Instant Pot Lux 6-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Saute, and Warmer|6 Quart|12 One-Touch Programs
Brand | Instant Pot |
Capacity | 6 Liters |
Material | Stainless steel |
Color | Black |
Finish Type | Stainless Steel |
Special Feature | Manual, Dishwasher Safe, Programmable |
Wattage | 1000 watts |
Item Weight | 14.57 Pounds |
Control Method | Touch |
Controller Type | Push Button |
About this item
- 6-in-1 Multi-Functional Cooker--Pressure Cooker, Saute/Browning, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer & Warmer
- Large, easy to use control panel with ten built-in Smart Programs, automatic keep-warm, and 3 temperatures for saute/browning and slow cook
- Delay cooking time up to 24-Hours; Manual setting up to 120 minutes of cook time, UL and ULC certified with 10 proven safety mechanisms; Highly energy efficient
- Includes 3-ply bottom stainless steel cooking pot, stainless steel steam rack, rice paddle, soup spoon, measuring cup, instructions, recipes, and cooking time tables
- Capacity: 6L/6.33 Qt, Power rating: 1000W, Voltage: 110v/60Hz, Gross weight: 14.57 pounds ; Refer User Manual page -17 for Trouble shooting steps
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This Item Instant Pot Lux 6-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Saute, and Warmer|6 Quart|12 One-Touch Programs | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | dummy | dummy | |
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Price | Currently unavailable. | -33% $99.95$99.95 List: $149.95 | $13.95$13.95 | $169.95$169.95 | $8.95$8.95 | -8% $5.99$5.99 List: $6.49 |
Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 20 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 20 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 20 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 20 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 20 |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Easy to clean | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.6 |
Durability | 4.4 | — | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.6 |
Easy to use | 4.3 | 4.4 | — | 4.4 | — | 4.6 |
Versatility | 4.9 | 4.5 | — | 4.6 | — | — |
Easy to install | — | — | 4.7 | — | 4.7 | 4.7 |
Sold By | — | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Longan Craft |
capacity | 6 liters | 6 quarts | 6 quarts | 8 quarts | 6 quarts | 3 quarts |
operation mode | Manual | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic | — | — |
control method | touch | remote | touch | touch | touch | — |
material | Stainless steel | Plastic | Silicone | Stainless steel | Silicone | Stainless steel |
dishwasher safe | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
weight | 14.57 pounds | 5.58 pounds | 1.4 ounces | 15.83 pounds | 1.98 ounces | 0.01 kilograms |
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Product Description
Instant Pot is the next generation Electric Pressure Cooker designed by Canadians specifically for North American consumers. It speeds up cooking by 26 times using up to 70-percent less energy, and, above all, produces nutritious healthy food in a convenient and consistent fashion.Instant Pot IP-LUX60 is a 6-in-1 programmable cooker combining the functions of a pressure cooker, saute/browning, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer and warmer. The latest 3rd Generation technology with an embedded microprocessor greatly improve cooking result, maintain consistence and enhance safety. Your favorite dishes are within the reach of pressing a button with 10 built-in programs and 3 adjustable modes. 3 temperatures in Saute for browning or thickening, and 3 temperatures in Slow Cook to complete the tasks of a common slow cooker. It also works as a perfect porridge maker allowing you wake up with a fresh made porridge.Instant Pot cuts the cooking time and energy consumption by up to 70-percent. It also preserves the nutrition and flavors in natural ingredients. Instant Pot produces almost no noise nor steam, and is truly a kitchen-friendly appliance. The stainless steel inner pot leaves no health concerns of non-stick coating residual. The brushed stainless steel exterior is finger print proof. Instant Pot is the must-have cooking appliance in your fast-paced, health-oriented and green-conscious life style. Instructions, Recipe and Cooking time table in English, Spanish, French and Chinese are included.
