- Instapots – Types of Instant Pots and Why You Need One
- How to Get Started with Your Instapot Pressure Cooker
- Instapot: 7 Very Easy Recipes to Get Started
- Instant Pot: 15 All-Time Best Family Recipes
- 7 Favorite Healthy Instant Pot Recipes
- 9 Handy Products You Will Want for Your Instant Pot
Have you seen the Instapot (or Instant Pot, the official name of the largest brand) raved about on your social media? You may have wondered about this new kitchen gadget. Instapots – Types of Instapots and find out if you need one in your kitchen.
Instant Pot – Best to Buy in 2024
We are seeing the lowest prices on Instant Pots than we’ve seen in years, with the Instant Pot 6 Quart selling for $59 on Amazon and Walmart. Kohls, Target, and Macy’s are also offering competitive prices.
Compare Instapots/Instant Pots
If you are an Amazon shopper, I highly recommend you check out these Instapots/Instant Pots:
There are 3 sizes of Instapot/Instant Pots – 3 quart (mini), 6 quart (standard) and 8 quart (large).
- Instant Pot 8 quart (note, this is the larger size)
- Instant Pot 3 quart (this is the “mini”)
- Instant Pot 6 quart (standard size) – This is the pot I have and recommend.
Do I Need an Instant Pot Name Brand or Can I Buy a Knock-Off?
“Instant Pot” is a name brand of the original Instant Pot. Lots of us call it Instapot for short, although the actual brand is Instant Pot (2 words). There are also a number of knock-off brands such as MasterChef and Cosori.
Generally speaking I think these machines work about the same as the Instapot, and any Instapot recipes you find should work about the same, but I personally think the Instant Pot brand stands above the rest.
While I’m all about bargains, in this case I recommend going with the Instant Pot name brand.
Instant Pot/Instapot Cooking for Beginners
After unpacking 20+ kitchen boxes from our last move, I can tell you I thought I needed another kitchen gadget about as much as I need a bikini for our Buffalo, NY winters.
I’d even seen people joining Facebook groups just for this thing. In all honesty, that made me NOT want to get one. I was not interested in joining a new cult, and heaven knows I have enough social media to keep track of.
Yet after hearing all the raving, I admit I was intrigued. When I friend offered to buy me one as a gift, I found myself curiously ready to accept.
I have now used the Instapot for a couple years, and I’m here to tell you the Instapot is pretty darned amazing.
Instapot: What Does an Instant Pot Do?
An Instapot is a pressure-cooker. Pressure cooking is much faster, seals in moisture and flavor, and foods can be cooked directly from frozen.
Unlike pressure cookers of old which were dangerous, this new pressure cooker has 10 proven safety mechanisms. I’ve never worried about burning myself while using my new Instapot.
Additional features (depending on the type you choose):
- rice cooker
- yogurt maker
- steamer (veggies and more)
- saute pan
- hard-boiled egg maker
- slow cooker/crock pot
There are 3 sizes of Instant Pots. (And I do highly recommend that you stick to the name brand on this device. It’s worth it!)
- Three (3) quart is considered the “mini” for dorms, RVs, and other smaller needs.
- Six (6) quart is the standard size that easily feeds 4-6 people and can cook a meatloaf, cheesecake, or a small chicken or roast.
- Eight (8) quart is for if you are cooking for a larger family. It takes a bit longer to come to pressure but the extra size is handy.
There is a LOT you can do with one Instapot kitchen appliance, so much so that it’s a little overwhelming at first.
What’s great about it is that you can get rid of some of your extra kitchen gadgets and use the Instapot for most things. Instead of a crock pot, egg cooker, rice maker, pressure cooker, yogurt maker — you can use the Instapot for all of those.
Instapot: Do You Really Need One?
Here’s my Instant Pot review of what this appliance does and how to decide if you need one in your home.
You need an Instapot if:
- You want meals to the table FAST.
- You are short on kitchen storage space and want to condense down to 1 piece of equipment. (Although realize this is somewhat bigger and heavier than a crockpot.)
- You enjoy experimenting with new recipes.
- Healthy cooking is important to you. The Instapot makes wonderful healthy recipes, like bone broth.
- You are willing to invest a little bit of time in learning a new gadget. The Instapot is not difficult but there is a learning curve. You can’t just open the box, start throwing food in, and expect the perfect final product. When you begin, follow recipes and cooking times exactly.
- You have some money to invest in a high-quality product. The Instapot is not inexpensive, but you will find it well worth it. Watch for sales on Amazon.com. I have also seen them for sale at Walmart in their Home section.
Speed is what sold me on the Instapot.
I love crock pot cooking. Good grief I have 3 crock pots. I do once-a-month freezer cooking and I have a family of 7 people, so sometimes I have all of mine going at one time.
The Instapot really is a step above a crock pot. You can cook frozen meat in it and have a meal ready and on the table in 30 minutes if not sooner.
Our dinner the other night is what sold me.
I made Slow Cooker Crack Chicken with some semi-frozen chicken breasts in my crock pot. The Instapot was new and I was still nervous about using it.
Dinner needed to be right at 5:00 PM because we were headed out the door to Tae Kwon Do. I open the crock pot at 4:30 PM to find chicken breasts still rock solid in the middle. (I hadn’t put them in until late.)
Typically at this point I throw things on a plate, microwave it and we eat semi-rubbery chicken.
