topic Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot? in Kitchen

Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

LindaLatte — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 21:15:48 GMT

I am taking a plant based diet course (think vegan, whole foods), and the instructor loves the Instant Pot -- especially for making beans, soups, etc.

I like to cook, but live alone. With COVID, I don't even have visitors over. So, I'm not keen on making tons of food (limited space in my refrigerator/freezer), and not a huge eater.

I have and like a crockpot, but would consider the instant pot as a potential birthday or Christmas present from me to me. The instructor suggested the 6 quart even if you are only feeding one or two.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Linda

Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

Lali1 — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 21:20:19 GMT

Curious to read the responses. I love my crockpot and have wondered if an instapot is much different.

Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

Sooner — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 21:21:12 GMT

@LindaLatte There are two of us and we use both of them all the time--the 3 and the 6 qt. I'd find a great sale and maybe start with the 3 quart to test drive one?

Prime day is coming up and sales, so do research and find one you like! Our 6 qt. with the handles on the inner pot is great because it is easy to lift the pot out. It is the Duo Evo Plus I think!

We use it for meats, baking potatoes quick, steaming veggies, and boiled eggs--they always peel!!!!! Sweet potatoes and big old squash cook quickly, as do soups.

They are safe and we've never found them scary. Good luck and happy hunting!

Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

manny2 — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 21:25:49 GMT

I have one, and I use it often. It saves a of of time. I make chicken soup in 20 minutes, and it is delicious. I make other things too, because it is a time saver. I do like the slow cooker function for chicken, because you don't have to use as much liquid.

Only you can decide if it is the right cooking vessel for you.

Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

busymom22 — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 21:32:17 GMT

I have one and use it often.

You have to look over Instant Pot recipes because sometimes they involve more work than making the same dish in a crockpot or on the stove. It will say saute this, then add this item, bring up to pressure, then release pressure, add this ingredient and so on. The time it takes for the pot to come up to pressure has to be included in your total cooking time. But there are some recipes, mostly those that involve cooking meat or chicken, that saves you a lot of time.

I have one go-to recipe. I saute a couple strips of chopped bacon, add two large frozen chicken breasts, cup of broth and package of ranch dry dressing. Cook for 15 minutes then remove 2/3 cup broth, shred chicken and add 4 oz cream cheese. It is so good put on top of a baked potato and the leftovers chilled make a wonderful chicken salad sandwich.

Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

Kachina624 — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 21:38:07 GMT

I live alone and never feed anyone other than myself. I own and use a 6qt pressure cooker. Wouldn't buy or want one any smaller. You can cook a small quantity in a 6qt but can't cook a lot in a 3qt. I like to prepare enough for several meals to eat (hate to cook) and maybe freeze a couple of meals.

In a pressure cooker, you can prepare a meal fast, cook a tough cut of meat so it becomes tender and with the new multi function machines, you can do slow cooking. I got rid of my crockpot. I love the way pressure cooker food tastes and I live the ease of use and easy clean up.

ave Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

eddnew — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 21:38:37 GMT

Yes I have one and it saves great time

Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

Tallgal — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 21:44:56 GMT

I love my Instant Pot! I purchased mine from QVC a few years ago. I own a 6 qt pot. There are only 2 of us. I use my pot frequently. So glad I made this purchase. I typically use the manual pressure setting. I have made pulled pork and chicken, cooked a whole chicken, cooked a turkey breast, made soups, cooked a whole spaghetti squash.

Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

LindaLatte — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 21:46:05 GMT

Thanks everyone! Sounds like it might be worth buying.

LInda

Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

jackthebear — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 21:53:36 GMT

@LindaLatte wrote:
I am taking a plant based diet course (think vegan, whole foods), and the instructor loves the Instant Pot -- especially for making beans, soups, etc.

I like to cook, but live alone. With COVID, I don't even have visitors over. So, I'm not keen on making tons of food (limited space in my refrigerator/freezer), and not a huge eater.

I have and like a crockpot, but would consider the instant pot as a potential birthday or Christmas present from me to me. The instructor suggested the 6 quart even if you are only feeding one or two.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Linda

instant pot better than a crockpot

PrimeDay coming up I saw one deal and it might be a good time to buy one.

we love ours

Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

Mindy D — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 22:20:06 GMT

Is the Instapot helpful for softening foods such as vegetables and meats when you cook in it?

Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

chessylady — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 22:38:55 GMT

I agree with the teacher. I have owned the 6 quart instant pot for about 4 years. I use it at least once a week. It makes perfect brown rice in 20 minutes. I even made a cheesecake in it. Keep your crockpot but with the instant pot you can cook meat from frozen which you can't do with a crockpot. There is a great plantbased blog by Jill Nussinow who goes by The Veggie Queen. I have her cookbook The New Fast Food which is entirely vegetarian recipes cooked in an Instantpot. I too live alone but I like to cook. It also makes great hard boiled eggs, Her Asian eggplant recipe tastes like it came from a Chinese restaurant.

Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

dimin — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 22:36:28 GMT

I'm eyeing a Crux pressure cooker/fryer combo half off at Macy's. I only wonder if 1450 or1475, can't remember, is enough watts? Now air fryers are up to 1700 watts.

Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

SXMGirl — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 22:58:55 GMT

@LindaLatte I have a 6 qt Instant Pot and there are two of us, but many times it is just me. Last night, I made lentil soup and it was just enough for two dinners. Quick, delicious, and easy.

Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

RedTop — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 23:17:05 GMT

Yes, I highly recommend them. Mine is an 8 quart and I bought it at Belk.

Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

Sooner — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 23:24:00 GMT

@dimin wrote:
I'm eyeing a Crux pressure cooker/fryer combo half off at Macy's. I only wonder if 1450 or1475, can't remember, is enough watts? Now air fryers are up to 1700 watts.

@dimin In my long life I have had a Presto and a Fissler stovetop pressure cooker; a Cooks Essential oval one that was huge and heavy; a Cuisinart AND a ******or.

NONE have worked as well or as easy to use as the Instant Pots. So I just wanted to say that. . . I don't know about a Crux, so can't comment, but I will say I love my IP and it's the only one we have used a LOT.

Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

queendiva — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 23:29:00 GMT

I am also a household of one. I have a 6 qt. Ninja Foodi, which pressure cooks, slow cooks, convection bakes, air fries and more. I use it when I cook, which is not all the time. Also recommend a 6 qt. machine as that is what most PC/ Instant Pot recipes are measured for.

Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

dimin — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 23:55:41 GMT

@Sooner wrote:
@dimin wrote:
I'm eyeing a Crux pressure cooker/fryer combo half off at Macy's. I only wonder if 1450 or1475, can't remember, is enough watts? Now air fryers are up to 1700 watts.
@dimin In my long life I have had a Presto and a Fissler stovetop pressure cooker; a Cooks Essential oval one that was huge and heavy; a Cuisinart AND a ******or.

NONE have worked as well or as easy to use as the Instant Pots. So I just wanted to say that. . . I don't know about a Crux, so can't comment, but I will say I love my IP and it's the only one we have used a LOT.

Thanks @Sooner, it's Macy's brand. It's like a Foodi, does it all. The IP can do it all too with 2 lids. This one has 1 lid with 2 inserts that go under the lid, one for cooking and one for air frying. The only time I tried pressure cooking was with the QVC Technique model that I eventually tossed. It seems like you have a lot of experience pressure cooking. The bad news is I'm on buying restriction until I clean the kitchen

Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

LilLadyNJ — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 00:00:36 GMT

I have an Instant Pot and I use it all of the time. I cook for one most of the time and I have the 6 quart and find that it works great for me. Even though it's 6QT, you don't have to worry about cooking small quantities. I use it to make soups and stews. I know that people use it to make yogurt and cakes, but I have no need to use it this way. I do not have a crockpot.

Re: Do you own/use an Instant Pot?

shoesnbags — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 00:18:43 GMT

@Tallgal wrote:
I love my Instant Pot! I purchased mine from QVC a few years ago. I own a 6 qt pot. There are only 2 of us. I use my pot frequently. So glad I made this purchase. I typically use the manual pressure setting. I have made pulled pork and chicken, cooked a whole chicken, cooked a turkey breast, made soups, cooked a whole spaghetti squash.

@Tallgal

I've never cooked spaghetti squash in my Instant Pot - I always use the oven. Would you mind sharing exactly what to do to cook spaghetti squash in the IP?