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Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker, Warmer & Sterilizer, Includes App With Over 800 Recipes, Stainless Steel, 8 Quart
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Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
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Purchase options and add-ons
Brand | Instant Pot |
Capacity | 8 Quarts |
Material | Stainless steel |
Color | Stainless Steel/Black |
Finish Type | Stainless Steel |
Product Dimensions | 13.18"D x 14.8"W x 10.4"H |
Special Feature | 13 Smart Touch customizable programs |
Wattage | 1200 watts |
Item Weight | 10.14 Pounds |
Control Method | Touch |
About this item
- 7-IN-1 FUNCTIONALITY: Pressure cook, slow cook, rice cooker, yogurt maker, steamer, sauté pan and food warmer..Frequency = 60 hz
- QUICK ONE-TOUCH COOKING: 13 customizable Smart Programs for pressure cooking ribs, soups, beans, rice, poultry, yogurt, desserts and more.
- COOK FAST OR SLOW: Pressure cook delicious one-pot meals up to 70% faster than traditional cooking methods or slow cook your favorite traditional recipes – just like grandma used to make.
- QUICK AND EASY CLEAN UP: Finger-print resistant, stainless-steel sides and dishwasher-safe lid, inner pot, and accessories.
- SAFETY FEATURES: Includes over 10 safety features, plus overheat protection and safe-locking lid
- PERFECT FOR LARGER FAMILIES: Cook for up to 8 people – perfect for larger families, or meal prepping and batch cooking for singles and smaller families
- VERSATILE INNER COOKING POT: We use food-grade stainless-steel, a tri-ply bottom for more even cooking and perfect for sautéing
- DISCOVER AMAZING RECIPES: Includes the free Instant Brands Connect App, where you can find new recipes to create quick favorites and prepare delicious meals, available for iOS and Android.
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Honest 5 Year Review of 8 qt Instant Pot Duo
Kyle Witt
Product Description
Easy to use, easy to clean, fast, versatile, and convenient, the Instant Pot® Duo™ is the one that started it all. It replaces 7 kitchen appliances: pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté pan, yogurt maker & warmer. With 13 built-in smart programs, cook your favorite dishes with the press of a button. The tri-ply, stainless steel inner pot offers quick, even heating performance. Redefine cooking and enjoy quick and easy meals anywhere, any time. The Instant Pot Duo offers the quality, convenience and versatility you’ve come to expect from Instant – discover amazing.
Product information
Brand | Instant Pot |
---|---|
Capacity | 8 Quarts |
Material | Stainless steel |
Color | Stainless Steel/Black |
Finish Type | Stainless Steel |
Product Dimensions | 13.18"D x 14.8"W x 10.4"H |
Special Feature | 13 Smart Touch customizable programs |
Wattage | 1200 watts |
Item Weight | 10.14 Pounds |
Control Method | Touch |
Controller Type | Push Button |
Operation Mode | Automatic |
Is Dishwasher Safe | Yes |
Voltage | 120 |
Closure Type | Outer Lid |
Item Weight | 10.14 pounds |
Manufacturer | Instant Pot |
ASIN | B01B1VC13K |
Country of Origin | China |
Item model number | IP-DUO80 |
Customer Reviews |
4.7 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #4,123 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining) #8 in Electric Pressure Cookers |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Date First Available | January 26, 2016 |
Warranty & Support
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This Item Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker, Warmer & Sterilizer, Includes App With Over 800 Recipes, Stainless Steel, 8 Quart | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | dummy | dummy | |
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Price | $163.94$163.94 | -25% $149.95$149.95 List: $199.99 | -15% $101.99$101.99 Typical: $119.99 | $119.99$119.99 | $119.99$119.99 | $129.99$129.99 |
Delivery | Get it as soon as Sunday, May 19 | Get it as soon as Monday, May 20 | Get it May 17 - 21 | Get it as soon as Sunday, May 19 | Get it as soon as Sunday, May 19 | Get it as soon as Sunday, May 19 |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Versatility | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 3.0 | 4.8 |
Easy to clean | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 3.2 | 4.7 |
Safety Features | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 3.2 | — |
Easy to use | — | 4.3 | 4.7 | — | — | 4.7 |
Sold By | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Meco Innovations | KINGBULL | KINGBULL | Amazon.com |
capacity | 8 quarts | 6 quarts | 8 quarts | 8 quarts | 8 quarts | 7.5 quarts |
operation mode | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic | Knob | Automatic | Automatic |
control method | touch | touch | touch | touch | touch | touch |
material | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | Stainless steel,Aluminum Pot | Stainless steel | — |
dishwasher safe | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
weight | 10.14 pounds | 15.54 pounds | 16 pounds | 14.33 pounds | 14.33 pounds | 17.86 pounds |
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 versatility and quality of the pressure cooker. They mention that it's easy to use and produces top-notch results. They appreciate the ease of cleaning and the taste of the food. Customers are also happy with value, ease of use, and size. However, some customers have reported issues with the performance of the product.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers are satisfied with the quality of the pressure cooker. They mention that it is an amazing appliance, it delivers top-notch results, and it works fantastic. Some say that the shipping package could use some protection. Overall, customers are happy with the product's performance and functionality.
