When my slow cooker died a few weeks ago, I was devastated. I mean, not really… but I was pretty irked because I use it so damn much. If you haven’t experienced the wonders of slow cookers, you’re missing out. You dump in the right ingredients, leave it be, and many hours later delicious food comes out.
It’s a great setup for someone like me that doesn’t enjoy constantly tending to meal production along the way.
Unfortunately I no longer had one, so it was time to start doing some research. While spending some time with friends and family back home during the holidays, a friend of mine excitedly told me about a new cooking device she bought called the Instant Pot. She said it’s basically a fancy pressure cooker that acts as a 7-in-1 device. She said you could do everything from “boil” eggs to make yogurt. I was intrigued and started investigating.
The Instant Pot Pressure Cooker is Canadian, Eh?
One of the first things I learned is that, like myself, the Instant Pot is actually designed in Canada. In fact, it’s designed right down the road from where I was visiting, so that was kind of neat. As a Canadian, it’s not often that I see products actually made here.
Perhaps more exciting for you, though, is that this thing does pretty much everything. If you’re not familiar with pressure cookers, suffice is to say that they’re basically the opposite of a slow cooker. They cook things very quickly, but – and this is important – the food comes out every bit as tender as if you had cooked it all day in a slow cooker.
Here’s an example of some chicken I made:
.. and of course the delicious sauce at the bottom of the cooker.
Having the ability to quickly cook food that’s every bit as tender as if it were slow-cooked is truly fantastic, and that the Instant Pot uses up to 70% less energy doesn’t hurt either. I’m all about helping the environment and my wallet at the same time. I have a feeling you feel the same way.
Like I said, you can even “boil” eggs in about five minutes. They’re actually steamed, but they taste even better than if they were boiled, so no complaints here. Ever had boiled eggs that were perfectly creamy inside? Yeah, you’ll get that every time with the Instant Pot.
But what if you still want to do some slow cooking? No problem. The Instant Pot can acts as a Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Yogurt Maker, Steamer & Warmer, and can do Saute/Browning.
But is it Worth Buying?
I’ve been using the Instant Pot for a few weeks now, and I’ve got to say, it’s pretty damn awesome. I find myself using it more and more, and actually wanting to experiment with the wide range of recipes available online and even just on the official Instant Pot website. At just over $100, this may just be the best kitchen gadget I’ve ever invested in.
