What Size Is My Instant Pot

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What About Other Brands

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

Often people ask me to compare the Instant Pot to other brands. I’m sorry I’m 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 can’t comment on other brands, I do know the Instant Pot in and out and can highly recommend it. I don’t think anyone could regret choosing it.

When you choose your Instant Pot, you need to select both the model and size . Let’s go over the choices now.

Which Size Is My Instant Pot

In terms of model, I chose the Duo Evo Plus .

The Duo Evo Plus and the basic Duo’s functions include yogurt and low pressure, which are musts for me. I’m glad I have those .

In terms of the operating functions , the Duo Evo Plus wins. I have no need or desire for smart functionality or the additional features of the Ultra.

Size, though? This was tougher for me!

When I purchased our first Instant Pot, the 8-quart wasn’t even available. So I chose the 6-quart Duo . That was a no-brainer.

Then the 8-quart Duo came out. I knew I wanted to get another Instant Pot, but I hemmed and hawed for months because the 6-quart was working pretty well for me.

My thought process was: Should I get another of the same size so they match? Should I even get another one? Should I get a bigger one?

Anyway, finally, I decided I would get the 8-quart Duo as my second Instant Pot. I don’t regret it in the least! I’m so happy to have the larger one! In spite of them not matching.

If I knew then what I know now, and I was purchasing my first Instant Pot all over again, I would actually choose the 8-quart because the extra room makes a significant difference in batch sizes for batch cooking or large family cooking.

And even with normal size meals, there’s not much extra room in it. Which means it’s not too big.

So bottom line for us I’d pick the 8-quart no matter what.

Does The 8 Quart Instant Pot Take Longer To Come To Pressure Than The 6 Quart Instant Pot

I personally have only used the 8 quart and have not tested this. But looking around the internet it seems most say the 8 quart can take slightly longer to come to pressure.

In general it takes about 10 minutes for my Instant Pot to come to pressure so this is not a significant issue for me. Cooking times between all sizes of instant pots are the same no matter the size of the pot.

I have used many 6 quart recipes in my 8 quart instant pot and have never noticed a difference in the time it took to cook vs what is listed in the recipe.

Read Also: How To Cook Frozen Tamales In Instant Pot

How Many People Does Each Pot Size Feed

A 3 quart pot is ideal for making side dishes as opposed to full meals. It is also a good choice if you are just cooking for yourself. Buying a 6 quart pot is a good choice if you are going for anywhere from 2 to 4 people. An 8 quart pot can accommodate large families and will be useful if you have a few guests over for dinner. If you are planning to have a big get together, this is a great option to consider.

Instant Pot Angel Food Cake

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Instant Pot Angel Food Cake is light, moist, and perfectly sweet and I do believe knocks the socks off of any oven-baked version. Serve it with Strawberry Sauce and whipped cream for a truly heavenly dessert.

Yes, Im going there, Im using ALLLL the puns, because this Pressure Cooker Angel Food Cake is out of this world, heavenly, and touched by an angel.

Ill admit, I love the browned bits of an oven-baked angel food cake just as much as the next person, but my goodness, the texture of this Instant Pot version is as incredible as it is unique and this is confirmed by not one, but 6 people in my life who dont sugar coat their reviews of my food.

I originally wrote this recipe for my cookbook Instantly Sweet that I wrote with Barbara from the blog Pressure Cooking Today. Once I created this Instant Pot Strawberry Sauce, I knew it was time for this cake to make an appearance on my blog for the whole world to see!

What is your opinion of Angel Food Cake? It doesnt seem to be a hot ticket item at many parties and I just cant understand why.

Its a beautiful, unique, light dessert that , deserves to be just as popular as the more common, overly sweet, and heavy chocolate and white cakes.

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Which Instant Pot To Buy Let’s Start With Model

The Instant Pot basically comes in two model series.

There is the IP-DUO and the IP-LUX.

Judging from most recipes that I see online it seems that most people opt for the IP-DUO.

For the most part, the two models are similar except that the IP-DUO has a yogurt making functionality and the most current version of the IP-LUX has a cake and egg setting .

The IP-LUX also costs less than a comparable sized IP-DUO.

I prefer the Instant Pot IP-DUO to the Instant Pot IP-LUX series because I do use it to make yogurt and I like researching Instant Pot recipes online .

