Why We Use The Instant Pot IP-DUO60

We’re big fans of fellow Canadian company Instant Pot, who design and manufacture a line of electric pressure cookers. Last year they released a new pressure cooker called the Instant Pot IP-DUO60 and we purchased one. Pressure cookers help us cook a variety of foods such as rice, chick peas, and lentils. Today we’re going to introduce you to the Instant Pot IP-DUO60 and tell you why we love using it.

Instant Pot has dominated the electric pressure cooker market for a number of years. Their pressure cookers are designed by Canadians specifically for North American consumers. In 2014, they released the Instant Pot IP-DUO60 which is the 3rd generation of their pressure cooker. Today’s model features the largest pot size ever, more cooking features, and integration with technology such as an iPhone app that allows you to program and monitor cooking. An Android app will be available in March 2015. The previous generations had 5-quart capacities but this one has 6-quart capacity.

Many people buy an electric pressure cooker to replace their slow cooker and rice cooker. What’s interesting about the Instant Pot IP-DUO60 is that it has many more functions that warrant the purchase. What we mean is you can make porridge and yogurt with the settings on this machine, which was previously not possible. Compared to old machines, there are two pressure levels that you can choose instead of one. These are just some of the new benefits. We urge you to compare electric pressure cookers to understand in more detail how each generation’s machine has evolved.

We love the Instant Pot IP-DUO60 and in general electric pressure cookers because they’re easy to use. We don’t have to monitor it in comparison to stovetop pressure cookers. This is a huge advantage when cooking for a lot of people. You can use your time to do other things like setting up and preparing ingredients.

The inner pot and lid is made from 18/8 stainless steel that is FDA approved which we like more than nonstick coating that can be dangerous to health when you cook with it too much. This is an expensive material that is more rust resistant and of higher quality, so when you buy a used pressure cooker make sure it has the certificate. Some counterfeit items are not unusual.

But here’s a caveat. Given the material that is used to make electric pressure cookers, there’s no way it can achieve 15psi which is the standard pressure level that most recipes require. Instant Pot could definitely make one that hits 15psi, but the materials would cost $300-500 to make, meaning you wouldn’t be able to purchase the cooker at an affordable price. Most people won’t want to purchase one at that price point. So what you have to do if you buy an electric pressure cooker is allow your food more time to cook than if you used the stove.

If you wish to make healthy meals fast, but don’t want to stand in the kitchen all day, you’ll want to purchase an Instant Pot. It’s highly versatile and the more you use it, the more you’ll discover the many things you can make with it. If you live in the UK or Europe, there’s a 220~240v version too. Unfortunately, it’s still not yet available for Australia, Asia, and other countries.

You can find more information about the Instant Pot IP-DUO60 at Cook With Pressure (update: the website seems to be down), a blog started by chefs to help foodies find the best pressure cooker and to show how to use them. Have you used a pressure cooker before?