Have you joined the Instant Pot craze yet? Hopefully, this handy list of Instant Pot Pros and Cons will help you decide if this appliance is right for you. An Instant Pot is an investment and you should do your homework before you add this appliance to your kitchen.
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This past fall I finally caved into peer pressure and bought myself an Instant Pot {aff link} because everyone was gushing about the amazing things this magic pot can do and meals could be cooked in minutes….yes minutes!
With five of us living at home, all with crazy schedules, it is hard to believe that we not only make dinner but we actually eat at the table together almost nightly. The thought of saving time and getting that meal on the table in half the time is what sold me and probably thousands of other people too.
Click here for my Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork recipe
I have to agree that the Instant Pot is pretty amazing but the word “instant” is so misleading as well as most of the recipes you will find on Pinterest. Therefore, I felt compelled to share with you my list of Instant Pot Pros and Cons.
Instant Pot Pros and Cons to Consider
Pro– The Instant Pot can save you time because it’s a pressure cooker which is basically a slow cooker on steroids but it also has a slow cook, steam and sauté setting. Heck you can boil water in the Instant Pot.
It has the same functions and capabilities of a stove top burner or oven without heating up your whole kitchen. You can make a meal with minimal “babysitting” of the pot and use it as a “set it and forget it” appliance. I highly recommend practicing with your Instant Pot several times, learn the settings and observe how long it takes to come to pressure with different types of food.
Con– I hate to burst your bubble but you are not going to make dinner for your family in 10 minutes no matter what those recipes say because it takes at least 10-20 minutes for the Instant Pot to heat up and come to pressure depending on how much you put into the pot.
Then you have to cook the food and release the pressure from the Instant Pot which could take an additional 10-15 minutes. Just understand the recipe you are following more than likely doesn’t have the pre and post cook times included and you will probably have to double the cook time.
Click here for my Roasted Chicken and Bone Broth recipe
Pro– Have you ever forgotten to take something out of the freezer for dinner and end up ordering pizza instead? (I know, silly question.) Well, you can cook frozen meat in the Instant Pot without having to do a quick thaw in the microwave. Crazy?!? Yes, I agree but it is true so there are no more excuses when it comes to everything being frozen because you can cook chicken, beef or pork from a frozen state and still get dinner on the table within a reasonable time. (This really takes practice, I’ve read so many articles of people pulling a chicken out of the Instant Pot that looks cooked on the outside and it’s totally raw on the inside. You’ve been forewarned.)
Con– It is an electronic appliance and depending on which model you have there can be “tech” problems and error messages not to mention venting issues, sealing issues, delayed timer issues and liquids spewing up out of the steam vent forcefully enough to hit the ceiling. Although the instruction manual is a bit daunting, read it and then read it again.
Click here for my Perfectly Peeled Hard Boiled Eggs recipe
Pro– You aren’t limited to just cooking meats, soups and stews in the Instant Pot. I personally LOVE making hard boiled eggs and they perfectly peel every single time. Mac & Cheese, popcorn, yogurt, oatmeal, dulce de leche, cheesecake, meatloaf, spaghetti, potatoes, rice and dried beans are just a few the things I have tried. Again, not made in an “instant” but minimal attention from me and tastes amazing.
Con– Dairy will curdle under pressure so make sure you remember to add milk or cream after the recipe has been cooked under pressure.
Click here for my Salisbury Steak recipe
Pro– One pot meals are possible. You can insert dishes that are oven and microwave safe into the Instant Pot and layer foods to be cooked all at once. You can also use Mason Jars for cooking in the Instant Pot.
Con– If you don’t pay attention to setting the vent properly you will have to extend your cooking time. I can’t tell you how many time I forgot to seal the pot and the steam was escaping rather than building up inside and cooking my food.
Pro– Like I said earlier, you are not limited to soups and stews. There are a ton of Instant Pot accessories that can be purchased to enhance your cooking and make your life so much easier.
Con– The Instant Pot uses steam under pressure to cook food and not everything is meant to be cooked in the Instant Pot. I attempted a crustless quiche which turned out well but it was too wet and moist to my liking and I prefer to cook it in the oven with dry heat. Same goes with the cake and bread recipes floating around out there. People tend to complain that they are dense and heavy…..again, not everything is meant to be cooked in the Instant Pot.
Click here for my Stuffed Green Pepper Soup recipe
Pro– If you are following the Whole30 Challenge or trying to eat healthy the Instant Pot is a great tool to help with your menu planning and meal prep. I have made broth for my soups and stews, steamed veggies, boiled eggs and cooked a whole chicken with ease. Organizing Moms has a great list of Amazing Whole30 Instant Pot Recipes too.
Over all, I love my Instant Pot and use it weekly. I still have things to learn and will continue to add to my list of Instant Pot Pros and Cons. I have a whole Pinterest Board full of recipes to try but I have definitely had more successes than failures with what I have cooked so far.
Now that you have researched the Instant Pot pros and cons, hopefully you too will be purchasing an Instant Pot in the very near future. There is so much you can do with this pot and you will wonder how you ever lived without it in your kitchen.
Next you will want to ——–> purchase an Instant Pot and pick up all of my —–> “must have” Instant Pot accessories.
Click here for my list of Must Have Instant Pot Accessories
I grew up using a pressure cooker and managed to snag the smaller version on clearance at Walmart for $40. I’ve used mine only 3 times successfully each time. Once to cook a grass-fed roast, notoriously expensive and can be overcooked if you’re not careful. I put that in my instant pot and it was moist and yummy. It makes beautiful rice, and I recently tried a tri-tip in it, searing it on the saute function was a nice one-pot idea. 2.5 lb roast for 20 minutes on the Meat function turned out medium-well but still moist. I used the left overs to make broccoli beef 😀
I need to keep experimenting and will definitely have to try hard cooked eggs because mine are always hard to peel, even in the oven….
I am loving my Instant Pot more and more….just takes practice. You have to try the eggs because it’s like magic.
I love this post! People ask me all of the time if the instant pot is worth the investment and I often tell them its a labor of love to learn but once you’ve got it done it’s a wonderful thing! We just started the Whisk It Wednesday link party and I thought you might be interested in sharing there too! Thanks, Carrie
Thanks Carrie. I have people ask me all of the time too so I figured I should just write up a post about why I love my IP. Thanks for the heads up on the link party too.
I have used the old from fashion crock pot since I started helping in the kitchen with my mom ( the round ones). I still have my first one and have have purchased 2 more alike all 3 different sizes. I cook in larger than normal quantities so we have leftovers for lunch. My question is how well do it accommodate items like a 5lb pot roast or pork loin or 4-6 chicken breast that I usually put in an oval 8qt?
I love that you gave some honest pros and cons. I debated for months before I bought my Instant Pot and something like this post would have helped me a lot! You will be featured tomorrow morning on the new Whisk It Wednesday Link Party. Thank you for sharing with us!
Thanks for the feature. 🙂
Love your honest pros and cons and recipes, but WHY does this page have MORE pop-up ads than ANY other page I’ve ever seen?
That’s a good question. Thanks for letting me know as that is not how I have it set up. Pop ads annoy me too.
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