"...2-qt is perfect for simple dinner for 2 - and fast - it takes little time to come up to pressure or for natural release...." Read more
"...This unit works great and cleans up easily. It has all the bells and whistles that almost anyone would need...." Read more
"...PROS:You can cook almost anything in it...." Read more
"...It's a well built tank but heavy...." Read more
Customers find the pressure cooker easy to use. They say it's simple to learn times, temps, pressure, and techniques to use for whatever. They also say it has a pretty good instruction book, and it makes amazing yogurt. Customers also mention that it makes the best hard boiled eggs, pot roast, soup, meats, and more. They appreciate the different settings for saute, and that it has all the bells and whistles that almost anyone would need.
"...You can choose different settings for "Saute": great when you want a simmer and not a rapid boil!..." Read more
"...This unit works great and cleans up easily. It has all the bells and whistles that almost anyone would need...." Read more
"...a batch of ham, greens, and lentil soup from scratch and it was very easy to do...." Read more
"Love this InstaPot. Easy directions and use. Takes alittle learning but so worth it. Many uses and cooks like it is supposed too...." Read more
Customers like the versatility of the pressure cooker. They say it's easy to use, has a great set of options, and can make one-pot meals. They also appreciate the sauté function, which facilitates one-pan cooking. Overall, customers say it is a multifunctional powerhouse that can make large amounts of dishes.
"...(I loved the oval pot of the Cooks Essential PC - it was so easy to saute in it!)..." Read more
"...Takes alittle learning but so worth it. Many uses and cooks like it is supposed too. Cooked a frozen solid turkey breast in 1 hour and was great...." Read more
"...from pressure cooking to sautéing and steaming, make it a multifunctional powerhouse...." Read more
"...cooker, a slow cooker, a sauté pan, a steamer, a rice cooker, a yogurt maker, and probably a stand-up comedian when I'm not looking...." Read more
Customers find the pressure cooker easy to clean. They mention that the stainless steel pot is easy to wash and the soaking solves a lot of cleaning problems. They also appreciate the dishwasher-safe parts and the ability to remove the lid for cleaning. Overall, most are happy with the ease of use and cleaning of the product.
"...The inner pot is high quality. Soaking solves a lot of cleaning problems in stainless steel...." Read more
"...This unit works great and cleans up easily. It has all the bells and whistles that almost anyone would need...." Read more
"...Less cleanup (Basically it's just what you fit into the IP)Easily moved and stored out of the way..." Read more
"...It's easy to clean, user-friendly, and the stainless steel interior ensures durability...." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the taste of the pressure cooker. They mention that the meat is always tender and delicious, and the chicken comes out juicy. They also say that it makes perfect risotto, rice, baked beans, and hard boiled eggs flawlessly. Customers also say the pressure cooking leaves the beef very tender.
"...I cooked it for 18 mins and let it depressurize naturally. The meat was perfect but the potatoes were a tad over done so next time I'll drop the..." Read more
"...Plug it in. Check the chart. I just put any amount of time. Perfect meat. Forget fast food. Invest all the savings from fast food...." Read more
"...I've never had such perfectly cooked, hot (heat hot), tender and juicy chicken breasts. And that was just for starters......" Read more
"...The wings were tender, flavorable, and delicious (you would have thought that I spent hours making these wings!)...." Read more
Customers generally like the value of the pressure cooker. They mention that it's worth the price, and a great investment for busy cooks and those who love to entertain. They also say that the price and shipping are reasonable.
"...This Instant Pot is well worth the money." Read more
"...looks like new, on you tube demo,will try, this pot is well worth the money easy to use, not afraid to pressure release any longer, will make many..." Read more
"...it's now showing at $122, but I'm telling you, this thing is worth its weight in gold and can replace so many kitchen appliances...." Read more
"...I think it is money well spent just for the ease of preparation and not having to slave over the stove for hours and things get done faster...." Read more
Customers like the size of the pressure cooker. They mention it's large enough to cook good-sized portions, and has plenty of options. Some say that it'll fit just fine on their counter and is worth the counter space.
"...The silicone gasket fits very snugly. In fact, after I did my preliminary sudsy wash, it seemed like torture to get the gasket to fit correctly...." Read more
"...To my delight this isn't the case and in fact is the perfect size for my husband and I. It's allowed me to do the pot in pot method easily as well..." Read more
"...Crisps where a microwave cannot. Basket might be small for a large family, but it works well" Read more
"...Easily moved and stored out of the wayAttractive to look at and you won't mind leaving it on your counters (if you have the room)..." Read more
Customers are dissatisfied with the performance of the pressure cooker. They mention that it does not work well, the rings wear out, and the pressure cooking function does not operate. The sauté function does also not work and the product is not ideal for some things.
