12.7.2018

"Sooo... These Instant Pot things... Are they really as good as everyone says they are? Do they really cook things much more quickly than 'normal' cooking does, and are they safe?"If the words above sum up how you're feeling at the moment and you're reading review after review from Instant Pot owners (mostly) saying that they're the bees knees and have revolutionised their kitchen, but still need some convincing - come along with me and I'll lead you skipping and grinning down the path to Instant Pot ownership. Well, ok, you don't have to skip or grin - I'm not gonna pressure you.I only just became the proud new owner of an Instant Pot on Monday and cooked my first meal in it yesterday,which has been an absolute revelation - and I'll tell you why; it's all about the motherflippin' LENTILS, baby! You know how it can take an absolute age for lentils to get soft when they're boiled in a conventional pot-on-hob situation? Well, I was looking through recipes to try in my Instant Pot and discovered that it was apparently possible to make a lentil dhal in just 20 minutes in one of them - so that was me utterly convinced that I needed to give it a shot.Now, before I go any further, I should explain that until yesterday I'd never once cooked anything in a pressure cooker so I was totally in uncharted territory. I'd always read that pressure cookers were noisy, dangerous and terrifying things, so it was not without a little trepidation that I followed the instructions to do the first pressure test to make sure my IP was working as it should. This simply involved popping some water into the inner pot, closing the pressure valve and turning the gadget on for a few minutes. As the pressure built inside the pot, it obviously started to make some noise - there's a valve on the lid that closes once enough pressure has built up, and until it does that there's some hissing noise (which I found mildly unsettling initially), but once it closes, all you can hear is a gentle bubbling noise from inside the pot. Now, the most unsettling thing to a noob pressure cooker user is that in order to get to the culinary delights cooking inside the Instant Pot, you need to release the pressure via the valve on the top of its lid. This causes a fair bit of noise and clouds of super-hot steam to erupt from the valve so you need to be careful - thankfully, you get a couple of utensils (a small spoon/ladle and a rice paddle) with the IP that have holes in their handles that can be used to open the valve safely.Back to those lentils, I set about following that recipe to make the dhal, and used the IP's handy saute function to fry up the onions and garlic, and it was then a simple case of adding the lentils, spices and seasoning to the pot with some water to make the steam, and to then turn it on at high pressure for ten minutes. In some recipes it will ask you to do a NPR (natural pressure release) for a length of time, and in this case, I left it for ten minutes before opening the valve. What I ended up with was the most delicious home-made dhal I've ever had - waaay better than any I've attempted in the past - and cooked far more quickly than I would ever have thought possible.I attempted another recipe for a Brocolli pasta concoction last night which went a wee bit squiffy - which was my own fault for deviating from the recipe instructions, leaving me with a pot full of mostly uncooked pasta. A quick blast in the microwave fixed that, but the pasta sauce was delicious. The interesting thing about cooking with the IP is that the food from it seems to be far more intensely flavoured than usual - and this has a lot to do with the fact that cooking via pressure causes the flavours to permeate right through everything. Another good plus is that food retains far more of its nutritious value as it doesn't escape via the steam as per conventional cooking.The only downside I'm probably going to find - as with any new cooking gadget - is that there may be a few culinary disasters before I crack the techniques of cooking under pressure, but that's to be expected and won't be any fault of the pot itself.Summing up, I'd say that I'm completely bowled away by the Instant Pot. The high praise for it is not unwarranted, and I'm desperately excited about trying out more stuff in it - you can cook cheesecakes, dried beans and pulses cook ridiculously quickly (no more soaking for hours, yay!) and it seemingly makes cooking these days with our busy lives far more convenient as you can use one pot to do everything. Of course, it doesn't completely replace the oven and hob - you can't bake, fry or grill in it - but there are a heap of accessories for it that will make making soups, stews and all sorts of other things in it quick, simple and mess-free.Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner.>>>UPDATEI've had a few more bashes at cooking recipes in my IP and the results have been mostly good, but I've hit a few problems; but these are all part of the learning process. The problem I've had is getting the food to water balance right; if there's not enough water or the consistency of the liquid in the pot is too thick, it will display 'BURN' once it has come to pressure as the temperature sensors on the bottom of the pot detect that it's became too hot. This effectively cancels the cooking process, so I've had to release the pressure, add more water and then try again. I have however managed to cook a saag aloo, a beautiful butternut squash pasta recipe and last night I cooked an amazingly tasty lentil chilli. Two out of those three ended up displaying the 'Burn' message at some point.This exemplifies the learning curve with the Instant Pot, but don't let that put you off - when things go right it utterly outstanding!>>>ANOTHER UPDATEI've now had my Instant Pot for nearly a year now and it's probably fair to say that I'm definitely getting the hang of it. One of the most useful aspects of the Instant Pot is that it makes cooking large batches of food really simple a quick. Every Sunday now, I end up cooking a huge amount of butternut squash and cauliflower curry to have for lunch for the whole week, and I've absolutely cracked the process now. I cook up a big batch of brown rice first, which cooks in 22 minutes, put it to one side and then cook the curry before dumping the rice into it. It seriously makes food prep simple as I can chop up all of the ingredients for the curry while the rice is cooking - so it feels super-efficient.