Product information
Brand | Instant Pot |
---|---|
Capacity | 6 Liters |
Material | Stainless steel |
Color | Black |
Finish Type | Stainless Steel |
Special Feature | Manual, Dishwasher Safe, Programmable |
Wattage | 1000 watts |
Item Weight | 14.57 Pounds |
Control Method | Touch |
Controller Type | Push Button |
Operation Mode | Manual |
Is Dishwasher Safe | No |
Voltage | 220 Volts |
Closure Type | Outer Lid, Inner Lid |
Product Dimensions | 12.6 x 11.81 x 10.23 inches |
Item Weight | 14.57 pounds |
Manufacturer | Instant Pot |
ASIN | B0073GIN08 |
Item model number | LUX-6-V2 |
Customer Reviews |
4.6 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #297,918 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining) #434 in Rice Cookers |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | Yes |
Date First Available | January 30, 2012 |
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Instant Pot Lux - delicious fast meals! Easy to clean!
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Customer Review: I love this thing. Bought it years ago
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Customer Review: works well but not well enough to cook rice
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Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the ease of use, value, taste, texture, and speed of the pressure cooker. They mention that the instructions are easy to understand, and the pot is user friendly. Some appreciate the fact that it cuts down their time in the kitchen and makes inexpensive but healthy meals. They also like the fact the pressure cooking drives flavor into the food, making it more tender and tasty. Some like the speed, saying that it makes potatoes super fast and easy.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the quality of the pressure cooker. They say it's a great electric pressure cooker that makes great food quickly and perfectly every time. Customers also appreciate the high-quality stainless steel cooking pot and say it will last a long while.
"...Practically fell apart.The broth left over was a great base for gravy, and was easy and plentiful...." Read more
"...Because you can saute in this newest model, you can do almost all the cooking in this one pot, thus making cleanup far easier, as the inner..." Read more
"...Everything came out very well except the carrots, which were my fault. In most cases it came out better than other cooking methods I have tried...." Read more
"...Quality, pretty thick stainless steel pot (stay away from coated pots, aluminum pots, etc. as they leach bad stuff into food)..." Read more
Customers find the pressure cooker easy to use. They say the recipes are simple and easy to follow. The instructions are easy to understand and the pot is user friendly. Some say that the pressure cooking is indispensable and fun to use, as you can set it and leave it.
"...All in all, this thing is really great, I highly recommend it. It's easy, fast, safe and the results taste truly delicious...." Read more
"...Much, much, MUCH more convenient to use than the "manual" type pressure cookers where you have to stand by until you hear the pressure has built up,..." Read more
"...bands are a MUST in the kitchen, open a jar of pickles, anything, very very handy...." Read more
"...And the pot is simple to clean! This pot is so safe, easy and clean to use that we soon got rid of the old pressure cooker, which was a little..." Read more
Customers are happy with the speed of the pressure cooker. They mention that it makes potatoes super fast and easy, and is great for slow-cooking beans, lentils, and chili. They also mention that the rice is quick, and the slow cooker mode is phenomenal. They are also impressed with how much time it saves, saying it makes creamy mashed potatoes in 6 minutes and perfectly cooked white rice in 4 minutes.
"...Pulled pork that was sooo tender, sooo tasty, sooo juicy, sooo FAST!..." Read more
"...It functions as a slow cooker, as an above-average quality rice cooker and -let's not forget- a really good pressure cooker...." Read more
"...It was fine, and was faster than my current rice cooker (which I'm now getting rid of)...." Read more
"...Make your own decision. I am so very happy with it and amazed at how much time it saves and how the food tastes. You will be too! Happy cooking!..." Read more
Customers appreciate the ease of cleaning the pressure cooker. They mention that it is so easy to clean and that it's not Teflon.
"...you can do almost all the cooking in this one pot, thus making cleanup far easier, as the inner stainless steel pot (but NOT the unit or it's lid)..." Read more
"...That was delicious too. No burning on the bottom of the pot, clean up was easy...." Read more
"...Very easy to clean - since only the pot has to be cleaned, it fits in the dishwasher better than the stove-top type with handles...." Read more
"...The stainless steel bowl is very shiny, feels very solid, and cleaned up easily...." Read more
Customers like the taste of the pressure cooker. They mention that the pork was so tender, tasty, and juicy. They love the fact that pressure cooking drives flavor into the food, and the results are never dry. It makes the best soup ever, fluffy cheesecake, and rich broth. The hummus is the best they have ever made, and it's savory with tender meat, just right potatoes, and sweet, soft carrots. The brown rice is really good and effortless, and beans are cooked to perfection. It's chewy outside and soft inside, perfect form, texture, and taste.
