What is an instant pot? Keeping up with all the different small kitchen appliances available – and their functions – can be overwhelming. This guide will go over one of today’s popular appliances, the Instant Pot, and how owning one can benefit you.

What Is an Instant Pot?
What Size Will You Need?
Key Features

What Is an Instant Pot?

“Instant Pot” is the name of a company that makes small electric kitchen appliances like blenders, air fryers, and rice cookers. Their first and most popular item, the Instant Pot, is a pressure cooker . Depending on the model, Instant Pot pressure cookers have different features like sauteing, steaming, and making yogurt, rice, and soup. These pressure cookers use heat and natural (or added) liquids to create steam. And because of their tight seal, all of the heat stays inside of the cooker making it much hotter and more concentrated than a stove or oven.

What Size Will You Need?

Small: A small Instant pot pressure cooker holds three to four quarts. This size is great for families or groups of four and is optimal for making the perfect casserole.

Large: A large Instant Pot pressure cooker fills up at around six or seven quarts – the perfect size for a six pound roast. This size pressure cooker can make enough food for eight people.

Extra Large: An extra large Instant Pot pressure cooker can feed nine or more people. This size pressure cooker holds about 8 or more quarts and can cook a ten pound turkey with ease.

Key Features

Locking Lid: Having a locking lid ensures that there will be no air coming in or out of the pressure cooker, which helps regulate temperature and ensures that food is cooked properly. A locking lid that keeps extreme heat inside will also provide safety from burns.

Portable: Are you someone that likes to take your food on the go? Get a portable Instant Pot. These pressure cookers make it easy to bring a hot meal anywhere. The lid prevents spills and handles make them easy to carry. Portable pressure cookers are great for traveling with meals for events or holidays.

Programmable: Are you an inexperienced chef? Do you have little time to cook? A programmable Instant Pot is the best option for you. . Some programmable cookers come with labels such as “soup,” “rice,” “yogurt,” etc., so you can easily cook what you want for the right amount of time.. It’s like having a tiny personal chef!

Cool-Touch Exterior: Pressure cookers with this feature have an outer layer that doesn’t come into contact with the hot inner layer. This prevents the outer layer from burning you and from heating the surrounding area. Cook without worry – you can leave this type of pressure cooker on your counter next to heat-sensitive foods or in high-traffic areas where fingers might graze it. It’s a great option for families with young kids.

Keep-Warm Setting: If you have people who like to eat at separate times, an Instant Pot r with a keep-warm setting is ideal for you. This feature allows you to keep food warm without cooking it further so that it’s ready whenever you are.

Auto Shutoff: If you want to set it and forget it, opt for an Instant Pot pressure cooker that comes with automatic shutoff. You can place your food in the cooker before work and have it ready by the time you get home. And if you’re prone to burning food, the automatic shutoff feature helps put an end to overcooked meals.

Adjustable Temperature Settings: Basic cookers come with few ways to control temperature. That may be fine for certain foods, but if you’re looking for something that can cook meats, grains, and desserts, get an Instant Pot pressure cooker with adjustable temperature settings. This feature allows you to make a variety of meals without the risk of them being over- or under-cooked.

Timer: Have you ever forgotten that you had something on the stove? Have you started cooking and forgotten to start a timer? If you answered “yes,”, you need an Instant Pot with a timer. You’ll no longer need to calculate when something is going to be done. This type of Instant Pot will count down to when your food will be finished and let you know when it’s done.

Delay-Start Setting: The delay-start setting on an Instant Pot is a game changer. Instead of calculating when your pressure cooker will stop cooking, the delay-start setting works as a timer to start cooking. You can leave your ingredients while you're out, and this Instant Pot will begin cooking your meal whenever you need it. If you arrive home at 5PM and your food takes an hour to cook, set the delay-start setting to begin at 4PM to have dinner ready when you get home.

Removable Interior: An Instant Pot pressure cooker comes with two layers: an inner layer and an outer layer. The inner layer comes in contact with food, so it will have to be cleaned regularly. Make this task easier by using a pressure cooker with a removable interior. Simply remove the inner pot when you’re ready to wash it and clean from all angles.

Nonstick: The nonstick feature is a special coating that prevents food from sticking to the surface of the Instant Pot, similar to that of nonstick pots and pans. Having an Instant Pot pressure cooker with this feature helps keep your food intact and makes cleanup much easier.

Dishwasher-Safe: Many Instant Pot pressure cookers can be washed by hand, but if you prefer to toss everything in the dishwasher, choose one that comes with a dishwasher-safe insert. After you’re done cooking, let your dishwasher clean up the mess.