"...Until last week... My pot just didn't turn on! I tried other outlets and other electronics so it was not the outlet...." Read more
"I had received a different one for a gift 8 qt, did not work correctly, took it back, saw this one on Amazon read the reviews & ordered it, this is..." Read more
"...The only thing negative thing I have to say about this is it last too long, when I wanna buy a new one to upgrade 😂😂..." Read more
"...is while it can be an all-on-one pot cooker, that's just not ideal for some things. Many recipes call for searing meat or sauteing onions, etc.,..." Read more
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Top reviews from the United States
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I "must" have a large electric pressure cooker for 5 things:
1) I love to cook a whole chicken and make my chicken soup completely from scratch. In the U.S. our grocery stores have big chickens.
2) I am hooked on my own Corned Beef and Cabbage, because I cook the corned beef the night before, and remove the fat after a day of refrigeration. It tastes "cleaner" but still has lots of flavor.
3) Recipes for beef stews might limit the volume of potatoes, carrots, and onions to fit in the pot. An 8-quart pot allows me to use a larger cut of beef, and add more potatoes without jeopardizing the PC's ability to come up to pressure.
4) PC recipes that take longer than an hour test my patience for hanging around. I like to "set it and forget it" for a while.
5) Ribs. Ribs take up a lot of space, and most people don't limit themselves to a proper "single" portion. Set dry-rubbed ribs on a trivet in the PC and let the water's steam produce moist ribs. No BBQ sauce is needed!
I still use my smaller stovetop PCs for:
1) 3-qt is perfect size for rice. I prefer PC rice to rice cooker rice - less scorching. I freeze extra cooked rice.
2) 2-qt is perfect for simple dinner for 2 - and fast - it takes little time to come up to pressure or for natural release.
3) 5-qt braiser holds a full-size round cooling rack, allowing me to steam 4-5 chicken breasts or quickly steam asparagus.
4) I use the 5-qt braiser when I need a truly "quick release" to add foods in stages. With a stovetop PC, you take the PC to the sink and run cold water on the lid to reduce the pressure quickly. You can't do that with an electric cooker.
So, how about the 8-quart Instant Pot?
1) The inner pot is high quality. Soaking solves a lot of cleaning problems in stainless steel.
2) The silicone gasket fits very snugly. In fact, after I did my preliminary sudsy wash, it seemed like torture to get the gasket to fit correctly. I thought I had fit it correctly... until I tried to do the Water Test and I was unable to lock the lid in position. Thank goodness some kind souls on the Instant Pot Community page on Facebook helped me identify the problem. (When you get your 8-qt pot, observe carefully how the gasket fits before disassembling for washing.) Today,when I reassembled my IP, I patiently positioned the ring in one spot and patiently coaxed it into place, so apparently this old dog could still learn a new trick. (It is important that the gasket and the lid both be completely dry!)
3) The 8-qt. machine is BIG, and TALL. My kitchen counters are the high standard height, and it seemed awkward to me to try to saute in the Instant Pot. (One person suggested strongly that I use a step ladder - obviously no senior should try sauteing from a ladder.) With my beef stew recipe, I had planned to saute mushrooms and onions on the stove anyway (both emit a LOT of liquid, plus there is more "umami" when prepared this way) and add them to the stew at the end. So I sauteed the beef in the same 6 3/4 qt Le Creuset pot I was going to use for the mushrooms (I don't flip as much food out of that pot as when I use a normal saute pan). My method worked fine for me. If you dread cleaning an extra pot/pan, then you might choose to do everything in the Instant Pot - your choice. Today I reflected that I might use a table at the lower standard counter height, which would make it easier for me to saute in the Instant Pot itself, as long as the cord reached. (I loved the oval pot of the Cooks Essential PC - it was so easy to saute in it!)
4) The IP came up to pressure and down from pressure faster than the Cooks Essential PC. For a "quick" release, you don't have to wait as long before letting some steam out. And once the steam lever was released, the pressure came down very fast - that was a huge improvement over the Cook's Essential.
5) You can choose different settings for "Saute": great when you want a simmer and not a rapid boil!
6) There was plenty of extra room in the pot for the additional potatoes and carrots DH wants in the next batch.
7) Our beef stew was delightful, just as mouth-watering as doing the whole nine yards of Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon.