"...The results? Unbelievable. Pulled pork that was sooo tender, sooo tasty, sooo juicy, sooo FAST!..." Read more
"...The meat was very flavorful, and falling off the bone, with a really good texture. I removed the bones and set aside for stock...." Read more
"...Everything was done just right, and it was delicious...." Read more
"...cooking in this, cooking things like quinoa, millets, brown rice is really good and effortless. Please double boil them though...." Read more
Customers like the value of the pressure cooker. They say it's well worth the money, and it produces inexpensive but healthy meals. They also mention that the device saves them time and energy, and they can spend more time with their family.
"...It is inexpensive to use as well...when using your stove and/or oven, you will notice a marked increase in the temperature of your kitchen, and..." Read more
"...It's been well worth the money. I love it." Read more
"...and you don't want to wait for another deal, trust me, it is worth the full price too...." Read more
"...Aluminum is no buenoEasy locking lidSimple UIPrice is affordable IMO.Quality seems appropriate for the price...." Read more
Customers like the temperature control of the pressure cooker. They say that the device beeps and then keeps the cooked food warm without burning it. They also mention that it cools down quickly and stays warm enough to keep the food warm. Some say that it's great in the summer as it doesn't heat up the kitchen as much as a pot.
"...and leaving the pot sit, since it's well-insulated and will keep warm for quite a while...." Read more
"...the stove to turn it off, and nice features like delayed cooking, auto keep warm, LOW CLEAN UP effort, single pot cooking, etc...." Read more
"...turns off automatically, keeps food warm without scorching. It uses very little energy, which is added bonus...." Read more
"...After cooling for 2 more hours, it was still to hot to put into freezer containers!!!..." Read more
Customers like the texture of the pressure cooker. They mention that the meat is soft, fork-tender, and fluffy. The roast itself is so tender that it melts in your mouth. The texture is much better than just stovetop cooking, and it makes fluffy cheesecake. Customers are comfortable with the pressure pot and find it easy to use.
"...The results? Unbelievable. Pulled pork that was sooo tender, sooo tasty, sooo juicy, sooo FAST!..." Read more
"...The meat was very flavorful, and falling off the bone, with a really good texture. I removed the bones and set aside for stock...." Read more
"...cooks, it cooks rice, it sautés, makes the best soup ever, makes fluffy cheesecake and it cleans up easily...." Read more
"...The rice came out fully cooked and fluffy enough for me...." Read more
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That did it. I needed to figure out how to cook. I read all of the great reviews of the Instant Pot here, but the thing that sold me was a video on youtube of an older single guy who lived in what looks like a double wide trailer, saying that all he has to do is throw stuff in the thing, and out pops great food. (No, I don't live in a trailer park... but if he could do it, I could do it).
After seeing all of the pressure cooking recipes on line, ranging from simple to sophisticated, I decided to press the button and buy the thing.
I've had the instant pot for about 2 weeks now, and I've used it 5 times so far.
It lives up to the reviews here. I am really pleased with it... because if I can come across as a "good cook" to my daughter (and I have, BTW) then an orangutan can - provided it's an orangutan with an Instant Pot.
Right out of the box I made beef stew, using the recipe in the instruction book. Took less than 45 minutes from raw ingredients to steaming stew on the table. That particular recipe tasted great - but wasn't too pretty to look at.
Next, I wanted to make pulled pork for a big super-bowl party. This was a big test, as one of the other guests was a professional chef, and he was making his signature carne asada tacos. The night before, I made a test run with the instant pot, before I publicly committed to bringing food to this party... heh heh... I didn't want to look like a fool if it failed.
Well, I found a few pulled pork recipes on-line, so I got the gist of how to do it, and then I just "winged it", kinda making it up as I went,
The results? Unbelievable. Pulled pork that was sooo tender, sooo tasty, sooo juicy, sooo FAST! Again, from raw stuff to finished dish in under an hour, with only 10 or 15 minutes of actual labor. (Typical non-pressure cooker recipes call for 3 or 4 hours of cooking time) Pulled pork is supposed to pull apart with just a fork... and that's exactly what it did. Practically fell apart.
The broth left over was a great base for gravy, and was easy and plentiful.
