Instant Pot - Review and GIVEAWAY!!

I’ve wanted a pressure cooker for a long time now.  However, they also scared me.  I’ve heard stories of them blowing up and other things!  Also, I already have a couple of slow cookers and a rice steamer.  Did I really want another large appliance to store?  That’s why I was really intrigued when I found out about the Instant Pot.  Not only is it a pressure cooker, but it’s also a rice cooker, steamer, and slow cooker too!  

When they agreed to not only let me review the Instant Pot but give one away as well, I was so excited! 

The first time I used the Instant Pot, I used it as a pressure cooker to cook black beans.  Previously, I always cooked beans in the slow cooker and it was an all day affair.  I’d soak them for a few hours in the morning and then set them up in the slow cooker, where they would cook for the rest of the day.  This meant that making dishes with beans required some preplanning.   I was amazed at how quickly things went when using the pressure cooker!  I soaked the beans for a few hours in the morning and then put them in the cooker before I ate lunch.  By the time I was done with lunch, my beans were done too.  

Black Beans cooked in the Instant Pot

The hardest part was getting the cover off.  I let it cool down and vent for a while, but it still released a ton of hot steam when I took the lid off.  At the time, I didn’t realize that there is a “handle” on top of the lid, so I was holding it at the sides – don’t do that!  My hands were right in line with the steam.  I’m sure next time it will go much better.  I was amazed at how well the beans held up.  They quick cooking of the pressure cooking ensures that the beans don’t break down like they do sometimes in the slow cooker. 

Rice in the Instant Pot - Look at all the room - you could have a beans and rice party!

I tried out the rice feature next.  I have a rice steamer that works great, but it has a plastic basket that the rice is cooked in.  The plastic has been wearing down, and I’ve been concerned lately about what kinds of chemicals may be getting into my rice.  The Instant Pot has a stainless bowl, so you don’t have to worry about chemicals!  I’m used to the rice cooker taking an hour to cook the rice, so I put it in before I headed to the grocery store.  When I got back, the rice was a little dry because it had gotten done so quickly and was sitting on the warm function.  However, I just threw some extra water in the bowl and the residual heat let the rice instantly soak up the water and the texture was great.  I think next time I’ll be sure to cook the rice when I’ll be home.  Since it doesn’t take long at all, this shouldn’t be a problem!  You can use the Instant Pot as a steamer as well.  I haven’t tried that function yet, but I definitely will in the future!

Easy slow cooker soup

After that, I tried the slow cooker function.  I had a soup packet that I got for Christmas, so I threw it in and pressed the slow cooker button.  It immediately gives you 4 hours of cook time, but this can be adjusted as needed.  This was the perfect amount of time, and my soup turned out great.  Since you leave the vent open when using the slow cooker, you can remove the cover to check on things and add additional ingredients if needed. 

If you’re looking for an appliance that can be used in multiple ways, the Instant Pot® is for you!  This would be a great gift for someone going off to college or just moving out on their own, since it performs so many different tasks well.  This would also be great for someone who, like me, does a lot of cooking from scratch (or would like too), or people who work out of the home during the day and need quick and healthy meal solutions. 

Pros:

• Several different functions from one appliance:  pressure cooking, rice cooking, steaming and slow cooking.
• Cooking is as simple as pushing a button – there are preset functions for almost everything!  There is also a delay timer. 
• Saves energy and time. 
• Preserves more nutrients since it cooks faster. 
• Stainless steel interior that is easy to clean – no worries about toxins leaking into your food!
• Keeps the kitchen cool – I’ll appreciate that this summer! 
• Quiet and not messy – no worries about beans exploding everywhere!
• Versatile – cooks a little or a lot.  Holds up to 10 cups of cooked rice.

Cons:

• The lid gets very hot – this is true with all pressure cookers, but will take some getting used to on my end. 
• Slightly large – the Instant Pot is a fairly large appliance, but when you consider that it is replacing several other appliances, it doesn’t seem as bad.  
• They don't give you very many recipes, so you'll have to search for some online.  

BUY IT:  You can buy it directly from Instant Pot, or you can order it from Amazon.

Congratulations to the winning comment - #158! 

Don't forget to check out my other giveaways here!

**I received an Instant Pot for review purposes. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.  The winning comment will be chosen by random.org.**