OT - Electric Pressure Cooker

Feenbo

Looking to purchase a pressure cooker for quicker weekday meals - anything better than Instant Pot?

The_Stache

Nope

thetrim

Naw

Feenbo

Thanks for the input - my co-worker had recommended the Power Pressure Cooker but from what I have read, Instant Pot is the way to go.

Holepuncher

Christmas is coming soon. Please explain to me the pressure cooker benefits, not being smart. Just want to know if it will be a good gift.

HeavyG

They all probably come from the same Chinese factory.

CharleyR

Go with the Instant Pot.  I ordered one from Amazon last month and truly love it.  Also, there are a ton of videos on YouTube, both instructional type and recipes.  

jtcBoynton

Holepuncher said:

Christmas is coming soon. Please explain to me the pressure cooker benefits, not being smart. Just want to know if it will be a good gift.

Benefit is it cooks items quickly.  It allows for a quick simulation of the effects of long braising. For example, cook time for dried beans is 30 minutes or less (depending on bean variety) instead of an overnight soak and hours of cooking.   

The Instant Pot is a step up from a pressure cooker in that it also includes cook cycles that simulate slow cookers and rice cookers.

Be aware that it is a cooking tool that is designed for certain functions.  It does a good job at what it is designed to do.  It is not a do everything miracle device.  Used appropriately, it is a useful device to have in the kitchen.

paqman

The power pressure cooker has a stick free coating which is a big negative point IMHO.  The Instant Pot has a stainless inner pot.  After the cooking cycle is done, the Instant Pot has a 8+ hours keep warm cycle that kicks in; the power pressure cooker stops after an hour or two.  With the IP, you can have a 3 hours high pressure cycle (useful for broth); the power pressure cooker is limited to 90 minutes.  You can make yogurt in *some* of the IP models (not all).  The Instant Pot is the clear winner from my point of view.

I was hesitant at first but I am so glad that I purchased it.  I use it at least twice a week now.  Every week I start a batch of chicken broth with bones from a roasted chicken and veggies scrap.  Before going to sleep, I put the chicken bones, skin and everything that we don’t eat in the IP with cleaned carrots skin and ends, celery, onions (we freeze the veggies scrap in large ziploc bags and use them when we need).  I start the cycle on high pressure for 120 minutes and after that it automatically switches to keep warm so when we wake up the broth is still warm but cold enough to go in the fridge fairly quickly.  When it is cold, it has a jello like texture.  Best chicken stock ever.  As a bonus, when we use a chicken carcass that was roasted in the egg, the broth has a lightly smoked taste.  We do the same thing with bones from our steaks and roasts.  I used to pay for chicken carcasses and beef bones to make soup, not anymore.  Also not wasting veggies anymore.

paqman

Also, FWIW, if we decide to eat pork baby back ribs on a weeknight without planning, we can be ready to eat within an hour.  Remove membrane form the ribs; 2 cups of water in the Instant Pot; high pressure for 18 minutes; start the egg while the IP is coming under pressure and cooking the ribs; quick release of pressure when the cycle is completed; grill the ribs for 5-10 minutes.  Texture and taste perfect ribs on a weeknight in under an hour...

Gulfcoastguy

I'm going to have to think about this. I have a Power XL and hate the pot. Is the Instant Pot rated safe for pressure canning nonacid vegetables and how many of what size jars could it hold?It might be worth it just for making stock and cooking dried beans.

paqman

Gulfcoastguy said:

I'm going to have to think about this. I have a Power XL and hate the pot. Is the Instant Pot rated safe for pressure canning nonacid vegetables and how many of what size jars could it hold?It might be worth it just for making stock and cooking dried beans.

@Gulfcoastguy My understanding is that none of the electric pressure coooker currently on the market are certified to be safe for pressure canning.  Early models of Instant Pot had the function built in but a warning was issued by some agency (fda?) and the function has been removed since then.

paqman

@Gulfcoastguy

Here’s what Instant Pot sites says about pressure canning:

Instant Pot® can be used for boiling-water canning. The Instant Pot® current product line is regulated by a pressure sensor instead of a thermometer; the altitude of your location may affect the actual cooking temperature.  We recommend to not use Instant Pot® for pressure canning.