The next day - Superbowl Sunday - I made the big batch of the pulled pork, with similar, excellent results... I made 3 varieties of sauces too... Traditional BBQ, Spicy vinegar, and "Au Jus" style. HUGE hit at the party, people clamored for more.
The next day, barley lentil soup for my daughter and I. Ingredients cost about 3 or 4 bucks, made about a half gallon of delicious soup, which lasted for several days. (I threw in a smoked pork neck bone... yu-hu-hummy). Time from arriving home from the grocery store to soup... about 45 minutes.
Last night, I made lasagna. Yep, pressure cooker lasagna. Nearly as good as oven baked, but in under an hour, including prep time.
The only negative comment I can make is that you have to be sure that the pressure valve closes. (It's supposed to automatically shut when the liquid gets to a good boil... it's a mechanical device, that pops up when there's a flow of steam... but sometimes you have to kinda give it a little jiggle to get it to pop up).
The instant pot is also nearly perfectly silent, and the smells of the food stay in the pot while cooking. (I'm sure this will be a big plus when cooking corned beef and cabbage.)
All in all, this thing is really great, I highly recommend it. It's easy, fast, safe and the results taste truly delicious. And if I can fool my daughter into thinking that I can cook, then anyone can masquerade as a good cook... if you're armed with an Instant Pot, that is.
*** Update 3/31/2014
As I type, my Instant Pot has just come up to pressure, In about 20 more minutes, my daughter and I will be slurping up some of what has become my signature dish - a hearty soup with ham and sausage. I make this soup once or twice a month. Well, not EXACTLY this soup, 'cause each time I try some variations... with whatever vegetables are in season, whatever is on sale, or whatever I have leftover in the 'fridge. Today, it's collard and mustard greens, garbanzos and turnips, along with the usual carrots, celery and onions.
Oh, and just last night, we had company - I made Corned Beef and Cabbage. Including prep time, it took just a little over an hour. It came out perfectly (and as a bonus, the broth that was left behind is what I used as the soup base for tonight's endeavor).
My daughter has changed her tune since my first review... not only does she now think I can cook, but she has actually suggested that I cook at our annual family gathering. (I'm flattered, but this is a non-starter, as the rest of the fam are truly excellent cooks. I certainly don't want to steal their thunder - besides, I won't be able to bring the Instant Pot aboard the plane anyway.)
So, its been a bit over a year since I bought my Instant Pot. It's held up well, with pretty frequent usage. As I mentioned in my initial review, it's not quite fully automatic... you have to babysit it, but just until the pressure valve "pops", which is in about 10-20 minutes after you turn it on, depending on how full the pot is. Before the pot pressurizes, it generates a bunch of steam first. You sometimes have to jiggle the pot a little to help the valve "pop up" so the pressure can start building.
I've also found that it's possible to have the lid on imperfectly (or perhaps it's the ring seal along the edge of the lid). When this happens, steam can escape from around the edges of the lid, and pressure is never achieved.
Even with those two caveats, I still recommend the Instant Pot highly. Five stars!
Hey, the Instant Pot just beeped to tell me that my soup is ready! Bye!
I cannot say enough about the Instant Pot. My wife and I owned another unit from a different company, but it's pot was made of aluminum (tied to Alzheimer's issues) and had a non-stick coating on it besides. We wanted a stainless steel pot to avoid all this...enter Instant Pot.
This unit works awesome, and we are fully qualified to say so. Not only do we have an "Amazon Verified Purchase" label on our review, but we use the Instant Pot 4-5x a week, literally. Probably 7-8x if you count making baked/sweet potatoes for lunches too. (Just a note...always look for "Amazon Verified Purchase" on reviews, and if you don't see it, take the review with a grain of salt. Very few reviews of the Instant Pot were negative, and almost all of them didn't buy the unit, so their reviews are nonsense.)
My wife and I have chosen to make almost all of our dinners with the Instant Pot...it is easy to clean, easy to use, and requires virtually NO oversight. It is inexpensive to use as well...when using your stove and/or oven, you will notice a marked increase in the temperature of your kitchen, and with the oven, it will be very noticeable indeed. The Instant Pot doesn't do this because it operates in a sealed environment, thus using far less energy as well. Because you can saute in this newest model, you can do almost all the cooking in this one pot, thus making cleanup far easier, as the inner stainless steel pot (but NOT the unit or it's lid) are dishwasher safe. Also, once one is accustomed to using this unit, you can bring it with you on trips, and use it to cook food in a hotel room or a friend's house.
