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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask why I should ditch my slow cooker and get an Instant Pot?

44 replies

SomethingNastyInTheBallPool · 08/12/2017 08:45

Please tell me why this electric marvel will revolutionise my cooking life. At the moment, I use the slow cooker for spag Bol, stews, etc, but it would be great to be able
to do things a bit faster but left unattended, as I have a riotous toddler.

OP posts:
TrinitySquirrel · 08/12/2017 08:47

It is great, I love mine. But I find pressure cooking doesnt always yeild to same subtle flavours as a long slow cook.

But the instant pot is a slow cooker too so you have the best of both 😁

GerardNoWay · 08/12/2017 08:56

I have a Pressure King Pro and it was a game changer for me. So easy and quick to do things like spag Bol, chilli, etc, with not a lot of active cooking and very quick for DD.

It doubles as a slow cooker so don't have to compromise but it's a lifesaver for quick dinners.

Original poster
SomethingNastyInTheBallPool · 08/12/2017 09:07

Thank you! How long would it take to knock up a spag Bol? And will it taste as good as one that’s been slow-cooking all day?

OP posts:
tattyheadsmum · 08/12/2017 09:07

Advert.....

Original poster
SomethingNastyInTheBallPool · 08/12/2017 09:10

Eh?

OP posts:
flimp · 08/12/2017 09:15

You NEEEEED an IP!

The convenience of a slow cooker but fast! Bolognese can be in the table in about 30 mins; 15 mins sautéing etc and 15 minutes at pressure. Same results as if it's been simmered for 1.5 hours.

Soups like cauliflower or celeriac only take 5 minutes at pressure then whizz it up.

But the best thing about it is you can leave it to do it's stuff and walk away. No need to stand and stir etc. Once it finishes cooking it switches to 'keep warm' and stays like that for hours.

I bloody love my IP.

Original poster
SomethingNastyInTheBallPool · 08/12/2017 09:18

That does sound good. I like my slow cooker but hate that it doesn’t have a timer or automatically switch to keep warm when the cooking’s finished (I didn’t choose it...)
We don’t have much counter space - how much room does it take up compared with a slow cooker?

OP posts:
HandbagFan · 08/12/2017 09:22

None in stock in europe until February though sadly...

Original poster
SomethingNastyInTheBallPool · 08/12/2017 09:23

Waaah! Delayed gratification!

OP posts:
Weedsnseeds1 · 08/12/2017 09:31

It does so many other things. As well as slow cook it's a pressure cooker but also a yoghurt maker ( I use this function a lot, much to my surprise), rice cooker, you can prove bread dough. I use it a lot for big batches of pulses as no soak required, then just freeze the cooked ones in batches to use as required.
As it has the saute function you can brown in the same pot, or thicken things up if required by taking lid off and simmering g.
The timer and keep warm with very well.

flimp · 08/12/2017 09:57

about the same counter space as a sc but taller

Original poster
SomethingNastyInTheBallPool · 08/12/2017 20:50

Thanks! Maybe by the time I’ve done the massive kitchen blitz required to house one they’ll be back in stock.

OP posts:
Weedsnseeds1 · 08/12/2017 21:57

I have form for buying kitchen gadgets and never using them, but this one has been used at least 2-3 times a week for various purposes.

TheFifthKey · 08/12/2017 22:00

I use mine all the time. For me the fact that I can stick eg potatoes on to boil for mash, but when they’re done,it just keeps them warm without boiling over or over cooking them, makes my life so much easier. I didn’t realise what a difference it would make.
The other day I put a bag of frozen casserole veg and frozen diced beef in straight from the freezer, added stock and had stew in about an hour. With zero effort. And as good as being slow cooked, too.

MadisonAvenue · 08/12/2017 22:06

I've had mine for three weeks now and already couldn't imagine not having one.
We have a lot of rice meals and pasta dishes. I love that I can sauté the meat, then add the rest of the ingredients and leave everything to cook all in one pot. I love that once it's reached pressure I can cook a whole chicken which falls off the bone and is so tender in 25 minutes.

Today my son came home from uni for the weekend. He'd been waiting on various forms of public transport in the snow so needed something warming. I prepared some veg, threw it in the pot with some frozen chicken, pepper, noodles, herbs and stock, set it for 5 minutes pressure and we had the most gorgeous chicken, veg and noodle soup.

MadisonAvenue · 08/12/2017 22:07

Oh, and there is a really excellent Facebook group where a lot of recipes are shared.

Hercules12 · 08/12/2017 22:09

Do it. We got rid of our slow cooker after buying an IP.

tobitcoinornottobitcoin · 08/12/2017 22:10

The posts st the top read very much like adverts....Shock

SallyVating · 08/12/2017 22:46

I think there are a couple of very long threads on here raving about them.. maybe do a search to see if you can find them.. I don't remember which topic they were in or anything.

I've been thinking about whether to get one or not too.. I joined the FB group to see what users say and it does look a bit impressive.

SistersOfPercy · 08/12/2017 22:50

I have the pkp. It's amazing and I don't know what I did without it. Chicken casserole in half an hour using frozen chicken. Bloody brilliant.

pisacake · 08/12/2017 22:55

i do the tomato sauce in the pressure cooker but brown the meat on the stove.

because both pressure cookers and slow cookers are shit at browning things.

MadeleineMaxwell · 08/12/2017 23:14

I hate, hate, hate my IP. The two things I tried cooking in it were an absolute disaster and not a patch on my slow cooker. All that faffing with building and releasing pressure and whatnot...chucking stuff in a pot and leaving it for a few hours is MUCH easier IMO.

But I see I'm in the minority so maybe it's just me!

SistersOfPercy · 08/12/2017 23:37

Pisa the pkp has a really good browning setting. I've done fried rice in it before.

pisacake · 08/12/2017 23:47

I don't have one but it's only 900W from a quick Google. Cheap Argos shit gas hob should be around 3000W.

Viviennemary · 08/12/2017 23:52

I had a pressure cooker years ago. Hated the horrible hissing thing.