I am looking forward to trying many more recipes in this versatile cooker.
p.s. The packaging impressed me a lot! There was a reinforced plastic strap around the Instant Pot shipping box that made it easy to remove from the slightly larger Amazon shipping box. Inside the Instant Pot shipping box was the product box with all the graphics as you might see on a store shelf. The product box also had a plastic strap to coax the product box out of the Instant Pot shipping box. The product box had styrofoam reinforcement of the product at top and bottom. So the product was well protected during its shipping!
otherwise, it is so convenient because i do not have to babysit the pot and close the fire. i can just do anything and it will shut off on its own.
We have two crock pots that we'll probably get rid of. This unit is also excellent at steaming foods which helps preserve the nutrients. Could not be happier with this unit as we enter the Instant Pot world!
I was originally wanting the 6 quart but by Black Friday the 6 quart on Amazon was sold out and the 8 quart was on sale so that's the one I purchased. In addition my friend had already been telling me to purchase the 8 quart and that I wouldn't be disappointed with it. When it arrived and I pulled it out of its box I thought it was massive and would be too big. To my delight this isn't the case and in fact is the perfect size for my husband and I. It's allowed me to do the pot in pot method easily as well as make a large batch of soup.
My favorite aspect is the set it and forget it for the pressure cooker. I've not had the opportunity to use it as a rice steamer or crock pot yet. I know most people are afraid to use a regular pressure cooker because of the fear of it exploding and you have to be near it and watch it while it's in use to ensure it's kept at the correct pressure. With the Instant Pot you literally turn it on, set the settings, and walk away. You come back and it's done. Wahlaa!!!! Unlike a regular pressure cooker the steam doesn't vent and spit through the weight while it's cooking so there's no mess on your counter to tend to.
I've also found that the recipes I'm using today can be used in the Instant Pot without any or limited modifications. The only modifications I've found I've needed to make have been on cooking time and it's to actually lower it. I'm assuming it's because the cooker keeps all of the moisture trapped inside it's cooking more efficiently (remember comment above about it not letting steam sputter out the weight). I've made burgundy beef tips with frozen beef and 2 medium sized sweet potatoes at the same time but using the provided steaming rack upside down so the potatoes sat above the meat. I cooked it for 18 mins and let it depressurize naturally. The meat was perfect but the potatoes were a tad over done so next time I'll drop the time from 18 to 15 mins. The interesting thing was the sweet potato skins, they were tender and could be eaten as well. They were as tender as one on a red skinned potato. My other favorite usage is to make my steel cut oatmeal in it. I've been doing this in a pressure cooker for years now using the pot in pot method. I've changed nothing on this recipe and it's coming out perfect in the Instant Pot. We make 5 servings at a time and it takes 5 mins to cook and then I let it depressurize naturally. We've also made a batch of ham, greens, and lentil soup from scratch and it was very easy to do. Again, you literally just set it and forget it and come back to some delicious food.
So now I have 2 pressure cookers, 1 crock pot, and 1 rice steamer that's all been replaced by this one device. Will I get rid of my pressure cookers, crock pot, and rice steamer? No I don't think so. They'll be used as backups...unless I become like so many others and buy more Instant Pots! My friends before me all have multiple sized devices now so I guess it's inevitable that I will as well one day. I hear they're like cats, you can't have just one. So again, thank you and I hope you get to read this one personally someday. Till then I hope my review helps others who are contemplating on purchasing the device. The answer is yes...yes you want one but you just don't know it yet.
Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2017
I was originally wanting the 6 quart but by Black Friday the 6 quart on Amazon was sold out and the 8 quart was on sale so that's the one I purchased. In addition my friend had already been telling me to purchase the 8 quart and that I wouldn't be disappointed with it. When it arrived and I pulled it out of its box I thought it was massive and would be too big. To my delight this isn't the case and in fact is the perfect size for my husband and I. It's allowed me to do the pot in pot method easily as well as make a large batch of soup.
My favorite aspect is the set it and forget it for the pressure cooker. I've not had the opportunity to use it as a rice steamer or crock pot yet. I know most people are afraid to use a regular pressure cooker because of the fear of it exploding and you have to be near it and watch it while it's in use to ensure it's kept at the correct pressure. With the Instant Pot you literally turn it on, set the settings, and walk away. You come back and it's done. Wahlaa!!!! Unlike a regular pressure cooker the steam doesn't vent and spit through the weight while it's cooking so there's no mess on your counter to tend to.
