What Is The Best Size Instant Pot To Get

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About The Instant Pot Duo60 6 Quart

UPDATE! Which Instant Pot Is Right For You? Which Size & Model Should You Buy? | #AskWardee 048

This multi-cooker the Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 is an electric pressure cooker that was designed in Canada. The main aims of the design process were to present a Convenient and Dependable cooker that must be safe as well.

Appliances that this multi-cooker replaces in your kitchen are:

This 6 quart Instant Pot replaces 7 Common Kitchen Appliances in one pot

  • Pressure Cooker
  • Fry Pan
  • Yogurt Maker

The result when using the different functions of the multi-cooker is the same as your traditional appliances, just in one place.

Easy one-touch controls select your dish and press the button to get started.

This cooker using 70% less energy than traditional cookers and your food is prepared 2 to 6 times faster.

The exterior body of this instant pot comprises a brushed stainless steel exterior which is also fingerprint-resistant. There are also lid holders for left and right-handed chefs. The Instant Pot traps all the goodness inside the appliance without heating up your kitchen. It does not leak steam or make any noises while in operation.

To maximize the performance of this multi-cooker the manufacturer advises that you should only use genuine Instant Pot accessories. These also assist you in protecting your multi-cooker from damage.

What Does 6 In 1 7 In 1 9 In 1 Mean

The 6-1 to 9-1 numbers indicate the number of cooking functions that the Instant Pot model has.

Here they are based on number:

  • 6-in-1: Pressure Cooker, Saute/Browning, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer & Warmer
  • 7-in-1: Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer
  • 9-in-1: Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Yogurt Maker, Egg Cooker, Sauté, Steamer, Warmer, Sterilizer

What Is An Instant Pot

The short answer: The Instant Pot is a convenient multi-cooking machine that lets you cook fast or slow.

Because the Instant Pot is a pressure cooker and slow cooker wrapped up in one , its designed to help you remove the guesswork of figuring out the ideal amount of heat, pressure, and time your food needs. Its great for beginner cooking and simple meals, like stews and oatmeal. But once you get more comfortable with the machine, its excellent for tougher cuts of meat like baby back ribs or proteins that usually require a long cook time. With a willingness for some trial and error, many recipes can be adapted for the Instant Pot. Generally speaking, when adapting for pressure cooking, the liquid and cook time will be cut and adjusted from a manual pressure cooker. For slow-cooking, there youll need to adjust for less liquid and more time.

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How To Cook Rice In The Instant Pot

For a precise recipe check out the official Instant Pot website. However, if we summon it up in a few quick steps, the amount of rice and water will be the same. The only number that will vary is the time limit for different types of rice. Thus, select with manual button 4-8 minutes for Basmati, 3-5 minutes for Jasmine rice, 22-28 minutes for Brown rice, 25-30 minutes for wild rice mix.

Is The Size Of A Pressure Cooker Important Can It Be Too Big

What Size Instant Pot Do You Need

When we talk about the size of a pressure cooker, we arent discussing the aesthetics of how big the casing is, or other such cosmetic concerns. Instead, what were talking about its volume the amount of food it will hold inside with the lid closed.

In simple terms, this is the amount of space inside the pressure cooker, and it directly affects the quantity of food youre able to prepare in it at any one given time.

When it comes to pressure cookers, size does matter, and making sure that you have the right sized pressure cooker for the kind of uses youll be putting it too is vital. Otherwise, you may end up losing out some efficiency gains, which your new pressure cooker could afford you by having to cook the same meal twice in order to feed several hungry family members with the same, too small appliance!

Recommended Reading: What To Do When Instant Pot Says Food Burn

Instant Pot Review : Select The Right Size And Model

Do you own separate appliances for pressure cooking, slow cooking, steaming and cooking rice? Well, let me tell you, that is not how you lead an efficient kitchen. Such an approach leads to increased expenses and poor kitchen space management. What if I told you that all these operations and more can be performed using a single appliance! Yes, you read that right. Welcome to my Instant Pot review and let me introduce you to the majestic Instant Pot or Instapot as some call it.

You probably have already known the all-purpose Instant Pots for a while now. It wouldnât be an exaggeration to state that this appliance is the current favourite of the American and Canadian households. The popularity of InstaPots can be evaluated by the fact that more than 300,000 units of these were sold on the latest Amazon prime day this year. Now thatâs quite a number!

Domestic households with small kitchens have been inclined towards this magnificent gizmo. The prime reason being, an InstaPot functions as a multipurpose kitchen appliance. The fact that an Instant Pot couples the function of multiple kitchen appliances into one, makes it the favoured choice for domestic households with restricted kitchen space.