The Instant Pot is wonderful for this one fact if nothing else...once the food is in and the unit is pressurized, you can walk away...no stirring, no tending whatsoever. There is ONE time when you might have to pay attention. IF your Instant Pot is warm from previous cooking, i.e. you just used the saute function to brown something, or maybe you bought an extra inner pot (more on this below) and are cooking meals back to back....you may have to pay attention to make sure the unit seals properly. Sometimes, and this is NOT unique to the Instant Pot, if the unit is already warm, it may get confused and think that it has pressurized. I think you'll find that you used the saute feature before turning it on. So...if the unit is warm/hot from any previous cooking, try this. Watch to see if the unit pressurizes (you'll see the valve pop up)...if the unit starts counting down the cook time BEFORE it has sealed, hit cancel, and start your unit over. It should work the second time. If the unit is completely cool and your recipe requires no sauteing, it will almost always work the first time, but if not, this will work. This is the ONLY "issue" that I've encountered, and since it happened with another manufacturer's model as well, I can only assume this is common for electric cookers. All in all, a small compensation to make. Compared to normal cooking where one has to constantly hover over the stove, this is minor indeed.
I HIGHLY recommend that you purchase a second stainless steel inner pot...
see http://www.amazon.com/Instant-6-33qt-Stainless-Pot-Bottom/dp/B008BKHGX0 -----my wife and I bought one at the time of purchase, and we've never regretted it once. Since we use our cooker constantly, we are always putting the pot into the fridge with leftovers. With an extra inner pot, you can cook another dish while the other waits for you in the fridge. When you want the leftovers, just place them in the Instant Pot and warm them on the low setting of saute, and then put on keep warm once they've heated up a bit, until you're ready to eat. Accordingly, we'd suggest the lid custom made for these pots at http://www.amazon.com/Instant-Tempered-Electric-Pressure-Cookers/dp/B008FUJ2LK
I also HIGHLY recommend that you purchase the book "Everything Pressure Cooker Cookbook" from Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Everything-Pressure-Cooker-Cookbook-Series/dp/1440500177 ------we use recipes from this all the time, and although they are designed for a stove top pressure cooker, they basically translate over perfectly. The only consideration is the cooking instructions...because the author is using a stove top cooker, she references a low/medium/high setting which does not apply on the Instant Pot, or on any other electric pressure cooker I've seen. Just use the appropriate setting for the Instant Pot, i.e. if you're cooking beef, use the meat/stew setting. If chicken, use the poultry setting. I usually add about 20% more time as well, so e.g. if a recipe says put your beef stew on high for 30 minutes, put it on the meat/stew setting of the Instant Pot, and take 30 minutes x 1.2 = 36 minutes for your time. With pressure cookers, you can't "dry out" your meat, and the reverse rules apply...i.e. if you're meat seems dry, cook it LONGER. None of the moisture can escape because it's in a sealed environment.
Enjoy! This appliance has changed our lives, and I don't say that lightly. Once you get good at using it and have recipes you like, it's an awesome little appliance which we use CONSTANTLY.
Cheers!
Top reviews from other countries
With your InstantPot, I will recommend you go ahead and get a steamer basket/trivet (such as the OXO Good Grips Steamer), which I find indispensable for vegetables and fish. The included grate is good for holding meats and other larger items above water, but it just won't do for smaller things. Alternatively, you may use a sheet of aluminium foil on top of the standard InstantPot grate, but in my experience a steaming basket is a lot more convenient.
Another useful tip I can give you based on my experience, is to please inspect the gasket on the lid of the InstantPot. It is a solid, thick gasket, however, sometimes due to sliding the lid on and off, it can come slightly off it's position in a certain spot. If it does, the next time you use your pressure cooker, the steam will escape from around the lid, instead of the steaming hole and this may give your meal results that are not optimal, especially something moisture and time sensitive like rice. The good news is that it's a breeze to inspect and adjust the gasket as needed.
