Today I was at HEB and they were announcing on the loudspeaker that they were putting the Instant pot on for $59.95. When I bought the Pioneer Woman instant pot it was on sale for that same price. Definitely a good price.

My favorite thing to cook is dry beans with no soaking done in less than a hour. And I made fresh boiled peanuts in under an hour! They were amazing.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Instant-Pot-LUX60-Red-Stainless-Steel-6-Qt-6-in-1-Multi-Use-Programmable-Pressure-Cooker-Slow-Cooker-Rice-Cooker-Saute-Steamer-and-Warmer/992890903

$59.00

And one of the Pioneer Woman instant pots on the same page. Very good price

$69.99

If you are on Facebook check out some of the Instantpot and air fryer groups. They have actually achieved cult like status. I got both while I wait for my new kitchen to be installed as my ovens were/are terrible. I use my air fryer much more and think it is the closest thing to heaven. I can cook steaks and rotisserie chickens and small legs of lamb ( half legs) with fabulous results. There is so much I can do with it; bake, fry and very little fat or oil. Roast potatoes come out very crispy, bacon is crispy and not drowning in fat and the skin of chicken is like rice paper; it is so thin and crispy.

I have an instant pot and use it for certain things which it does well. I prefer my slow cooker for some cuts of meat. Pasta I prefer on the stove so I can watch it and have it al dente. The instant pot definitely has a learning curve and is not intuitive and you can't see what you are cooking so can't check on it as you go. It makes the best yogurt in the world and I make it every 2 weeks. it makes the best cheesecake in the world but it is a small one. I love it for steaming corn or potatoes for potato salad or for roasting. I have done interesting things like vanilla extract.People swear by it for boiled eggs but I use my little egg steamer. It is quick for soups.

There are pots which have crisper lids as others have mentioned. Besides the ninja foodi, and the mealthy lid, there is a new instant pot brand with the crisper lid so it is an air fryer as well as an instant pot. You can brown the chicken and meat after you cook them. If I could only choose one, I would do the air fryer.

Tami, your air fryer must be a small version. ;-)

My daughter has 3 of them now. Two regular sized ones, and a smaller one. She finds them invaluable.

When I want something in a timely fashion, it's IP all the way. But I DO like a good crock pot meal put on before I go to work in the AM and have it ready about 6 PM when I get home. And day after chili is just better with age...

Thank you so much to everyone who responded. There's lots for me to think about and I especially want to check out the IP and air fryer discussions on Facebook. It's good to know that it's not necessarily an either/or situation with the IP and air fryer, with devices that do both.

Raven, love doing beans in it! No remembering to soak them the night before! And hard boiled eggs? The best I've ever made. I can do fresh from the farm eggs and have them peel perfectly.

Rhizo, probably. 6_8" basket, maybe? Without looking, I don't remember.

Yes best boiled eggs! The peel just slides off after being in cold water. I don't do them any other way now.

Bragu. You can have that slow cooked meal using the IP. Just like a crock pot. Set it up for slow cooking.

My air fryer is the oven style with shelves and a rotisserie basket. It's pretty big. I could do a whole chicken in it, I have not done one yet but I have it on my list. I love pork chops done in it. I do like the fried potatoes especially when I slice them super thin like potato chips.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Farberware-6-Quart-Digital-XL-Air-Fryer-Oven-Black/545964383

I have an instant pot and air fryer, I love them both. The instant pot makes great yogurt if you like that. They have different purposes but both are great.

Rhizo, I basically thawed and heated frozen french fries in the air fryer. I have to say they were pretty tasty. But not enough to keep yet another appliance around.

Hard boiled eggs are also quite easily done by steaming with equipment most people already have or should have anyway. I say "should have" because steaming is a very healthy and delicious way to cook vegetables.

Pressure cooker recipes are written for pressure cookers with working pressure at 15 PSI.

IP is a 15 PSI pressure cooker, but not all electric pressure cookers are made to be able to get up to 15 PSI. You should check the PC PSI you are interested in buying or you may not get the same recipes results.

dcarch

I found this article interesting. It suggested that a convection toaster oven was the best air fryer. I have no idea but would probably get a toaster oven before I would get an air fryer or an instant pot.

https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-air-fryer/

yeonassky - they make AF ovens. I bought one last year. works great. I use it almost every day. beats heating up a big oven for the little amount I make or heat up.

I also love my IP. if either quit working I'd be getting a replacement within days.

