20 Best Uses For Instant Pot (2023 Updated)

Have had this “miracle” kitchen gear a couple of years. We don’t get the rave reviews nor the word “INSTANT”. It takes quite some time to get to pressure when using the pressure function. When it’s done if you don’t use the quick release it takes quite some time for the pressure to fall so you can open it.

We don’t see anything time saving about this especially since there is another odd problem. If you cook something like with green peppers no matter how you wash it, the thing maintains the smell of the peppers and this goes into the next dish.

I wrote Instant Pot about this and they explained the need to take the plastic ring out of the lid and do this and that with it or even have a second ring (why don’t they come with 2 rings then if Instant Pot knows this issue?).

So add the extra cleaning time needed to the cooking time and it sure is faster putting things on the stove even in separate pots. I’ll add we live at high altitude to the pressure cooker should have helped with cooking potatoes but not really and again the time used to build and release pressure is nuts.

There’s recipes in the booklet for like just cooking rice, but if you put Basmati Rice in a pot, cover it with water and cook until the water is gone and let it sit a few more minutes without the burner on this gives perfect rice faster than the “Instant” Pot This is no way beats the good ole Crock Pot which cooks so many things so well and the ceramic pot does not hold onto the flavor of a previous dish once you wash the pot with regular detergent and water.

Love the instant pot, dislike those that post recipes with inaccurate times of completion. The instant pot is a fabulous product that saves you a ton of time when cooking certain foods. It also can be an amazing tool to assist you in simplifying your meal prep, cooking and clean up efforts.

However, it is not a “counter to table” in 30 minutes as many claim it to be. As long as you understand that it takes about 15 minutes to build up the necessary pressure and then 10-30 minutes to release the pressure after it has cooked the food, then you can plan your meal timing appropriately and not be bitterly disappointed.

The instant pot is well worth it as long as you don’t fall for any false promises.

I bought this fulfilling my temptation to start pressure cooking with all the recipes, books and online content readily available now for pressure cooking. I was a complete novice, scared of complicated terms or process, or worse for something to go dangerously wrong.

NO FEAR, I read the instructions, watched a few online videos to make sure that the seal was in place (so easy) and how to do the water test. This device has many options for cooking although I’ve only used a few, safety features to make sure that you do everything right, is easy to use, plenty of room for food.

I have made large pieces of meat like ribs and shredded chicken, hard boiled eggs and even tamales in a fraction of the time it takes to make them traditionally. There are plenty of recipes to follow and a few terms to familiarize yourself with, but it is quite easy to cook delicious food.

Anyone curious or wants to start, definitely read the instruction, research a few sites/recipes online, do the water test and GET COOKING! Note: I did get one burn notice due to lack of water in bottom, and it depressurized and I was able to correct the problem immediately.

No problem afterwards.

My rice cooker broke so you could say that purchasing an instant pot to mostly cook rice is wasteful. However, the Black Friday deal was just too good to pass up and I figure pressure cooking would be nice for some meals.

What I was interested in is the “cook rice in 5 minutes” claim. However, this is misleading. Sure the actual “cooking” time is 5 minutes, but the pre-heating time is like 8 minutes and then letting the pot depressurize is about another 5 minutes.

So in total 18 minutes, which is pretty much what an average rice cooker would do. Aside from that, all of the functions such as sauté, slow cook and such have been very good so far. Cooking under high pressure for things that usually takes 3-4 hours only take about 30 minutes, so in this regard it is very good.

I would recommend the instant pot if you are actually going to use its pressure cooking feature. If you’re mostly going to sauté or cook rice, there are cheaper alternatives, unless the product is on super sale.

i have had the Instant Pot for just over a week now. I love it. it has made cooking fun and although it is not always quicker, it IS easier. I don’t have to stand over the stove to make sure my food won’t burn, it simply cooks and tells me when it’s done.

Everything i’ve made in it so far has been a success including perfect hard boiled eggs that peel very easily EVERY time, oatmeal, delicious yogurt from a gallon of milk, the BEST rice i’ve ever made, and some terrific soups and even a pot roast.

I really like my new appliance and will be using it frequently. One hint though, do buy extra sealing rings, especially if you are going to be cooking sweet and savory items. the ring will retain odors and you don’t want your yogurt or oatmeal tasting like last night’s minestrone!.

Meh. I bought it at a great price, so that’s a plus. This thing is HUGE and takes up lots of space. It’s also heavy. I made a few things in it, but do not and will not every understand why instructions are not complete.

I had to refer to numerous YouTube videos to understand the workings of this thing. It is NOT good for vegetables. The temperature is not accurate in my opinion, so I ended up making potatoes, chili, and BBQ chicken which I typically make in my slow cooker.

The issue for me is that you really don’t know how the dishes are going to come out because the instruction manual is not at all clear. I ended up tossing mine in the Goodwill bin. I bought an air fryer instead which is what I should have purchased a year ago.

I had seen the pressure cooker wave for a few years and saw where people said it replaced their slow cooker, but I was convinced there’s no way I could give up my slow cooker. I still can’t give up the slow cooker just based on the capacity and a few differences in how food comes out, but this is not another useless kitchen gadget for me.

So far, the pressure cooker is my favorite function. I have turned 6-8 hour slow cooker meals into 1 hour meals or less. The only difference that they normally have is the pressure cooker will have a slightly runnier texture, but it usually thickens up with time.

The sauté function is amazing! I’d cook everything in it if the pot were wider. I like that it has so many other functions that I wouldn’t normally try if they were in their own devices. You can make cheesecake in these but beware, a standard 9” springform pan will not work.