18.11.2014

I need a multi function cooker which does not require my attention during usage.This product has been purchased based on very positive reviews from USA and the features stated for the product.As another published review states, I will update the review when the product has been received and the features used.First update:This review has been attacked twice because I left a clear comment stating that a review was pending actual usage. No such attacks were made on other reviews which left 5 star ratings despite those reviewers stating they had not used the product.Like some other reviewers I also left a review before using the product. You can hardly leave a factual review until you have actually used it,hence my initial review comment and rating.Product features used so far are satisfactory but there are a number of issues for me:1. Pressure cooking limited to 2 hours.When cooking large amounts of cheaper meat cuts two hours is insufficient when I want this to cook overnight or during the day prior to my return from work.I do not have the time to cook every day, hence this is an issue for me.2. The minimum steam cooking time is one minute. I find this too long for cooking even the maximum allowable amount of certain vegetables.With one and a quarter cup of water (plastic cup supplied with pot) It takes one minute to overcook vegetables BUT fourteen minutes to reach cooking temperature/pressure before cooking starts.Even adding hot water it takes around twelve minutes to reach temperature/pressure before cooking starts.3. The rubber sealing ring does seem very flimsy and, given that InstantPot were giving one of these away for free to initial purchasers, I believe may prove a regular point of failure.4. I also bought a second steel pot and glass lid for £24.50 and £15 respectively. These are very expensive for what they are.The product is made in China (like many other items) and can be purchased for 130 US Dollars in America, but is sold here for £129.The InstantPot is highly priced and any review must reflect this.5. Despite the much higher UK price in comparison with USA, the recipe book and the volume markings inside the steel pot are all based on US measures.InstantPot have been selling this product in UK for over nine months and in the USA for considerably longer, yet they have not altered the recipe book for UK measures, surely a simple task for those with expert knowledge of their own product.Given the price I would have expected InstantPot to have had the steel pot food volume markings on the inside surface to be in a measure which is generally used in the UK, rather than the US 'cup'.6. There is at least one other 'electric pressure cooker' for sale on Amazon.co.uk which has the same build but with a different control panel. It is cheaper than InstantPot.My product rating remains a 3.Having been repeatedly chased by InstantPot to update my initial review I sent them a direct email, advising them that I had updated my review based on usage, immediately afterwards.This review received 19 negative reviews within a few hours of InstantPot being advised of my posting it.Read into that what you will ...I have not tried making yogurt yet and will update the review afterwards.Second Update:Dr. Thomas Ickes says:I'm confused; why would anybody comment on an item you have not used?My response: Instantpot were giving away free seals if you bought and left a review. My initial review was very clear about the fact that it would need to be updated once the product had been used. Numerous other reviewers have left (FIVE STAR) reviews without usage and offered no explanation or validation.(See also the comments section, where the above point was made very clearly.)WJS says:I think you are mistaking pressure cooking for slow cooking. I cannot think of anything that would need more than 2 hours on pressure cooking. I also can't think of any veg that would be over cooked with one minute of steaming. Perhaps you should have some cooking lessons.My response: I am very experienced with both pressure cooking and slow cooking.On high pressure it takes well over two hours to cook certain cuts of beef.Slow cooking the same type and amount of meat takes over twelve hours. Anybody experienced with slow cooking tough joints of beef will fully understand these cooking times.Steaming 0.75 KG of broccoli takes around 10 minutes to reach cooking temperature/pressure.With 1 minute actual cooking time the result is soft broccoli.If you want this cooked slightly al dente you need to stop the cooking at come point during the 1 minute steam time.Third update:Contacted the manufacturer directly after occasionally experiencing the InstantPot struggling to reach sufficient pressure to seal prior to cooking.Despite the product being outside of warranty (14 months since purchase) they immediately offered and sent me a replacement InstantPot free of charge.The rating should reflect the willingness of the manufacturer to give the customer the benefit of the doubt in such situations.