I've been following this thread because I have a 6-qt. Instant Pot that's been in its unopened box for a year. I bought it to give as a gift, but the recipient told me, kindly, that it wasn't her thing. I didn't think it was my thing either, although I'd been planning to get myself a 3-qt. model because so many people seem to be IP fans.

So I kept the IP and tried to sell it. But Amazon kept lowering the price, and it also went on sale at different sites. It was no wonder mine got little attention from buyers. I've been less than enthusiastic about the IP because, like Hounds, I'm happy cooking the old-fashioned way (a pot of soup on the stove appeals to me) and don't really have room to store the big IP. I'll have to leave it out on my butcher block. Not a good look! Also, like Elmer, I don't care for braised/steamed meats. At all. However, I do eat rice, although a rice cooker would have made more sense when I was cooking for my family of five.

My plan is to open the box after the holidays and read up on using this thing. I'm trying to think positively about it, and not sound like an old lady who's stuck in her rut. LOL I know I'll enjoy hard-cooking eggs in it, and I like what Raven said about beans. It would be nice to start out with dry beans with no need to soak them. I could even cook some at times for my daughter-in-law next door. I just wish the IP was smaller so I could put it away on a shelf. But maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised. That's always a possibility.

I've had one for years but I've only used it once. I should probably try it again.

I have a stove top pressure cooker. I hate it. I'm scared to death of it, though I have used it a few times. But love my IP. It sits on the counter, or I would forget about it and not use it. I need to use it more often than I do, but I hate to cook! So if I can get out of it, I don't cook. I don't steam anything on the stove. I cook pretty much the way my mother cooked, and she wouldn't touch a pressure cooker. She didn't use salt, as dad grew up without salted food. Grandparents had heart issues, and he ended up with them. If we wanted it salted, we salted at the table. That said, I do cook with salt, and more seasoning than mom ever did. Still simple meals, meat and potatoes, and veggies. But I can do that in the IP and not have all of the extra pots and pans!

I love how quickly vegetables cook. I don't like mushy vegetables and was wary at first of using the IP but I have found that broccoli cooks perfectly setting the timer at 0 - the IP comes up to pressure then the broccoli is done. Same for some other vegetables. Perfect rice in 4-6 minutes after it comes up to pressure. I am making laquered chicken legs tomorrow night. 12 minutes in the instant pot, then baste with the sauce under the broiler. I even use it to heat up leftovers using a lidded pot inside the instant pot instead of using the microwave. Pasta comes out al dente if you cook your pasta half the time it says on the pasta package or box. We love how rubbed ribs cook. 25 minutes cooking using coke, apple cider or root beer as the liquid, then if you prefer under the broiler with sauce for a few minutes. There are some things I won't cook in my Instant Pot, stew is one of them or chili. I prefer long simmer times for chili or stew made in the oven. I find with the Instant Pot the potatoes and carrots come out mushy if you add them at the beginning of the cook time. Some people add the vegetables in towards the end. I even used my banana bread recipe and cooked it in the IP in the summer because I didn't want to heat up the kitchen. It tookt he same amount of time as in the oven. I am used to living alone so not used to meal planning like I have to do now. If I forget to pull meat or chicken out of the freezer earlier in the day to cook for dinner I can still cook it in the IP from frozen. I also have the Instant Pot Ace blender which is very good and it also heats up to cook soups or sauces. I paid far less than the price of a Vitamix and it works just as well. I bought it mainly for crushing ice in the summer for ice coffee but have used it for so much more.

I have 2 instant Pots and love them. Foods do not all come out tasting the same! Today I am making a rare rump roast that should be done in about 20 minutes without heating up the oven for hours. Perfect au jus also while this cooks.

Soups that took several hours are done in 5 to 30 minutes. Hard boiled egg in 3 to 5 and they peel like a dream.

Wait, why am I typing? Cherryfizz did it for me!

I have a metal shelving unit that I store several of my larger pots and equipment in the utility room. I keep my pressure cookers on it but I use the instant pot so often it usually stays on my rolling island in the kitchen. If you look on you tube there are so many great recipes there. The New York Cheesecakes that are so easy to make using the instant pot are amazing. I have everything to make one except the gram crackers. There are a lot of accessories for cooking with the IP. Cheesecake uses a type of spring form pan and pot in a pot cooking with a trivet to lift it up from the bottom.

The dry beans are so quick and easy! We eat a lot of different dry beans now.

