But while I'm reading that this miraculous gadget can do anything and everything, I don't actually know anyone who has one, so I thought I would ask the REDS.
Do I want one? Is it worth giving up an appliance that I love, say, my slow cooker, or heaven forbid, my Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy rice cooker (which I absolutely could not live without) because the appliance space in my kitchen is limited and something would have to go. One friend who is a gourmet cook says the instant pots are only for people who don't cook, or don't know how to cook.
But nevertheless I am tempted by all the literature that says they can cook rice, make yogurt, steam, saute, and do a hundred other things. (Making yogurt is easy in the slow cooker, but fiddly, with constant checking of temperature, then leaving the slow cooker swaddled in a towel overnight.)
And the cookbooks! There are hundreds of Instant Pot cookbooks, for everything from Italian to Mexican to Indian to French--and that was the one that really tempted me. Ann Mah, author of the novel THE LOST VINTAGE, and of the wonderful memoir MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH EATING, has just come out with an Instant Pot cookbook, INSTANTLY FRENCH.
This woman knows her cooking, especially French cooking, and the recipes sound fabulous. Would it be crazy to buy an appliance in order to try a cookbook?
REDS, has anyone tried the Instant Pot? If not, are you tempted?
JENN McKINLAY: I have a few friends who swear by them. I'm not sold yet mostly because I am fixated on getting a Roomba. Any appliance that comes into this house has to be able to suck up the ridonkulous amount of pet hair that seems to accumulate overnight -- every night. Anyone have a Roomba? How do you like it?
DEBS: Jenn, we had an older version, which we did not love. (LOTS of pet hair in this house!) I hear the Roombas are much smarter now, but I swear by my Dyson V6. I don't know how I ever lived without it. I use it every single day.
HALLIE EPHRON: I'm so behind the times, I don't even have a crockpot. I remember reading somewhere that despite the hype, the Instant Pot's not all it's cracked up to be. It's a pressure cooker/slow cooker, right? My counter space is limited so I'm unlikely to buy anything that needs a spot on the counter. The one kitchen gadget I bought this year was a digital instant read meat thermometer. I LOVE IT! And it takes up as much room as a paring knife. Win win.
RHYS BOWEN: Please do not tell my husband about this! In our house we have the graveyard of dead appliances in a corner cupboard.. He has bought, over the years, a sausage maker, bread maker, meat slicer, veggie juicer, etc etc. So he'd just run out and buy an instant pot. I use the slow cooker occasionally. It does lamb shanks really well. But apart from my pressure cooker, I would rather just cook in regular pans. In fact, I've been so busy recently that I'd like to borrow Mrs. Patmore from Downton Abbey to do all my cooking for me!
LUCY BURDETTE: Let's all share Mrs. Patmore this month! No instant pot for me either. I have on the counters two toasters, coffee pot, large crockpot, Cuisinart, and Kitchenaid mixer. We had to put the ice cream maker in storage that I bought a couple of years ago after your post here Debs:). There's just no room! Although the Ann Mah is very tempting. Could the recipes be made in a slow cooker?
DEBS: LOL, Lucy, the ice cream maker lives in our hall closet, which is just fine. No room at the kitchen inn! Maybe we should do a post on what we keep out on our kitchen counters... Eeek!
HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: What's a instant pot? But I could not live without my meat thermometer--my meal-saving go-to forever. My favorite thing recently? Silly, but an apple corer. It's just a sharp cylinder that you jab through the apple. It is PERFECT. P.S. Please send Patmore.
JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Rhys, I started laughing at "sausage maker" and haven't stopped. Does John actually USE any of those gadgets? or does he get them as "labor saving" devices for you?
No Instant Pot for me. At this stage in my life, an appliance has to do many things well, or one thing that I need every day. So for instance, I have on my counter a well-loved toaster oven (several things), a toaster (everyday), an instant kettle (everyday, and necessary because I've burned out THREE (3) teakettle bottoms on the stove over the years), a Sony under-cabinet radio/cd player (daily NPR fix) and Alexa. I LOVE YOU, ALEXA.
I also have a slow cooker, which is the best thing ever, and it lives inside a cabinet.
But maybe I need a sausage maker?
DEBS: Wah! No one else is even tempted? Does this mean I have to be the one to put an Instant Pot on my Christmas wish list so that I can share the results?
Or maybe I'll just ask for Mrs. Patmore...
