First released in 2012, the Instant Pot was the most advanced pressure cooker available at the time.
It was followed by a Bluetooth-enabled version that allowed users to program and control the appliance via their smartphones, and now there are more than 10 different types to choose from.
What Can You Do with an Instant Pot?
The Instant Pot uses presets to perfectly cook whatever you choose, from soups, stews, and roast, to grains and cake in much less time than traditional cooking methods.
The built-in settings allow you to perform all steps of the cooking process including browning in one place, and it will keep your food warm until you’re ready to eat.
You can also choose to manually pressure cook with adjustable heat settings, so there’s a lot of versatility to cook different types of foods.
The best-selling Instant Pot Duo acts as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, steamer, rice cooker, warmer, yogurt maker, and sauté/searing pan.
Some versions of the Instant Pot like the Ultra have a Sterilize function that lets you pasteurize dairy or sterilize baby bottles and utensils, or perform some types of canning.
Features
The Instant Pot has 14 different preset cooking programs, including Soup, Meat/Stew, Bean/Chili, Poultry, Sauté/Simmer, Rice, Multigrain, Porridge, Steam, Slow Cook, Keep Warm, Yogurt, Manual, and Pressure Cook.
These cooking programs are designed to provide consistent results, and the microprocessor monitors the pressure and heat, adjusting the heat and time according to your chosen setting.
The Instant Pot has one-touch controls that are easy to use, and there’s a bright LED display that shows the time and settings.
The inner pot, lid, and steaming rack are made from stainless steel with no chemical coatings, and they’re all dishwasher-safe.
Additionally, the appliance is UL-certified with 10 built-in safety features, such as a steam release valve, safety lid lock, anti-block shield, automatic temperature control, and more.
Accessories
Instant Pot threw in several accessories to make your cooking experience easier, like a measuring cup, a rice paddle, a ladle, and a condensation collector. You can also purchase additional accessories like a glass lid, ceramic inner pot, or silicone mitts, steam baskets, and cake pans.
You’ll also get a recipe booklet with some recipes to try, and the Instant Pot app has over 1,000 recipes to choose from. You can use the app to create a grocery list for ingredients, too.
Furthermore, if you have a Smart WiFi Instant Pot, you can access and control the appliance directly via this app.
The Instant Pot can certainly save you time in the kitchen and stand in as a healthier alternative to fast food. It might not be for everyone, but it’s a great multitasking appliance to have in most kitchens.
Writer and Product Researcher
Spending the last 10 years researching and writing about various home, garden and electronics topics, Shelley is more than qualified to write for Meccano Home. Her work has been featured on eBay, Pottery Barn, SFGate, TheKnot, Williams-Sonoma and various other blogs and websites.
