Skip to main content

Instant Pot

* This post doesn't include any paid promotion

"Instant Pot" - It has become a household name and per survey, 1 in 3 houses in North America have an Instant Pot in their kitchens.

Robert Wang along with his colleagues from Nortel, Canada designed Instant Pot in 2009. Since it was introduced in the market, varied models have been released and it combines multiple functions of pressure cooker, slow cooker, yogurt maker, steamer, food warmer, saute pan into one appliance, making it versatile. Few models include options for baking, air frying, sous vide. 

Though I came across this appliance when I was in the US, I didn't really find the necessity to buy one. I use pressure cookers and rice cooker for my cooking needs. Recently, I wanted to upgrade to a 5litres pressure cooker and then thought why not give Instant Pot a try, to check if it is worth all the hype.

During last week's black friday sale, I found Instant Pot Duo Gourmet (6 quart) at Costco for a special price of $79.99 (Canadian Dollars) + tax. It seemed to be a good deal since it is a Costco exclusive model - so, I can be rest assured of its quality. This model has a detachable power cord (which isn't the case with other models). I can put the cord inside when not it use. 

Few models I checked comes with one or 2 of the below accessories, but Duo Gourmet has all of them.

  • Additional silicone ring
  • Rice paddle
  • Soup spoon
  • Mini mitts
  • Measuring cup
  • Steam rack
It has the following functions available. 

  • Pressure Cooking:
    • Pressure Cook
    • Soup/Broth
    • Meat
    • Stew
    • Sterilize
    • Rice
    • Brown Rice
    • Oatmeal
    • Bean
    • Chili
  • Non-Pressure Cooking:
    • Slow Cook
    • Sauté
    • Yogurt
    • Sous Vide
    • Keep Warm
 




It's been couple of days since I started using the appliance and have tried sauté, pressure cook, brown rice options to prepare dalia sweet pongal and brown rice, so far. 

Cooking process isn't instant as the name sounds. When compared to cooking in pressure cooker and rice cooker, the cooking time is reduced by half. But we have to consider the time taken for pressure build up and pressure release before and after cooking, respectively. Also, I had to try different rice-water ratio, cooking modes and time to cook, to achieve the desired texture of brown rice. But cooking with instant pot is hassle free. Otherwise I had to keep count of whistles, clean spills on the kitchen counter. Not to mention, sweet pongal turned out to be delicious, sealing in the aroma intact 😊

I am definitely not going to return my instant pot and shall publish my review after trying different dishes in it. Until then happy cooking everyone of you!!!

You are welcome to share your experiences with Instant Pot, in comments section or over an email.

Follow me on my Youtube handle to get notified about my latest articles!!

Labels:

Comments

  1. suryaDecember 2, 2021 at 9:56 AM

    Great, sounds cool, it must be handy as we can prepare various dishes using it, heard air frying feature is top-notch in these appliances with that, can fry food with much less oil, must be healthier option 👍😀

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ManuDecember 2, 2021 at 10:42 AM

      Yeah.... U can enjoy fried items guilt free 😁

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Anex Monkey Smart Watch

Hello Readers,  Welcome back. While browsing through a weekly flyer by Canadian Tire, my eyes got hold of a smart watch, primarily for its name - Monkey Smart Watch. It's original price was $89.99. On account of Father's Day, the price was slashed 70% and offered for just $24.99 (from June 9th to June 16th).  As it was listed on Canadian Tire website, I thought the product should be genuine and googled to know more about the product. But there weren't sufficient reviews online. So I decided to try it myself and booked it online. This smart watch was launched in the last quarter of 2021 as Anex Monkey Smart Watch. Last year, it had been sold for just $19.99 as part of Black Friday deal. Even after 5 days of waiting, Canadian Tire didn't process my order. On the other hand, the stock was vanishing real quick and only 80 watches were available in our near by store. When checked with their customer service executive, I was told to cancel my online order or wait until they p...
32 comments
Read more

Blue or Pink ??

I am sure, looking at the title of the post, you would have guessed what I am going to discuss today. When we were expecting our baby, we were living in the US. Though we had an opportunity to know the gender of our baby, we chose not to, to retain the suspense and have the guess work on by us and everyone around us, till the moment the baby arrived.  I remember my friends, relatives, colleagues, strangers at grocery stores, passers-by on my way to work and routine walks, used to predict the gender; few backed by science, few based on old wives tales and few based on their personal experiences. Needless to say those conversations were quite interesting and funny.                                         I am sharing few of those fancy predictions here. Read it with a notion to have fun and do not take it too seriously.  Follow me on  Instagram  and  Facebook ...
4 comments
Read more

Rutabaga: An Underrated Superfood & A Delicious Indian Recipe To Try!

Trying something new can feel uncertain, whether it is a new routine or new job or new city or even a new vegetable, as we often find comfort in the familiar. I had reservations about this particular vegetable until I cooked and tasted it. Let me introduce you Rutabaga, a lesser known vegetable (at least for a person from tropical region like me). It is nutrient-rich, flavourful and incredibly easy to prepare.                                              When I first saw Rutabaga in the grocery stores here, I thought it would be from the yam family and ignored it, primarily because of its starch content. In addition, Rutabaga's sheer size always made me think twice to try it. In India, grocery stores sell small portions of vegetables like yam, cabbage or pumpkin, allowing customers purchase only what they need, which is...
4 comments
Read more

Reflecting upon 2025!!

Just a few hours remain before we flip open a new page on a fresh calendar. As I sat sipping hot water, watching my son absorbed in a drawing that had caught his fancy, a quiet thought crossed my mind - what did 2025 really give me, and what did it change within me? Like most years, 2025 arrived as a mixed bag. It offered moments of joy and gratitude, alongside phases of discomfort and challenge. Some of the brighter glimpses - the places I visited, the books I managed to read, the thoughts I shared - are already scattered across my YouTube and Instagram spaces. What I tend to keep private, however, are the harder chapters. This year was particularly demanding on my health and mental well-being. Navigating life as an immigrant, a parent, and a stay-at-home mother came with its own set of quiet battles. Yet, if there is one lesson 2025 gently but firmly taught me, it is this: even in the most exhausting seasons, hope exists . Sometimes, all it takes is a little courage to stay put, br...
2 comments
Read more

First snowfall in 2021

First snow fall at our place, was technically yesterday. But all we had was only flurries (light shower of snow). Today though we had flurries since morning, the real deal started now. Yay, it is snowing. This is just the beginning for the season. Sharing a glance of the snow fall for my readers.  I had my first snow experience in the USA and it was surreal for a person like me, who hails from one of the hottest places in India. First time snow is always fun. But honestly, it isn't as enticing as it appears. Especially, commutation becomes really challenging during and after snowfall and this season witnesses a lot of road accidents. Cleaning snow is a very critical task and physically tiring. It is a punishable offence if we don't clean up snow on our cars before hitting the roads. Personally I am not a fan of bundling up, but we are left with no choice, if we have to step out.  Irrespective of all these, year on year I look forward to snowfall and marvel at it.  Follow ...
5 comments
Read more