Without further ado, here is my wonderful, simple and quick rice recipe that made me fall in love with rice. This recipe is for 2 medium size servings of rice. In a measuring cup, add 1/2 cup of pure Basmati rice. I'm a huge fan of Tilda, in the blue bag, because it's very fragrant, tastes amazing and is widely available at places like Walmart. Transfer the rice to the InstantPot. In your measuring cup, add exactly 200ml of water and then transfer the water to the InstantPot. Swish the rice and water in the InstantPot briefly just to distribute the rice equally across the bottom of the InstantPot. Press the Manual button and set the InstantPot to 6 minutes. After the 6 six minutes is up press Cancel button and wait for exactly 10 minutes. What you just waited for is a natural steam release. Open the InstantPot and add some butter to the rice. I also like to add a little saffron to my rice on top. This recipe should yield a fluffy rice that's not too soft, basically a restaurant quality, al-dente rice. If you like your rice softer or firmer, consider not changing the cooking time, but simply adding or subtracting a few millilitres of water from the recipe, to get the rice exactly the way you love.
Enjoy your InstantPot!
1. The steaming vent on the top of the lid (a large black knob) is supposed to be lose and wiggle around very easily. I thought my machine was broken when I first opened it. This knob rises as the steam builds up in the appliance when cooking and does become stiffer once the pot reaches proper cooking pressure. I spent a lot of time trying to research the venting knob to see if the sloppiness was normal and after about an hour of online searching, I figured out that the lid is specifically designed this way. I am hoping this hint will save some other customers a lot of time.
2. Don't cook a recipe that isn't designed for a pressure cooker without converting the recipe first. This might sound silly to an experienced pressure cook - but to a novice it was not. I learned this one the hard way. I made my Mom's homemade chili in the pressure cooker - thinking I would be clever and save myself a hour and half of cooking time - but I ended up with a burnt end result. Luckily, I was home at the time and shut the machine off and finished cooking my chili on the stovetop - so all was not lost. I have tried a chili recipe specifically desinged for a pressure cooker since then and it turned out great.
3. I find that I am having to cook my foods for longer than what the recipe book or other online recipes state. This is due to the fact that I live at a higher altitude. Be aware that most recipes are designed for sea level and you need to add time according to how much higher you are - a very easy thing to research and figure out...don't let this discourage you from buying this item...it is well worth the effort.
4. The interior stainless steel pot holds a fair amount of food/liquids - but if you put a roast, whole chicken, or corn cobs onto the included trivet - which is recommended - you lose a number of inches of space. I only placed 5 smallish sized corn cobs onto the trivet and it was as high as I could go. I cooked a 3 - 4 lb pork roast tonight and only had room for 5 potatoes to place around it and they had to be cut up to fit. It's not a big problem for me - family of 3 - but it is something to be aware of so you can plan ahead to cook foods separately if need be.
5. The instruction manual was unclear - to me, anyway - about when it is safe for me to open the lid after cooking my foods. Could I open it immediately after the cooker switches to keep warm? Did I have to wait? Did I have to manually vent the steam? Again, this might seem silly to an experienced pressure cook - but with me being a newbie, I was really quite intimidated to open the lid. I had watched the lid fly off my mother-in-laws stovetop pressure cooker at Christmas time and it just about took my head off. I had no idea before then how dangerous pressure cookers could be - so if you are a first time user - use caution. The trick is to make sure, before opening the lid, that the pressure has been released by turning the venting knob on the top of the lid to make sure that the steam is not built up. If you turn the vent to the side and it lets out steam - just wait for the steam to finish releasing. When it is finished releasing steam you are safe to open the lid. I used a kitchen towel to do this and now that I have used the machine a few times, I am an old pro. I was scared to open it for the first two or three times - but now I have a good handle on what to do and how it works. Hoping these tips will save some other new pressure cooks some valuable time.
