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Instant Pot sizes

GrateEggspectations
GrateEggspectations Posts: 9,183
edited January 2019 in EggHead Forum
After resisting the urge for years, my wife is finally wanting to get an Instant Pot. In discussing sizes, she’s advocating for a 6qt. Given that we are a family of 3, are expecting a second child and we do a lot of hosting/batch cooking, I think it would be foolish to get anything but the 8qt. 

Please bolster my argument further, drawing from your own experiences. 

Also, which model would you go for and why?

Many thanks in advance.  =)

Comments

  • milesvdustin
    milesvdustin Posts: 2,882
    Get the 8. We are a family of 3 but like to make extra for to-go meals for work. The 8 makes plenty but you can make any smaller recipe you want in it. There isn't a minimum fill line, only max. 

    Wife made a batch of beef veg soup last week that fed 6 people and we had enough leftover that there were another 10 or 12 bowls left. 

    2 LBGE, Blackstone 36, Jumbo Joe

    Egging in Southern Illinois (Marion)

  • :)@milesvdustin: Thanks. Exactly what I was looking for. 
  • U_tarded
    U_tarded Posts: 2,041
    2 people here have the 8, go 8.  Function and recipes are the same but extra real estate when you need it.  We make a gallon of yogurt a week, boil eggs etc and the extra space is nice. 
  • Yno
    Yno Posts: 529
    I suffered over this decision for twenty or thirty seconds when I bought mine. I went with the eight and never looked back. There are only the two of us, but we like leftovers, and when we entertain it comes in handy. You can't put ten pounds of 'stuff' in a five pound bag!

    I took a bit longer to decide on the XL BGE or the large three years ago, and never regretted buying the XL. Go big or go home!
    XL BGE in San Jose, CA. Also a Pit Barrel Cooker, a Cal Flame P4 gasser, and lots of toys including the first ever Flame Boss 300 in the wild. And a new Flame Boss 500.
  • Woodchunk
    Woodchunk Posts: 911
    Check out the ninja foodi before buying.
  • Woodchunk said:
    Check out the ninja foodi before buying.
    Thanks.

    Quick and dirty - What advantages does it offer?
  • vb4677
    vb4677 Posts: 686
    Just the two of us and I got the 8.  Sure, I can throw in a couple of frozen chicken breasts and a sauce, but it's really great for family gatherings when you need the room to make a risotto for 8-10 people.  
    Kansas City: Too Much City for One State - Missouri side
    2 Large BGE's, Instant Pot, Anova Sous Vide, and a gas smoker...
    Barbeque, Homebrew and Blues...
  • ColtsFan
    ColtsFan Posts: 6,310
    House of 2 and we have the 8qt. Rarely use it near capacity but it's nice to know it's there 
    ~ John - https://www.instagram.com/hoosier_egger
    XL BGE, LG BGE, KJ Jr, PK Original, Ardore Pizza Oven, King Disc 
    Bloomington, IN - Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers!

  • GlennM
    GlennM Posts: 1,358
    We have a 6 and a 3. Love them both and never felt we needed the 8 (only two of us)
    In the bush just East of Cambridge,Ontario 
  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    We got one for Christmas and returned the 6 qt for the 8 qt. I opened it and took a look at the cooking pot and I thought it was too small for our normal pot roast recipe. They had the 8 qt duo on Amazon for $80 but it looks like they are sold out now. It is a version 2 vs a version 3 but I couldn’t find any significant differences. 

    The other thing I was thinking about was ribs...if I ever want to cheat and cook ribs in 22 minutes...the extra space will be nice. Also braised short ribs. Depending on the length they may not fit in the 6 qt. 


    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

  • vb4677
    vb4677 Posts: 686
    GlennM said:
    We have a 6 and a 3. Love them both and never felt we needed the 8 (only two of us)
    I don't get this.. but I just know the SWMBO is already griping about having to store one IP, I can't imagine trying to get a second...  So, the larger capacity for me, and only store 1 device.

    Kansas City: Too Much City for One State - Missouri side
    2 Large BGE's, Instant Pot, Anova Sous Vide, and a gas smoker...
    Barbeque, Homebrew and Blues...
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    I have a 6 qt IP and an 8 qt Presto stovetop model. I bought the stovetop first, then decided I'd probably appreciate the set it and forget it convenience of the electric model (I was right).

    I'm cooking for one more often than not and the 6 qt is plenty. I actually used both PCs at the same time once. Not a capacity issue, just wanted to PC two different things. Collards and pinto beans as I recall.