You will need a 7” pan. I am purchasing one more my mother for Christmas since she’s never heard of them, and this would cut her cooking time by a lot. I hope she eventually gets tired of it because I could use a second one! I made rice in this one time, I don’t even know how many cups, at least 10, and the rice was done in 5 minutes on the rice setting.

I left it sitting for about 10 minutes while I was busy and it was on the keep warm function. When we all were ready to eat, the rice was absolutely perfect. If you are debating this, get it. You need it!.

For the two of us, the 3-Quart mini Instant Pot Duo is the perfect size for meals, and it is not as bulky as the larger Instant Pot models. I’ve had mine one week and have been enjoying getting acquainted with it.

The Walmart shipping was very timely and the appliance arrived well-packaged and pristine. It is IMPERATIVE that the accompanying booklet be read from beginning end before even unpacking the pot. It addresses equipment and usage aspects that are good to know in advance and provides steps and processes for the various cooking approaches.

I find myself going back to it to be sure I’m using the appliance correctly. As far as recipes, there are plenty recipes tailored for the 3-Quart mini Instant Pot (IP). Typing in “3 qt. mini Instant Pot recipes” into your internet browser as a search will provide results.

I also saw 3-Quart mini IP recipe books, but so far, I’m printing a few recipes from the web to get started. BTW, it also helps to watch a few of many YouTube videos to pick up additional usage, proper cleaning techniques, and food prep hints and tips.

What was not clear at first was how to avoid burning when sauteing, in some situations, which is discussed in the booklet. But, an internet search query revealed that there are three settings for Saute — low, medium, high — which does not seem to be fully addressed in recipes, so after some experimentation, this should resolve itself.

As far as cleaning, I went back to the IP booklet and also checked a small helpful video, and things cleaned up nicely. Although it is mentioned that the IP lid can be placed in the top-rack dishwasher, a video trainer recommended hand-washing for the reason of avoiding having water collect inside the lid layers.

So far, the 3 Quart mini Instant Pot is shaping up to get a lot of usage.

I waffled on downsizing my 6 quart instant pot for months. So many reviews said 3 quart was only good for 1-2 person household. I have 3-person. Like I thought, unless you want to roast a chicken, this is plenty big and the pot is so much easier to clean.

Fits in the sink. I never made rice or grains in the 6 quart due to the size of the pot. The 3 quart is still big enough to make 6 cups of rice if I wanted to. And as for other instant pot meals, really, who wants to eat the same soup or stew for 5 days in a row? No one in my family.

I loved my 6 quart instant pot and now I love the 3 quart even more. No smoke alarms going off, perfectly cooked food kept warm while I work away in my home office. Just the right amount for 3, easily 4 sedentary people.

My mom raved and raved about her instant pot and so I took the plunge one day when my slow cooker took a dive and purchased the mini duo. It’s just my husband and I so the 3 qt is the perfect size for size for us! At first, I was overwhelmed I won’t lie with all the settings and the 7 different things it could do! Yep- 7- it’s a pressure cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, yogurt maker, steamer, sauté pan and food warmer all in one! I haven’t had a chance to make yogurt yet, but would love to try it! It’s made of stainless steel so nothing ever sticks.

Once you get past the little bit of the learning curve, you’ll realize how did you ever go without it! It’s so convenient, at a push of button you can have a roast done in less then a half hour, rice in 2 minutes, and so much more! It’s the perfect size for a small family, or for just traveling, or even a small catering job!! Definitely recommend!.

I can’t impress upon the importance of reading the instructions. Frankly, this makes operating this machine so much easier. Absolutely love the construction of the pot. Excellent quality and the brushed gray and steel gives this pot a very polished look.

This pot unfortunately, has to be stored in my cabinet as it is by no means small. It’s pretty weighty as well and sadly I just don’t have the counter space for it to permanently occupy. That said, I really love all of the cooking functions offered.

Thank you, Instant Pot for the safety features such as, Over heat protection, and the “Ok to open the lid” message; it really makes using this machine more enjoyable. Love that the pot and lid are dishwasher safe.

We make a lot of rice in my household and it comes out to perfection. I have two teenage boys who love to cook and have enjoyed experimenting with this pot. They look up recipes online and go for it.

Chicken and Rice has been a favorite, and it comes out oh so good. And since there are so many safety features, it puts my mind at ease when they’re using this machine.

I’ve had my Ultra for just over a year and for the most part I love it. That being said one of the biggest drawbacks is the “slow cook” feature. I have attempted to slow cook in it so many times and each time is an epic failure.

The 2 most recent attempts: Medium temp for 10 hours was not long enough to cook beef stew, I had to add an additional pressure cooking time to actually cook the meat and potatoes. I did a pork roast for pulled pork sandwiches, again medium heat for 12 hours and the roast was raw inside.

One of the main reasons I purchased the Instant pot was because it would give me the ability to program when to turn on, which is an excellent feature and works amazingly well. Pressure cooking is fine, every other setting I have used works as it should.

except the slow cooker setting. I have had to purchase a rather expensive slow cooker just so I can have a slow cooker that works as it should and has the delay start feature. If you’re trying to save cupboard space by having less small appliances cluttering everything up this will do fine as long as you are prepared to purchase an actual slow cooker in addition to this.

Let me first say for those debating between the 3 & 6 qt pots heads up. My spouse and I are retired and we debated between which of the two pots to purchase the 3 or 6 qt. A lovely sales clerk at a different kitchen shop convinced us to go for the 6 qt.

We purchased the 6 qt and gave it a test run. As it turned out it’s just way too big. I image that if you entertain more than 4 people frequently or you have a young family with big appetites the 6 qt would be great.