The pressure cooker is quite large. It does take up a lot of space. I have been keeping mine on the counter because I have been using it so much, but that might not be practical for some users. I love that I can sear in the pot with the lid off before pressure cooking. Many, many pressure cooking recipes require foods to be browned or sauted first or thickened afterward. This feature - which was only a feature with this particular electric pressure cooker - was a HUGE bonus. I love that I can slow cook in it if I want to. This pressure cooker cooks at approx 11 PSI - most recipes are written to work with 15 PSI - so expect to add some additional cooking time to your recipes - again something that I had to research individually - this is ontop of adding additional time for your altitude. It was very simple for me to register my product in the companies website. Took very little time for the item to arrive via courier.
I am really enjoying my new appliance. The only real downfall I have found is that it does not come with a stainless steel steaming basket - something that you really will need - but collapsable ones are easy to find and should solve the problem. I would not hesitate to buy this item again, to give it as a gift or to recommend it to a family memeber. Great appliance. Take advantage of the free shipping while it is available. I was also charged no tax - an added bonus! Best of luck with your pressure cooking. Bon Appetit!
The Instant Pot IP-LUX60 is a big unit, so keep that in mind when you order. It's not something you can hide away easily, but it looks great so keeping it out and handy makes the most sense. If you want something to use only occasionally then this might not make sense for you. Still, it's straight forward and easy-to-learn, WHEN YOU READ THE INSTRUCTIONS.
One point I would like to make, about cooking white rice. The instructions say to use 1.5 cups of water per 1 cup of rice. This makes a very soft and sticky rice (like you get in those sticky rice wraps) and not the rice you would get in a Japanese restaurant. This can be remedied by reducing the water down to 1 or 1.25 cups of water per 1 cup of rice. Of course, your elevation may affect the length of the cooking process, so keep that in mind. I live at only 300 feet above sea level, so there are no differences in the cooking times described in the recipe book and my own experience with this device. If you live much higher, then the times will be noticeably longer.
My husband and I are very impressed with the quality of the construction of the unit, it's very solid and well-built. The only possible weak point will be the electronics, which I'm hoping will hold up as well as the rest of the unit. All in all, a very good buy!
Experiment to start with, don't expect to be able to create a 10-course dinner perfectly the first try. The instructions advise doing a test run of the unit before committing it to cooking actual food. The next test should be a small batch of rice or something else that is straight forward. This will let you get accustomed to using the IP without it costing you money and expensive food. Work your way toward more complicated or demanding dishes gradually. You will be glad you weren't impatient. Impatience in the kitchen can lead to disasters.
UPDATE: After the first few batches of rice, you shouldn't see it coming out "grey" anymore. I've learned to wash my rice thoroughly before cooking, and this may have something to do with my rice coming out perfectly white now. :)
After doing an online search for electric pressure cookers, I found the Instant Pot which is one of the few if not the only one to NOT have a non stick coating. Not only that, but it also works as an automatic rice cooker and slow cooker, has many presets for different foods, and seems to have a better build quality than the Cuisinart. The only minor things I preferred of the Cuisinart are that the lid was insulated and remained relatively cool during operation, whereas the lid of the Instant Pot has no insulating layers and is dangerously hot to the touch while under pressure. Additionally, the Cuisinart had a detachable power cord allowing you to carry the entire device "wirelessly" (though obviously not functional) as a large pot whereas with the Instant Pot the wire is permanently attached.
The manual is very well made, explains every mode in detail, and an additional recipe book gives you the cook time and water ratios for a long list of foods which is very helpful because both the cooking time and water ratio are normally very different for pressure cooking compared to cooking in a non pressurized pot.
There are many preset buttons that select the most likely cooking time for that food type, you can then press "adjust" to switch between the "normal" cook time for that mode, "less" or "more" which subtract or add a few minutes. Manual +/- buttons allow you to make 1 minute increment changes. In certain modes, such as Multigrain, the "more" option starts with 45 minutes of warm soaking followed by 60 minutes of pressure cooking for harder grains.
I use my pressure cooker mostly for dried beans, peas, lentils and rice as it's much more cost effective and healthier to cook your own dried legumes than buying them in a normally BPA-lined can which not only costs much more, but causes health problems.
I love that you can "set it and forget it", for example I had for some reason recently tried to make rice in a normal pot and burnt it twice, whereas I have never, ever ruined a batch of rice in the pressure cooker because it stops when it's ready and switches to keep warm mode.
