Anyone Own An Instant Pot?

margecat

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I just bought one today. I am usually resistant to buying gadgets, especially big kitchen ones, but I was intrigued by the fact that I could make my "famous" (at least in my family) 8-hour pulled beef in about 1-2 hours, and have it turn out the same as slow-cooking it. I make this recipe a lot; in fact, I have a roast in there now, and also plan to make 3 as my special for Saturday night's Bingo game (for sandwiches). I wouldn't have to get into their kitchen at the crack of dawn to start it. I could do each roast separately (I usually do only 2, but we're expecting 20 more people for a special Bingo), then transfer them to the slow-cooker to keep warm, or just leave the last one I cook in the Instant Pot on "slow cooker".

The first thing I made was one boneless, skinless chicken breast. I added no liquid, but I should've sprayed the bottom of the pot with cooking spray, or used oil. It was hard to clean. It came out so tender!

I'd also like to make Greek yogurt. And cheesecake. Yes. Cheesecake. Must make cheesecake!
 

mizzely

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I have a 6qt one that I bought myself for Christmas :p I love it! I am usually not into gadgets either but I use this several times a week, even for simple things like rice and hard boiled eggs.
 

Winchester

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If I didn't have my pressure cooker and the air fryer, I'd buy one. I've heard a lot of excellent reviews on other boards about the Instant Pot and people seem to love the thing. I'm really glad you like it, too. Please continue to discuss what you've made and how things turn out; I'm very interested. From what I've read, this is a good small appliance.
 

sivyaleah

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Following thread!
I really need a new crock pot but have been considering an Insta instead. Everyone I know that has one loves it.
 

neely

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Following thread!
I really need a new crock pot but have been considering an Insta instead. Everyone I know that has one loves it.
I have a crock pot also and love it - just curious, what's the major difference between the two? Is it the amount of time it takes to cook and, if so, how much time do you save?
 

mizzely

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Here is one breakdown: Crock-Pot VS Instant Pot

Biggest bonus to me: cooking from frozen. I can make chicken breasts from freezer in less than an hour including prep time, pressure time, cooking time, etc. You aren't supposed to cook from frozen in the crockpot because it doesn't heat fast enough.
 

neely

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Here is one breakdown: Crock-Pot VS Instant Pot
Biggest bonus to me: cooking from frozen. I can make chicken breasts from freezer in less than an hour including prep time, pressure time, cooking time, etc. You aren't supposed to cook from frozen in the crockpot because it doesn't heat fast enough.
Thanks for the description and info. Maybe when my crockpot bites the dust I will consider an Instant Pot. However, one thing I like about the crock pot is that I can throw everything together in the morning before work then come home in the evening and dinner is ready.
 

mizzely

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Thanks for the description and info. Maybe when my crockpot bites the dust I will consider an Instant Pot. However, one thing I like about the crock pot is that I can throw everything together in the morning before work then come home in the evening and dinner is ready.
The instant pot has a slow cook function ;) I too love my slow cooker bit it sadly hasn't seen the light of day since bringing home the IP!
 
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margecat

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I am returning it. I have scrubbed the inside of the liner many times, and I can't get all of the built-up gunk off. Yuck.

Also, whereas it was a time-saver (and life!) on Saturday, I'm not impressed with how it cooked the London Broil roasts I did (4 of them). Sure, it sped up the cooking time, but they still had some tough chunks. I then used the slow-cooker function for a few hours, but the Crock Pot beats this thing any day. I just don't think that slow-cooking in metal works nearly as well as the Crock Pot lining, which I was worried about. In fact, I ended up chunking up the roasts, and put them in the Crock Pots, and they were much better. And I bought it mainly to cook meat.

Maybe it would work better with other foods, such as rice--but I have a stove and a saucepan for that. I see no point in paying nearly $100 just to cook rice or pasta a few minutes faster.

Sorry, guys--I wish I could give it a better review, but I just am not impressed with it.
 

mizzely

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Hmm I've never had an issue with buildup. Sometimes it looks hazy and I use sone bar keepers friend cleaner on it, but never had anything like you describe. I've also only had issues with tough meat when overcooking. I do agree that my slow cooker is better at slow cooking, but I've done very little slow cooking since getting this!

Sorry it didn't work out like you planned :(
 
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margecat

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Ok
, maybe I will keep the blasted thing! :evilgrin: I will try the Barkeepers' Friend. Know what I really wanted to make with it? Beef gyros for one of my specials. I found a recipe on Pinterest that uses an Instant Pot.
 