I've also found that the recipes I'm using today can be used in the Instant Pot without any or limited modifications. The only modifications I've found I've needed to make have been on cooking time and it's to actually lower it. I'm assuming it's because the cooker keeps all of the moisture trapped inside it's cooking more efficiently (remember comment above about it not letting steam sputter out the weight). I've made burgundy beef tips with frozen beef and 2 medium sized sweet potatoes at the same time but using the provided steaming rack upside down so the potatoes sat above the meat. I cooked it for 18 mins and let it depressurize naturally. The meat was perfect but the potatoes were a tad over done so next time I'll drop the time from 18 to 15 mins. The interesting thing was the sweet potato skins, they were tender and could be eaten as well. They were as tender as one on a red skinned potato. My other favorite usage is to make my steel cut oatmeal in it. I've been doing this in a pressure cooker for years now using the pot in pot method. I've changed nothing on this recipe and it's coming out perfect in the Instant Pot. We make 5 servings at a time and it takes 5 mins to cook and then I let it depressurize naturally. We've also made a batch of ham, greens, and lentil soup from scratch and it was very easy to do. Again, you literally just set it and forget it and come back to some delicious food.
So now I have 2 pressure cookers, 1 crock pot, and 1 rice steamer that's all been replaced by this one device. Will I get rid of my pressure cookers, crock pot, and rice steamer? No I don't think so. They'll be used as backups...unless I become like so many others and buy more Instant Pots! My friends before me all have multiple sized devices now so I guess it's inevitable that I will as well one day. I hear they're like cats, you can't have just one. So again, thank you and I hope you get to read this one personally someday. Till then I hope my review helps others who are contemplating on purchasing the device. The answer is yes...yes you want one but you just don't know it yet.
Top reviews from other countries
This thing is friendly for cooking dummies like myself. There are tons of delicious recipes online that are easy to follow and once everything is in the pot, you simply start a timer and that's it. Once the timer is done, open the valve to release the steam and once the steam has released, dinner is served. There is literally nothing to screw up during the cooking process; it's simple and ingenious.
The Instant Pot works by using pressure from steam to significantly shorten cooking times meaning more time for you to do other fun things like hanging out with your significant other, or watching TV, or both! We've made 'fall off the bone' ribs in about 45 mins (including creating the sauté and taking into account warming up and steam release) that were comparable in taste to ribs that had been slow cooked for 4 hrs. We've also used it to make homemade soups as it takes much less time for the flavour in the ingredients in the soup to trickle into the soup vs traditional boiling over a stove. Chicken in ten minutes? You bet. Perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs in under 5 minutes and delicious cheesecake in under an hour (including steam release) were all no problem for even a simpleton like myself to make, and best of all, everything actually tastes great too!! I've included pictures of a few of the things we've made using the Instant Pot. Yes, all of the food pictures in this review were made using the Instant Pot!
When it comes to cooking, there aren't too many things out there that are game changers, but an air fryer, a sous vide and an Instant Pot are, and if you happen to have all three, congratulations for having the trifecta of cooking greatness in your kitchen!
PROS
* So easy to use that even guys that literally can't cook (me) can look like a rock star. Once everything is in the pot, you set the timer and go. Once it's done, open the valve to release the steam and dinner is served. There literally is nothing to screw up and best of all, the food is delicious!
* The Instant Pot significantly shortens cooking time of most things, freeing up your valuable time to do other fun things! :P
* There are literally tons and tons of delicious recipes online. Guaranteed you will discover there are things that you can make in the Instant Pot that you never knew could be made in an Instant Pot.
* Goodbye slow cooker. That was so the 70's.
* Easy to clean. The pot is stainless steel and the lid can be removed and fully submerged. The seal on the lid comes off and replacement seals for the lid can be purchased when it eventually wears out.
CONS
* Too many models just make for mass confusion. Have a look at my TIPS section for some help.
* Expensive, so wait for a sale if you can as they do on sale, especially for big events like Boxing Day, Black Friday, etc.
TIPS
* Don't get too caught up with the "x-in-1" features. They just add a preset cooking time for a type of food to the Instant Pot and up the "in-1" number. You can just manually input the cooking time yourself.
* The most important thing is determining the size of the Instant Pot that you need. For our family of 4, we went for the 8 quart esp. since the wife likes to make home made soups.
* The Lux model does not have low pressure cooking while Duo models have both high and low pressure. Low pressure cooking is typically used to make delicate foods like yogurt, eggs and veggies. If you don't think you'll make yogurt, eggs or veggies in the Instant Pot, just get the Lux model which skips the low pressure. Pro tip: Cooking rice uses high pressure.
* Take the Instant Pot outdoors to release the steam when doing a quick release or it will quickly smell up the house of whatever you're making. Use a glove or mitt to be safe.
* When making a lot of food, esp. soups, mind the max line. If you want less chance to have a mess on the bottom of the lid, go an inch under the max line.
* Be careful when releasing the steam. I've included a video of what a fast release of the steam looks like. You don't want your bare hand anywhere close to that hot steam. Read the instruction manual!!! Seriously, read it.
Reviewed in Canada on January 2, 2019
This thing is friendly for cooking dummies like myself. There are tons of delicious recipes online that are easy to follow and once everything is in the pot, you simply start a timer and that's it. Once the timer is done, open the valve to release the steam and once the steam has released, dinner is served. There is literally nothing to screw up during the cooking process; it's simple and ingenious.
