The instant pot craze has gone global. With people all over the world investing in these multifunctional cookers, you might be thinking about hopping on the bandwagon. It seems like everybody is talking about instant pots these days. They have become so popular they have managed to grow a cult following online. One Facebook group has a couple of million followers where instant pot lovers share their different recipes and tips.
But you might be wondering whether this is just another fad. A lot of kitchen appliances have come and gone over the years, and many feel that this is just another product that will be forgotten down the line. However, a study published in 2019 showed that 51% of American adults had used an instant pot. The first instant pot was introduced into the marketplace in 2010, and since then they have become one of Amazon’s best-selling kitchen appliances. A survey that consisted of 1,500 instant pot owners showed that over 90% were satisfied with the device. Unless something better comes on the market in the near future, it seems like instant pots are in for the long term.
Saves Time
Although the name instant pot isn’t exactly accurate, because it doesn’t allow you to cook meals in an instant, it can help you reduce the amount of time you spend cooking in the kitchen. A lot of us struggle to make free time to cook a great tasting tender meal. In the modern society we live in, very few of us can spend hours over a stove watching our ingredients cook. Which is where your trusty instant pot can come in to save the day.
Although instant pots won’t help you to prepare the ingredients, they will do all the rest of the work for you. Using pots and pans to cook food can consume a lot of your precious time, but manufacturers of instant pots feel that the device will reduce cooking time by up to seventy percent.
Cleaning an instant pot is straightforward. Just throw the body of the device in the washing machine, and rinse the pot without scrubbing it. Unlike other conventional kitchen appliances, the pot is made from non-stick stainless steel, which will help reduce the chances of someone getting food poisoning.
Money Saver
Instant pots range from around $80 to $180. Although they are more expensive than standard pressure cookers, they have a lot more features and functions. These all-in-one cookers can be used to make yogurts, cook vegetables and meats, you can use it as a warmer, and some people even use it to sanitize their baby’s bottles. You will be surprised what your instant pots can do.
The sauté function is very popular amongst home cooks, as it allows you to brown different meats. Once they are ready, you can drop your vegetables into the same pot so they can cook simultaneously. You won’t need to buy a seperate rice cooker, a slow cooker, or a steamer, because an instant pot will do it all for you.
Because instant pots use high pressures and temperatures to cook ingredients, they won’t consume a lot of electricity, so you don’t have to worry about getting hit with a high utility bill. Surprisingly, instant pots are one of the greenest kitchen appliances available in today’s market. The majority of home cooks keep the planet’s environment in mind when investing in new kitchen equipment, making an instant pot an ideal purchase.
No Need For Instant Pot Cookbooks
Most home cooks have invested in cookbooks that they rarely use. But thanks to the internet and the instant pot craze, people worldwide are posting tips and recipes onto the web. There are several websites like corrie cooks with hundreds of different tasty recipes, so you won’t have any problems finding something new to cook.
Although every instant pot comes with an instruction manual (you should read this before you start using your instant pot for the first time), there are lots of tutorial videos uploaded to streaming services like YouTube. However, you should be able to operate your instant pot within minutes after reading the manufacturer’s guidelines. All home cooks have to do is put their ingredients in the pot, press the timer, and let it do its magic. You don’t have to spend your entire afternoon babysitting the device, as it does all the hard work for you.
Some people are reluctant to buy an instant pot because it seems confusing to operate. With several buttons and an LED screen, some traditional home cooks are worried that they won’t be able to figure out this modern cooking device. But cooking with an instant pot is child’s play. However, just because it is straightforward to use, doesn’t mean you should be careful when using it, especially when it comes to handling the device. Keep in mind, high pressures and temperatures build up in the device, so it is extremely important that you handle it with care. You will want to keep the device away from young children, especially when you are releasing the pressure that has built up inside.
Are Instant Pots Safe?
Many people are put off investing in a standard pressure cooker because they are worried about safety issues. If you have a little toddler walking around your home, the last thing you want is having to worry every time you use your stovetop pressure cooker. Spillages are common, which can cause serious problems for anyone near the pressure cooker. There have been reports of pressure cookers exploding over the years, which is again something homeowners dread.
Luckily, instant pots have a lot of built-in safety features that make them a much safer appliance. You will sleep better at night because you won’t have to worry about the instant pot overheating, catching fire, or exploding. It also has a sensor that will detect if the ingredients are burning, which will automatically turn off the device. There are other sensors that will ensure that the lid is firmly connected, so you won’t have to worry about opening the lid when all the pressure is still inside the device.
It also has a pressure control mechanism that is located at the base of the device. This mechanism controls the heating element within the instant pot, which will maintain a certain pressure throughout the cooking process.
Conclusion
Before buying an instant pot, think about where you are going to put it. Although they are readily available in different sizes, the majority of instant pots are big and bulky. If you only have a limited amount of space on your kitchen counter, you might not have enough room to store the device.
Although there are a few downsides to owning an instant pot, most home cooks feel that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. If you are new to cooking, this device will allow you to easily produce complex tasty meals. If you are in the market for a new instant pot, remember that there are lots of different models available. Before spending your money, find out what you need it for. For example, if you are planning to make yogurt with it, make sure that there is a yogurt button on it. Although others without a yogurt button will be able to make yogurts, it won’t be as easy.