Does the Instant Pot® Live up to the Hype?

Product: Instant Pot
Retail Price Range: $79 – $139
Size: 6 Quarts
Cheapest Price Available: Amazon
Place of Manufacture: China
My Rating: 8.5 out of 10

For those who are interested in making home cooked meals in an instant, there is the Instant Pot® – a programmable pressure cooker that cuts down meal prep to a fraction of the time & will leave you with mouth watering, beautifully cooked meal(s). But if you enjoy cooking and don’t mind spending minutes, even hours cooking on a stove, then you are more likely to ponder this, does the Instant Pot® live up to the hype?

Whether you choose a 10-in-1 model, a 7-in-1 model, or even a smaller model, this product is definitely for those who are constantly on the go, but want to make every effort possible to eat healthy, home-cooked meals. And even if you have plenty of time on hand, there are just those days when you need things done fast…saying “NO” to fast food dining is certainly easier when you have the instant pot.

 

Why Consider the Instant Pot Over Its Competitors?

It is a nice product that combines several products in one – a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, pasteurizer (select models), and can be  helpful in canning goods when it comes to water bath steam canning (not pressure canning).

 

With exception tho clay pots this is the next best thing. It stands above the rest because it comes with a stainless steel cooking vessel as opposed to a non-stick coated vessel. By now, many of us are aware of the dangers of cooking with non-stick cookware, but for those who are a little hazy on this issue, here is some food for thought. Highly fluorinated chemicals known as Fluropolymers used in creating most non-stick cookware surfaces have been linked to cancer, reproductive issues, tumors, hormone imbalances or disruptions, as well as, various negative health effects.

 

 

 

Polytetrafluoroetheylene (PTFE) and coatings containing polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAs) are fluoropolymers that are extremely toxic and hard to get rid of once in the body. These chemicals are also damaging to the environment & prove difficult to remove once contamination occurs (for instance, contamination of water supplies). The introduction of heat to these chemicals results in contamination of foods being cooked through the process of  leaching.

Eating foods cooked on non-stick surfaces has been known to cause various health problems including infertility and thyroid disease, so why use a product containing such chemicals to cook your food when healthier alternatives like stainless steel exists?

More on the Instant Pot

 

The Instant pot creates incredible meals in a short amount of time. On the top end, the Ultra 10-in-1 Model (6 qt.) retails for $149.95 & the lower end, the Lux 6-1 Model retails for $79.00.

There are many, many fans out there of the Instant Pot, so much so that there are private Facebook groups dedicated to the instant pot – that in itself speaks volumes. You can of course  ask to join these Facebook groups (or manage an invitation…) If you would like to engage in the many discussions and shared recipes,  among other useful information shared on the instant pot. Instant pot also has an app with many delicious recipes to try that are tried and true and made for use in the instant pot pressure cooker.

 

 

Pros:

Available in various models & sizes to better suit your needs.

Uses a durable 3-ply stainless steel cooking pot, so no worries about chemicals leaching into food.

Home-cooked meals in a matter of minutes (up to 70% faster).

Great for more than cooking food in a hurry…you can do a variety of things like make yogurt, water bath canning, perfectly boiled and easy to peel eggs, etc.

Shorter cook time may help preserve heat sensitive nutrients, meaning healthier and more nutritious meals.

Comes with a lovely recipe booklet with several tested recipes.

Cons:

A slight learning curve for those new to using electrical pressure cookers or pressure cookers altogether.

As with any pot, if you don’t like one pot meals, then you will have to cook all portions of your meals separately (I know it’s not really a con, just a matter of cooking preference & not the device itself).

No pressure canning for those who prefer it over steam.

Recipes not intended for instant pot will need to be converted (including other pressure cooker recipes).

Using a simpler version of your recipe and building on from there may take time.

 

Summary

So does the Instant Pot live up to the hype? Well, the answer is clear- absolutely, yes! And if you are new to using a pressure cooker or are used to a different brand or type of pressure cooker (i.e. stove top pressure cookers), then the Instant Pot might prove to be intimating because of all the buttons & programmed features, but it is most definitely worth it.

Whether you are pressed for time or lack the patience when it comes to cooking, Instant pot is a great cookware to have.

Instant pot is for those who would like to create incredible food /masterpieces in a short amount of time. There is certainly no need to eat out when you have an instant pot, so it is definitely worth buying. There will be plenty of times when you will appreciate having the Instant Pot around. You will be in love with all the things you can do with this pot and you will certainly make good use of it and your time.