The Instant Pot works by using pressure from steam to significantly shorten cooking times meaning more time for you to do other fun things like hanging out with your significant other, or watching TV, or both! We've made 'fall off the bone' ribs in about 45 mins (including creating the sauté and taking into account warming up and steam release) that were comparable in taste to ribs that had been slow cooked for 4 hrs. We've also used it to make homemade soups as it takes much less time for the flavour in the ingredients in the soup to trickle into the soup vs traditional boiling over a stove. Chicken in ten minutes? You bet. Perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs in under 5 minutes and delicious cheesecake in under an hour (including steam release) were all no problem for even a simpleton like myself to make, and best of all, everything actually tastes great too!! I've included pictures of a few of the things we've made using the Instant Pot. Yes, all of the food pictures in this review were made using the Instant Pot!
When it comes to cooking, there aren't too many things out there that are game changers, but an air fryer, a sous vide and an Instant Pot are, and if you happen to have all three, congratulations for having the trifecta of cooking greatness in your kitchen!
PROS
* So easy to use that even guys that literally can't cook (me) can look like a rock star. Once everything is in the pot, you set the timer and go. Once it's done, open the valve to release the steam and dinner is served. There literally is nothing to screw up and best of all, the food is delicious!
* The Instant Pot significantly shortens cooking time of most things, freeing up your valuable time to do other fun things! :P
* There are literally tons and tons of delicious recipes online. Guaranteed you will discover there are things that you can make in the Instant Pot that you never knew could be made in an Instant Pot.
* Goodbye slow cooker. That was so the 70's.
* Easy to clean. The pot is stainless steel and the lid can be removed and fully submerged. The seal on the lid comes off and replacement seals for the lid can be purchased when it eventually wears out.
CONS
* Too many models just make for mass confusion. Have a look at my TIPS section for some help.
* Expensive, so wait for a sale if you can as they do on sale, especially for big events like Boxing Day, Black Friday, etc.
TIPS
* Don't get too caught up with the "x-in-1" features. They just add a preset cooking time for a type of food to the Instant Pot and up the "in-1" number. You can just manually input the cooking time yourself.
* The most important thing is determining the size of the Instant Pot that you need. For our family of 4, we went for the 8 quart esp. since the wife likes to make home made soups.
* The Lux model does not have low pressure cooking while Duo models have both high and low pressure. Low pressure cooking is typically used to make delicate foods like yogurt, eggs and veggies. If you don't think you'll make yogurt, eggs or veggies in the Instant Pot, just get the Lux model which skips the low pressure. Pro tip: Cooking rice uses high pressure.
* Take the Instant Pot outdoors to release the steam when doing a quick release or it will quickly smell up the house of whatever you're making. Use a glove or mitt to be safe.
* When making a lot of food, esp. soups, mind the max line. If you want less chance to have a mess on the bottom of the lid, go an inch under the max line.
* Be careful when releasing the steam. I've included a video of what a fast release of the steam looks like. You don't want your bare hand anywhere close to that hot steam. Read the instruction manual!!! Seriously, read it.
So Here Are My Favourite Features Of The Instant Pot DUO Series:
PROS:
FAST
The contents of the pressure cooker cooks at a higher temperature than what can be achieved by a conventional boil — more heat means more speed. Pressure cooking is about twice as fast as conventional cooking (sometimes, faster!) I have included a few of the cook times below for common meats below. Cooking both from fresh or frozen states. Please be advised a full set of cooking times and charts will be available to you in the included "recipe book" that comes with your instant pot. Below I provide my personal experiences so yours may differ slightly.
BEEF:
• Pot Roasts – 30 – 40 minutes
• Stew Meat – 15 – 20 minutes
• Ribs – 25 – 30 minutes
• Ground Beef, frozen – 10-25 minutes
CHICKEN
• Whole – 6 minutes per pound
• Boneless – 5-8 minutes
• Boneless, frozen – 8-12 minutes
• Bone-In – 10 – 15 minutes
PORK
• Ham, re-heat boneless fully cooked – 6 – 7 minutes
• Ham, shoulder – 8 minutes/1LB
• Roast, butt – 15 minutes/1LB
• Roast, loin – 20 minutes/1LB
• Ribs – 20 – 25 minutes
• Chops – 5 – 6 minutes
FISH
• Whole – 5 – 6 minutes
• Whole, frozen – 7 – 10 minutes
• Fillets – 2 – 3 minutes
• Fillet, frozen – 3 – 4 minutes
Please note that you can also make grains, fruits and vegetables (fresh or frozen), as well as yogurt and many desserts in this post aswell. Cook time will be available in your guide but I will add pictures attached to this review of the cooling charts for your knowledge. This review cannot possibly cover all the amazing things this pot can do for you.