But, if you just want to cook 1 cup (uncooked) of rice for two people it becomes ginormous. So we returned the 6 qt and purchased the 3 qt. So hopefully if this advice is relevant to you, it will save you the inconvenience and awkwardness of returning the 6-qt.

We are in our mid 60’s and over the years we have fewer and fewer opportunities to entertain more than four and mostly just cook for ourselves. With that said this thing is amazing. So far in the mini we’ve cook five dishes all which have come out great.

1. It cooked a 1 cup and 2 cup dry measure portion of basmati and long grain rice and both come out perfectly. However, I’d advise purchasing the non-stick insert for rice, because the rice sticks to the stainless steel and is difficult to clean and avoid a long soak to be able to clean the pot.

2. My Texas pinto bean recipe which I have perfected over the years which involved the over night soak in saltwater and 2 to 4 hours of slow simmering the following day, was shorten to no soak and only 1 hour of instant pot cooking time.

What a time saver and is nothing short of a miracle. One of the most delicious outcomes I’ve ever had. Beans came out with the perfect texture and no constant minding of the pot either slow cooker or stove top.

Using 2 cups of dried beans made more than enough for the two of us. Could easily serve four people. 3. We cooked one of the best Pork Chili Verde’s with little or no work in less than an hour from beginning to end, which would have taken 2 to 3 hours on the stove top.

The mini can handle 3 lb’s of meat with no problem and again it was enough for four or more people. The best part we have been able to clear out two machines, our rice cooker and the bulky slow cooker with the reasonably small Mini Instant Pot, gaining extra space.

The second is that you don’t have to plan hours in advance to decide to have a typical slow cooked meal which keeps you trapped at home during the duration. You can on the spur of the moment cook up an otherwise long prepped dish in no time flat.

I thought we were falling into the trap of buying yet another seldom used fad kitchen appliance. I’m pleased to say the machine lives up to its reputation of being a solid asset to the kitchen and a joy to cook with.

Looking forward to more cooking experiences with our Mini Instant Pot.

I found pot saved time to produce cooked goods but huge learning curve causing much frustration. Good help phone contact number on literature but not open on weekends. Mine has easy to use dial but then I have to press dial and hold 5 seconds for each setting change.

Suggest using phone help to learn to use dial. Pamphlet directions are not complete. I am returning my pot. All 5 items cooked had problems. I have superb reciepe book but oatmeal burned, rice undercooked, noodles in soup turned to mush and the worst, pot bottom took 30 mins of scrubbing to clean.

Yes, offered a new pot replacement but just to frustrated with pot. I think if I cooked big chunks of meat then I would use Hot Pot for pressure cooker. Does excellent job with beef, flank steak, stew.

I felt out of control at all times cause there is a mystery involved until pot cools down & you can taste. I like control. Maybe very good for young cooks who are new at the game, have 3-5 people in family and not that particular about the outcome.

Recommend, if you want to try this pot that you make notes on recipes for future adjustments to suit your taste.

Several years ago, some work colleagues recommended that I get an Instant Pot, but I didn’t have the time to check it out. I retired last year, and since I now have the time, I asked for one for Christmas.

I got the 6 qt. Ultra. Oh my gosh, I did not know what I was missing! I love my Ultra. It does so much, and everything tastes great. I have never had better tasting ribs. One of the reasons that I waited was because I was afraid that I wouldn’t know how to cook with it or understand all of the different functions.

But I learned that there are tons of recipe books and YouTube videos available for cooking with pressure cookers, and it’s so easy. In fact, I learned that one of the cool things about the Ultra is that I can cook Sous Vide by using the “Ultra” function.

The Max model even has Sous Vide as one of the functions listed on the control panel. I have been so happy with my Instant Pot that I got the air fryer lid that makes my Ultra even more versatile. All I have to do is switch the lid and presto, a completely new way of cooking.

Because of my success and enjoyment with my Instant Pot, I also got my son and his girlfriend an Ultra for Christmas and the air fryer lid for their birthdays. Now everyone in my family is happy.

Have been using electromagnet stove top for 6 years and when I saw that the technology had moved on to other devices my interest peaked. I’m 62 years old and enjoy cooking, I enjoy it even more when I don’t have to be hovering over the stove watching everything.

I made Stroganoff last night 15 minutes prep, a few minutes for heating the pan and 10 minutes for cooking then a few for cooling down. My point is Fast real Fast. I have made a few dishes using online community suggestions.

There are more then a few places to check for recipes one of my favorite are the ones from YouTube so I can watch someone else go through the paces of making a great meal. I have made everything from Beef Stroganoff to BBQ Wings and plan in the upcoming days to make some cheese cakes, Mac and Cheese ( from scratch), Pea and Celery Risotto, Honey Bourbon Chicken ( a Dump and Go Dinner) the list goes on and on.

At first the tech seems a little over the top but you will soon settle in and understand your Instant Pot. Suggestions: 1. You may want to purchase another inner pot for making more complicated meals.

2. You will want to find trivets and other smaller pans to stack in the pot for convenience ( I recently bought two small cheese cake pans that fit in the pot and stack on top of each other. If you enjoy cooking but not hovering you’ll want an Instant Pot.

The person who thought up the idea of Instant Pot put a lot of effort into thinking through what the customer wants and I believe he did a good job, with an attention to detail. But don’t take my word for it go do some research of your own and you will see why others are trying to copy his idea.

I’ll admit when I pulled this out of the box and saw how shiny it was, I was skeptical it would look this good for long (I’m looking at you finger-printed stainless fridge!!), though I loved the clean, modern look.

