Lets Start With How Tall Are Instant Pots
Starting out lets look at their general size. The little 3 qt. is just adorable and lightweight. It would be easy to find a place on your counter for it.
The 6 qt. is a nice moderate height. I have an old farmhouse and the upper cabinets in my kitchen come down low so not very many appliances actually fit under my cabinets. But this one does! I always pull it out when I cook with it so when I release the steam it doesnt go directly on the cabinets.
The 8 qt. is definitely a big girl. She isnt going to be tucked away anywhere. Shes going to be a show stopper and take up her fair share of the space.
What Size Instant Pot Is Best For An Average Family
Many people who have recently purchased an Instant Pot or even a slow cooker are asking this question. While many cooking methods have been simplified, specific techniques and ingredients have not been adopted in some cases. If you want to learn how to use your Instant Pot for the best meals possible, what size instant pot is best for an average family? Read on to find out!
According to Instant Pot , a 6 quart instant pot is best for an average family. The first thing you need to ask yourself is how big an Instant Pot do you need? Our most popular size is the 6 quart, which is big enough to cook meals for a family of 3-6 people. The 8 quart is great for large families, parties and gatherings, or weekly meal prep.
Buy: Instant Pot Smart WiFi 8-in-1 Multicooker at Amazon
How To Figure Out Which Instant Pot Size You Have
Not sure which Instant Pot size you have? Heres a quick trick to figure that out.
Check the sticker on the back of your Instant Pot. While the print is a little small, it will tell you the model you currently have along with the volume in terms of quarts: 3, 6, 8, or 10. If you have an older model Instant Pot, its also possible you have a 5 quart version.
With the 6 quart model being the most popular, it wouldnt be surprising if you have that one. But its always a good idea to double-check if you have any questions.
Related:3 ways to tell which size Instant Pot you have
Also Check: How To Cook Frozen Tamales In Instant Pot
Turn Your 8 Quart Instant Pot Into A Serious One
I was looking for a beef and broccoli recipe and what I found was either people were eating mushy broccoli OR they were steaming the broccoli separately .
The fix is to use a 6 quart insert INSIDE the 8 quart pot.
Basically, you put the meat and sauce directly in the 8 quart liner and follow the recipe directions. When its done, you put the6 quart liner ON TOP of the cooked meat, inside the Instant Pot and make steamed broccoli in it using the trivet. The extra few minutes of cooking wont hurt the meat, and you truly can cook your entire dinner in the Instant Pot! The only downside is that this only works for the 8 quart Instant Pot
The Best Instant Pots For 2021
With an Instant Pot, cooking meals is faster and easier. You can create quick recipes for everything from shredded chicken to dessert with less time and effort.
Our pick for the best Instant Pot is the tried-and-true Instant Pot Duo 80. The Duo 80 is large enough to fit a whole chicken or roast, yet versatile enough to cook everything from cheesecake to chili. If the Duo 80 isnt for you, weve also picked our best Instant Pot models to choose for an individual, a family of four, a large family, and for those on a budget.
If youre looking to snag a discount, you also can check out our list of the best Instant Pot deals available today.
Recommended Reading: Pork Chops In Instant Pot Frozen
Why Are Instapots So Hyped All Across The States
The Canadian company recently revealed that the sales of their Instant Pots have more than doubled every year since 2011. The syndicate of enthusiastic owners of the Instant Pots even has a name. They are proudly known as the potheads!
What is it that produced such a massive surge in the sales of this appliance? The secret is arguably itâs capability to replace multiple appliances at a time. Instant Pots can allegedly function as 7 discrete appliances eliminating the need to individually own them all.
Following is a list of appliances that are threatened due to the multitasking abilities of Instant Pots.
- Pressure cooker
- Warming pot
Instant Pots allow people to efficiently manage meal preparations, kitchen space and kitchen expenses. This has made them a popular kitchen appliance among the already existing ones. We highly recommend this appliance to people who struggle with a limited kitchen expanse.
Which Size Instant Pot Is Best For You
Ok, this part is not as cut-and-dry as the model choices. You’ll have to follow some gut instincts.
I went around and around for many months before buying my second Instant Pot, simply because I didn’t know whether to get another 6-quart or to get a larger 8-quart.
Let’s talk through it.
First of all, keep in mind that as with any pot that’s advertised as holding a certain volume, you cannot use all of it. Advertised 6-quart volume means up to the top of the pot.
Which of us ever fills a pot to the top? No one at least not if we don’t want a mess!
You need room for expansion, boiling, stirring, putting your foods up on a rack, etc.
Once I bought a stainless steel pot for making cheese and I made a mistake. I wanted to make cheese with 3 gallons of milk, so that’s the size of pot I bought.
Then it arrived and I realized my error. I couldn’t use the entire 3-gallon capacity I could use only 2-1/2 to 2-3/4 gallons or so. Oops.
I sent it back and got the 4-gallon stainless steel pot. And now I use it to about the 3-1/2 gallon capacity.
See what I mean? Your pot needs more capacity than you’ll use.
Same thing with the Instant Pot. If you’re pressure cooking in the Instant Pot, you cannot overfill it or you’ll have a problem. The max fill line is a little more than 3/4 full.
when you’re choosing your Instant Pot, choose a higher volume capacity than you think you need. You probably won’t regret bigger , but you certainly will regret too small.
You May Like: Frozen Meatball Recipes Instant Pot
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.
Donât Miss: What Instant Pot Size To Get
The Best Instant Pot For A Family Of Two
In recent years, the Instant Pot has become a trendy appliance. This single pot can perform a host of cooking functions, including slow cooking, pressure cooking, yogurt making and rice cooking. Its handy for busy families, no matter their size. While a family of two may not need a model with the same capacity as a large household, you can still benefit from the super-fast cooking times and user-friendly operation of an Instant Pot.
