Now that some of us have joined the cult that is Instant Pot. I thought I would touch base with others.
a) What do people think of it?
b) What have people been doing with theirs?
c) what accessories have people bought.
d) What tips do people have?
e) What useful sites have people found?
My experience
- The Instant Pot comes with perfunctory instruction material so most of what you learn is from Googling. I'm not sure that a lot of the buttons are going to be used, often, but I will play around and see what they do.
It would be nice if there was a proper, primer on all the buttons that came with it.
I found these online and, I think, they are better than the instruction manuals supplied. It is a slightly different model but the functions seem to be the same.
https://instantpot.com/wp-content/uploads/IP-DUO/InstantPot-…
https://instantpot.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Duo_Full-M…
The InstantPot is easy to use, and (generally) clean, and everything I've made so far seems to have worked well.
What I like:
- The stainless steel bowl.
- The set, and forget, nature of things like the Pressure Cooker and Yogurt settings.
- Having the multifunctions like Saute, Pressure Cook, Yogurt maker etc in one device.
- The ability to do pot in pot for things like Yogurt so I can do it in the same container I put in the fridge.
- the lid is easy to engage and disengage for Pressure cooking. My Breville Fast/Slow Pro lid was a tad dodgy and seemed a bit fussy trying to engage.
- The lid can be removed, completely. This allows you to store it with the lid inverted to try to "air out" the silicon sealing rings
My quibbles
- The instructions that came with it are, fairly, perfunctory. This device really depends on "Google is your friend".
- I found pulling the lid apart to clean it was a touch daunting the first time and you need to be very careful about the little plastic cover on one bit; it could go down the sink hole pretty easily.
- official accessories have to be ordered online, at the moment. You can buy the Instantpot at the Corningware store at the DFO but if you want the glass lid, extra rings etc then you need to go online. Not an issue for me as I have Amazon Prime, but shipping costs might be annoying for others.
- food smells get trapped in the ring and it does stink. These things can be cleaned in a dishwasher and I urge people to do that; it helps a lot. Also store the lid inverted so the ring gets an air.
- it doesn't have a start button, it just starts when you press the selection button. For some reason this bugs me.
- the fast pressure release is a "press the release" button. You need to think about silicon gloves or a long handled mixing spoon, etc to do this as the steam will burn you otherwise. I just found this a tad agricultural after my Fast/Slow Pro; where all this is programmable into it.
- I've seen recommendations that people use a 6 inch cake tin to make cakes, because of the pots diameter, but I haven't found anything "standard". Would be interested to find out if anyone has made a cake in these and what they used.
I've made:
- Corned Beef - came out very nicely cooked and the vegies are done as a 4 minute burst whilst the meat rests.
- Yogurt - this can be done pot in pot; so I didn't need to transfer it from the Instant Pot stainless steel pot to the pyrex bowl storage pot. I bought a slightly bigger than 1 litre pyrex bowl from the Corningware DFO and it comes with a lid. You could try it in the Instant pot, on display, to check it is the right size whilst you are there. It works really well. I also use UHT milk so I don't need to go through steralising the milk and waiting for it to cool.
Mushroom Risotto - this worked well. Easily compared with the hovering over the stove adding one ladle at a time I've done in the past. Certainly worth people trying. Might not meet the exacting standards of an Italian, though.
Tips
- Remove the silicon ring and wash it in the dishwasher if you are doing any savory dish. The ring really stores the smell and even hand washing doesn't get rid of it. Store the lid upside down to let the ring air.
- Always remember to add fluid to the stainless steel bowl whilst you are doing anything pot in pot and put the "pot" on the trivet provided.
Accesories
- I've bought the glass lid. I got it from Amazon for, roughly, $23 and Prime delivery. So far I've used it for Yogurt so I can watch it set. I am going to try it with slow cooking.
- I bought a pyrex bowl, and lid, that fits in the Instant Pot to do Pot in Pot Yogurt.
Online sites.
https://instantpot.com/wp-content/uploads/IP-DUO/InstantPot-…
https://instantpot.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Duo_Full-M…
https://recipes.instantpot.com/
Things I would be, particularly, interested in finding out.
- what sites do people reommend?
- What tips do people have?
- what recipes are really good.
- What accessories do you recommend? Where did you get them from?
- other people's experience with making cakes, desserts, etc. What accessories did you buy to do this and what recipes did you use. Have you tried using just a standard packet mix.
- I have also thought about making a curry by cooking the meat using the pressure cooker then adding the curry and slow cooking with the glass lid on to try to minimise the smell in the silicon ring. Does anyone think this is a good/bad idea.
- Has anyone tried the cleaning mechanism with vinegar/water and the steam function? Did it help with the smell?
Interested to hear from people
Personally I also have a Breville Fast/Slow Pro and there are things I prefer for each. The advantage of the Fast/Slow Pro is a bit more adjustable and "hands on". The main quibbles I have with the Fast/Slow Pro are the non stainless steel bowl, the lid is unreliable and having the lid always attached, unless cleaning, and sitting up is annoying.
TL:DR.
Got an Insant Pot. It works well as an electric pressure cooker for a lot of things.
The main quibble is the smell in the sealing ring.
what is evryone else's experiences.
PSA - the pot being referred to here isn't the
recreationalmedicinal one.