It has defied expectations though, and stays pretty spot and fingerprint free without me having to constantly wipe it down, even living next to my sink and getting splashed frequently. Excellent job with materials, Instant Pot! Functions a lot like my old model, with some cool improvements to safety and functionality.

I no longer have to physically vent it, since I can opt for the pot to do that itself. The one downside I haven’t found a workaround for is that I used to sometimes release pressure, add more ingredients, and then put the lid back on and reset to cook more.

Without being able to manually open the vent, the lid is tricky to get back on while the pot is warm. There may be a way to easily do this, just haven’t found it yet! Really nice not to risk putting my hand in a jet of hot steam though! It now has a protective grate over the metal on the lid.

This is a huge safety improvement for klutzes like me (they warn you the metal gets hot and it does!). The controls are pretty intuitive, though I did check the manual for one or two things. Pressure cooks just like my original, which always was excellent! Saute is such a fantastic feature, and works much better with the new liner pot that stays put and doesn’t spin.

No more trying to hold a hot liner still while browning ground beef for chili! I haven’t tried canning yet, but as someone who loves to pick berries in summer, I’m looking forward to having some homemade jams without taking up freezer space.

Sous vide is the one feature I’m both excited about and a little skeptical of. On one hand, it seems to work fairly well, BUT the temp isn’t totally accurate (test with a digital thermometer and adjust as needed, seems to hold temp pretty well though, which is critical).

I do also worry about even heating without water circulation. Going to have to keep testing that before giving up my old circulator and plastic pot. Time will tell if it works well enough to ditch them.

Definitely would be nice to not need separate bulky equipment to sous vide though, especially in a very small kitchen! I’ve long given my Instant Pot a spot n my counter despite limited space, because it’s such a great multitasker.

I make so much, including my dog’s meals (he eats fish, which I hate, and I love that I can’t smell it cooking), in this gadget. So far the changes generally seem to improve safety and make it smoother to use.

The added bonuses of canning and sous vide are great, especially if you are just venturing into either (will be my first time canning!). This version has the added bonus of looking pretty fab if you have it on your counter all the time like I do.

A big plus in my book! Unlike some companies that really start jumping the shark with product features, this doesn’t have anything that makes me shake my head and wonder what they were thinking. It’s simply a great product spiffed up and made even better! I was an instant fan when I got my first pot (pun intended!) and this new one definitely keeps my love going strong.

(Was sent this item to review, but opinions are 100% mine and honest. ).

My first time using and Instant Pot was a success! I did read the instruction booklet prior to using and did the water test to get familiar with the functions. I made beef stew, which started with the saute function and then used the stew pressure cooker setting.

It turned out wonderful and the family loved it. It was slightly confusing following the directions (it was a non-Instant Pot recipe) because this particular model Instant Pot has both a high and low setting for saute and the beef began to burn quickly once the saute-high was up to cooking temperature.

The one negative about the saute part was the amount of steam/smoke without any sort of exhaust fan made it really hard to see if the meat was browning. (The picture doesn’t do a great job showing how little I could see.

I guess the camera’s eyes are better than mine!) Clean up was decent compared to another brand of pressure cooker I used. I like that the pot has handles and is stainless steel. I can use metal utensils without worry! The one negative is the silicone seal kept the scent of the food we cooked.

I tried hand washing like normal, soaking in vinegar, and ultimately did a bleach water soak which did the job. (Not sure if bleach is a no-no, so check up on that before trying yourself!) The quick steam release isn’t too loud.

What an upgrade from my old 6qt Duo units. I absolutely love the 8qt Pro! The programming options are great, and love the versatility! I recently went thru 2 of the basic 6qt basic models too quickly, and had a terrible time with getting the burn notice most likely because my meals were too much for them.

This 8qt does the trick! Perfect size, and making small or large meals is no problem for the newer 8qt unit! I did notice that because it’s a larger size, the preheat takes just a little longer to get going.

Love the new and improved cookware-grade SS pot WITH HANDLES, with an easier to use flat bottom… what a game changer! And the handles make it easier to swap out pots when making multiple dishes without delay, and the pot can also go from IP to stovetop to keep warm when rotating pots! The lid has a new gentle steam release switch, and a steam guard diffuser which makes releasing steam super quiet and much safer, so no more standing back and preparing for the steam bomb to hit the ceiling! I also really love the the option to use the QuickCool Tray with this model for faster natural release to save time without having to quick release too early! This is a great model with awesome features, and it’s a good looking unit as well! Highly recommend!!! Note: One thing I do recommend, hand wash the float valve and steam diffuser cover, they will not do well in a dishwasher.

I washed the float valve one time and it lost it’s color, changed the texture and it looks terrible now.

I’ve had this Instant Pot for 2 months now and so far, I like it. It is large enough to hold food for a dinner party (whenever we are able to have those again), and it is easy to use. In general. The feature you will use the most is the pressure cooker.

That’s the reason most people (including myself) buy this item. It is convenient, expedites the cooking process of some food items and there’s no mystery involving that scary sounding steam pressure valve of olden days.

What is also convenient is you can sauté your food in the same pot you will eventually use to pressure cook, making cleaning afterwards easier. It comes with a multitude of buttons and preset buttons, but I haven’t played with most besides sauté and pressure cook because the recipes I follow pretty much have the times and levels needed for each process already determined.

Now for the cons of this product: – The sauté option keeps giving an error “C8” which apparently is designed to detect if you’re using the actual pot insert it came with instead of using some other pot in your kitchen.

Heavens knows why this machine keeps showing that error since I use all of the items that came with the product. Some internet search suggested this was because it was on a non-leveled surface, but that is not the case.