12.12.2014

I'll say it right off the bat: pressure cookers had always terrified me and the idea of something exploding above-boiling items at me didn't sound appealing. It wasn't until I heard various bloggers in the paleo/primal community sing the praises of the Instant Pot that I even considered wading into pressure cooking. The thing that swayed me was the thought of being able to make chicken broth in 2 hours rather than the 16 that I usually spend simmering on the stovetop.I waited for the DUO to be released in the UK because I liked a couple of the extra features it included, such as the yoghurt making option and longer programmable times.The DUO is big. Really big.It will dominate your countertop and my initial impression was that it'd be too big for our tiny kitchen. It's half-plastic, but appears quite sturdy.After a couple months of use, I feel I can give a good impartial review of the product and its uses.First off, yes, bone broth in a couple hours. If you go longer, the bones literally disintegrate when you try to lift them out (awesome). Being able to sauté in the pan is perfect for starting stews and braises though a temperature control would be very helpful: it's very easy to burn things, even when being careful. Things generally need 20-40 minutes longer than stovetop pressure cooker recipes recommend. This may vary from your experience, and obviously I have a greater learning curve as I've never pressure cooked before, but it's something to keep in mind: lower pressure means longer cooking time. Again, something I wasn't aware of was how long these things take to come to pressure: with dense things and liquids and a full pot, it can take about 30 minutes or longer to come to pressure before the countdown actually starts. If you've used pressure cookers before, you're probably already aware of this, but anyone who hasn't should be aware that it adds to the overall time, of course.Even being careful to never fill above the max line, I need to make sure never to use quick release unless there's pretty much no liquid (ie, a braise or just some veg) or hot liquid sputters everywhere from the valve. This again is probably something anyone who's used pressure cookers would expect.Hard-boiled eggs on the steamer rack come out perfect and peel super-easily. I definitely recommend you try. For us it's 3min on low pressure, quick release, cold water rinse for perfect medium eggs.The stainless steel inner bowl is very easy to clean, a soak and a good scrub will take care of everything.The silicone sealing ring does hold smells: lamb and beef smells seem to particularly soak into the silicone. Getting a separate one for bland or sweet items (ie, one for porridge/rice pudding) would be highly recommended.I'm not sure if this is a flaw or as intended, but this is important: let's say you make a stew. You cook it for, say, half an hour and then you want to pop in some veg rather than having them overcook from the beginning. When you take the lid off via quick release, you then need to wait for steam to dissipate (approximately 10-15 minutes) before you can close the lid. No matter how you toggle the valve, you can't get the lid to close.As others have mentioned, the one part that's not easy to clean is the condensation collection rim. The irregular shape and no way to disassemble it makes it rather improbable that you ever get it really clean, especially when you get greasy drippings into it.The lid is quite heavy and a bit cumbersome to lift--since the pot is already tall, and you presumably have it up on your counter, it just makes things a little awkward, especially since there's no hinge (the lid lifts off completely). It would be easy to fumble it. The plastic of the lid is a little awkward to clean, and I wish it was more "seamless" between the plastic and metal bits. Grease splatters are a bear. Having the lid be completely dishwasher safe, even at just low temp, would be amazing.Space for the cord to retract into would be super.The front panel with the buttons is also quite soft; I've already accidentally dented the top layer of plastic with a nail, so just be mindful of that.Overall, this is a very good piece of kit that's perfect for stews, soups, and braising. The rim needs to be easier to clean. It would also be nice if an extra sealing ring was included at this price point. That being said, I'm glad to see that the manufacturer is invested in listening to feedback, and I look forward to getting many years of use out of this pressure cooker.

