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Contemplating an Electric Pressure Cooker   Go to last post Go to last unread
#1 Posted : Saturday, June 18, 2016 8:28:16 AM(UTC)
I happened upon an article about the Instant Pot and am intrigued! All I need in my kitchen is ANOTHER appliance. I have an average-sized kitchen, but it is bursting at the seams due to my love of kitchen "stuff." I have done some extensive research online and am sold, but am only hesitant due to its size. What does the EYB community have to say about electric pressure cookers, specifically the Instant Pot? Worth the space to devote to it?
#2 Posted : Saturday, June 18, 2016 3:28:06 PM(UTC)

I don't have the Instant Pot, but I do have an electric pressure cooker. I know some people just love them, but mine is currently residing in a cupboard in the laundry room. I moved it off the counter where it had been gathering dust to make space for a fuzzy logic rice cooker. A fantastic swap - I love the rice cooker and use it a few times a week (sometimes twice a day). 


I cook a lot of beans, but tend to do them in a slow cooker where I don't have to worry about limiting volume depending on the bean, foam blocking the vent, to add oil or not...


The electric pressure cooker seemed like such a great idea, but in practice I haven't found much use for it. Maybe I'm just not a pressure cooker kind of girl. :)


I don't work outside the home so I have the luxury of starting food earlier in the day if need be. If I had a job where I had very little time to cook in the evening, I may think differently.

#3 Posted : Sunday, June 19, 2016 7:31:54 AM(UTC)
@anightowl, Thank you ... All of those are good things to consider. I do work and generally don't get home til 6-6:30 after workout or after-office commitment. it's just my husband and myself and we generally eat a light evening meal. I also do most of the prep work on Sundays for that week's meals.

All in all, I think I am intrigued by this new toy and want to try it out! HA HA. My husband would die if he saw me with a new huge kitchen gadget - it's not the money, but the space!
#4 Posted : Sunday, June 19, 2016 1:28:29 PM(UTC)

I hear you on the space issue - before I buy any new counter top gadget I have to seriously consider placement. My daughter is the only one in the house that uses the toaster. When she studied abroad for 8 months a couple of years ago and was out of the country again last year for 4 months. I moved the toaster out of the kitchen while she was gone for more maneuver room. It's one of the long end-to-end kind so it takes up a bit of space.  I've told her she can take the toaster when she moves out in a couple of years - she thinks she's getting the best end of that deal... :)

#5 Posted : Monday, June 20, 2016 9:42:34 AM(UTC)

I don't know about the Instant Pot, but I purchased an electronic Power Pressure Cooker (6 quart) about a year ago and have used it only a few times.  The instructions for programming are very confusing and I find it difficult to predict the outcome.  Even online recipes posted aren't very clear.  I think my old stove top Fagor pressure cooker is far superior and easier to use!  The Power Pressure has been superceded by the XL version, and all of the online info seems to pertain to that model.  Good luck!

#6 Posted : Wednesday, June 22, 2016 9:34:27 AM(UTC)

I absolutely LOVE my Instant Pot. I keep it on top of my rolling baking cart which resides in the pantry. I've used it countless times in the months we've had it. My favorites are carnitas, an Indian dal in 7 minutes and every recipe I've tried comes out beautifully, hands free, and quick! Oh! Risotto! Unbelievable!

#7 Posted : Friday, June 24, 2016 1:33:06 PM(UTC)
Everyone, thanks for your feedback! I am still on the fence. I just bought the "Making the Most of Your Pressure Cooker" class (companion to THE GREAT BIG PRESSURE COOKER BOOK) on Craftsy. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before I order one. Now, to get it in the house without the hubs noticing ...
#8 Posted : Saturday, June 25, 2016 11:28:16 AM(UTC)

This thread on the Chow cooking forum is pretty informative for anyone thinking about getting an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker -- helps you review the kinds of things you already cook often or might cook more with a p.c., or might help you decide that it wouldn't be worth the space for the kinds of cooking you do.


Cooking from electric pressure cooker cookbooks (Chow.com Home Cooking forum)

#9 Posted : Saturday, June 25, 2016 6:26:25 PM(UTC)
@ellabee, thank you so much! I will certainly check that out.
#10 Posted : Thursday, June 30, 2016 4:50:19 PM(UTC)
Hello,
I'm new to Eat Your Books saw your posting.
Fagor makes a great pressure Cooker!
We'very used it over and over "being at altitude"
10,500 ft. Colorado.
Donatello
#11 Posted : Thursday, June 30, 2016 5:16:47 PM(UTC)

I absolutely love my IP..so much so that I purchased a second unit for myself and one for each of my 3 sons. While it may take a hot minute to orient yourself to cooking under pressure, it really is worth the investment.  Of all the virtues of my IP there is one piece of info that is very important to me regarding  RESISTANT STARCH. 


