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Buying one of the best Instant Pot(opens in a new tab) multi-cooker is one of the best kitchen decisions you’ll ever make.It’s one of the best-selling kitchen gadgets in the world, with nearly as many imitators as loyal fans.
If you’re not familiar with the Instant Pot, it’s a programmable electric pressure cooker that’s gone viral online, spawning endless articles and recipe guides, and turning people like your writers into Instant Pot evangelists .But is this a case of propaganda over practicality?
On the surface, that seems to be the case: Even the cheapest Instant Pot is significantly more expensive than a traditional pressure cooker.But the Instant Pot has some important advantages in terms of safety, flexibility, and capacity.But before we find out what they are, it’s important to understand what pressure cooking is and why it’s great.
Pressure cookers have a much older history than the Instant Pot: the first household pressure cooker went on sale in 1945, but the Instant Pot didn’t go on sale until 2010.Essentially, though, they both use the same science: If you cook food under very high pressure, you can get the same results in a fraction of the time.So, for example, a casserole or chili that you might slow cook for hours can be pressure-cooked in less than an hour and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
To increase the pressure, the pressure cooker or Instant Pot has a tight seal to keep the steam from escaping (and a valve to release it when you’re done or the pressure is too high; without a valve, there’s a real risk of explosion). The pressure will increase The boiling point of water, reducing evaporation and extracting more flavor from food.
Whether you use a traditional stovetop pressure cooker or an Instant Pot, the result is the same: Make delicious meals in less than 1/4 the normal cooking time.But the Instant Pot isn’t just about cooking.
One of the biggest differences here is that the Instant Pot is programmable: you can set it up and leave it.There’s still a small risk of pushing the pressure too high and blowing things up with stovetop cookware, but the Instant Pot doesn’t have that danger.And it also has different pressure modes, so you can set it to low pressure like soup and high pressure when you’re in a hurry.
But another key difference between an Instant Pot and a pressure cooker is that the Instant Pot isn’t just a pressure cooker.It is a multifunctional rice cooker.It has programs for stir-frying, rice, yogurt… It’s a one-pot cooking system that saves time and means less cleaning.So, for example, when your writer makes a soup, it’s all done in the Instant Pot: saute the veggies, bring it to a boil, bring it to a simmer to allow the flavors to blend, and keep it warm after it’s cooked.Or, if peppers are on the menu, the Instant Pot can brown the beef, soften the beans, and simmer to perfection.
Depending on the Instant Pot model you choose, you can also turn it into other types of cookware.The Instant Pot Pro can cook sous-vide, soaking vacuum-sealed food in warm water for an incredibly soft finish, and the Crisp model has an extra lid that turns the Instant Pot into an air fryer, so you can also “oil” fried” food.
Another great thing about a programmable pressure cooker is that you can set it to run when you’re not around (except for some programs, such as sautéing).This makes it great to set and forget, so you can enjoy a delicious meal when you get back from college or work.
The main benefit of a traditional pressure cooker is that it can provide higher pressure than the most expensive Instant Pots, so it cooks faster: most Instant Pots offer a maximum pressure of 12psi, and traditional pressure cookers can go up to 15psi.More pressure means higher boiling point and faster cooking.
The main advantages of the Instant Pot are its ease of use, convenience, and safety: it’s an excellent all-rounder, it’s very easy to use, it’s very reliable, and it has a dishwasher-safe removable pot (though it’s best to hand wash it) ). You can also save custom programs if the presets do not meet your requirements.
The main downside is the price: the cheapest basic pressure cooker we can find on Amazon costs around $50/£40/AU$115, and even the cheapest Instant Pot – the 3-qt/3-litre Instant Pot Duo (in the New Tab Open in)) – $59 in the US, £69 in the UK (not currently on sale in Australia).
The good news is that as capacity increases, the price increases are much smaller.The 8 Quart/8 Liter Instant Pot Duo(opens in a new tab) is currently on sale for $79/£109/$188.
It’s also worth noting that the Instant Pot’s viral popularity means you’ll see deep discounts during any big sales events like Prime Day, Black Friday, and other seasonal sales.
Another downside is that the Instant Pots are large except for the Mini model: the 6-qt/5.7-liter Pro is about 13 inches/33 cm tall and the same width, while the 8-qt/8-liter model is just over 14 inches/36 inches cm high.
Whether you buy a stovetop pressure cooker, an Instant Pot, or a similar multi-purpose pot, you’ll be amazed at what you can make: Even something as simple as an egg can be amazing when pressure-cooked.But the choice depends a lot on what you want to cook and how much space you have.
A stovetop pressure cooker is pretty simple, but that simplicity also limits what you can do with it: If you don’t pressure cook often, it’s a big, heavy pot that you’ll need somewhere to store.The Instant Pot is bigger and heavier, but its flexibility means it’s more likely to be used more frequently than put away; ours was in use almost all week and was permanently on the kitchen counter.
If you’re a weary parent, student, or someone looking to get back from a long day with a nice meal waiting for them, the Instant Pot is here to buy: it’s really a great and useful multi-purpose- Cookware that can do amazing things.But if you already own a multi-cooker, like the best air fryer(opens in a new tab) oven, or just love doing old-fashioned things, a stovetop pressure cooker is easier, faster, and more affordable.But no matter which option you choose, you’ll love the results.
Writer, broadcaster, musician, and kitchen gadget obsessive Carrie Marshall (Twitter) has been writing about technology since 1998, providing sage advice and bizarre opinions for various magazines and websites, and writing ten several books.Her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, will be published in November 2022.She is the singer of Glasgow rock band HAVR.
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Post time: Aug-04-2022