11.11.2014

Having decided to wait to order the new instant pot I await with anticipation its arrival and having never used a pressure cooker I look forward to learning all its different functions. In the meantime I have been making yogurt, cooking one pot meals and reintroduced vegetarian meals for the family. Last night I steamed three christmas puddings which were not cooked until 2.30 am.This is where I am hoping that the instant pot will come into its own allowing me a much faster cooking method and a saving on the ever increasing electricity bill. I will update this review as soon as I have tried all the functions of the instant pot.Update 25\1\14.Thank you so much to Instant Pot,ordered on a Tuesday received on Friday delivered to Ireland, before due date. Thank you again. For me it has been a great learning curve, I have never used a pressure cooker or rice cooker before. Yes, I was nervous starting off, I have made mistakes but am enjoying the learning curve. I started with the Initial Test Run as recommended in the user manual, everything worked out great. Straight into a recipe from instant pot site, Arroz con Pollo which I made with pieces of turkey breast, the taste was superb, the turkey done to perfection. Next I tried steaming some straight from the trees cooking apples for canning. After two minutes the over heat display came on so I vented the Instant Pot, the apples were cooked perfectly,there was nothing stuck to the end of the pot, yet Instant Pot detected the lack of liquid and did what it was suppossed to do, my pot talks to me and I can assure you it never said anything bad about my culinary skills. Next I tried making yogurt, boiled the milk in the jars, let it cool to correct tempereture, added starter yougurt and probiotic, 6 3\4 hours later yogurt was set, it normally takes 8 hours in my yogurt machine. Boiling milk for yogurt on the hob always results in milk sticking to the pot. I find the saute function is excellent with the added benefit after 30 minutes you can press saute again and keep going if cooking in batches. What I especially like with this type of cooking is all the nutrients and vitamins from vegetables are incorporated into the rest of the food whereas usually water from vegetables is discarded, carrotts, celery brocolli, parsnips taste amazing compared to those boiled on the hob. Slow cooked Irish stew tasted so much better than usual with the family asking what I did different, I said I used Instant Pot. Chilli Con Carne, with beans soaked overnight was a feast compared to hours of cooking beans on the hob. I also tried the Perfect Brown Rice from the recipe book and indeed it was perfect, it did not even begin to stick to the pot. In the ten days or so since I started using Instant Pot I have used my oven once to bake oat cakes, all dinners were cooked in the pot. I do a lot of baking so I am looking forward to expermenting with Instant Pot for cakes etc. I did buy the extra pot and lid and think its very versatile ie dinner resting in pot and making yogurt in the other one. The lid is great with the slow cooker allowing you to see if you need to reduce temperature. I tried steaming some vegetables but they took longer than I thought to cook, I placed a glass bowl on the rack, I think the problem is that the end of the glass bowl I used was very narrow. If anyone has purchased a steaming basket I would really appreciate your thoughts on how they work, what quantities you can use and is it possible to cook something underneath the basket. So far I am really enjoying using the Instant Pot, I can see it will be invalible at christmas when I will have people staying. My advice from my experience so far is this is a great product, I am by no means an expert but cooking is a hobby for me, the food tastes amazing compared to conventional methods and it greatly reduces the clean up afterwards.

14.1.2015

I have never before used a pressure or slow cooker, and had thought that their appeal was solely for the timing of a meal. As soon as I unpacked my new instant pot I managed to lose the instruction booklet but proceeded anyway to cook a turkey roll for lunch the next day.I had no idea what to do apart from the essential correct positioning of the steam vent, but as locking the lid was easy to figure out I simply put the turkey roll inside with some stock and set it on ‘meat/stew’. When it finished I added some very large pieces of vegetables and pressed slow cook for 14 hours. The result was that the meat was perfect but the very large pieces of vegetables were not cooked.However the dish was surprisingly very tasty.To my surprise, despite the uncooked vegetables, everyone requested the same again for dinner, so I set it once more on ‘meat/stew’ and then everything was perfectly cooked, tender and the flavour even better. My Family are used to spicy flavourful foods but despite the plainness and the uncooked vegetables, this dish had been infused with flavour and was fabulous.Next attempt was a ratatouille which I made by placing all the rather chunky vegetables in at the same time and set on ‘bean/chilli’. It did not seem quite done, so set the same again for 20 minutes more. The ratatouille was amazing. My only concern was that the silicone seal retained the smell of the dish.I went on to make a Family favourite, Spaghetti Bolognese. I lightly sautéed onions and garlic then filled the pot with mince beef, tomatoes, bay leaf and salt and set on ‘meat/stew’. It was cooked and good but I felt longer would be better so put it through another cycle of meat/stew. Despite the slap dash approach which was very different to the careful, slow and attentive way I usually cook my Bolognese, the unanimous verdict was that this was the best I had ever made! I was amazed at how easy it was to cook the Bolognese. No smell; no need for checking; no adjusting of temperature; no stirring; no splattering of sauce all over the hob; no need to add water; no long slow cooking requiring regular checking; in fact no concerns whatsoever. Wow!Again my only concern was that silicone seal was still retaining odours.Following these first few bungling successes I have now found the instruction booklet and with more confidence have cooked many different dishes, experimenting with new herbs and spices, or fewer spices than we are used to and trying variations in the flavouring of our meals that I would not have had the confidence to attempt without the Instant Pot. If anything sticks (rarely) whilst sautéing just a tiny amount of liquid will easily move it. Every meal has turned out extremely well, suffused with an appetising flavour and cleaning of the bowl and lid is easier and faster than any other pot I own.Interestingly, although the silicone seal seems to absorb the aroma of whatever is the current dish, these odours have to date not affected the subsequent dish in any way detectable.I am thrilled with my Instant Pot. It enables me to cook at any time convenient to me and with far less effort or mess than ever before. The meals are always perfectly cooked, extremely tasty and ready to be eaten at any time we choose. I especially love that I can switch it on and truly just forget about it.Pros:The infusion of flavoursEase of useNo sauce splattersClean and tidyAlways deliciousNo need to check on progressNo smells until lid is openedNo burningNo loss of liquidNo worry of timing – turns out great however long the dish is left unattendedQuietSafeSo easy to washMultiple usesCons: Wish it was larger