Read along and help yourself get the best Instant Pot that precisely suits your requirements!

Find The Right Fit For Your Household’s Needs

Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the bestproducts youcan learn more about ourreview process here.We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.

Electric pressure cookers existed long before the Instant Pot was created, but with a catchy name and a clever marketing plan, the Instant Pot took made the appliance almost as common as your mamas slow cooker. Pressure cookers reduce cooking time so tough meats, dried beans, and sturdy vegetables can be part of a weeknight meal in minutes.

With the popularity of pressure cookers, there are plenty of recipes for them, like cheesecakes, lasagna, easy-peel hard boiled eggs, soup stock, and perfect rice. The standard cooking pots are made from stainless steel, which many users prefer over pots with nonstick coatings. However, there are replacement nonstick-coated pots available for those who prefer them. The Instant Pot product line has evolved from a single pressure cooker to several product families in different sizes. Whether you prefer the ease of pre-programmed functions or you prefer to set your own time and pressure for recipes, theres something for everyone.

Here, the best Instant Pots available.

Read Also: How To Get Smell Out Of Instant Pot Ring

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.

How Does The Pot Size Affect Cooking Time

Which Instant Pot Should I Buy? | Cool Products | Kitchn

If you are using a 3 or 6-quart pot, youll need to use a minimum of one cup of liquid. Whether you are using water or brother, you need to keep this in mind. Whatever you do, avoid using any liquids that are thick, as they can cause problems with this cooking appliance.

You should need to cook food any longer than 30 minutes if you are using a 6-quart size pot. Keep in mind that a larger 8 quart pot will take longer to heat up, simply because you have to use more liquid. It is important to factor this in before getting started.

Also Check: How Long To Cook Pre Cooked Ribs In Instant Pot

Qt Vs 6qt Instant Pot

I find that this is the BIGGEST and HARDEST buying decision when it comes to getting an instant pot pressure cooker. This is because they are similar in size and its hard to know what is best for you.

We originally had a 6 quart instant pot and found that it was perfect for us and never felt like we were missing out.

Then we bought an 8 quart instant pot and found that it was even better for us.

Now when we use the 6 quart we comment on how tiny it feels because of what we have got used to using.

What Are The Available Sizes For The Instant Cooker

Generally speaking, there are two size options for the Instant Pot- the 6 qt and 8 qt. While other brands of electric pressure cookers may come in smaller sizes, those two sizes are the most typical. With that said, some Instant Pot models are 3 qt.

To make it easier to visualize, a 6 qt pot can be used to hold 24 cups of liquid, while an 8 qt pot is equal can be used to hold 32 cups. One way or the other, both sizes are in no way small if youre looking for something more miniature, you may wish to look at other options. If however, youre looking for something capable of preparing food for 4-6 people, this is it.

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Recommended Reading: How To Cook Steel Cut Oats In The Instant Pot

How Fast Does An Instant Pot Come To Pressure

The things that you can cook in the Instant Pot is endless. To that end, I have several links at the end of this post featuring delicious recipes that would be just the tip of the iceberg.

So I wanted to cook something that was common and that I had success with already with my 6 qt. pot. I decided to make the brown rice recipe that is included in the recipe book that comes with each Instant Pot. I put the 2 cups of brown rice in each pot. Added in 2 1/2 cups of water and closed the lids. Made sure the steam valve was closed and set the pots on Manual/Pressure Cook for 22 minutes.

As soon as they started I set that timer and watched the pots. I was ready to jot down the time that it took for each one to come to pressure and then begin to do actual 22 minutes of cooking at pressure.

Which one would get to pressure first. I thought that the 3 qt. would be the first, but I was wrong. The first to come to pressure was the 6 qt.

The 6 qt. took 8:47 minutes to come to pressure.

The 8 qt. took 9:46 minutes to come to pressure.

The 3 qt. took 11:15 minutes to come to pressure.

I was really surprised.

I really thought the 3 qt. would come to pressure quicker and make the total cooking time less, but the wattage is not as strong on the 3 qt. and it did make a difference in cooking time.

Are Pressure Cookers Safe

Which Instant Pot Size is the Best for YOU in 2020 ...

Yes, electric pressure cookers like the Instant Pot are generally safe and easy to use. The Instant Pot has so many safety mechanisms built in, its hard to make a catastrophic mistake. The lid has two safety catches: a valve that releases excess pressure automatically, and a lock preventing you from opening the pot while its under pressure. If for some reason the steam-release valve isnt doing its job, the appliance has another sensor that shuts off the heating element if excess pressure builds inside the pot.