This guy does some great IP recipes including this cheesecake.

https://youtu.be/CbJ8BAYn8VE

My plan is to open the box after the holidays and read up on using this thing.

just pull up Jeffrey's website (pressureluckcooking) and watch his intro to the IP videos - and a few where he actually makes something. He is awesome. I watched his intro video 2x before I attempted to use my IP the 1st time. easy!

I'm trying to think positively about it, and not sound like an old lady who's stuck in her rut.

I had to force myself to get up and give it a try. I was still recovering from leg surgery and otherwise sick when my IP arrived. At about the 3rd wk that it sat unopened I knew I had to get up and try it before the 30 days were up - in case it didn't work at all. I'd been reading on the IP FB page for maybe a month or 2 so I pulled up Jeffrey's video - my brain was too muddled to make a lot of sense out of the booklet. after I watched the video I thought 'that's it? that's what so many people are afraid of? ' people posting that they were afraid of it is what scared me! I use the hole in the handle of the plastic rice paddle that came with it to release the pressure valve. my hand is on the 'spoon' end of it, so far enough away from any steam being released.

sign up on the IP FB page and read thru some of the posts (many are just repetitive, so just scan past them). You'll read the trials and errors of others and the replies / help given by the seasoned IP users. you can save the posts if you want or search back for them - or if a recipe is given, copy it out and save to try later. Stick to the tried and true recipes as a beginner - those will be posted over and over again on it. sites like Jeffrey's, This old gal, Amy and Jacky etc.

I learned so much from the mistakes of others - and those who used a non tested recipe (like so many on Pinterest). I stay away from that.

soups and chili - you can cooked those in the IP on sauté. set it to low (options - low, med, high) and use a regular lid (or plate), not the pressure sealing lid. that's how I make mine. the inner pot is a lot easier to clean. I don't often make a very big pot of anything - and my IP is a 3 qt. I don't sauté veggies or brown meats in it - I use my Curtis Stone skillets for that. they're non stick, a breeze to clean and I don't have to deglaze the inner pot or be concerned about a 'burn' notice.

I have very little counter space but I made room for the 3 qt to 'live' in. it's always there and ready if I need it. I only cook for me and the dog so the 3 qt is plenty. also, at that time I was very limited in the weight I could lift (still am) so I went for the lightest in weight. and I'm short so with it I don't need a step stool to see down into it, and it takes less space on the counter. I can cook plenty in it at one time to eat for a few days plus some to freeze. I even did a 4.6? lb chicken in it. but I don't use it for everything. I probably won't cook another whole chicken in it. I have a 4 lb turkey breast in the freezer and I'm going to do that in the oven.

if you are cooking HB eggs to chop up for a salad, the dog's food (or whatever), you can also crack them into a small inner pot (for PIP, set on trivet in the liner pot) and cook them. then you don't even need to peel them when they're done. some have posted to use a small loaf pan but even a rounded container would work. I have a small ceramic pot with a handle that fits into my 3qt liner so the next time I do HB eggs I'm going to use it and just crack them before they cook. When done, I can just pull that little pot out, set in cold water and when cooled just chop the eggs up.

I had two of my electric pressure cookers going today. Both were full of carrots. So handy. I have stove top pressure cookers and canners, but the electric ones are so much easier to keep an eye on and not so noisy.

Sue

A friend was given one a year ago and was daunted by the various warnings in the directions so she asked me to help her figure it out. She brought it over with a recipe and a whole chicken and the other ingredients it called for. We followed all of the directions, first browning the chicken, then adding all of the other ingredients and pressure cooking it, then when it was down, removing the chicken and reducing the sauce on saute. The result was such a horrible, tough, dry, overcooked mess that it was nearly inedible. While it is impressive that chicken could be totally overcooked in just 10 minutes or so, whereas to similarly overcook it in an oven would take hours The result was so disappointing that she simply said I could have the Instant Pot. Yay?

Since then I've used it for a number of other dishes, most commonly for making a israeli couscous side dish, which is starting to turn out reliably well. I've also made risotto once which was much less work than usual, but wasn't nearly as good. And I've made rice thinking it would be faster than my rice cooker, but the directions called for soaking the rice for 15 minutes, followed by pressure cooking for X minutes, followed by 10 minutes slow release. After following the recommended steps, the rice wasn't as good as from the "smart" rice cooker.

I'm not sure if that is a positive review and a recommendation or not.

