To want to spend 120 quid on an instant pot?

[etzy]

Everyone seems to be raving about it so I am terribly tempted! Mind u, I already have a traditional pressure cooker.

I am fascinated by trying different recipes and buying different cuts of meat and cooking them in the oven for hours and hours! The longer it cooks, the better it taste imo.

So should I bite the bullet? Dump my 1-yr old pressure cooker and buy the instant pot? Or shall I opt for a cheaper slow cooker instead.

I love mine-asked for Amazon vouchers last Christmas and bought it on Boxing Day! . A second liner is useful, especially if you make yoghurt-you can stick it in the fridge to chill and still be able to use the Pot.

I always end up with an overheat fail for mince based recipes. I've tried all sorts things but still end up with it. That's the main reason it's relegated to cooking frozen chicken.

That's weird FrayedHem. I've read it's important not to use sauces with either sugar or thickeners in (ie. flour, starch) as that will cause sticking to the bottom. If I do mince with lots of veg, tomato puree and a tin of chopped tomatoes, I have no problems when I put it on manual High Pressure for around 12 mins.

I haven't used jars, added plenty of liquid, tried various other tricks like saute funxtion first with just oil, using tbe trivet etcetc but somehow mince ends up stuck and 0uHt. I think it just hates me!

I have been thinking about buying an IP. What are they like for vegetarian cooking ? I did have a slow cooker but wasn’t keen on the results. I have deleted my Facebook account and don’t want to use it again, so recommendations to use FB won’t be followed.
I do have a love of gadgets.

I have one and I find the pressure cooker really useful, but I didn't think the slow cooker was a good as my cheapy Tesco one.

I agree with the previous poster who said it does great risotto, but other than that I'm a bit underwhelmed. If it breaks, I wouldn't bother buying another one

But you have to add a certain amount of liquid or it overheats. Plus more liquid comes from the veg as it cooks. So whereas with conventional cooking the liquid evaporates and the sauce thickens, with the IP the amount of liquid actually increases during cooking. If I then have to spend time thickening and reducing I might as well just bung it in the oven in the first place.

I think I’m gonna go for the crock pot instead. It seems a better slow cooker from everything I’m researching.

Nooooooooooo!! Pick up a cheapo slow cooker if you must but don’t forego the IP!

As per Pretty Woman: "Big mistake. Huuuge mistake".

IP is an very good slow cooker. I thought I would use the slow cooker more than the pressure cooker - I was totally wrong. Many things that I used to slow cook I now pressure cook because the meat comes out more tender in a fraction of the time.

For my Bolognese I use (aside from onions, garlic and herbs obviously) - tinned tomatoes, tomato purée and a bit of Waitrose fresh tomato sauce. I used a bit more liquid than necessary for the pressure cook, then reduce it on sauté afterwards.This literally takes a few minutes. It turns out very well - never stuck or overheated. It's much quicker than doing it in the hob or oven.

I have just cooked chicken risotto in mine tonight. I love it.
The lid is dishwasher safe.

@ftw man ur making me feel bad! I already have a pressure cooker tho! Feeling bad about throwing it away.

I’ve been trying to justify buying the IP (which looks amazing!!!!) but

1- I feel bad throwing my 1 yr old pressure cooker away.
2 - I can’t seem to get any decent reviews of the slow cooker on the IP.

Weird I’ve even investigated on FB groups. But no decent reviews. Seems everyone uses it to the pressure cooker feature.

man ur making me feel bad!

Then my work here is done ;)

In all seriousness, I wouldn’t spend serious money on a SC, a cheap one does the job just as well IMO. I haven’t tried using the SC on the IP because like someone else said, you can cook the same things but quicker (and IMO they turn out nicer - less sludgy...)

For me the big wins over a stove top one are that it keeps things warm so you don’t need to juggle things and being able to leave it (relatively) unattended.

What that means for me is that I put dinner all on at once (oven and IP or whatever) then go back to it and it’s ready. So in the intervening time I’m free. Unlike conventional cooking where you put something on, wait ten minutes, put the next thing on etc and try to have it already together.

Did someone tell you about boiled eggs yet? 😂

You do not need a slow cooker with the IP. I have never used the slow cooker function. Get the IP. If you are willing to learn a new way of cooking (it needs a bit of practice with the timings etc) you won't regret it - everything comes out perfectly!

Well I can give a decent review of the slow cooker - as per my posts above I produced a knock out Boeuf Bourguignon, a great lamb tagine, cassoulet, chicken mulligatawny soup etc

Ftw boiled eggs? No one's told me about the boiled eggs! How do I boil eggs in my IP?

Hardboiled eggs-5 minutes on High Pressure, leave in pot for 5 minutes, Quick Release, and into a bath of cold/iced water for another 5. A lot of people say the shells just fall off-I don't find this, but they're definitely easier to peel. I like my yolks slightly 'sticky' so I do 3-5-5.

But it takes about 10-15 minutes for the instant pot to come up to pressure - so surely that takes much longer than just boiling eggs in a pot? What am I missing?

If you already have a pressure cooker OP, the instant pot's pressure isn't as high so it'll take longer than your current one though it does have the keep warm function which is handy if yours isn't electronic.

I love my IP. I've had mine for almost two years and use it almost every day.

Flavia - When I do eggs I put the water and trivet in and set to saute for a bit so the water simmers, add the eggs then set to high pressure. It comes up to pressure much faster. I've also found you can use cold eggs and they don't crack/split at all.

I do eggs for 3 then three slow release (or 93 if I forget..) then put cold water into the pan. Shells come off easily.

Probably not quicker, but better. We always have a tray of boiled eggs in the fridge (in theory to keep us out the treat cupboard...)

Oh yeah, eggs on trivet, cup of water in bottom of pot.

@FlaviaAlbia that’s my thought too. Might just stick with my current pressure cooker.

I would like a slow cooker tho at some point tho.