EASE OF USE
I truly believe anyone can make a fantastic meal regardless of skill set! The instant pot Duo offers preset programs so it's as easy as putting your meat/starch/whatever in the pot, adding water, closing the lid and pressing a button to get it started. No calculations required! Please note, just because you do not have a certain pre-set button on your model does not mean you cannot use your pot to make it. For example, the Duo series does not has a "cake" button pre-set. All this means is that you will follow a recipe and instead of hitting "cake" you will hit "manual" and cook it at pressure for however long the recipe says. This pot truly can do everything!
HEALTHY
"Pressure cooking is one of the healthiest cooking methods. According to a study published in the Journal of Food Science, pressure cooking preserves 90-95% of vitamins. The extra speed and heat of pressure cooking practically flash-cooks vegetables, allowing them to retain more vitamins than boiling, (which only retains 40-75%), or even conventional steaming (75-90%!)" -Instant Pot
GREEN
"Pressure cookers require less energy/electricity to operate during the cooking process. Less heat and time translates to up to 70% energy savings in comparison to conventional cooking methods." - Instant Pot
SAFE
These are not your grandmother's pressure cookers! The days of worrying about your cooler exploding are gone! Modern pressure cookers have additional safety systems to ensure that if one should fail, another will kick-in. This pot is so safe that I truly believe there is nothing to be worried about. The only problem I do have with it though, is the steam release valve. If used improperly you could get burned by steam. I will be covering that next in the CONS section. Item list 1 star off review for the hazard of a steam burn.
So What Are The Cons:
1. The steam release valve- I am not a fan of this design for two reasons:
The first being that the valve must be reset from its "venting" positions to its "sealed" position each time before pressure cooking. When pressure cooking and time is finished the valve will automatically go from sealed to venting. However, it does not reset, so next time you go to pressure cook in this pot you will need to remember to reset the valve to "sealing" or you will open your pot and find out your food is underdone. Sadly this model does not alert you if you forget. If this is a big deal breaker for you like it was for me, I recommend you check out my review on the Instant Pot Ultra 60. It has an automatic venting/sealing feature so you no longer have to worry about this.
Second, the position of the valve. Please always use a long spoon or included rice paddle to push the steam valve to venting If you want a "quick release." Never use your fingers. The steam comes out of the valve at extremely high pressure and it is HOT HOT HOT. This appears to be a major design flaw in my opinion. As long as you stand back a little from the valve and do not use your hands then you should not get burnt. So always use a long spoon. Another tip is that your making good that could splatter out from the pressure and make a mess, throw a dish towel over the valve as it vents to prevent a clean up.
2. Cooking with Stainless Steel:
This is a learning curve. If you are unfamiliar with how to properly heat the pot before use (especially in saute mode) it is easy to burn food in the beginning. Luckily there are many online resources on how to do this and its pretty simple!
3. Accessories CAN be Expensive:
Although its easy to get around buying a bunch of extra stuff, you may find yourself going down the rabbit hole of wanting to try it all. If you are new to cooking this might mean needing some new things for the kitchen. Most everything can be made in this pot though with common glass dishes and the included trivet.
Other Great Things Not Mentioned:
-Colourful Manual that is easy to follow with lots of pictures!
-Many online support and chat groups for 24/7 support and advice!
-Fits neatly onto any amount of kitchen counter space.
And Many more!!! This is just a starter list!!
Overall I would highly recommend this product to anyone looking to cut down on there time in the kitchen, trying to save money or just make more flavourful and healthy meals! The Instant Pot Duo has all the same functionally of the upgraded models but without the extra price. It is however missing a few of the "bells and whistles" that do make your life even easier but are not a necessity to making amazing food 70% faster! If you are looking for the most fancy version of them all I recommend you check out my review of the "Ultra 60 Instant Pot" model, which is my everyday user and total favourite.
Was this helpful? Happy cooking!
Reviewed in Canada on April 22, 2018
So Here Are My Favourite Features Of The Instant Pot DUO Series:
PROS:
FAST
The contents of the pressure cooker cooks at a higher temperature than what can be achieved by a conventional boil — more heat means more speed. Pressure cooking is about twice as fast as conventional cooking (sometimes, faster!) I have included a few of the cook times below for common meats below. Cooking both from fresh or frozen states. Please be advised a full set of cooking times and charts will be available to you in the included "recipe book" that comes with your instant pot. Below I provide my personal experiences so yours may differ slightly.
