Air fryer, powerful blenders, food processor, spice grinder, Le Creuset casserole dishes…all of these well-loved, regularly-used things adorn my kitchen worktop and fill my cupboards. So, why do I need an Instant Pot as well taking up valuable space?
Well, it turns out that I don’t actually need it in my kitchen, but when it comes to this clever multi-cooker, I really, really want it. Its speed, versatility and functionality has not only added a bit of verve back into my cooking, it has also made life in my little cooking world so much easier, and sometimes tastier too.
So, read my Instant Pot review and get an insight into how and why that has happened; it may just help you to decide whether or not you need (or want) one too!
Pros
- multi-functional cooking
- great results
- easy to use
- time-saving
- economical
- good range
Cons
- initially intimidating
- basic online manual
Thank you to Instant Pot who sent me their product to trial. However, they have not sponsored this review and the views expressed are mine alone and are personal and honest based on my experience of using it.
My experience
For this review, I used the Instant Pot Classic 5.7l multi-cooker in Black Pepper which arrived quickly, well-packaged, and undamaged (despite the courier’s valiant efforts)!
But after unboxing it, I sat and stared at it nervously for several days wondering what I could possibly cook in it, particularly as a vegan. Then, unsurprisingly, after Googling ‘vegan’ and ‘Instant Pot’ I discovered there are vegans all over the world using them, and I’ve also found some great (and some really not so great) recipes out there.
So, I started putting it to the test and over the last 4 weeks have used nearly all the multi-cooking functions on it. I’ve made breakfasts, main meals and yoghurt, and because I chose the 5.7 litre version, there’s been a lot of batch cooking going on too. In fact, I might need a bigger freezer! I’ve also started adapting my own recipes to work in it and have discovered what an incredibly useful bit of kit it is.
In this Instant Pot review, I describe my experience of using the different functions, highlight its benefits and drawbacks, and give you a few hints and tips that I’ve found useful.
What I use my Instant Pot for
You might be asking what an Instant Pot actually does? And is it any good for vegans? Well, until I got one I didn’t know the answer to either of those questions, but now I do! So, let me tell you how I use mine and hopefully my experience will help you decide whether or not you’d find one useful.
Despite my initial misgivings, I’ve found it to be extremely versatile and I use the separate steaming, sautéing, slow-cooking, and pressure cooking functions regularly for evening meals, batch-cooking (chilli, bean and lentil stews, soups, ragus for pasta, my courgette dip) and even breakfasts. I’m already at the point where I would feel a bit lost without it because the cooking results are great.
And I can honestly say that as a vegan, I didn’t think I would ever need the pressure cooker function. But as I now know, it’s not just for people to cook dead animal parts more quickly; many of the plant-based recipes I make in my Instant Pot use the pressure cook function in short bursts to speed up the overall cooking process. So yes, it’s just as good for vegan cooking as for any other cuisine.
It’s easy to use
The controls are straightforward and very intuitive, with informative display messages. For a complete novice though, the ‘get started’ guide in the box wasn’t enough, but I managed to quickly get to grips with it using a combination of the clear but functional online user manual, Instant Pot’s recipe app, and a great independent cookbook I found (link in Useful Tips below).
I particularly love the one-pot option because I can sauté ingredients in the inner bowl first, adding the remaining ingredients afterwards to either slow or pressure cook. It saves on pans and that convenience gives it a tremendous advantage over traditional slow cookers I think.
And the timer, slow cook, and keep warm functions mean I can prep ingredients the night before, chuck them in the inner pot in the morning and have a hot meal ready and waiting for when I’ve finished work. I’m not trying to be dramatic, but it’s a bit of a life-changer.
I even managed a successful cashew-based yoghurt batch – something I didn’t manage to do when I used to have an actual yoghurt-maker!
Cleaning is easy too. I put the inner pot and the lid in the dishwasher, but I do remove the seal from the lid to give it a separate clean. Being made of silicone, it tends to retain food smells – again, see my Useful Tips section below.
Cost and range
Well, they have quite a range of multi-cookers like mine, and they also make air fryers, rice cookers, slow cookers and coffee-makers. And prices range from £75 up to £250. I focus on 3 of the multi-cookers below which come in different sizes and colours, and have up to 10 different cooking functions. As a minimum, the multi-cookers can all:
- sauté
- slow cook
- pressure cook
- steam
- make yoghurt
- keep food warm
Compare Instant Pot Multi-Cookers
Instant Pot Classic Mini 3.8L
- smaller size
- same functionality
- great for students
- 3 colours
Instant Pot Classic 5.7L
- 5.7L capacity
- great for families
- batch cooking
- 3 colours
Instant Pot Plus
- 5.7L capacity
- app controlled
- 9 functions
- includes sterilising
The Instant Pot has some downsides
There are some drawbacks rather than disadvantages, including:
- the silicone sealing rings retain food and cooking smells
- Initially, I was having to find information from different places to use all the functions effectively
- it needs time for steam to release which can add onto overall timings, although often requires no intervention
Useful Tips
- buy extra sealing rings – I bought a red one for spicy food, blue for yoghurt
- store with the lid off as above (ensures no mould if sealed slightly damp)
- I bought their glass lid to use when slow-cooking
- be very wary of random online recipes – some I tried were not great
- use the Instant Pot app for recipes – it’s good
- buy a cook book – I bought Vegan Richa’s Instant Pot book from Amazon which is excellent
- YouTube is a useful source of additional information about Instant Pots
My verdict on this Instant Pot Review
Is it worth buying an Instant Pot? In my opinion, yes. I went from wondering what on earth I was going to use it for to wondering what I’d do without it in just a couple of weeks, particularly after I bought the independently written Vegan Richa cookbook (available on Amazon).
Which Instant Pot is right for you though really depends on your circumstances. I love my 5.7 litre version because I can cook for the family, and batch cook too. Others might prefer the Mini 3.8l pot, or one that they can control by app – there seems to be one to suit everybody!
The multiple cooking functions save me so much time, and really help with meal planning and batch cooking. And I also believe it has been a more energy-efficient way for me to cook too and seems to use less electricity than my main electric oven.
So overall, the Instant Pot has been a real winner for me, and quite a revelation. If you decide to buy one, I hope you’ll feel the same way. I’m confident you will.
Leave a Reply