eggs. Some look into springform pans to make cheesecake and quiche. Theres even a special air fryer lid that is compatible with 6-quart Instant Pots that allows you to air-fry straight from your pressure cooker if you dont have a model that already features that program.
Is your mind still scrambled by all the choices? The buying guide below will help you compare Instant Pot models and figure out the best Instant Pot for you.
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The Hearty Stew Experiment
Match-up: Instant pot vs. stovetop
Instant PotTotal time: 35 min
Assessment: In the Instant Pot, the chicken breasts browned in the same time as in a frying pan. But it took about 10-15 minutes longer to cook them through, yielding slightly dry chicken .
Verdict: Hard to beat a frying panits easier and achieves better results.
The Cooking Time Depends On You
Not all nights are created equal: Sometimes we need a fast, easy dinner to throw together at the last minute, and other days we have to rely on a slow-cooker to have dinner waiting when we get home. An Instant Pot adjusts no matter what kind of day it is or how much time you have to spend on a meal.
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How To Pressure Cook In The Instant Pot
Cooking a batch of short ribs is a great way to learn all the steps needed to use the pressure cooker function. The saute mode will be your first step, because this is how you will saute onions and get a good sear on the ribs to develop the best flavor without making a saute pan dirty Dont cover with the lid for sauteing you want the steam to escape. The heat setting can be “normal” for the onions but increase to the “more” option to get the best browning on the meat. The saute function will shut off after 30 minutes, so you may have to turn it on again if you’re really taking your time. Once youve sauteed and browned the onions and meat add the remaining ingredients to in the inner pot, up to the Max fill line.
Check to be sure the sealing ring is secure and then place the lid on the Instant Pot and lock it. If you didnt get the proper seal with the lid youll get a flashing Lid light, and the built-in safety feature will prevent your Instant Pot from turning on. Check to be sure the pressure release handle is in the sealing position .
At this point you are ready to start the cooking program. Hit “pressure level” and follow the recipe you are using to select “high” or “low” pressure and set the cooking time. Not using a recipe? Choose the meat/stew mode and increase the time to more for fall-off-the-bone beef. Now your work is done and the Instant Pot takes over and does its thing.
How To Use Your Instant Pot: Everything You’ve Wanted To Know
It’s not just a supercharged pressure cooker — it’s a way of life.
Like a microwave or an electric kettle, the Instant Pot has become a kitchen staple. This versatile pressure cooker replaces so many countertop appliances, from rice makers to slow cookers. It’s introduced a new generation to pressure cooking, and shown us just how quickly it can cook a healthy meal.
Whether you’re a new Instant Pot owner or it’s long been stored away in a cabinet, this guide is for you. A longtime Instant Pot owner myself, I’ll guide you through the basics, including explaining those strange buttons and some basic recipes.
To kick things off, let’s walk through Instapot basics. Even if you’ve owned yours for a while, there’s something here for you, too. Let’s get started.
More tips:15 healthy Instant Pot recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner | Does the Instant Pot destroy nutrients in your food while cooking? | The best paleo Instant Pot recipes | Best Instant Pot accessories you need right now | Best air fryers of 2020
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The Instant Pot Duo Is Often On Sale
The DUO is regularly on sale during major shopping days such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Prime Day. And if you stay vigilant, sometimes you can spot a deal out of the blue on any given day. Right now, for instance, . The 3- and 6-quart cookers are also on sale at Walmart:
Instant Pot DUO60 6-Quart 7-in-1 Programmable Cooker