I prefer electric pressure cookers for a few reasons, firstly since they are in control of the heat source they operate fully automatically and maintain perfect temperature during cooking, and then switch to keep warm when done, preventing burnt food. Secondly, they are much safer due to the fact they can turn the heat off if the built-in computer detects a problem and prevent an explosion. Even if the computer were to fail, a total of 10 mechanisms in the Instant Pot make explosions impossible. The lid also locks itself closed as soon as there is pressure, making it impossible to force it open while under pressure which would result in a jet of pressurized steam causing severe burns.
This pressure cooker can pay for itself very fast both in energy savings and in actual food cost savings especially if you use it for legumes which allows you to make very inexpensive yet delicious meals.
I highly recommend the Instant Pot and pressure cooking in general.
1. Packaging
The box is fairly large with the unit inside taking most of the space. Everything was neatly packaged with no issues.
2. Usage
The device is fairly easy to use for making anything from soups to steamed rice. Simply put all your ingredients in the stainless steel pot and close the lid by putting it on top off center to the left, and then locking the lid by rotating clockwise. You can press the button on the front panel corresponding to the type of food you want to make, and it pretty much a set-it-and-forget-it ordeal. You can also select the temperature setting of by using the Low, Normal, or More buttons (which seems to only correspond to three different temperature settings). Unfortunately, the device itself does not tell you what the temperature is for each setting but the instruction manual gives you an indication of which setting to use for the type of food you're making in the pot. You can also increase or decrease the amount of time of cooking by using the - or + symbol buttons. This time is displayed on the front and ticks down to 0 as it cooks your food.
When the cooking is complete, the cooker goes into a warming mode and a long beeping noise comes from the device to notify you that it is complete. Fortunately, it will stop beeping so it will not continue to annoy you. Simply turn the lid counter-clockwise to unlock the lid and lift to open it. You can tell how long the pot has been in the warming mode because a timer starts and is displayed on the front which starts ticking upwards from 0.Depending on your elevation, the time to pressure cook foods will vary slightly. I never follow recipes to the dot because I live on a high floor condo.
In terms of how well this pot cooked my food, I have to say that everything has been outstanding! There's nothing greater than the smell of slow cooked food permeating throughout your household as your food is cooked to perfection! This is especially true if you're like me and you start the slow cooking process early in the morning and let foods like pulled pork, ribs, or even chicken slow cook and be ready when you come home. Simply start the slow cooking process on the low temperature setting and cook for 8 hours - there's nothing more succulent, juicy, and delicious than this kind of cooking process!
Since the pot is really big, you can put a lot of ingredients in there of various sizes. I was able to fit three fairly large pork shoulders in there (to make pulled pork) with some room to spare for vegetables. If you plan on making ribs, you will need to cut the ribs into smaller racks to fit since this isn't like a grill. Just be patient and let the cooker do its magic.
3. Issues/Concerns
When you use the device long enough, the silicone ring on the lid starts to discolour and retain the smell of the food that you last cooked. The smell/taste of the ring does not infuse with any other foods you make but it does seems strange that it holds onto that smell like a strong magnet.
Additionally, if you are a rice eater like me, this pot cooks the rice very nicely. However, the rice will stick to the bottom of the pot fairly easy. Even with a 1-to-1 ratio of rice and water, there were some times where the rice burned and stuck to the bottom of the pot. Dedicated rice cookers from the Asian brands are much better rice cookers than this pot.
Lastly, you have to be careful with the pressure cooking ability of this pot. There is a sealing and release valve located on the top of the module. You cannot open the lid until all the pressure is released which requires you to turn the knob either left or right to release it. This is a little dangerous because steam will shoot out instantaneously and could burn your hand if you're close to the release valve. Please note that you do not want to place this under lights or wood cabinetry because this steam goes on for a few minutes and is really hot! It could warp your wood if used in the same area over time or damage it (and any lights above it).
4. Conclusion
Since this pot can cook so many different types of food, I have to commend the maker for making this an absolute joy to use due to its simplicity and its versatility! It replaces so many other types of cookware which makes this an essential tool for almost every type of cooker out there. It may not make all your foods perfectly, but it does it extremely well!
I fully recommend anyone to buy this especially if you do not have a lot of time to cook. Slow cook recipes or soups are great when you're at work where you can come home with everything already finished!