I am not sure what kind of meat gets tender cooked at 250F (in a pressure cooker), Fall apart? yes. Tender? I am not so sure.

dcarch

" While it is impressive that chicken could be totally overcooked in just 10 minutes or so "

how many lbs was it? where'd your friend get the recipe? pinterest?

the chicken I cooked in mine wasn't overcooked or tough.

When I cook chicken breasts in it, I slice them lengthwise so they're thin pieces, cook in a bit of water or broth on the bottom of the liner - no trivet. depending on the thickness I set it for 0-1 minute cook time and a short npr.

Elery has one and he uses it mostly to cook beans, it's far faster than the stove top or the crock pot, but no faster than my stove top pressure cooker. I find it fiddly. Push saute, brown your whatever, set it for pressure, cook 10 minutes, let it release naturally 20 minutes, go back and finish whatever it is. I have to go back and "tend to" the IP periodically, with the insistent beeping interrupting whatever else I'm doing. (shrug) Elery can use it, it's his.

Both of my daughters have them too. My youngest daughter never uses it. Ever. She had a couple of spectacular failures and told me she was "over it". I told her there was a learning curve with nearly everything and she informed me that her husband bought the "machine from he!!, he can learn to use it himself". She's so patient, just like me. (grin) My oldest daughter uses hers when they are camping, she says it's great for the camper and for outdoor cooking but never uses it otherwise.

I've been trying to convince The Princess to learn to use it, but she's mostly interested in baking and there is limited use for IP in that regard.

I know people who love them and use them all the time. Especially if there are only two people in the household, or a small family, it may work well. My neighbor has five children and she says the Instant Pot isn't big enough to make a meal for her family of seven.

Annie

bob_cville, for rice I use Basmati rice, rinse it for a minute then cook for 4-6 minutes, equal rice to same amount of liquid.Another tip with the IP, just ignore the presetting options and set the timer manually

Annie, your neighbor needs the 10 qt! I could probably use the 3 qt for just the 2 of us, but I bought the 6 qt about a year ago. I could certainly use it more often than I do, but I have been using it about twice a week.

I haven't tried it for rice yet. Well, I guess that's not completely true. I have made chicken and risoto in it that turns out good if I remember to put the butter in it at the end, like the recipe said. It was still good, but not as good as it is when I completely follow the recipe! :) It wasn't one of my better days. Blame it on Firbromyalgia brain fog. And hurrying to get supper on the table so DS could get to his second job on time.....

I have yet to bake in it, but I really need to try cheesecake in it.

Desertsteph, thanks for the encouragement, and for telling me about Jeffrey. I'm cooking only for me--not even a dog right now--and now I'm wondering if I should make one more stab at selling the red 6 qt. (it's not even a good color for my kitchen), accept that I'm taking a loss on it, and get myself a 3 qt. when a deal comes up before the holidays.

Speaking of dogs, years ago when I routinely used a stovetop pressure cooker I used to cook chicken bones until they turned into mush, and fed it to the dogs. A German Shepherd breeder we knew said it was wonderful for pregnant females. Now I'm wondering if it's still a healthy thing to give dogs, but that's my tip anyway.

Cherryfizz, I was surprised and happy to read about your perfectly cooked vegetables, especially broccoli--which is so easy to overcook that I usually stand there monitoring it. I'll use your pasta tip too!

Alisande, If you try to sell the one you have it might be worth also suggesting trading for a 3 qt one. It is very possible that there is someone who really likes theirs, but wishes they had a larger one.

A good suggestion, Bob, although I know my inner wheeler-dealer would have trouble trading my new-in-sealed-box unit for a used smaller one. :-)

my inner wheeler-dealer would have trouble trading my new-in-sealed-box unit for a used smaller one

a lot of people have a new 3 qt sitting in the box unused too! if you both get what you need and want, that's a win-win vs 2 unused in the boxes!

There are many posts on the IP FB page by those who found an unused IP at GW for just a few $s. and many who are gifted a 3 qt but really need a larger one because of their family size.

otoh, you could get a 3 qt on BF and keep the larger one in the closet for the times you are having people over to eat, want to put the chicken / turkey carcass in to make stock to freeze, a large batch of tamales, or a larger cheese cake etc. or someone will come into your life that you can gift it to.

I used mine a lot at first, but like some have posted above, I don't need things to cook fast for the most part. One thing it does make very well is brown rice. A little more water than whatever your measurement of rice is. 15 minutes then 15 more minutes then quick release. Comes out perfectly every time. Brown rice became the only thing I used it for. Not worth the space in my opinion.

