Gadget of the Week – Instant Pot

Published on March 22, 2018

Remember when slow cookers were all the rage? As far as “fad” kitchen gadgets go, these handy countertop devices, also often called crock-pots, really do make a ton of sense. With a slow cooker, you can let flavors meld together, allow tough proteins to break down, and have a delicious meal ready the second you get home from work or school… and all you have to do is remember to toss some ingredients into the pot, first thing in the morning.

But here’s the thing. Time has sped up. Now even our mornings are packed full of things to do, and prepping for a dinner eight hours ahead of time is a luxury plenty of people can no longer afford. What’s more, traditional slow cookers can malfunction, and they tend to eat up a lot of electricity as you leave them plugged in all day.

It’s time for a more modern approach to one-pot meals – and the Instant Pot may just be the gadget for the job.

The Instant Pot is a smart, multi-use, programmable pressure cooker, which promises to let you cook food 2-6 times faster, with simple one-touch controls and the ability to remember your preferences and learn the way you like to cook.

Beyond pressure cooking, the Instant Pot also promises to help take the place of other gadgets and doo-dads cluttering up your kitchen. As Kelli Foster puts it over at The Kitchn, the Instant Pot is “a single appliance that does the job of seven different kitchen appliances or tools,” including:

• slow cooker
• electric pressure cooker
• rice cooker
• steamer
• yogurt and cheese maker
• sauté/browning pan
• warming pot

And, as Kelli notes, the Instant Pot performs this versatile array of functions very well. As she puts it:

“This single appliance has made cooking faster and more convenient…At some point over the past eight months, without realizing it was happening, I completely fell in love with my Instant Pot.”

And she’s not alone! There are countless rave reviews for the Instant Pot line on Amazon; recipes and hacks circulate around the internet; and tons of fans have formed a foodie faction to talk about the appliance on Facebook and Instagram.

Ready to join their ranks, and see what you can whip up? There are a variety of Instant Pot products available on the market, for cooks of all budgets and experience levels. Novices may want to start with a “Duo” product, while hardcore techies may find themselves salivating over the Bluetooth-equipped Instant Pot “Smart.” You can purchase an Instant Pot from a variety of retailers, or directly from the company.

Happy cooking!

Think there are any other kitchen gadgets our team should try? We’d love to hear from you! Be sure to let us know your favorite techie tools over on Facebook or Twitter, where we talk all things Geek, 24/7.