15.7.2016

***Edit 3 years and 2 months still going strong phenomenal and I’m just about to purchase the 8ltr one***I bought this Instant Pot purely due to the fact it was the only rice cooker on Amazon with a stainless steel insert as opposed to an easily damaged non stick version. It has a thick steel base. I wont go through all the functions as their manual has a comprehensive guide/cooking times.I loved my Tefal multi cooker however taking a closer look at specifications Instant Pot wins effortlessly. I paid £50 for my Tefal and 1 year in the aluminium non stick base was damaged. This releases toxic gases when cooking high heat. I am still only going to use wooden or plastic utensils.I paid £82 Prime Day deal for my 7 in 1 Duo Instant Pot. I decided to put it to its test saute mode, frozen mince, one pot pasta. I would not use the pot to defrost large joints. My goodness what would take me around 1.5 hours took around 30 minutes. If I added overnight defrosting in the fridge in the equation - its a no brainer. Everything cooked in one pot no dishes except the chopping board, knife and pot. No waiting for meat to defrost, cooking the sauce in a pot, boiling the pasta in another pot. Step by step waiting to cook onions, garlic, then mince, vegetables and boil pasta.I used the saute mode - fast - 4 minsPoultry Pressure mode to cook my frozen lamb mince through to middle but not entirely - 15 minsAdded pasta vegetables grain pressure mode - 5 minsI used the natural pressure release as im in no hurry to serve dinner. There is a venting option for a quick release.I had managed to figure out how to make an amazing lamb/chicken biryani/pilau in my old rice cooker so this will be the next test.I spend a fortune on organic bio yogurt so the yogurt function is a bonus.For the one pot dishes. All u do is saute, cook the meat, add any grains/veg in at the end. Boom! Dinner is done.Im a working single mother I just do not have time to waste. In my pictures it was supposed to be Spaghetti Bolognese but Id ran out of the correct pasta so I used wholewheat organic fusilli pasta.I honestly cannot express how impressed I am with the quality, cooking times, functions and I'm hoping I have many happy years with my new pot which is going to make my hob redundant.If anyone purchases this then I would encourage you to watch some recipes from you tube until you find your feet.The taste of the pasta was more intense than hob cooking i can't explain that one but Im not complaining. If you do cook one pot dishes remember separately you would have added salt to the rice/grain/pasta. There is a recipe book but not really to my tastes.I love South Indian cooking, scottish soups/broths, chinese ribs, Italian so a variety!Added a picture of mutton curry what normally takes me 3.5 hours with slow cooking, 45 minutes so I could pop out and get my shopping top with garnish dinner is ready!Rice pudding 15 minutes total cooked perfectly - recipe is on the instant pot website.Chicken/Potato Pilau Rice - picture attached cooked to perfection.* A few people have asked me about method of one pot dishes. I am attaching how I layer my rice/chicken dishes. What recipe you use is up to yourself loads on the internet. Just ensure chicken is only seared for 1 min. Rice is soaked (hot water) for 15 minutes and all starch removed by washing. I add potatoes at the bottom to protect the meat the steam cooks everything an combines the flavours.Layer veg, meat, rice & lastly water.