– The rest of the features while it is nice to have them, they’re pretty much just gimmicks. Maybe the slow cook option could be useful but I have a slow cooker I like, so I’ve never tried this function.

Rice/Grain: I don’t see myself cooking rice in industrial quantities Steam: Never used it. My rice cooker has an on top steamer Sous vide: I doubt it would be able to properly control the temperature since there’s no motor to move the water.

Besides, I already have a sous vide Yogurt: I read how it’s supposed to work and it doesn’t make any sense to use this pot for yogurt. You still have to measure the temperature so it reaches 180°F and then lower it yourself to 118°F, so what’s the point of using this machine? This speaks for how poor the sous vide option might actually work.

Bake: Nope. The oven’s for that – Food comes out with a taste very much like slow cooker taste. It’s hard to explain, but everyone who’s tried a slow cooker recipe should be able to relate to this. You just know it comes from one of these pots.

Overall, I like this product, especially if you can find it at a discount. It does help prepare different recipes and foods in record time, but for others it’s just plain easier and better to go old school.

If you find yourself in need of quick meals that are not just pan cooking something, this might be for you.

First of all, if you’ve never used an Instant Pot before, I want you to know that an Instant Pot isn’t just some high priced kitchen gadget that will end up the garage or trash after a few uses. I guarantee that this Instant Pot will change the way you cook and save you hundreds of hours in the kitchen every year.

And NO, you don’t need a PhD. in Quantum Physics to use it. My 12 year old makes the same recipes I do and they look and taste EXACTLY like mine. In fact, Wednesdays are Emily’s day to cook our family’s dinner! Priceless!!! This model is truly a game changer when it comes to Instant Pots.

It offers infinitely more control of temperature and cooking times and the temperature you set is precise. The huge screen is loaded with programs for all sorts of foods, frozen or fresh, five different sauté temperatures and timer that accommodates 24hr s-l-o-w cooking.

If you own an Instant Pot, you’ll absolutely love the innovations in this model. First, close the lid and you’re automatically in pressure mode. The quick release is accomplished with the push of a button.

The cooking pot cannot spin around while stirring and the pot has a flat bottom and can actually be used on your stove. Finally, this model is built like a tank. It’s a truly quality appliance that should withstand many, many years of heavy use.

And, the internet is filled with hundreds of amazing and detailed recipes.

We have been using the Instapot for around a month and a half or so now, and are very impressed. We have used it for various items from hard boiled eggs to main entrees. by no means have we tried all the settings.

The interface is easy to use, and everything is relatively easy to clean, and it is nice to limit the number of dishes/pots/pans that need to be cleaned. We use it usually every second day for something, and are very happy with the purchase.

There was a small learning curve to start. specifically for the saute which is a known issue depending on what is in the pot as sometimes you get an error code popping up stopping the saute when it is cooking to hot.

I found that custom dialing it down to a level 3 has made all the difference when doing a saute. The only other issue was the learning curve on keeping the silicone ring clean and smell free — my learning curve came to late and we have a savory smelling ring for everything right now.

It hasn’t transferred to any dishes, but you notice it when empty or cleaning it. Otherwise, great purchase, easy to use, tonnes of recipes available, and pretty easy cleanup. You will learn the baking soda and water pressure cook for when things burn on the bottom.

cleans right up nicely then.

I love this instant pot, however DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THE SMART VERSION. The application that controls this remotely and enables the smart aspect does not work. The app has not been updated in over 6 months and Instant Pot clearly doesn’t care about it.

They launched a new application for recipes but you can’t control this device from the new application.

I have used several different brands and found this one way easier to operate and to clean. Works great!! Use it in our camper, it saves me time to enjoy other activities. Great product and versitile!

Was an open box instant pot described as refurbished and working, with wifi and smart features. The pot itself works great, but I needed to replace the weight that sits on the steam valve. Also, itwas neither smart, nor Wifi capable.

The pot is really nice though.

I received an Instant Pot multicooker many years ago from my in-laws and it is one of the best Christmas presents they have ever given me! Instant Pots are basically electric pressure cookers. Pressure cookers were very popular decades ago but then people started using them incorrectly and causing all sorts of accidents/injuries so they fell out of favor.

Enter the countertop electric pressure cooker: the Instant Pot. To be fair Instant Pots can also be used to saute ingredients and to slow-cook them (think Crock Pot). You can cook stews, chilis, and roasts in less than an hour and rice in just a couple of minutes.

There are all sorts of settings that I haven’t bothered to mess with including one that apparently allows you to make homemade yogurt. I have been happy with my Instant Pot but I will say this as an experienced cook–using it involves a learning curve.

I have relied heavily on Instant Pot-specific recipes when cooking things in it. It is great for homemade meatballs/sauce, chili, Mississippi pot roast, hardboiled eggs, brown/jasmine/basmati rice, pork loin with sauerkraut and apples, corn on the cob, spaghetti squash, and even a “skinny” chicken parm.

I’ve tried other things with lesser degrees of success including macaroni and cheese, shrimp scampi, and caccio al pepe. Still this thing is a great help especially on a busy week night when you forgot to take something out of the freezer to thaw.

My sister’s go-to is always frozen chicken breasts, a jar of tomato salsa, a can of black beans, and a can of corn. An Instant Pot isn’t the end-all and be-all of cooking but it is very good at some things which is why it has earned a permanent place on my kitchen counter.

That stuff if prime real estate! haha You can get one for under $100 and probably closer to $75 on sale. It is absolutely worth it! I’d just suggest getting a few Instant Pot-specific cookbooks to go along with it to help you learn how to make the best use of this multi-cooker.

