Kitchen

[tiggery]

I'm looking into a InstaPot. Which model do you recommend and why?

[Kachina624]

@tiggery   I have the Q pot and one from Evine which is larger and I like better.  It a Cooks Companion Wonder Pot.  Looks like a little pressure cooker.  They have them on sale today for $29., which is really a bargain

[sidsmom]

I adore my 7-in-1!!  

I like it for the yogurt function & stainless steel liner...no non-stick for me.

I can make soy yogurt overnight, easy peasy!

I Google searched for an image, I was surprised you can purchase online from Target & Walmart...as well as Amazon & of course, the Instant Pot website.  The footprint is a wee big for my taste, but I still cook with it everyday.  It's permanently on my counter.  

[karlam]

I have the Instant Pot 7 in 1 and the only difference between the 7 in 1 and the 6 in 1 is the fact that mine has a yougurt setting.  I got it my  7 in 1 when Amazon had their special sale a while back. It was on sale.  Otherwise I would have bought the 6 in 1 because I probably won't use the yougurt setting. 

[Tigriss]

I have the 7 in 1 and my sister has the 6 in 1.  I love the yogurt function on my 7 in 1.  It is so worth it!  I got mine for $69 back at the Prime Black Friday in July sale on Amazon.  They may repeat it around Thanksgiving.

[Razzy 7]

tiggery,

Without question I'd purchase the 7 in 1 Instant Pot DUO 60 (note that it's Instant Pot, not Insta Pot). That info will be helpful if you're searching for info online about the Instant Pot. If you think you'll have no interest in making yogurt, the 6 in 1 would be fine. If you have a large family or like to make huge quantities of food, you might consider the Instant Pot 7 in 1 DUO 80, an 8 quart rather than a 6 quart model. Know however that most pressure cooker recipes are written assuming the use of a 6 quart model. There's also a bluetooth-enabled Instant Pot you can consider (IP-SMART).

Why an Instant Pot over other digital pressure cookers?

• The Instant Pot IP-DUO is the third generation of this product. That’s a good sign, as if generation 1 wasn't a successful, quality product there wouldn't have been a generation 2 version and certainly not a generation 3 version.
• This company makes nothing but Instant Pot pressure cookers, thus all their attention and focus is on making them the highest quality pressure cookers possible. They come out with new models and continue to innovate. That's not the case with companies that also sell coffee makers, deep fryers, slow cookers, pots and pans, etc., etc,
• There's no guarantee that any company will be around in the future, but given the success of the Instant Pot (it’s the best selling digital PC on Amazon) it’s likely that replacement parts for the Instant Pot will be available. Parts are certainly readily available now.
• While not having personally dealt with their customer service, IP customer service monitors things like Amazon customer reviews and when a customer or potential customer expresses concerns or asks a question, someone from the actual company often responds to the person posting the concern or question. I'm not aware of any maker of pressure cookers or other cookware that does that. When customers contact their customer service department they get a response. In other words it appears that the Instant Pot Customer Service is more responsive and available to customers than any other maker of digital pressure cookers available.
• The Instant Pot website is a very helpful website:  http://instantpot.com
• Among other things it includes detailed information on: 
  • the features of its product, cooking videos using its product
  • how-to videos on getting to know your Instant Pot (IP), an IP overview, using the Instant Pot as a pressure cooker, as a slow cooker, using the sauté function, making yogurt, using the IP as a pressure steamer, in-depth looks at the steam release handle, the float valve, the sealing ring, leaking steam
  • numerous recipes
• If you do some research and compare, you’ll see that this is by far the most helpful and complete website for any digital pressure cooker - or stovetop pressure cooker for that matter. In fact for most other digital pressure cookers, available resources are non-existent or extremely limited. 
• Also look at You Tube for Instant Pot - there's a huge number of Instant Pot-related videos there. Not so for GoWise or Power PC XL.

Comparing Instant Pot to ******or, Cuisinart, GoWise, Power PC XL or any other brand of digital pressure cookers, Instant Pot blows everyone else out of the water for the reasons I've specified.

And no, I don't work for the company. I just think this is a fine customer-focused company that makes fine products.

[Ruthie-Roo]

@Razzy 7  Thank you for that very informative and helpful post!  When the time comes for me to get a new pressure cooker, I am seriously leaning towards an Instant Pot Lux60.  No need here for the Duo, as 6 quarts will work fine for my family.  I'll never make yogurt, so, I'll be just fine with the Lux60.  I've done some research, and I absolutely hate the handle on the Lux60, but, I think I could get over it, given everything else about it.  Thanks again! :-)

[Poodlepet2]

I am fairly new to this wonderful piece of technology-there is no other pressure cooker that compares.  I have made soups and stews, but I have also made small amounts of food using pressure cooking-for example,  "Chicken Walking Tacos". It uses two boneless skinless chicken breast, a jar of chunky salsa and a can of black beans plus seasoning and a cup of water. THERE IS NO SCORCHING.  This is huge for me because you don't have to worry about headroom, evaporation-scorching, etc.  Neither are you forced to make a huge amount of food-which you can do if you want. 

This is the first Teflon free PC I have ever owned, and that's everything to me.  Stainless steel really is not difficult to clean at all.  I use a little baking soda and white vinegar and a Scrub Daddy sponge.

Some people say they will never make yogurt, but never say never.....I gave up dairy, and I could buy vegan yogurt ( very expensive!), but it's also laden with sugar....and now I have the ability to make any non-dairy yogurt I can think of.....

The on-line support abounds and so do the recipes from around the world. If anybody is on the market for a pressure cooker, this is the best.

Poodlepet2

[tassimo]

Does the lid of the instant pot come off or is it like the digital wonder pot fro Evine which does not?  Thank you.

[sidsmom]

@tassimo

Yes, the lid comes off...and the liner comes out for separate cleaning.

All the controls are on the base.