Which Instant Pot To Get

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How To Find Instant Pot Recipes

How to Get Started with your Instant Pot Duo! Beginners start here!

Now that youre comfortable using this new electric appliance, youre ready to branch out and start to look for some other fun recipes to try.

There are plenty of home cooks who share their favorite recipes, tips, and adaptations on blogs and popular Instant Pot Facebook groups. We have our own collection of Instant Pot recipes on this site. When you join our mailing list, we also have a free Instant Pot Cookbook to share with you.

Check out our sister site, A Pressure Cooker Kitchen, for all things Instant Pot. We help you find easy-to-make, delicious Instant Pot recipes to get the most out of your pressure cooker. See our recipes, guides, and information to help you get started.

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What To Consider When Buying An Instant Pot

With such a wide array of models available when it comes to Instant Pots and multi-cookers, choosing the right one for you can be confusing.

Start by considering the different cooking methods offered by the best Instant Pots and multi-cookers, and the dishes you prepare most. While some offer a handful of cooking modes including pressure cooking and slow cooking, others including the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus have as many as 48 different ways of cooking and can do everything including proving bread and making yogurt.

Next look at the capacity the Instant Pot can hold and whether it’s sufficient for the number of people you have to cook for. Multi-cookers with a 6 quart / 5.7-liter capacity and above are ideal for those with a large family to feed, or those that want to batch-cook, while a smaller Instant Pot can hold around 3.2 quarts / 3 liters should suffice for an individual or couple.

On top of that, look out for Instant Pots and multi-cookers that have inner pots that can be used on the stove, when browning meat before slow cooking and are dishwasher safe to make sure you have as few utensils to wash up as possible.

The Classic Duo Model

If you are looking for a model that has all the great functions of an Instant Pot without any extra bells and whistles, opt for the best-selling Duo. It comes in the 3-, 6- and 8-quart sizes and has 13 one-touch programs including soup/broth, meat/stew, bean/chili, slow cook, sauté, rice, porridge, steam, yogurt, keep warm and pressure cook.

If the yogurt button doesnt appeal to you, the Lux is the most basic Instant Pot model, offering all the functionality of a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, sauté pan, steamer and warmer without the yogurt-making feature. We do not recommend making yogurt in the Lux model.

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How To Store Chicken Broth

Divide your broth between airtight containers. Chicken broth can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to three months. Store it in the fridge in glass jars if you plan to use it soon. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the fridge and heat up in a saucepan or microwave.

Tip: Freeze the broth in small containers. Then you can easily pop one out of the freezer without having to defrost a big frozen block. One idea is to use silicone ice cube molds. Place the frozen cubes in a plastic zip-top freezer bag. Each cube will give you about 1/3 cup of broth.

Versatility And Special Features

Instant Pot DUO80 8

What sets different models of Instant Pots apart from each other is the different features that they offer. While some Instant Pots just offer basic pressure cooker and saute functionality, others have modes for making specific foods or various cooking options, such as steaming. Other features include delayed cooking, keep warm settings, temperature controls, Alexa compatibility, remote cooking capabilities, high-altitude adjustments, sterilize features, air frying, and sous vide.

Clearly, there is no shortage of special features that this appliance can offer, so definitely prioritize which features are important to you and look for a model that offers them. Theres no need to buy an appliance that offers a laundry list of features if youre only looking to do basic pressure and slow cooking.

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Whats Not Included In This Guide

Given Instant Pots popularity, Instant Brands expansion into other products was inevitable. Since its merger with Corelle in 2019, the brand has continued to improve upon its pressure cooker, but also added additional small appliances to its offerings, including air fryers, toaster ovens, air purifiers, and even a very not-instant precision slow cooker that works more like a Crock-Pot, but with added functionality.

For this in-depth Instant Pot buying guide, were covering the brands best-selling product: the pressure/multi-cooker. But as youll see, all of these Instant Pots have a slow-cooking function while a few can even be used as an air fryer or mini oven!

Best For Beginners: Instant Pot Duo Plus 6

Capacity: 6 quarts | Dimensions : 12.2 x 12.2 x 12.9 inches | Weight: 11.5 pounds | Programs: 15

If youre totally new to the multi-cooker world, this intuitive version of the Instant Pot Duo might be ideal for you. The 6-quart Duo Plus can do all the things that the Classic Duo can do, including pressure cooking, sous vide, and slow cooking. But it also has an automatic sealing lid, which takes some of the guesswork out of the process, and keeps you from accidentally leaving the steam valve open and making a mess of your kitchen. There’s also a progress indicator that will keep you updated in real time.