13.9.2016

The instant pot is the most awesome kitchen appliance I've ever bought: I use it for stewing, steaming, making bone broth, rice, hard-boiled eggs with oozy creamy yolks, perfectly-poached eggs, etc.However, its user interface is annoyingly non-intuitive due to a misguided focus on arbitrary single-use buttons over intuitive general controls, and a lack of button hierarchy and well-structured layout.Many users report a learning curve in using this appliance partly due to this design flaw, but also because of the need to adapt your recipes (eg., cooking times), and learn certain tricks (eg., making rice and poached eggs in a bain-marie, "hard-boilng" eggs with creamy yolks by essentially steaming them,reducing sauces on the gentlest simmer by using the slow-cooking function on high), for the pressure cooker.The only Instant Pot buttons I ever use are Saute, Manual, Steam, SlowCook, Pressure, Adjust, +, -, Cancel and Yogurt.Finally, I would like to publicly share an exchange (a circular conversation, rather) that I had with Instant Pot support staff Jason, even though his claim that the Steam and Manual buttons work the same is likely incorrect, in case someone reads this and is able to answer the 2 questions I have within:####begin exchange####1) What is the difference between the Steam and the Manual functions on the instant pot, in terms of the appliance's actual operation?2) Could you perhaps provide me with the temperature/pressure-cookingtime charts for these 2 functions, akin to the ones found on[...]--The steam function is designed for steaming purposes, you can steam vegetables, seafood or reheating. The steaming function works at the highest temperature of 239 to 244 fahrenheit.The manual function is used to set your own cooking time.I hope this helps!Kind regards,Jason G.Technical Support--No, that wasn't helpful at all.The Manual function can also be used like the Steam function to steam veges, seafood, etc.Similarly, the Steam function, like the Manual function, can be used in conjuntion with the ± buttons to set my own cooking time, and used for stewing, etc. In fact, contrary to what you stated, the Steam function (just like the Manual function) does _not_ work at the highest temperature if it the pressure is concurrently set to low.So, my original questions remain:1) What is the difference between the steaming and manual functions on the instant pot, in terms of the appliance's actual operation?2) Could you perhaps provide me with the temperature/pressure-cookingtime charts for these 2 functions, akin to the ones found on[...]--A product manager has confirmed that the two buttons function the same way and run the appliance in same manner.They also confirmed there are no charts available for these two functions.Regards,Jason G.Technical Support---It is false that the two buttons function identically, since Steam works with the Adjust button whereas Manual doesn't.That aside, do you claim that both buttons are functionally identically, ie., they operate on the same temperature/pressure-cookingtime charts?---Here are the offical authorized descriptions for the two funcions.[redundantly excerpts 2 paragraphs from the official instant pot mannal, while addressing none of the above questions]Kind Regards,Jason G.Technical Support####end exchange####

19.4.2016

I've held off writing a review until I'd used the instant pot for a few things. I've since used it to make curries, soups, cook lentils and to get extracts of ginger, sarsaparilla and liquorice roots. I can't say I've used every feature but I think I've got a good feel for it.Things I like:* Solid construction and good materials. The Instant Pot gives me confidence when pressure cooking. The lid locking mechanism gives good positive feedback. The stainless steel inner pot is sturdy and high quality and cleans easily.* True one pot cooking with the ability to fry off onions, spices etc. in the pot first.* It enables "set and forget" style cooking with timers and the keep warm facility.Even if I'm going to be in the kitchen anyway it's nice to just free up a bit of thought space from having to check a pan/oven or whatever.* Cooking in the Instant Pot makes a noticeable difference to the amount of moisture and cooking smells in the house over using standard pans.Things I'm less happy about:* All the beeping and chirping! If you want to cook something while others are sleeping you might want to think twice about using the Instant Pot because it never shuts up with alarms/tunes and they play really loudly. There is an updated version in the US that lets you turn most of the noises off but that wasn't the version I got here in the UK. Things like the audible feedback when closing the lid are great but there should be a way to turn the volume down/off, as stands the Instant Pot is a combo cooker and alarm clock that'll wake people upstairs from your kitchen.* As others have noted, the seal absorbs food odours. The smells fade a bit over time and it's not like the next batch of food is affected (that I've noticed) but it's still not what you want. It certainly doesn't impress people who see mine and then get a good nose full of curry spices when they open the lid to have a look. I'm not too happy about having to assure them that I did actually clean it either.* There's no handle/lifter for the inner pot. It's not that difficult to use a cloth to grab the edges and lift it out but if it's full of soup the operation can be a little precarious. It seems to me that it could be designed to allow a handle to be notched in to lift it out more easily/safely.Overall those are relatively minor issues (although the beeping REALLY annoys me as it's a common flaw with many household appliances these days) and just drop it a star. I'm happy with the purchase and the Instant Pot has earned a place in my kitchen equipment.One word on price. I bought the Instant Pot on a lightning deal for ninety pounds and I think it represents good value for that. I would point out that the "deal" price I had is pretty much the standard US market price though and I could never bring myself to pay the 1 USD = 1 GBP conversion rate price that it generally sits at. That said, the Instant Pot is a cut above some of the cheaper options you'll find around both in build quality and in customer support and I feel is worth a bit of a premium. I wouldn't really want to trust a cheaply made, no-name pressure cooker whether electric or stovetop.