Genuine Instant Pot Sealing Rings 2

The silicone sealing ring that sits in the lid of your Instant Pot can absorb food flavors and aromas over time. But if you have a couple of extras on hand, you can designate one sealing ring to use for savory foods and another sealing ring for desserts. Its a simple way to avoid any unwanted flavor transfers from your sealing rings.

Also Check: Best Way To Defrost Ground Beef

Recommended Reading: Reheat Frozen Tamales In Pressure Cooker

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.

Why Use Different Rings For Making Instant Pot Desserts

Instant Pot Models and Sizes

When I turned my Instant Pot on with the apple cinnamon cake already in it, the strangest thing happened. It started smelling like a wonderful aroma of cinnamon apples. Wrong! Instead it started smelling like beef stew! I forgot to change the ring! This is exactly why I keep two separate rings: one for desserts, and the other for savory dishes.

And while I enjoy the smell of the stew, I would really prefer to smell apple and cinnamon while making a cake.

Are you also making both desserts and savory recipes with your Instant Pot? I recommend to use these BPA free and dishwasher safe genuine Instant Pot rings. That way you will have 2 different rings for those purposes to avoid your cake smelling like a stew!

Recommended Reading: Frozen Pot Roast Pressure Cooker

What Is The Instant Pot Anyway

It’s a multi-purpose electrical appliance. Think like a Crock Pot or slow cooker, except it can also do other things it’s a pressure cooker, a yogurt maker, and more. What features you get depends on what model you choose.

In other words it’s a plug-n-play machine that can replace a bunch of your kitchen appliances! And it’s amazing!

We have 2 Instant Pots and use them both multiple times each day. In fact, I love it so much that we have an entire class on pressure cooking featuring the Instant Pot.

For more info, check out the Pressure Cooking eBook & Video Package or our Pressure Cooking eCourse .

Yet I use the Instant for much more besides like it’s my favorite way to reheat leftovers which you can learn about here. Or if you want to see 11 creative uses for an Instant Pot, go here. They’re fun!

How Does The Pot Size Affect Cooking Time

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.

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What Are All Of The Sizes That Instant Pot Offers

Instant Pot offers four sizes at the moment: 3, 5, 6, and 8-quart. However, you have to keep in mind that not every model comes in all sizes.

The 3-quart is available for the LUX, DUO, DUO Plus, and Ultra Series. There used to be a 5-quart DUO a few years ago, but that’s been discontinued. However, the company has made a 5-quart LUX model that’s been available for select retailers like Walmart during Black Friday sales.

The 6-quart comes in every model. This means you can get a 6-quart LUX, DUO, DUO Plus, Smart Bluetooth, Viva , Nova Plus , Ultra, and Max. It’s safe to assume that if Instant Pot comes out with a new product, it’s of the 6-quart capacity unless otherwise stated.

The 8-quart is the largest size offered by Instant Pot and is available for the LUX, DUO, DUO Plus, and Ultra models.

How To Decide Which Instant Pot Should You Buy

How To Know What Size Instant Pot To Buy

As with any kitchen appliance, my recommendations are always about buying based on your needs. While deciding which instant pot you should get, here are some questions you could ask yourself:

  • Which features are important to you?
  • What type of cooking will you do most of the time?
  • Overall, I would say the Instant Pot Duo would fit pretty much all the cooking needs for majority home cooks. It does both most commonly used cooking duties pressure cooking and sauteeing beautifully. Youd get a pretty value for the price you pay . If youre all about practicality, you would be very happy with your Duo.

    If you have a higher budget and do all the fancy cooking like sous vide, Instant Pot Ultra would be an attractive one to get. The Ultra mode has the custom temperature and pressure control features, which are truly amazing. If these are important to you, then go ahead with Instant Pot Ultra.

    Instant Pot Duo Plus has more programs than Duo, including egg, cake, and sterilize modes , and the price is $99.95, a sweet spot between Duo and Ultra.

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    Push Pans And Parchment Liners

    Push pans are useful for cooking multiple types of dishes from cheesecakes to lasagnas. Some people prefer the push pan to the spring form pan. For the smaller Instant Pots, push pans give you more pan space.

    Since most recipes are written for a the 6 quart models, the 7 inch pans will fit in an 8 quart. You can probably also fit a 8 inch pan in the 8 quart. Just make sure to check if you need to adjust the cooking time if the food youre cooking changes in thickness.