But now I have an Instapot.
I dumped the whole thing in the Instapot and low and behold, within 15 minutes the cooking process was done and the chicken was so tender. I had a delicious home cooked meal on the table in a fraction of the time and with so much more flavor.
This Instapot is sold.
Are Instapots Safe?
YES, Instapots are safe.
You may have heard horror stories from the past of people getting burned using pressure cookers, so it’s understandable that you have concerns.
The Instant Pot has 10 built-in safety features so while it’s creating a large amount of pressure, it will not explode.
To use your Instant Pot safely and avoid exploding, be sure to follow these basic safety guidelines.
- Do not overfill your Instant Pot
- Be sure to use at least 1 cup of water or equivalent liquid.
- Never try to open the lid lock before the Instant Pot indicates doing so.
- Open the lid carefully when cooking is complete.
- When doing a “quick release”, especially with starchy foods like pasta or rice, be sure to open just a bit at a time to prevent spewing.
How Much are Instapots?
While prices vary depending on size and features, the average Instapot is around $99 (as of 10/2019). The Instant pot 6 quart 10 in 1 is currently $104 on Amazon, the Instant Pot 3 quart 7 in 1 is $59 and the Instant Pot 8 quart 9 in 1 is $159 on Amazon.
Where can I find Instapot/Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners?
Okay, you’ve decided to get an Instant Pot! You might be wondering where to find recipes that work.
Here are a couple places where I list recipes that are easy for beginners and work very well:
Instant Pot Pepperoncini Pot Roast Recipe – This is a classic “Mississippi Mud” pot roast I’ve made a bunch of times. It’s tender and delicious every single time.
Fast and Easy Instant Pot Ribs Recipe – We’ve made this rib recipe in the Instant Pot many times and our whole family loves it. It’s a great treat for a get-together, too.
Instant Pot: 15 All-Time Best Family Recipes – A great list of tried-and-true basic family recipes for the Instant Pot
Instapot: 7 Very Easy Recipes to Get Started – Want to get started with just the basics? These 7 Instapot recipes for beginners are the perfect way to get used to your new machine.
Which Instant Pot to Buy?
Are you trying to decide which Instant Pot to purchase? Check out these helpful links to help you narrow down your purchase and find the machine that’s right for you:
Ninja Foodi vs. Instant Pot: The Ultimate Review and Shopping Guide
Instant Pot vs Crock Pot: Which Should You Buy?
Instant Pot vs Air Fryer: Which Should You Buy?
How to Get Started with Your Instapot Pressure Cooker
How to Lose Weight with Your Instant Pot
How to Freezer Cook for the Instant Pot
Do you have an Instant Pot? Tell us about what you like to make in it in the comments section below.
Tammy says
Hi …..can this e used to reheat something such as soup with out the lid and pressure?
Tammy says
Sorry for typo..can it be used?
Sara says
Yes, you could reheat something in the Instant Pot. There is a “saute” feature that heats the inner pot with the lid off. There is also a slow cooker feature.
Kerry says
Thanks so much for this informative post. I love my crock pot and recently my beloved rice cooker broke. I may just have to switch over to an IP!
Anne says
Can you please comment if you receive any payment from instapot?
Sara @ The Holy Mess says
Hi Ann sure I’m always happy to fully disclose. I do not receive any payment from Instant Pot for these posts, although I do sometimes have posts which are sponsored by a company. These are totally my opinion. The links are Amazon links (there is a disclosure) so if you click a link and purchase I receive a commission at no extra expense to you. Thanks for your support if you make that choice. If not, no worries.
Joi says
Really love the fact that it is a huge time saver. I have owned DUO 60 for a year and now going to upgrade to the DUO 60 Plus.
Sara says
Thanks for your comment, Joi. I love my Instant Pot and have been so thankful I have it!
Brittany says
I had been hearing about these, but I wasn’t sure what it was. I’ve been wanting to do more slow cooker meals. Maybe I need to do Instapot meals instead! From frozen to done in 15-30 minutes? Seriously??
Sara says
Brittany, seriously, this thing is amazing. It’s an investment but I’ve used it SO much since I got it. There is a bit of a learning curve but the FB groups are a wonderful help when you are just starting out. I am amazed at how much faster it cooks, and it seals in moisture and flavor. I did learn that if you set the timer to “30 minutes” that 30 minutes plus time to get to pressure, so it might be 45 minutes total. So you have to play around with cooking times a bit. If something isn’t quite done, you can cook it for 1-2 more minutes (that’s all it takes). But overall a wonderful tool for every kitchen!
Ana Tolentino says
My sister turned me onto the Instant Pot when there was a super deal on Amazon on Cyber Monday. She went on and on about how her son could make mac and cheese in a flash after school, how it eliminated extra dishes since you can saute in it and cook pasta and how fast it was. I ordered one and when it arrived two days later, my husband queried, “Did I order that? It was in my cart but I don’t think I pushed the order button.” I admitted ordering it myself and laughed that we both had had the same idea. To Dave, I said, “Merry Christmas!” and we opened it that day in early December and since, have cooked many delicious fast healthy meals. Most recently, I made this healthy recipe: https://thebalancedlifeonline.com/slow-cooker-chicken-tacos/ which was a hit all around.
Sara says
Ana, I checked out your blog and it’s lovely. Thanks for the link to a great recipe!