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Beef gyros sound yummy.

I'm sorry you don't care for your IP. And seriously, if you don't like, take it back. Life is too short to deal with something you don't like. And now I know not to get one!

I have one crock pot with a metal liner and I hate the thing. I don't remember what brand it is -- and I'm at work -- but that metal liner is simply too much of a hassle to keep clean. And food tends to burn easily in that crock pot, even on low heat and I attribute the burning to that blasted metal liner. I much prefer crock pots with the ceramic (or whatever the material is) liners. Easier to clean, easier to deal with.

(That crock pot with the metal liner is in a box in the basement, awaiting the next yard sale, whenever that might be.)
 

sivyaleah

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I received a $25 off "birthday" coupon from Williams Sonoma. I think I might apply it to an Instant Pot. Yes, it has it's drawbacks evidently but I'm hoping overall it will be useful. The fact that I can make homemade yogurt in it is a plus. I won't be throwing out my crock pot anytime soon. Just in case!
 

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I've been wondering about these for a while also and tempted to buy one.
 

mschauer

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Hi guys! I happened to see this thread and thought I might be able to contribute a bit of information about the slow cooking capabilities of an Instant Pot.

I recently bought one after my niece raved about it. It was originally intended as an automatic pressure cooker and I think when used that way it works great. I think the slow cooker capability was probably an after thought. Like they suddenly realized, "You know we could...". I say that because it really doesn't work that great as a slow cooker. You have to set the temp on high to get the equivalent of the low setting on a traditional slow cooker. There is no way to achieve high temperature slow cooking.

I have used it as a slow cooker and have gotten good results as long as I use the high temp setting and let it cook long enough.

At least that has been my experience. I'd love to know if anyone discoveres differently.
 

segelkatt

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I have a big slow cooker left over from when I had a big family (35 years ago), now it gathers dust as I bought a little one just for me. Both work great, ceramic liner. The new one's glaze is nice and shiny, the big old one has been scrubbed (and bleached) but has never been as shiny. I also have a small pressure cooker I've had for 7 years that I used for canning mostly but also for making things like pulled pork, until someone gave me her old one which is huge and fancier, but she does not can anymore (that one is probably at least 35 years old now, I wish I had had it then but I could not afford it then) and I do a lot of canning of veggies from my garden. So now the small one is gathering dust mostly until I have a hankering for pulled pork or some really saucy pork ribs. I also have a rice cooker with a steamer basket, that one is at least 10 years old and I use it a lot as I don't have to worry about burning the rice while it is sitting at the back of the stove in a pan while I do other stuff at the front.
So can anyone tell me what an Instant Pot would do for me that I don't already have?
 
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margecat

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I returned mine some time ago. I really was not impressed with it. I used it as a low cooker for my slow-cooked pulled beef, but it did not taste or look the same as the Crock-Pot meat. It was ok, but never got really tenderized--it was a bit stringy and chewy. It also has a metallic taste,due to the metal liner. I feared all of the above would happen, and, unfortunately, I was right.

The people I know that have one raved about it as soon as they got it, and even that talk was more of anticipating what they could do with it, rather than having actually used it much. That was about 3 months ago. I haven't heard them mention it since (and I work with them every day).
 

mizzely

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I use mine so much I ended up with a second one when the 8qt went on sale for Prime Day.

I think what I like most about it is that I can prepare a whole meal without watching the stove. I have a 3 year old and watch a 1.5 year old so it's a lot easier for me in that regard.

I do rice, frozen meats, steamed veggies, hard boiled eggs, yogurt, cheesecake, sweet potatoes, and more. There is a broccoli and beef recipe we did the other day that was sooooo good.

I think if you already have a lot of gadgets, it's not worth it. I have a crockpot, and these. So for me they have been invaluable.
 

segelkatt

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I use mine so much I ended up with a second one when the 8qt went on sale for Prime Day.

I think what I like most about it is that I can prepare a whole meal without watching the stove. I have a 3 year old and watch a 1.5 year old so it's a lot easier for me in that regard.

I do rice, frozen meats, steamed veggies, hard boiled eggs, yogurt, cheesecake, sweet potatoes, and more. There is a broccoli and beef recipe we did the other day that was sooooo good.

I think if you already have a lot of gadgets, it's not worth it. I have a crockpot, and these. So for me they have been invaluable.
Thanks, mizzely mizzely , this is what I thought.
 
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