    Some folks on here have SIX eggs, even NINE eggs!! What's wrong with 2 pressure cookers? =)

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • Hub
    Hub Posts: 927
    We are a family of two and have the 6 quart.  It gets the job done, but on many occasions I've wished we had the 8 quart model.  You can always cook in a pot that is bigger than what you need, but such is not the case when the pot is smaller than what you need. 
    Beautiful and lovely Villa Rica, Georgia
  • GlennM
    GlennM Posts: 1,358
    vb4677 said:
    GlennM said:
    We have a 6 and a 3. Love them both and never felt we needed the 8 (only two of us)
    I don't get this.. but I just know the SWMBO is already griping about having to store one IP, I can't imagine trying to get a second...  So, the larger capacity for me, and only store 1 device.

    We have a vacation home in Florida and the 3 qt is there. I actually like that one. We can make 2 qts of yogurt in it 
    In the bush just East of Cambridge,Ontario 
  • Wolfpack
    Wolfpack Posts: 3,551
    I bought the 8 and it was too big for the area I wanted to store it in, took it back and got the 6.

    Family of 5 and the capacity of the 6 is way more than we can eat. 

    Greensboro, NC
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    I have a 6 qt IP and an 8 qt Presto stovetop model. I bought the stovetop first, then decided I'd probably appreciate the set it and forget it convenience of the electric model (I was right).

    I'm cooking for one more often than not and the 6 qt is plenty. I actually used both PCs at the same time once. Not a capacity issue, just wanted to PC two different things. Collards and pinto beans as I recall.

    Some folks on here have SIX eggs, even NINE eggs!! What's wrong with 2 pressure cookers? =)
    We have a 3 and a six. Pot roast and onions in the 6, taters and root veggie in the three. The three also does duty with steel cut oats for the two of us. 

    Not a leftover fan, the two sizes give us great meals and sized to the right volume. Lately the 8 qt has been on sale in our area for under $100CDN ($75US). 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • CTMike
    CTMike Posts: 3,247
    MMBGE / Large BGE / XL BGE (Craigslist Find) / SF30x80 cabinet trailer - "Ol' Mortimer" / Outdoor kitchen in progress.  

    RECOVERING BUBBLEHEAD
    Southeastern CT. 
  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,660
    I strongly suggest you go with the 8qt.  I have both the 6 and the 8 and barely ever use the 6.  90% of the time I use the manual or the soup buttons.  Sometimes I use the yogourt but that’s about it so don’t go too fancy either.  It teally comes down to yogourt or not.

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,660
    oh... and there is just 2 of us.  The 8qt just gives you more flexibility.  We make chicken stock weekly and the 8qt makes it a breeze.  Chicken carcass from a costco chicken + 8 cups of water + onion chopped in 2 or 3 + leftover frozen celery and carots for 4 hours at the soup setting and then overnight at keep warm gives you the best chicken stock you can dream off.  You can then make soup or chciken à la king

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
  • KennyCJR
    KennyCJR Posts: 262
    CTMike said:
    Thank you for pointing that out. I stupidly assumed that instant pot only made pressure cookers.  

    FWIW, we have the cheaper 6qt and it does enough for the two of us, but like others have said, there’s not much in the way of leftovers for lunches...maybe 1 meal. 🤔
    Llano, TX   -  Med and XL BGE’s
  • Matt86m
    Matt86m Posts: 471
    Another vote for the 8, 2 of us and few times a year Ill make a big batch of dirty rice, stew, ham soup/stew. Pork butts for Kalua Pig instead of the crock pot.
    XL aka Senior, Mini Max aka Junior, Weber Q's, Blackstone 22, Lion built in, RecTec Mini 300, Lodge Hibachi, Uuni, wife says I have too many grills,,,,how many shoes do you have?
     
    IG -->  matt_86m
  • There are 4 of us here.  I bought the 8 qt for leftovers and the occasional church supper.  It was the right call.
    Flint, Michigan
  • I have both the 6 & 8.  I have used both simultaneously while entertaining, if I had to choose just one I would probably go with the 8.  I do prefer the 6 when a recipe calls for sauté function and the 8 for steaming function.  Pressure cook is the same.
    Schaumburg, IL
  • We have 2.  the 8 quart size is good for all kinds of meals with room for leftovers.  both of ours are 8s.

    ------

    1 Large BGE

    Boston, MA

  • BobDanger
    BobDanger Posts: 323
    I have the 3. Fits the meals I prefer.
    Eastern Shore Virginia 

    Medium & Mini Max
  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    I've been saving the Yoplait Oui jars.
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
    We grew this year to a family of four.  We use the IP 8qt. 
    ------------------------------
    Thomasville, NC
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