BEEF:
• Pot Roasts – 30 – 40 minutes
• Stew Meat – 15 – 20 minutes
• Ribs – 25 – 30 minutes
• Ground Beef, frozen – 10-25 minutes
CHICKEN
• Whole – 6 minutes per pound
• Boneless – 5-8 minutes
• Boneless, frozen – 8-12 minutes
• Bone-In – 10 – 15 minutes
PORK
• Ham, re-heat boneless fully cooked – 6 – 7 minutes
• Ham, shoulder – 8 minutes/1LB
• Roast, butt – 15 minutes/1LB
• Roast, loin – 20 minutes/1LB
• Ribs – 20 – 25 minutes
• Chops – 5 – 6 minutes
FISH
• Whole – 5 – 6 minutes
• Whole, frozen – 7 – 10 minutes
• Fillets – 2 – 3 minutes
• Fillet, frozen – 3 – 4 minutes
Please note that you can also make grains, fruits and vegetables (fresh or frozen), as well as yogurt and many desserts in this post aswell. Cook time will be available in your guide but I will add pictures attached to this review of the cooling charts for your knowledge. This review cannot possibly cover all the amazing things this pot can do for you.
EASE OF USE
I truly believe anyone can make a fantastic meal regardless of skill set! The instant pot Duo offers preset programs so it's as easy as putting your meat/starch/whatever in the pot, adding water, closing the lid and pressing a button to get it started. No calculations required! Please note, just because you do not have a certain pre-set button on your model does not mean you cannot use your pot to make it. For example, the Duo series does not has a "cake" button pre-set. All this means is that you will follow a recipe and instead of hitting "cake" you will hit "manual" and cook it at pressure for however long the recipe says. This pot truly can do everything!
HEALTHY
"Pressure cooking is one of the healthiest cooking methods. According to a study published in the Journal of Food Science, pressure cooking preserves 90-95% of vitamins. The extra speed and heat of pressure cooking practically flash-cooks vegetables, allowing them to retain more vitamins than boiling, (which only retains 40-75%), or even conventional steaming (75-90%!)" -Instant Pot
GREEN
"Pressure cookers require less energy/electricity to operate during the cooking process. Less heat and time translates to up to 70% energy savings in comparison to conventional cooking methods." - Instant Pot
SAFE
These are not your grandmother's pressure cookers! The days of worrying about your cooler exploding are gone! Modern pressure cookers have additional safety systems to ensure that if one should fail, another will kick-in. This pot is so safe that I truly believe there is nothing to be worried about. The only problem I do have with it though, is the steam release valve. If used improperly you could get burned by steam. I will be covering that next in the CONS section. Item list 1 star off review for the hazard of a steam burn.
So What Are The Cons:
1. The steam release valve- I am not a fan of this design for two reasons:
The first being that the valve must be reset from its "venting" positions to its "sealed" position each time before pressure cooking. When pressure cooking and time is finished the valve will automatically go from sealed to venting. However, it does not reset, so next time you go to pressure cook in this pot you will need to remember to reset the valve to "sealing" or you will open your pot and find out your food is underdone. Sadly this model does not alert you if you forget. If this is a big deal breaker for you like it was for me, I recommend you check out my review on the Instant Pot Ultra 60. It has an automatic venting/sealing feature so you no longer have to worry about this.
Second, the position of the valve. Please always use a long spoon or included rice paddle to push the steam valve to venting If you want a "quick release." Never use your fingers. The steam comes out of the valve at extremely high pressure and it is HOT HOT HOT. This appears to be a major design flaw in my opinion. As long as you stand back a little from the valve and do not use your hands then you should not get burnt. So always use a long spoon. Another tip is that your making good that could splatter out from the pressure and make a mess, throw a dish towel over the valve as it vents to prevent a clean up.
2. Cooking with Stainless Steel:
This is a learning curve. If you are unfamiliar with how to properly heat the pot before use (especially in saute mode) it is easy to burn food in the beginning. Luckily there are many online resources on how to do this and its pretty simple!
3. Accessories CAN be Expensive:
Although its easy to get around buying a bunch of extra stuff, you may find yourself going down the rabbit hole of wanting to try it all. If you are new to cooking this might mean needing some new things for the kitchen. Most everything can be made in this pot though with common glass dishes and the included trivet.
Other Great Things Not Mentioned:
-Colourful Manual that is easy to follow with lots of pictures!
-Many online support and chat groups for 24/7 support and advice!
-Fits neatly onto any amount of kitchen counter space.
And Many more!!! This is just a starter list!!
Overall I would highly recommend this product to anyone looking to cut down on there time in the kitchen, trying to save money or just make more flavourful and healthy meals! The Instant Pot Duo has all the same functionally of the upgraded models but without the extra price. It is however missing a few of the "bells and whistles" that do make your life even easier but are not a necessity to making amazing food 70% faster! If you are looking for the most fancy version of them all I recommend you check out my review of the "Ultra 60 Instant Pot" model, which is my everyday user and total favourite.
Was this helpful? Happy cooking!
Reviewed in Mexico on March 10, 2024
Reviewed in Mexico on March 5, 2024
Reviewed in Canada on May 7, 2024