I loved the idea of having a pressure cooker and air fryer in one machine. Trying to reduce the # of kitchen gadgets I have in the kitchen. I used the air fryer on 3 occasions and I am not sold on it all the way.

First, you need to use oil so your items don’t stick. I am trying to reduce/eliminate oil from my diet so that was unhelpful. Second, I am shorter so I had to stand on my toes and peak into the air fryer while turning the food every so often.

Also, there is a limit on how many things you can put into the fryer without it taking too long or doing more than 2 batches. Third, The air fryer basket is not that big and is really hard to clean after cooking chicken wings.

No stranger to scrubbing a pot but this was a bit much. Like the idea of an air fryer lid but it takes up more room in my cabinet, which defeated my reason for an all-in-one device. I also used the IP for making rice and pressure cooking and on all occasions, I had water shot in my direction, even on my face, while standing at a distance.

I have been using a pressure cooker for over 7 years and know what to do and what not to do. I also read the 42 rules in the What No To Do section on the instruction booklet. Also, there wasn’t a recipe book or anything in my box, which was unopened.

I had to lookup how to do everything on YouTube. It would have been nice to have a recipe book on hand to give instructions on how to actually use all the functions with a recipe. In a nutshell, it may work for some but just not for me.

Truly a combo Instant Pot Pressure Cooker and Air Fryer. Clean up is not a problem. When using the air fryer, I just line the pot with a piece of foil, and clean-up is simple. Space may be a little limited in the air fryer, but using the included trivet allows for double-decker air frying, and most items come out with a nice crisp, even if they are piled up a bit.

Favorites we’ve tried with the air fryer include breaded fish, homemade onion rings, vegetables, potatoes, crab rangoon, and much more. I seldom made deep-fried foods because of the amount of oil it takes, the mess, and the need to monitor closely to have it just right at meal time.

With the air fryer, none of these things are an issue. The Instant Pot pressure cooker also works fine, but we just haven’t used it as much. The price of this combo unit was low enough that it made a lot of sense to get this one appliance that does both jobs.

If you plan to use it as a dehydrator, you’ll need a separate rack that is not included. It’s not hard to find recipes online, or just experiment with favorite foods. Would recommend this product.

I followed the directions and did the pressure test which worked fine. Then I tried a recipe that called for using the saute function. I pressed the saute button, it went on and then went off after 45 sec to a minute witout ever heating up.

Unplugged it, plugged it in again. Same problem. I took it back to BBB for an exchange but they didn’t have any more. They suggested since the pressure cook was working, keep it until the next shipment comes in and then return it.

Since then, the pressure cook has stopped working. My local grocery store got a shipment in, so I purchased the same one there. I also purchased the 3qt size. Got home, did all the proper procedures and again, the saute would not work.

I called Instant Pot direct to see if I was doing something wrong. Had to wait for 30 minutes. No I was not doing anything wrong. They said I should send them a video of what happens, but to keep it short.

Really????? I took it back to the grocery store with no problem. The 3qt worked just fine in all areas. So I will now be returning the original one to BBB and not asking for an exchange. Having the same problem after buying from 2 different locations tells me there is something wrong in the manufacturing process.

Buyer beware! BTW, I have no complaints about BBB. Just InstantPot.

People recommended an InstaPot to replace my old rice cooker. They said it would cook rice and oatmeal even better than a rice cooker. Plus do many more tasks. With a rice cooker I put in my rice or oatmeal and hit the rice or oatmeal button.

That’s it. Comes out perfect. The cooker sets the correct time and temperature. The Instapot instructions say to cook oatmeal for “1 min to 1 hour. ” I looked up a recipe online for the correct setting.

It has burned the oatmeal every time. Rice was overcooked and mushy. Just tried to steam some tamales. Instructions said to hit the steam button. There is no steam button. A website suggested to use saute button instead.

Worked for a bit, then an error message came on. I fixed what should have been the problem and it still won’t work. I know there is a learning curve with a new machine but this is ridiculous.

I purchased this item for my daughter and her family as a Christmas gift. I grew up on a pressure cooker diet as my mother was a busy homemaker and help to her parents, so by the time she, my sister and I would come home after helping there time would be short to get dinner prepared for my dedicated father who worked so hard so that he could get to bed to get some sleep before starting his next work day.

When my grandson called and told me how much their family love the larger one they have, I mentioned my background and what raves I hear about this product. I do need to help her get started as she is still a little nervous about using a product which can produce her a meal in 20 minutes.

She is a hard worker with a handicapped husband waiting all day to have dinner with his wife. This will be wonderful to help her get a meal and still have time to share with her husband at the end of the day.

I bought this to replace my original electric pressure cooker (different brand) that the movers didn’t pack well and the base broke. I love it! The only drawback is that the steam release is all or nothing.

On my other PC, I could let it out a little at a time. Not a big deal I guess, I’ll get used to it. On the plus side, this one has a sous vide option – very cool!! Have used the pressure cooker option and it works great.

Used the sous vide on bacon – that isn’t the best test, tho it seems to work fine.

I’ve used my Instant Pot several times (and I’ve only had it a week) and it is very convenient and a great way to be able to pressure cook without being within earshot of my older jiggle-type manual pressure cooker.

The manual that comes with the Instant Pot is almost useless, so it helps to go online to get information from other sources, or buy a specialized cookbook or two. I love the stainless steel inner pot, it is easy to clean and I know that it will last for years and I don’t have to worry about any finishes flaking off.

It is a rather large appliance, so that needs to be considered for those with a small kitchen, but it can replace more than one other appliance. I would definitely recommend this appliance!.