I made mac & cheese in mine tonight. Very easy and good too. (I cut my recipe down)Mac & Cheese

I'm coming to this thread late. We've had an Instapot - actually, a Fagor brands but it has the same functionality and even looks almost the same - for 5 years or so. It is a very useful device. I won't go through all the functions but basically it is nice to be able to cook unattended - set it up, go to sleep, or set timer so it starts when you're away. I could certainly live without it, and if you have a whole kitchen at your disposal you might not use it much, but if SMWBO threw me out and I could take only one small appliance to my motel room, I would take the Fagor.

I bought my daughter a Star Wars one for Christmas and then started looking for one for myself. So, ended up buying an Instant Pot one in green, 6 qt. I am especially interested in making soup and beans quickly. Maybe I'll make more spaghetti if i can make the sauce quicker? I haven't made it or lasagna in a while because of the time it takes to make the sauce, just don't feel like doing it anymore.

because of the time it takes to make the sauce, just don't feel like doing it anymore

make up a bunch of the sauce and freeze it for future use. I freeze things in advance so when I want to make certain things I have parts of it that I'll need already in the freezer proportioned out for the amount I usually make.

I understand what you mean about 'just don't feel like doing it anymore'. I've changed the way I make certain long time (and family) recipes to make it easier for me to do.

This is a good article. Covers a lot.

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/buying-instant-pot-here-s-what-you-need-know-ncna1085136

Alisande, that is a good article. The one thing I disagree with is the author's disdain for the yogurt function. I think it is the one item I make the most in my instantpot. Making coldstart yogurt using Fairlife milk and a good starter yogurt is the easiest thing in the world and so much nicer than store bought. You can make regular yogurt or Greek yogurt. I also use that setting to proof bread.

the author's disdain for the yogurt function

that was a big plus for me when I bought mine. haven't made it yet but plan to soon, also cheesecake and cottage cheese.

I love an Instant Pot...my schedule can have me having 12 15 hour days...and then on my days off I am trying to catch up around the house. I sear everything so the Instant Pot is helpful because I can sear without breaking out another pan. I am a fan and have had no fails.

@desertsteph:The cheesecake is a winner. Best cheesecake I have ever made. I haven't made the cheese in it although I did make it with my sous vide.

Kathsgrdn, this showed up in one of the instant pot facebook groups I'm in and I thought of you. I haven't tried it yet, but I will. I am having a hard time finding spaghetti sauce with no garlic in it. I can customize this one.

https://sweetandsavorymeals.com/instant-pot-spaghetti-sauce/?fbclid=IwAR1yNIUNUOLixydIkNKJIqjeLUrEktqVJScwtiBqQDKVNEf6kmDr6mgWdHs

Thanks Tami but I don't put sausage in my spaghetti sauce, I don't like it. I did noticed they added 3/4 cup of water to the recipe, is that because it is cooked in the instant pot? Does it dry things out?

You can leave the sausage out, use hamburger, or no meat at all. I would use hamburger if I make it. You need the added water to create steam in the instant pot. If it's to thin when it's finished cooking, after you release the steam, turn the IP off, then turn on the saute feature, and let it simmer until it's as thick as you want it to be. It won't take long, so watch it, and stir as needed.

You can also allow your sauce to simmer using the slow cook feature on it's highest setting. I use a glass lid for that function.

I have both a 3 quart and a 6 quart IP Ultra and use at least one every day, if not both. Also have a Gourmia GAF635 air fryer, which I use almost every day. These have been life changers for me. I have a very bad back and could no longer stand for long periods of time cooking, so was not eating healthy meals. These two tools have now made it possible for me to, once again, eat very healthily. I cook nearly everything in it's frozen state; meat, vegetables, fish, poultry. Also cook fresh vegetables and they are wonderful in the IP or AF.

Forgot to mention that I make yogurt about every 1 1/2 in the 6 quart IP in cups about the size of the yogurt purchased in grocery stores. I make it plain and unsweetened, so that I can use it in lieu of sour cream. When I want to eat one, I add one or a mixture of: apple butter, Nutella, jam/preserves, KoolAid, frozen fruit, fresh fruit, etc. One day I wanted a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but didn't want or need the bread. So I mixed peanut butter and jam into my serving of yogurt; absolutely delicious.

I have two instant pots, 3 qt and 6 qt. I used them a few times a week when I first got them. They've been collecting dust for probably six months now.