Here’s the link to the warning about canning with electric pressure cooker:

http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/electric_cookers.html

Holepuncher

Thanks everyone. Looks like 2 may be on my Christmas list.

smbishop

Love my IP.  I use mostly for rice, beans, soup and stock.  If I am cooking a meal, I prefer the egg.  Have also made some potatoes and Mushroom Risotto with excellent results.  

Aviator

Made some penang curry with chicken after a visit to my asian grocery store for galangal, lemon grass, coconut creme(not milk) and red thai peppers. Absolutely fabulous. The wifey not only took seconds but then went back for a lil more.  The whole cook took me about an hour including jasmine rice. 

platypusrex

We just got the 8 qt model 2 weeks ago, so far I've done pasta bolognese and chicken & dumplings. Both were great, tasted like they had been simmering for hours. It ain't "instant" - it takes 5-10 minutes to get up to pressure, then your cook time, then some recipes call for natural pressure release instead of quick pressure release, so that adds another 10 minutes in that case. Still worth it, just don't fall for the marketing name "instant".

Eoin

We bought an IP this week, reasonable price on Amazon UK. Anne made ham and lentil soup with a chunk of gammon, which pulled apart beautifully at the end. Looks like this thing will get some use.

Eggcelsior

Another great thing is taking stuff like chicken breast or pork loin and turning them into pulled meat for tacos and what not. Nice change up over standard fare when short on time.

Skiddymarker

Instant pot is ideal, no question about it. 
I do suggest you get some extra sealing rings. The ring does take on the odor of what you are cooking. No issue if you are doing stew or a chicken, but if you do steel cut oats, the meat odor is not the best. I've noticed lately they are color coded, for sweet and savory....

Gulfcoastguy

Maybe I'll get one nearer to Christmas. I want the one with 10 functions though and it won't likely be any of the Black Friday specials. If anybody does see it on Amazon for a good price post it here.

Aviator

Gulfcoastguy said:

Maybe I'll get one nearer to Christmas. I want the one with 10 functions though and it won't likely be any of the Black Friday specials. If anybody does see it on Amazon for a good price post it here.

Here you go:
https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Pot-Programmable-Pressure-Sterilizer/dp/B06Y1MP2PY/ref=sr_1_4?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1509661310&sr=1-4&keywords=instant+pot&dpID=51KCWbebgmL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Gulfcoastguy

Thanks but I am hoping for a bit better than that.

HeavyG

Gulfcoastguy said:

Thanks but I am hoping for a bit better than that.

The camel says that Amazon had that as low as $119 in mid-August. Perhaps they'll put it on a sale on Black Friday.

Gulfcoastguy

We can hope.

paqman

@Gulfcoastguy if you are on Facebook, you can join the Instant Pot group (be ready to be flooded with posts).  The ladies over there keep posting specials and best places to buy.  From what I have seen so far, in the US, the best place to buy is usually Kohls.  They typically have a monthly 30%off online code + free shipping that can be added over regular specials.  You apparently get bonus Kohls dollars too.

Gulfcoastguy

Sorry no Facebook and Kohl’s irritates the fool out of me. Just set a decent price, don’t give me funny money that can’t be spent that day and expires within a few days. I appreciate the reply though.

paqman

Gulfcoastguy said:

Kohl’s irritates the fool out of me. Just set a decent price, don’t give me funny money that can’t be spent that day and expires within a few days. I appreciate the reply though.

I must be missing something.... if it is cheaper and you are ordering online what’s the problem?  I guess you would hate Canadian Tire.  They give you a few pennies in Canadian Tire money after each transaction; it never ends...

TN_Egger

Bought an IP this week and broke it in last night.  3 frozen chicken breasts, cooked and shredded for tacos.  Pretty slick.  I think I'm gonna like this thing.

Botch

I already had a rice cooker and slow cooker, and bought an 8-qrt (big enough for a whole cheekun) Fagor pressure cooker for my gas stove about a year ago.
But now my interest is piqued, dang this place is expensive!  

bluebird66

I really like my electric cooker.