But as with any kind of cooking, there is a risk of injury if you are careless. If you follow the safety instructions, you should be good. Weve found only one confirmed report of an injury caused by an Instant Pot, and it was the result of user error: The person suffered minor burns after she covered the steam valve with a dish towel while the pot was under pressure. When she touched the towel a few minutes later, hot soup sprayed onto her arm and neck. The Instant Pot manual, however, explicitly states that all venting valves should be clean and free of debris.

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Magic Pot Vs Instant Pot: What Is The Difference

While Magic Chef Pressure Cooker is slightly cheaper than Instant Pot and most of the features are repetitive, it has many concerns and questions about material and safety. Also, its reputation is not as reliable as the Instant Pots is. Many customers note the constant malfunction, lid sticking, and timer not working.

Can Instant Pots Really Replace Other Kitchen Appliances

Instant pots are equipped with a ton of pre-programmed buttons, ranging from slow cook to yogurt. The slow cook option allows the Instant Pot to let off some steam , but the other settings dont do anything special, theyre just pre-set pressure cooking times. In fact, most Instant Pot chefs suggest avoiding these buttons in favor of the simple pressure cook button.

Knowing this, its worth asking whether or not an Instant Pot can replace your other appliances. And the answer is a solid maybe. It depends on what youre cooking and what youre coking with.

An Instant Pot can replace your rice cooker, veggie steamer, or hard-boiled egg maker a little better than it can a slow cooker. In some instances, the Instant Pot can replace your slow cooker, too.

In our experience, slow cooker recipes dont always carry over to the Instant Pot. This comes down to the fact that, while slow cookers release a decent amount of steam, pressure cookers retain steam, which prevents reduction . Although to be fair, you may be able to modify the recipe to suit the Instant Pot.

The other big advantage to a dedicated slow cooker is that its easy to pop the lid off to give things a stir or add new ingredients over time. Thats a little more complicated with an Instant Pot.

However, the Instant Pot is reasonably good at all those tasks. If you dont already own those other gadgets , the Instant Pot is worth taking a look at.

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The Best Countertop Multi

Theres a lot to love about this affordable electric pressure cooker thats taken the world by storm. The price is reasonable, and the unit is packed with functions, ranging from pressure cooking to rice cooking and yogurt incubation. Add to that well-rated customer service and an avid user-base, and its one of your best bets as far as electric pressure cookers go.

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Bottom Line My Picks My Opinion

Which Instant Pot Is Best to Buy? | Instant Pot Lux OR Instant Pot Duo

You need to choose the best Instant Pot for you, and that’s a very personal choice. Still, you’re here and wanting my opinion, so here it is:

My pick for the small family that does not do batch cooking or cooking of larger whole food items: the 6-Quart Duo Evo Plus Instant Pot. If you want to save $20 , get the Instant Pot IP-DUO60 .

My pick for the small or larger family who does batch cooking or cooking of larger whole food items: the 8-Quart Duo Evo Plus Instant Pot. If you want to save about $40 , get the Instant IP-Pot DUO80 .

Recommended Reading: How To Make Tamales In Instant Pot

What Is An Instant Pot Or Multi Cooker

According to the internet, the Instant Pot brand was started in 2009 by a Canadian gent called Robert Wang. A radical reworking of the humble hob-top pressure cooker, Wangs invention continues to sell under the same brand name. However its not just the Instant Pot that makes instant pots. Many other manufacturers have since jumped on the bandwagon with their own takes on the product. As a result, the name Instant Pot has almost become a generic term among consumers, especially when searching for said product on the internet. Nevertheless, since Instant Pot owns the rights to the name rather like Hoover did when we called every vacuum cleaner a hoover, most other manufacturers have opted for the term multicooker when advertising their wares.

An Instant Pot-style multicooker is basically an electrically-powered table-top multi-cooker that performs a variety of cooking methods from pressure cooking and steaming to sautéing and slow cooking. Some models can also air fry and steam fry and even bake cakes.

Multicookers are mostly aimed at those who enjoy the health benefits, speed and convenience of pressure cooking and steaming and in many cases theyre also aimed at people who cant cook very well.

For the sake of simplicity, we will mostly use the term multicooker when describing any of these amazing products, whether theyre made by Instant Pot, Ninja, Sage, Tefal or anyone else.

Instant Pot Family Meals

Perfect for those cooking for a big family, this book has more than 60 super delicious and flavorful meal ideas you can get started on, and put on the table in a jiffy. Whats best is the fact that this book has meals that everyone will love. Plus, youll also find some actionable ways to utilize your Instant Pot to the fullest.

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