This is by far the best ,most versatile kitchen appliance that I have ever owned for so many reasons. Who would ever guess that one appliance can do so many things. I have 28 pre-programmed one touch buttons to press for the most common types of meals,as well as 5 more that I get to program using my own personal favorite meal choices.

This INSTANT POT has an edgy,,modern design that doesn’t take up a lot of space, especially since I no longer need my rice cooker or slow cooker. It has a sleek,easy to see bright LCD display panel and cooks up to 6 servings of food at once,which makes it ideal for bigger families and hosting dinner parties.

I can’t wait to do my holiday cooking this year with this product,as it cooks up to 70% faster overall. I thought this may be difficult to clean,however it truly is very easy since all the parts come apart and the majority of them are dishwasher safe.

I think everyone needs one of these in their kitchen and I highly recommend the “INSTANT POT PRO”.

The item was well-packed and came to a rural area quite quickly. Everything worked as it should, no missing parts. I am a new Instant Pot user, and had always been afraid of stovetop cookers, so I read all the safety and use directions carefully and encourage anyone who buys this to do the same to gain confidence, as it is safe, but not intuitive like a slow cooker.

There are no recipes or cooking ideas included in the package, and tips are limited other than basic safety and function. It is not clear to a novice how much liquid to use for what, especially if a recipe quantity is modified, or what should get natural vs.

quick release, so be sure and be willing to spend a few hours reading on-line blogs, recipes, and recipe comments to try and understand the basic ideas. Hard-boiled eggs (one quart water, eggs put in on trivet, five minute pressure cook and five minute natural release plus a five minute ice bath), turn out incredibly easy to peel, which makes the product a worthwhile purchase just for that.

My beef stew using an online recipe was unfortunately watery and tasteless though meat was soft , compared with my stovetop and slow cooker, so I will try others with less total liquid. You must be a patient person willing to invest some time to fully appreciate this product.

I bought this on a great deal. I was really excited to finally have an instant pot and cut down on dinner time prep. For my first meal, I chose something really simple: soup. Much to my dismay, it was not as “instant” as the claims were.

The simple soup took well over two hours to make, the lid had a hard time venting I couldn’t open the lid after FINALLY getting it to vent. I was not happy! The whole thing was not a good experience.

I think the whole insta-pot thing is overrated and takes about as much time as a Crock Pot. At least I don’t have to baby sit a Crock Pot. I didn’t bother using it again after that time. No, it wasn’t broken or defective.

I don’t understand the hype. The Instapot (Duo Nova specifically) is easily the worst purchase I have ever made. I bought it to replace my broken slow cooker, but it’s a nightmare. The instructions it comes with are inadequate and repeated google searches will give you 20 different answers.

I am a fair cook, but this thing has ruined more dinners than I can count. Meat undercooked and everything else over cooked. Chicken and rice? You mean chicken sushimi with burnt rice! You can’t open it to check how it’s going, so you just have to guess recipes and then pray it works out.

Nine times out of ten part of the recipe is ruined. I hear people say they eventually “figure it out”, but who wants to ruined dinner for six months just to learn what setting to put it on? Save yourself the time, expense, and your sanity and just get a trusty slow cooker.

instant-pot-7-in-1-pressure-cooker-|ipduo80|-8. 0l|instant-pot-7-in-1-pressure-cooker-|ipduo80|-8. 0l|instant-pot-7-in-1-pressure-cooker-|ipduo80|-8. 0l This product is great to have and use. 7-in-1 Preasure Cooket, Saute Pan, Steamer, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Food Warmer and Yougurt Maker.

This product is great for a big family or batch cooking. Quick and simple one-pot meals. I like that you can cook deserts. I love chinese food especially rice and this is the best way for me. Tgis product is definitely staying in the kitchen.

I was always a bit scared of pressure cookers but this one is very simple to use, though I haven’t used all the functions yet. Very easy to clean. Still trying to get used to the rice cooking function – not sure I will move my rice cooker on yet.

The rice to water ratio depends on the kind and brand of rice, whereas with the rice cooker I can press a rice type button, fill water to the corresponding scoop level and perfect rice each time. We make a lot of soup and while you can cook it in 10 mins, you have to release the pressure naturally, according to the instructions.

This takes around 40 mins, so not the speedy meal expected. looking forward to trying the sous-vide function – it looks a lot simpler than my current sous-vide appliance which requires an app to operate.

When I get to grips with the instant pot, I am hoping to reduce a number of appliances taking up room on my counter top.

PROs: This has all the advantages of a pressure cooker without the need to be close by and time it. It brings itself up to pressure, maintains the pressure and releases it slowly when the time is up.

It is quiet as well. It keeps its contents warm until you are ready to use them and has a delay timer so that you can set it up ready if you are going out etc. Have yet to try other programs such as slow cooking as I mainly bought it for the pressure cook function which is does well.

CONs: the instructions are shockingly bad. Some of the English and Italian parts were mixed up. The basics of pressure cooking are not really explained well and my previous knowledge of pressure cooking and the internet were definitely needed.

You will need the internet for recipes also. Releasing the pressure is slower than in a traditional p cooker because you cannot douse it in cold water. You have to wait 10 mins before releasing e. g.

potatoes whereas, you would have to wait 20-30 mins after a stew is finished because you will get a stream of hot liquid out of the valve unless the pressure has dissipated over time. That said, it is very convenient, and less frightening for those who are not used to a pressure cooker.

It has 2 sealing rings in it, 1 red and 1 clear with no explanation as to why there are 2. I finally found a discussion on the internet which “assumed” that the second seal was for use if strong smells get into the other seal ie to be used for desserts etc.

