I was asked if I wanted The Instant Pot for Christmas. My initial reaction was, What the heck is an Instant Pot? It sounded like something As-Seen-On-TV that would take up valuable real estate in my pantry. I passed and said I just wanted a good ole crock pot. I love coming home to a house that smells like dinner, anyway. Christmas hit full force, and so many people around me had mixed feelings when they got an Instant Pot. I decided to investigate.
For those of you who don’t know what The Instant Pot is, I thought we’d start with the basics.
What is The Instant Pot?
The Instant Pot is a multi-cooker that does all of the following jobs:
Slow cooker
Electric Pressure Cooker
Rice Cooker
Steamer
Saute/Browning Pan
Warming Pot
Yogurt Maker*
*This feature is available on the 7-in-1 Instant Pot, but there is a 6-in-1 version instead that’s cheaper without the yogurt making capabilities).
It’s The Magnificent Seven of cookware. For those of you who don’t use anything but a slow cooker, it may be hard to see the benefit of it, but here’s what I’ve learned…
5 Reasons People Love It
People are on the verge of marrying these things, which begs the question: What’s so great about them other than the fact that it has 7 functions in 1? There are a ton of reasons why people love it, but here are (in my opinion) the top 5 compelling ones:
Crazy Fast Cook Times: This is by far #1 on the list of people who rave about The Instant Pot. You can cook a small, whole chicken in 23 minutes. You can cook salmon in 3 minutes. You can cook soup in 6 minutes. Make a New York cheesecake in 26 minutes. This means you can spend more time with people who mean something to you, and less time cooking food!
Safety Standards: According to most articles I’ve read, the Instant Pot comes with high-quality safety features and, if used properly, you won’t have anything to worry about. I found a great comparison to an old stove-top pressure cooker from Wellness Mama if you’d like to learn more about the safety measures she discovered. Her best point is to remember that it is still a pressure cooker with pressurized steam. You want to make sure you know how to use it properly before toying around with it.
Easy to Clean: It comes with a stainless steel inner pot that is easy to clean and dishwasher safe.
Electric-Bill-Friendly: The Instant Pot has a built-in heat electric heat source, so it doesn’t require a separate stove and is energy efficient.
Programmable Features: You can still set your timer and slow cook just like you always have, but you can also program it up to 24-hours in advance. There are some really cool features you can use to make life easier.
4 Reasons People Are Skeptical
Price Point: Depending on what amount you’re used to paying for a kitchen appliance, the Instant Pot isn’t necessarily going to be your cheapest investment. But when you consider that you may in fact find yourself using it 5 out of the 7 days of the week and save you time making dinner so you can hang with your family more, it’s worth the investment long-term.
Bulkiness: A lot of people have mentioned that they don’t have the space for it because it’s such a hefty addition to their pantry or cupboards. But, if you’re going to end up giving away your slow cooker, you’ll make the space.
The Learning Curve: No one likes learning new things when it slows you down on productivity. From what I’ve researched, you should read the manual to get familiar with The Instant Pot. But, once people have gotten used to it, it becomes like second nature.
Skeptics Unite: If you’re like me, you doubt anything “trendy” that rounds the corner. I wanted to wait and see what the big deal was. While I’m still happy with my crock pot, I may come around to the Instant Pot in 2018 based on all of my friends who RAVE about it.
A Review from a Friend
One of my good friends at The River got an Instant Pot for Christmas, and here’s what she had to say that really made me curious about getting one myself:
“I initially got one because my friend (who had just had her second baby) kept posting about how it helped them so much while they were busy with their newborn. I was skeptical but got one anyway because I dread meal prep. There are so many amazing things about it, but for me it’s all about time. The thing that always threw me off track in eating healthy was either forgetting to defrost chicken or not being prepared for dinner. Now I can cook frozen chicken in The Instant Pot. It is a pricier appliance, but we’ve saved so much money from not going out to eat as much that it’s worth it. It can look scary at first (mine sat in a box for a month and a half), but there are a lot of great Facebook groups you can join to learn more. Don’t be overwhelmed. It’s worth it!” – Olivia
What Do You Think?
I’d love to hear what you’ve learned about The Instant Pot and if you do or don’t think it’s a good investment! Just comment at the bottom of this post. Also, if you have any great recipes to share, please do so!
Want One?
Are you sold already? Here’s one on Amazon you can check out to get started.