When a potato is pressure cooked and cooled a large portion of its starch is converted into “resistant starch” – a healthier starch that isn’t fully digested and instead used by the body like fiber – lowering blood cholesterol and fats. Resistant starch is usually found in beans, whole grains and some fruits (bananas); but, it can also be created by cooking typically starchy foods (such as potatoes, rice, pasta and bread) and then cooling them. 


Read more: Pressure Cooking Potatoes Turns Bad Starch Good http://www.hippressureco...cooker-potato-nutrition/


 


 

#12 Posted : Saturday, July 2, 2016 10:46:54 AM(UTC)
Wow ... Thanks, everyone, for your informative replies. I have watched the entire Craftsy class on pressure cooking and want to make every recipe from that class! I think I will force myself to purge my kitchen a bit then reward myself with the Instant Pot or wait for a really good deal, whichever comes first!
#13 Posted : Sunday, July 3, 2016 7:05:05 PM(UTC)

I have a stove top pressure cooker that I hardly ever use but I loved my Instant Pot, it earned a permanant spot on my counter top. I love it for beans and long braises, it also cooks perfect jasamine rice in 1 minute (does not include time for it to come up to pressure and cool down) and congee in less than an hour (including ramp up and cooling time).

#14 Posted : Sunday, July 3, 2016 11:02:05 PM(UTC)

My pressure cooker is a slow cooker as well, an absolute must to any busy kitchen. Used 5 out of 7 day week. Saves time, easy to use, can be cooking while you're out of the house and in the garden. 

#15 Posted : Tuesday, July 12, 2016 2:59:19 PM(UTC)

Call me crazy, but I just bought an Instant Pot. I know what I said earlier in the thread, but...

I have a nice Zojirushi fuzzy logic rice cooker, and I love it, but I keep running across good looking steamed vegetable and meal recipes in my rice cooker cookbook that specify "on/off type only" (my Zojirushi model doesn't have a dedicated "steam" mode).  I was also worried about cooking garlicky, fishy things in my rice cooker since I often use it for tapioca and didn't want any lingering odors in the lid (it's not removable and has plastic components). I had my eye on a basic on/off one on Amazon that I could use for steaming vegetables and any smelly stuff, but was waiting for today - Amazon Prime Day, just in case it went on sale. What is right at the top of my deals page when I went to look today? An Instant Pot...an Instant Pot that steams. On sale it's only $3 more than the basic on/off rice cooker I had stashed in my cart, plus I can apparently use it for making yogurt - sold!


So...I have an Instant Pot on the way.

I'm not wishy washy, I'm just open minded :)

#16 Posted : Tuesday, July 12, 2016 10:11:12 PM(UTC)
I had almost decided against purchasing one right now but I also couldn't pass up today's Amazon Prime Day deal and ordered the Instant Pot this morning. Can't wait!!!
#17 Posted : Tuesday, July 12, 2016 11:23:39 PM(UTC)

Oh good! I almost didn't post because I was worried that you bought one last week and would be bummed you missed the good deal. 


So...which of us is going to index the cookbook? 


http://www.eatyourbooks....nt-pot-electric-pressure


:) :)

#18 Posted : Wednesday, July 13, 2016 6:46:28 PM(UTC)

@anightowl, I didn't order that one but I did order The Great Big Pressure Cooker Book by Weinstein & Scarbrough. We'll have to compare!

#19 Posted : Thursday, July 14, 2016 8:34:09 AM(UTC)

@anightowl (again!) - I did just order The Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook for my Kindle. Can't beat it for $2.99!

#20 Posted : Friday, July 15, 2016 12:52:43 AM(UTC)

@pgarcia, I don't have my cookbook in yet (I ordered the paperback), but as soon as I got my Instant pot out of the the box today I checked the recipes in the little cookbook than came with it. I made the coconut fish curry (chicken option). It was the only one that I had everything on hand to make (even kaffir lime leaves!) l ran both the IP and my rice cooker, curry in one, rice in the other, and they finished within 2 minutes of each other - nice! I was pleased at how nice and tender the chicken came out. It came out soupier than I expected, and after ladling it over the rice, it came pretty close to a brothy avgolemono rather than a spicy curry (my husband doesn't like hot spicy, so I left out the hot chilies). It was good and easy - I will definitely be indexing that one as a personal recipe.

Thanks for bringing this up. If I hadn't seen this thread I may not have noticed the Instant Pot deal. As it was, the name jumped out at me from the page, and I had to follow the link out of curiosity. :)

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