29.11.2014

I've been waiting a while for this latest Instant Pot IP-DUO60 model to become available in the UK and now I've got it I'm not disappointed, it's great! All the improvements on the previous LUX model were well worth waiting for especially the simple but effective lid holder design. I'm also looking forward to using the yogurt making function.The build quality is excellent. The fact it has a stainless steel inner pot was important to me as I much prefer stainless to aluminium or non-stick for cooking. The removable inner pot is such good quality I plan to get a second one so I can use it to store cooked meals in the fridge and still be able to use the Instant Pot for cooking something else.The cooker has got so many functions that a first glance of the manual,learning how to use it can initially seem a bit daunting, however in practice, it's very easy to use once you get started and see how simple it actually is. It's very user friendly compared to a stove top pressure cooker, not to mention extremely safe, clean and quiet in operation.After use it's very easy to clean as well. The lid only needs to be wiped over as food doesn't really come into contact with it, only pressurized steam, as long as you don't overfill it!The capacity is more than big enough for my needs while the overall size of the cooker is not overly large so it doesn't take up too much space in storage or on the kitchen work surface. It's light enough to move around easily too.One thing to be aware of regarding capacity, the 6L version when filled to the maximum mark only takes 5L of liquid, presumably the other litre is required for the pressurized steam.I've already bought the glass lid accessory as I plan to use the slow cooker function quite a lot, and this will allow me to more easily check on things while cooking, and give them a quick stir if necessary. It will also come in handy for covering the pot when storing cooked food in the fridge.The included recipe book is a nice addition but nothing special really. There are a few simple recipes to get you started though, and there are cooking time tables for standard food items in the back. For anyone new to pressure cooking (like me), when looking at the cooking times given for pretty much any pressure cooker recipe, you do need to be aware that the times given are for the actual cooking time, and you also need to factor in the time taken to initially heat the pot of food to boiling point, then the time it takes for the pressure to build, THEN the cooking time. Also, if using the natural release method there will be extra time to wait before the lid can be opened.To sum up, the Instant Pot IP-DUO60 is great quality and value for money, is safe, clean and easy to use, and pretty much lives up to the rave reviews it gets. Highly recommended!