The Duo Plus also features 15 “smart” program options, which allow you to start your meal by just pushing a button. Our tester, senior editor Sara Bir, tested the yogurt and sous vide functions. She was pleased with how intuitive the yogurt setting was, especially compared to the other Instant Pots she’s used, adding, “I’ll be using this pot to make my yogurt from now on.” The sous vide function, however, was underwhelming, particularly because it’s this setting that makes this Duo model a “Plus.”

When using the setting to make sous vide carrots, the cooker was never able to heat the water above 190 degrees Fahrenheit . “It’s not terribly accurate, it does not circulate the water, which is important for maintaining a constant temperature,” Sara explains. The carrots themselves turned out too al dente for her taste.

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What Are The Advantages Of Instant Pot

Instant Pot Is Easy To Use And Convenient To Cook With, And It Saves A Lot Of Time. You Can Make Various Types Of Meals And Cook Your Food With A High Level Of Efficiency. With Instant Pot, You Can Cook Rice, Pasta, Beans, Soups, And Much More. Moreover, It Can Automatically Regulate The Temperature To Keep Your Food Hot Or Cold. In Addition, It Also Has An Anti-Burn Feature, Which Can Prevent The Instant Pot From Over-Heating.

The Best Instant Pots

How to Use an Instant Pot – Instant Pot 101 – Beginner? Start HERE!

Whether youre someone whos looking for an easier way to prepare meals or would like to have fewer appliances cluttering up your cabinets, an Instant Pot can be a great investment. If youre in the market for an Instant Pot, weve rounded up some of the best Instant Pot models out there based on highly rated reviews. And if youre someone who is looking for more homemade meal ideas, then youre in luckmany Instant Pot models also come with a free app that includes nearly 2,000 Instant Pot recipes. and IP Reddit communities are also great resources for IP chefs and new buyers.

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Instant Pot Duo Gourmet

Exclusively available at Costco since its introduction in 2020, the Instant Pot Duo Gourmet is very similar to the Instant Pot Duo Plus. The Duo Gourmet has a slightly different control panel that includes a sous vide button and comes with more accessories . Oh, and theres that sweet Costco member pricing too. Unlike the Duo Plus which is available in three sizes, the Duo Gourmet is only available in the 6-quart size.

Built-in smart programs: 15Functions: Pressure-cooking, slow-cooking, steaming, sautéing, rice-cooking, yogurt-making, sous videcooking, food-warming, sterilizingSizes available: 6-quart Instant Pot

How To Make Instant Pot Orange Chicken

To make this orange chicken Instant Pot recipe, start by mixing 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch, garlic powder, and ground ginger together in a small bowl. Toss the chicken in the cornstarch mixture until the chicken pieces are evenly coated.

Select the Sauté function on your Instant Pot, and heat the vegetable oil in the pot. Add the chicken and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the chicken from the pot to a plate and set aside. Press Cancel to end the Sauté function.

Pour 1/2 cup of the orange juice, chicken stock, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and orange zest into the pot and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Add the browned chicken pieces back to the pot and stir. Close the lid and set the cooking time to 6 minutes at high/normal pressure. It will take about 8 minutes for the pot to reach pressure before that 6 minutes of cooking time begins.

Store leftovers of your Instant Pot orange chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Heres the complete Instant Pot Orange Chicken recipe! Enjoy, and be sure to order 30-Minute Instant Pot Cookbook on Amazon here for more delicious and easy 30 minute Instant Pot recipes like this.

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Why Make This Recipe

  • Feeds A Crowd Ham is perfect for feeding a large group of people, so its a popular choice for serving at holiday dinners, parties, and potluck suppers.
  • Versatile Leftovers Use leftover ham in sandwiches, soups, and casseroles.
  • Succulent Never be afraid of serving dry ham again. Instant pot ham turns out juicy every time.
  • Fast Cook ham in Instant Pot in under 30 minutes.

Instant Pot Orange Chicken

NEW

8/29/22

Do you have your copy of my latest cookbook yet? Im sharing another sneak peek recipe from 30-Minute Instant Pot Cookbook today: Instant Pot Orange Chicken! Its been a fan favorite of the early book reviewers, so I am excited for you to try it, too. This sweet and tangy orange chicken Instant Pot recipe is quicker than takeout, but youll love it just as much. You can serve this pressure cooker orange chicken with white, brown, or fried rice, or even additional stir-fried or steamed vegetables. The leftovers are also delicious the next day after the flavors continue to steep. One of the best things about this recipe is that its done in only 30 minutes from start to finish, just like all the other delicious recipes in my new cookbook. Save this one if youre looking to add more easy 30 minute Instant Pot recipes to your repertoire, and be sure to check out my new book . You can click the Jump to Recipe button above if youre ready to get cooking, or scroll first for some tips for making this healthy orange chicken Instant Pot recipe.

Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, I may receive a commission. This does not cost you anything additional, and helps me to keep the rest of my content free, so thank you!

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Instant Pot Rice & Biryani Recipes

  • Perfect Basmati Rice – Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
  • Brown Basmati Rice – Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
  • Instant Pot Wild Rice
  • How to cook Calrose Rice?
  • Instant Pot Khichdi
  • Indian Turmeric Yellow Rice
  • Palak Paneer – Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
  • Mumbai Pav Bhaji
  • Indian Curry Sauce
  • Instant Pot Vegetable Korma

Alternative Competitive Electric Pressure Cooker Models

There are many competitive models on the market today that offer different features and functionalities. Most of these multi-cookers combine the benefits of an electric pressure cooker, along with other useful features.

The below competitive models are broken down by name and sizes, along with their respective set of features and winning features.

Full Set of Features: Pressure Cook, Air Crisp, Sear/Sauté, Bake, Broil, Steam, Slow Cook, Dehydrate

Something to keep in mind: It’s a bit on the bulkier side

Winning Features: TenderCrisp technology allows the latest model of the Ninja Foodi to double as an Air Fryer, allowing the best of both worlds

Mealthy Multipot 9-in-1 Review: 6QT, 8QT

Full Set of Features: Pressure Cook, Slow Cook, Rice Cook, Sauté, Steam, Cake Maker, Egg Maker, Yogurt Maker, Warm.

Winning Feature: LED display that allows you to see the progress of cooking.I have also observed that the pressure build-up time is shorter by a few minutes as compared to an Instant Pot.

Mealthy Multipot 2.0 Review: 6QT

Full Set of Features: Pressure Cook, Slow Cook, Rice Cook, Sauté, Steam, Cake Maker, Egg Maker, Yogurt Maker, Warm

Winning Feature: Hands-free & programmable pressure/steam release with the touch of a button. You can now set a Natural, Quick and Auto release

Exclusive $10 saving off the total purchase of $59.95 or greater, when you buy a Mealthy 2.0 Multipot on the Mealthy website. Use promo code: SPICECRAVINGS

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What Size Pots Does Instant Pot Offer

You will be able to get pots in 3, 5, 7, and 8 quart sizes with Instant Pot. It is important to remember that not every model offers the same size options. You can get a 3 quart pot with the DUO, DUO Plus, Ultra Series and LUX models. If you go to certain stores, you can find the LUX model in a 5 quart pot size.

You can get a 6 quart size pot with any of the models Instant Pot offers, including Viva, Nava Plus, Smart Bluetooth, Max and Ultra. It is likely that any new models this brand releases will be available in this size as well.

Only the Ultra, LUX, DUO and DUO Plus models are available in the 8 quart pot size.

Can You Make Bread In An Instant Pot

Getting Started with your Instant Pot Gourmet 6qt from Costco

An Instant Pot doesnt have the hot, dry environment thats typically used for baking standard loaves of bread. However, there are specialty types of baked goods, like steamed buns, that can be cooked in an Instant Pot. Its also possible to bake cakes, but they will have a different exterior and texture since they will be steamed rather than baked. However, for the models of Instant Pot that can hold a precise low temperature of about 90 degrees, the Instant Pot can be used for proofing bread dough.

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Manual Pressure Cook With Quick Release Or Npr

Many Instant Pot users almost always use manual settings. While Smart Program buttons are handy, cooking instructions can vary for different types of rice, smaller or larger beans, and soup with or without meat. With manual settings, you have more control over the time and pressure level. Here is how to use the Instant Pot with manual pressure cooker settings.

Step 1. Star the Instant Pot as mentioned above.

Step 2. Add food, seasoning and liquid to the pot. The liquid can be cold or hot hotter liquids take less time to heat up so the Instant Pot comes to pressure quicker. Stir if needed.

Note on stirring: If adding tomato sauce or paste, keep them on the top and dont stir too much as these foods can sometimes thicken and burn during cooking again, this depends if water and stock are also added as when diluted, its less of a problem.

Step 3. Get your lid and quickly check that the sealing ring on the inside is in place. If its loose or sticks out, the pot might not seal properly and it will not be able to come to pressure. Place it on top and twist it until it locks in place.

Step 4. On older models like Duo Classic, check that the steam release handle on top of the lid is pointing to Sealing. On the more advanced models of the Instant Pot, the vent will automatically seal when the cooking process begins. On the Duo Nova the quick release button should be popped up and not pressed down.

What Instant Pot Accessories Do I Need

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 steam rack or basket to elevate food inside the inner pot.

Any Instant Pot accessories or gadgets you may choose to buy to bulk up your cookers 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.

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