Overall a very good product with lousy instructions!.

I really like this pressure cooker. It is much easier to use that the standard models -of which I’ve had several. It is bulky but because it doesn’t require a hob it lives in our small utility room. The build quality seems good – solid stainless steel pan inside -which is removable.

It is fantastic for cooking dried beans – soak, then select the beans button Soups: sweat the veg first in ‘sauté’ or just put them all in + stock – 10 minutes should do it. Brown rice? Done in 10 minutes I used it to cook my marmalade oranges prior to chopping [>preserving pan + sugar] If you’re a last minute cook, like me, it’s wonderful.

It has a range of automatic settings which can be adapted or you can just choose all your own settings. My daughter, who hates pressure cookers, was so impressed she asked for one for her birthday [3 teenage youngsters and a demanding full time job] She’s delighted.

I no longer cook meat but it would be wonderful for meat stews and casseroles. Dishes come out tasting as though they’ve had a long slow cook.

I bought this for the canning feature, but enjoyed the other features for a good 5 months before I had time and energy to try canning. I have loved using slow cooker setting for making chicken noodle soup, and the pressure cooker setting for making bone broth.

The touchscreen is really user-friendly, and when it beeps it is lound enough to hear it even if I’m in another room. I finally got around to canning and it is sooooo easy! You can literaly just press start and walk away.

The downfall of the canner is that it only holds 4 pints, but with the can it and leave it convenience I could literally start a batch and then just leave for work every day. If I was canning for a large family I would just by multiples of this.

If they came up with an 8 qt instant pot max with wifi I would definately try it.

So far, so good. This Instant Pot has mixed reviews on being great or having broken after short time. only time will tell! Easy to use and clean. Wish the seal was made of another type plastic that didn’t hold food smells.

Also, It would be nice if some of the recipes included canning recipes for canning in pint jars. I have canned several times, 4 pints at a time with success. The display shows the temp which has been over the 240 degree that is required for canning, with 15psi.

This is the only I Pot that can be used for canning safely. I have a 7 qt. pressure canner I use on the stove top. I purchased this IPot to do small batches in.

I have a love hate relationship with my Insta-Pot Lux 60. Why don’t these things come with instructions anymore? Yes, I know. Google. Regardless, it has become one of my go-to kitchen tools. I don’t like that it gets hot too easily nor that it sometimes shuts off for no apparent reason.

I love that it has a stainless steel pot so it can be scrubbed clean and can handle metal utensils. My Tefal version of the Insta-Pot is. well, it’s Tefal so I can only wipe it out, and only use nylon, wood or silicone.

The Insta-Pot also has various tools to use for storage or cooking; I especially like that. I do wish I knew why it was so temperamental at times, though. Oh, and the one last thing I dislike about it, is that I cannot change the power levels or times.

Yet, I will very likely use it tonight or tomorrow.

I like to use the instant pot for chili, soups, and sauces the most. Anything that you like to simmer for multiple hours, this will cut the time down significantly. I don’t like to brown meat it in though, as I prefer a more shallow pan.

I have used it to cook chicken from frozen as well and that worked out fine. I do think that most times the recommended cook times are off bc the meat will tend to be too dry but some trial and error helps.

This is fast and convenient for lots of meals, but not necessarily my go to machine to use. Works great as a slow cooker and pressure cooker, didn’t really like the rice cooker, portion, it didn’t turn out as perfect as I would have hoped, but better than if you tried it in a regular pot.

it is a nice addition to have if you meal prep and need to cook multiple meals at once with different modalities (IE you can use the instant pot to cook one thing, while using the oven and stovetop for other items.

So that makes it quicker. Finding recipes is pretty easy too.

This is a glorified pressure cooker. It’s great for people who make their own yogurt I guess, or need a slow cooker. I still prefer my good old pressure cooker to this one. I am still looking for what it does better than a pressure cooker, other than offering the digital preset cook time.

So I guess that’s the only advantage you could set it for 20 minutes and go off and have a shower. But you need to get the water level exact to a T, and it takes a lot of trial and error to NOT get the “burn signal“.

Customer service is average, when I reached out to them about this. It’s humongous and it’s great if you’re cooking for a large group. But I just avoid using it for three people, where my simple handy dandy pressure cooker serves me well.

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I’m an instant pot fan. I’ve owned one for the past 4 years and use it weekly. It’s time to upgrade so I decided to try the model with the air fry lid and this seemed like a great deal for Black Friday.

Note that this is a DUMBED DOWN WALMART ONLY VERSION. This IS NOT the DuoCrisp. It does not have dehydrate or sous vide. (I use my current Duo to make yogurt weekly and this has neither the Yogurt button nor the Sous Vide button that can be used for that purpose).

The description states it has a stainless steel fry basket – it is nonstick coated despite the assurances to the contrary in the description. It appears walmart does not sell the original IP versions – inner cook pots that are aluminum vs stainless steel.

Do yourself a favor and buy from a better retailer, even if it costs a little more. The higher build quality and added features will be worth it.

We’ve only had the cooker for about a week, but so far this device has been by far the most impressive small appliance I have ever owned. To date, we have used the pressure cook, saute, slow cook, and yogurt functions, and every one worked perfectly.

I am not sure whether this device has PID heat control, but it behaves like it. At any rate, the temperature function of this thing is amazing. It heats to saute function quickly, in about a minute, but is still gentle enough to make yogurt and slow cook without over heating the bottom of the pot.

You can hear the heat switch turning on and off to just gently add heat without fully heating the element when not needed for the intended purpose. If you need even half of the functions this cooker has, just buy it.

In my opinion you are unlikely to regret it.