Our buying guide is jam-packed with tips to help you choose the best Instant Pot for a family of two. We’ve also included several product recommendations, such as our top pick, Ultra Mini 10-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, which features simple twist-and-click programming and an automatic altitude adjustment.
Also Check: What Is C7 On Instant Pot
The Bottom Line: Which Instant Pots I Bought
For Myself 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 as a recipe developer myself 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 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!
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.
Recommended Reading: Frozen Meatball Instant Pot Recipe
How Do I Use My Electric Pressure Cooker
Once youve purchased your pressure cooker, read my post on getting started with your new electric pressure cooker. If you decide to purchase an Instant Pot brand multicooker, be sure you also read through my post on which Instant Pot buttons to use to help you understand how your pressure cooker works. My How to Use the Power Pressure Cooker XL post has some great information that is applicable to many brands of pressure cookers.
The holidays are a great time to purchase a multi cooker, because many online retailers have sales on them. Check for great prices on Amazon, Sur La Table, Williams-Sonoma, Walmart, Target, and Costco.
The Size Of The Instant Pot Matters
For safety reasons , the Instant Pot should be filled no more than 2/3 full. That means if you buy the6 quart Instant Pot , you can only safely put 3 1/2 quarts of food inside. If you buy the8 quart Instant Pot, you can put 6 quarts of food inside.
This may not be a big deal, but I know that one batch of chicken stock in my 6-quart slow cooker gives me a full gallon worth of stock. I would have to make multiple batches of stock in a 6-quart size Instant Pot to get the same yield.
Don’t Miss: Frozen Tamales In Ninja Foodi
Relationship To Teaspoon And Fluid Ounce
In most places, except Australia, one tablespoon equals three teaspoonsand one US tablespoon is 14.8 ml or 15 ml .
The traditional US interpretation of the tablespoon as a unit of volume is:
-
1 US tablespoon
For dry ingredients, if a recipe calls for a level tablespoon, the usual meaning without further qualification, is measured by filling the spoon and scraping it level. In contrast, a heaped, heaping, or rounded spoonful is not leveled off, and includes a heap above the spoon. The exact volume of a heaped tablespoon depends somewhat on the shape and curvature of the measuring spoon being used and largely upon the physical properties of the substance being measured, and so is not a precise unit of measurement. If neither a rounded nor a level tablespoon is specified, a level tablespoon is used, just as a cup of flour is a level cup unless otherwise specified.
What Accessories Do I Need For My Instant Pot
When you purchase or order your Instant Pot, you may be tempted to go out and buy a whole bunch of accessories. DONT DO IT without reading my post first! I promise, itll save you some money and time!
Read my comprehensive post on the top 10 best Instant Pot accessories to buy . I give some weird advice, so I hope youll read it before getting stressed out about it!
Also check out my friend Jennies post on best accessories for 3 quart Instant Pots!
Don’t Miss: How To Cook Tuna Steak In Instant Pot
Different Instant Pot Models
- Has 10 functions , holds up to 3 quarts, great for 2-4 servings
- Instant Pot LUX50 6-in-1 5QTHas 6 functions , holds up to 5 quarts, and great for serving 3-4 people. However, this model has been discontinued. Though, you should still be readily able to find this model.
- Instant Pot 10-in-1, 8QT, UltraHas 10 functions , holds up to 8 quarts, great for 8-12 servings
Hopefully, I was able to answer your questions of what size Instant Pot you should buy, or maybe I made things a little more difficult because of how many options per size that they have. My personal recommendation is to go with the Instant Pot 6qt Duo 9 in 1 or 7 in 1. Itll do everything you need for your family, for your batch cooking, or any type of meal you would like to prepare.
You May Like: Which Instant Pot Has The Recall
Best Instant Pot To Buy 2020
- Pin
*This page contains affiliate links, which means that if you decide to purchase something I recommend using my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
If youre thinking about which Instant Pot to buy, Ill answer all your questions to help you pick the the best Instant Pot for you or your family
I currently own 4 Instant Pots, and have been cooking in them for over 3 years. In the time since I purchased my first Instant Pot, Ive literally made it my job to develop recipes and share all things Instant Pot. I hope youll trust my recommendations!
You May Like: How Long To Cook Pre Cooked Ribs In Instant Pot
Can The Size Affect The Cooking Time
When it comes to the 3 and 6-quart sizes, its always good to add at least one cup of water or any thin liquid such as soda, wine, etc., but nothing thick like BBQ sauce.
For the 8-quart, having in mind that is the largest of the models you should add at least two cups of thin liquid.
Have in mind that adding a thin liquid is important since that is how the steam is going to appear to create pressure.
Its true that there are some ingredients that will release their own thin liquid as you cook them, so you may not need as much liquid. A good example of this is chicken or certain vegetables, like cabbage or onion.
The Gem Aura And Aura Pro
These are not pressure cookers. They are very good multi-cookers, but be aware they do not do what the Instant Pot name has become famous for.
They were meant to be a nice replacement for a slow-cooker or roaster. You get the Instant Pot micro-processor control in a different form-factor, so you can set a timer delay for your cooking program. The Gem and the Aura have a non-stick insert instead of the stainless steel that the pressure cookers use. You can also sauté right in the non-stick insert. The Aura Pro is larger and has a stainless steel insert.
The Aura and Aura Pro have more advanced features than the Gem. They can do just about everything the pressure cooker models can do except pressure cook. If I were looking to purchase a slow-cooker with some extra features, I would definitely consider one of these models.
But if youre looking for an Instant Pot because youve heard everyone raving about it, these are not the models to get.
You May Like: How Long To Cook Pre Cooked Ribs In Instant Pot