16.11.2015

One word of advice. If you are the sort of person that needs an in-depth user guide and a 100+ recipe book then you may struggle. The device itself is easy enough to use and clean. You will likely be adapting recipes and so some trial and error before things are cooked to you liking.The build quality of the appliance is very good. Small kitchens will get the most out of the Instant Pot as it can save space by replacing a separate slow cooker and performs the function of a pan on a stove using sauté mode; as well as a pressure cooker, rice cooker, steamer, slow cooker and yogurt maker. If you have a large kitchen with a six-burner range you can use larger pans to brown meat etc you still get a good pressure cooker,rice cooker, steamer, slow cooker and yogurt maker.Head to the internet and social media for guidance, recipes and How To videos. The recipe book pays little nod to the different pressure cooking modes; you will need to experiment to get the most out of the appliance, but there is no set way to use it. For example, you could cook rice using the rice function, but you could also use manual pressure cooking or just boil it! Recipes for the slow cooker can be cooked in pressure cooking mode, albeit with a much reduced time, and most things can be steamed! It really is down to you.Think of the different pressure cooking modes as safe, quick, options. Don’t be fooled into thinking you should cook risotto using the Rice function (because you don’t). After sautéing I cooked a risotto in the pressure cooker on manual : high for 7min, no stirring in stock and it was perfect. More often than not the key thing is the ratio of the main ingredients. In the case of risotto it’s 1 rice : 2 stock.Undercooking is better than overcooking as you can just simmer on sauté mode until you get the texture required or use quick/slow release to minimise/extend cooking times.Sauté mode: I use this mode a lot. In this mode you can make a stir-fry, boil water and cook pasta or even fry an egg! As it’s the pre-cursor to other cooking modes such as slow cooking and pressure cooking, you will also use this mode a lot. Don’t be fooled, this is basically a pan on a stove. Anything you can do in a pan on a stove you can do in this mode. However, you can’t let water boil over into the main control unit so be sensible!! That said the 6 litre model is big enough to cook a moderate amount of pasta in 3 litre of water.But this is where pressure cooking comes into its own. You can pressure cook pasta in one-pot dishes and there are lots of recipes on how to do this (you would have limited success trying to do this in a slow cooker).Highly recommend buying the glass lid and you will also need a ladle to spoon out the meals out of the pot when cooked.

18.11.2020

UPDATE 04/05/2021So, must do this update as we have had this a while now. The amount of things you can cook in this is incredible, from soups to stews, chicken, pork, lamb, and, the best homemade rice pudding you'll ever taste.Like all pressure cookers YES they do take a little time to build up the pressure, but, it's not a problem. Here is a great example, today, we did a pork loin, complete with potatoes, carrots and broccoli. The actual timing for COOKING is 3 minutes, yes, read that again lol, 3 minutes. You have about ten minutes for the pressure cooker to build up pressure, but, after that it's 3 minutes to cook. Unbelievable. The pork loin doesn't come out dry or chewy,

28.11.2014

I bought my Instant Pot IP-Duo60 for one main reason: it is a superior curry-making machine. Starting by making yoghurt for marinades almost effortlessly using two simple automated steps - steaming the milk in storage jars, then incubating with a live starter (usually a sample of your last batch of yoghurt). All done at the press of a button and with no extra pots to clean.Now the Instant Pot comes into its own. The Sauté setting allows you to bloom whole spices in hot oil to extract their aromatics and then to go on to fry your thickening agents such as onion or nuts, all in the same high-sided stainless steel pot. Splatter escape is thus kept to a minimum. Where browning of meat is required to develop yet more flavour,

7.2.2019

First - I am not a cook but now that I'm older, and my metabolic rate had slowed down dramatically, can't get away with just deliveries and restaurants foods anymore. My Tefal slow-cooker had died of old age and I broke the lid on my rice cooker so time to buy a new one. The Instant Pot is ridiculously a lot more expensive, even when bought on sale. Decided to invest as you can do a large batch in one pot in shorter time, I love stews and soups and rice - which is kind of what it is made for, and the internet seem to be full of praises with lots of recipe ideas.It is bulky and heavy, but same can be said about my old slow cooker. I do like that I can take the lid off completely,

26.5.2020

I use the instant pot everyday. Now, I don't use the pressure cooking buttons often, but I find myself steaming, and using the saute and slow cook function all the time. We have gas, and it can be a pain with having to open all the windows and air out the kitchen. So, why not use the saute function! Rice is a simple breeze and while the taste is not as good as if I cooked it on the stove, at least I do not have by baby-sit the rice. I wash, put in pot, push a few buttons, and know it will turn off by itself when done. And what about when the rice is done. Do I add oil to my rice to non stick? Never! Simply, when there is rice stuck to the bottom, I hit saute low 2 minutes, lid off,

13.11.2015

Had a pressure cooker - stove top exciting kind with lots of noise and sound effects - 30 years ago as a student. Have spent a year lusting after this one and trying to justify the price.Decided to go for it as long as I could clear cupboard space for storage , which I did. Less than 2 weeks later I have cleared counter space for it since I am using, and loving it, on a daily basis.So far have used the rice cooker on numerous occasions - 1 cup basmati rice rinsed to 1 1/4 cups water. Set on high for 3 minutes then off for 7 and release rest of pressure -perfect. And amazingly the rice doesn't stick at all.Whole chicken 25 minutes at high pressure then leave to release pressure.

Instant Duo V2 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker - Reviews

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