    And dont forget parchment liners for whatever pan you decide to buy. You need them for cheesecakes and they make it easier to release whatever youre cooking from the pan regardless.

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    Best Instant Pots: Which Instant Pot To Buy

    See my guide on how to use an Instant Pot.

    Are you wondering which Instant Pot to buy? There are so many options, from different sizes to different models, that it can be overwhelming. In this Instant Pot comparison I simplify the options to help you decide on the best Instant Pot for you and your family.

    As a mom of four with real-life experience using different sizes and models of Instant Pots, I can help you decide what size and features you really need. So which is the best Instant Pot? Its the one that meets your cooking needs and has the functions that you need, without extras that you dont. Extra features sound nice, and they are if you actually use them. But if youll just be using the basics theres no need to pay more for a more complicated Instant Pot model.

    I have purchased two Instant Pots for myself and one for my mom. Ive also helped my mother-in-law decide which Instant Pot to buy. Ive helped friends with different Instant Pot models learn how to use an Instant Pot.

    Ive done lots of research and Ive had lots of experience cooking with different Instant Pots. Im ready to share what Ive learned to help you decide which Instant Pot to buy. Youre going to love your new Instant Pot! Also see my favorite picks for the best Instant Pot accessories.

    It Helps To Consider What You’ll Be Cooking

    What Size Cheesecake Pans fit in the Instant Pot?

    I know it’s hard to think of what a 6- or 8-quart Instant Pot can hold. Let me give you some examples.

    Whole chickens The 6-quart will fit a 5 to 6-pound whole chicken comfortably. The 8-quart fits 5 to 6-pound whole chickens comfortably side by side.

    Yogurt The 6-quart will make 4 to 5 quarts of yogurt comfortably while the 8-quart will make 6 to 7 quarts of yogurt comfortably.

    Spaghetti squash A medium-size or 2 smaller will fit in the 6-quart Instant Pot 2 medium or even a large spaghetti squash will fit in the 8-quart.

    Batch cooking If you batch cook at all, whether rice, beans, pre-cooked chicken, etc., you will fit more in the 8 quart, making your efforts stretch farther.

    Accessories Many of the accessories I chose fit in both the 6-quart and 8-quart Instant Pots. An exception is the stackable pans I showed you in the second video above. Those ONLY fit the 8-quart Instant Pot. However, there is a greater capacity for stacking and using larger containers inside the 8-quart Instant Pot. Wondering what I’m talking about? Like making this sourdough cornbread in a 7-cup Pyrex bowl it will fit in either size Instant Pot.

    See the second video above for real-life examples of how these foods fit in the 6-quart or 8-quart Instant Pot!

    If you’d like more ideas for using your Instant Pot, be sure to check out 11 Creative & Surprising Things To Make In The Instant Pot. I think some will astound you!

    Back To Size, Though

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    Why Do Different Size Instant Pots Take More Time To Come To Pressure

    The difference in times it takes to build pressure and release pressure in electric pressure cookers are significantly different between the 3 quart, 6 quart, and 8 quart models. This is not surprising because they are all different sizes . The 8 quart pot will take the longest to build and release pressure because there is more space to fill and empty.

    That being said, I would always assume that recipes you see online are built for the 6 quart model unless its noted otherwise. That means you have to adjust for cooking times and the amount of liquid added in the other sized models: more on this below.

    A Quick Overview Of The Instant Pot Models

    There are currently five main Instant Pot models: Duo, Lux, Ultra, Smart, and Max . There is also the Duo Plus, which is an enhanced version of the DUO models. And there is the GEM which is more like a slow cooker than a pressure cooker. Most models come in four different sizes 3 Quart, 5 Quart, 6 Quart, and 8 Quart, but not all models come in all sizes.

    All Instant Pots are very similar in terms of pot size and voltage they also share the fundamental features and functions: high-pressure cooking, sauté/ browning, slow cooker function, steaming, rice cooker, yogurt making, and a warming pot. So what is the main difference between all the Instant Pot models? It all lies in the software. Which translates to how many cooking programs they have.

    Based on reviews and the many enthusiastic fans from the main Instant Pot Facebook group, we can safely conclude that the most popular Instant Pot Model so far is the 6QT Duo . And there is also the latest model Ultra that has been getting a lot of raves. I just received my Ultra and have been doing some testings, so my focus would be the comparison between these two most popular and talk-about Instant Pots.

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