Do I need an instant pot?

[NurseP]

Pretty much as the title suggests! Do I need an instant pot? I work nights so would like something to help me step away from oven ready food.
Could I do a curry or risotto quickly? Or cook a chicken thigh in much less time than the oven?
I mostly just cook for myself on work nights.
Is it worth the kitchen space? Is it just another thing to sit on the side?

Thanks for your thoughts on this.

Yes! Ditch the slow cooker and get an electronic pressure cooker.

Your beef stew will be nicer and cooked more quickly

Also, you can make things like rice pudding in less than 30 minutes instead of 4+ hours etc

We use it mostly for batch cooking (2 plus baby). I don’t find it especially time saving when cooking for one as you need to get the pressure cooker to pressurise which can take 20 minutes or so on top of the cooking time so no overall time saving unless you’re doing casseroles every night.

It’s a big appliance so you also need somewhere to store it.

Forgot to say we do use it a lot but to prepare ahead, ie. cooking 2 or 3 different meals on a weekend and freezing.

Thanks all.

Is a pressure cooker a better option?

I use mine a lot. It isn’t always faster (it is for casseroles but necessarily for everything) but it doesn’t need to be attended - you can switch it on and walk away which I find a real time saver

It is a pressure cooker.

Personally, I wouldn't use it for just one person, but it very much depends on how you cook. I use mine to batch cook pulses and ragu sauces for freezing, cooking potatoes for mash and for large quantities of a chilli, curry or whatever. I've used pressure cookers for years, but they're only a timesaver for something that's going to take a long time to cook on the hob. Even though they only take a few mins to cook a whole pan full of potatoes for mash, as pp said, that's in addition to building and releasing pressure.

it is an electronic pressure cooker. just a known brand.

I'd recommend an electric over a hob one - just because you can set it and leave it, and not have to "attend" to the pot, also they have multifunction often, so can be a slow cooker, rice cooker etc

YY to making stuff that takes hours in the oven much quicker (and nicer)

So if you're often making things like... pulled pork, dried pulses, casseroles, rice puddings etc then it's great.

You can get smaller ones. but it would depend if you would rather make a 1-2 serving casserole, or a 6-8+ and freeze portions.

Don't make soup in it, it gives it a horrible taste.

I love mine.
There's a small size one, too.

I do things like chilli with dried beans, no need to presoak. I fry off the meat and onions while I gather everything else. Chuck it in, pressure cook for 30 mins.

It reheats for example curry and rice in one go. Not necessarily faster than a microwave, but perhaps easier. No need to stir.

I don't think it's faster, but it's automatic so cooks and leaves on keep warm til it's wanted. Good to programme in the morning and come back to after work.

I’d say no. I find it easier when cooking for myself to do something like a salmon fillet, steam some veg, or use a frozen veg steam bag and packet rice or couscous. That’s easy done in 15 minutes.

a pasta sauce done in the time it takes to cook the pasta.

or chuck a one tray thing I. The oven, veg and chicken thighs then go and do something else while it cooks.

I love mine, it replaced a tefal air fryer. I miss the paddle that stirred everything but other than that it is great.
I like the fact that you can do a whole meal in one pan as you can sauté and then slow cook. I've started to use the pressure cooking setting more and more- it makes excellent rice for example.