What about you, readers? Anyone tempted by the gadget that does everything? (Except write books...)
My daughter adores her Instant Pot; she’s a good cook, but her daily schedule is horrific . . . she’s always using it to fix dinner because it does its thing quickly and dinner needs to get on the table for the little ones.
ReplyDeleteMe, I have an Instant Pot [brand new in the box, $5.00 at the Church rummage sale] and I’ve actually used it a few times. It’s a fancy pressure cooker; when you put the food in and seal it up, then you don’t have to do anything else until the pot finishes doing its thing. But I LIKE to cook, so it lives in the laundry room closet until I think about using it [or until I’m making jam and need to seal the jars]. I do use my Crock Pot more often, but it doesn’t get a whole lot of use, either. Around here, it’s the coffee maker, the electric kettle, and the toaster that get the most use while the microwave mostly heats up John’s coffee . . . .
That's how I buy most of my kitchen gadgets - at church and yard sales. I've heard everything comes out soggy. Which makes sense. And some things you WANT to come out soggy. When I was working and had kids/husband waiting at home for dinner, I came home and closed myself in the kitchen, poured a glass of wine, and for 20 minutes COOKED. It was the buffer I needed, and I got to eat exactly what I felt like eating.
DeleteI only have three countertop appliances: my Kitchenaid mixer, the Mr. Coffee coffeemaker (boo hiss to Braun, Cuisinart and Nespresso), and my Oventure electric kettle. I cook and bake a lot, and even make jams, preserves and pickles regularly but I don't use appliances for the most part (except the mixer). I make toast under the broiler in the oven, but not often. I'm kinda old school. No breadmaker, altho I do make bread. No pasta machine, altho I do make pasta. I use the crockpot three or four times a year for pulled pork or short ribs and it lives in the closet in the spare room in between times. My daughter bought one of those hot air fryer things a few months ago, used it two or three times, and it is now in the cupboard of abandoned appliances along with the bread warmer, the multi-part veggie steamer, and other unloved dollarsuckers. Not for me, and probably not for you.
ReplyDeleteI am not a great cook at all, but I really like my Instant Pot. I was initially afraid of it and left it in the box for several weeks, but once I worked up my courage I just went to town. I’ve made fantastic baby back ribs several times in 28 minutes cook time, a yummy cheesecake, and Starbucks type egg bites, among other things. Chicken soup in a few minutes when cold and flu season strikes. You can throw potatoes and eggs together in the pot, cook for five minutes, and you’ve got your potato salad started. You can throw three or a dozen eggs in the pot for five minutes cook time and they peel like a dream. Corn on the cob in two or three minutes. All this without heating up the kitchen. You can see I’m having a great time with it. The next great kitchen item is a Sous Vide. Check those out!
ReplyDeleteEager to hear about the sous vide!
Delete"Chicken soup in a few minutes"?!?! Maybe I need to reassess.
DeleteI was thinking about Sous Vide after we had this discussion. It seems to be EVERYWHERE right now, not unlike Instant Pot aka electronic pressure cookers. I'm always a little suspicious of gadgets that are the hot new thing. Whose to say they won't go the way of the fondue pot?
DeleteI use my Instant Pot at least once a week, more than any other of my small appliances. It’s quite simple, once you realize you’re not going to blow the kitchen apart. I get recipes online from blogs and Pinterest. Now, I’m a newbie to the Sous Vide, but made a trip tip roast that was juicy, fork tender, and just plain delicious. My grandson uses his often and swears by it for pork chops, among other things. He’s the family gourmet chef. Me, not so much.
DeleteAny time I can fix a good dinner without messing up a bunch of pans and the stove, I consider it one in the win column.
Luddite here, not only in “devices” and internet things, but in small appliances. I have two: an electric espresso/latte maker that sits on the counter and a blender for chopping nuts and making watermelon gazpacho that lives in the “china closet”. The range does everything needed in the boiling, simmering, baking, toasting, roasting of food that I need. And with King Arthur dough whisks(new last week), I’ve solved the “my muscles are aging and dough making by hand is too hard” dilemma. Does anyone else remember Mrs. Pattmore’s reaction to the electric mixer? Thanks for bringing a smile to this morning, Deborah, Reds, and commenters!
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who jumped on the Instant Pot bandwagon when they first came out, but I heard her talk more about all the things it does before she actually got one. Now that she has one, she never talks about using it at all. I'll try to remember to ask for you.
ReplyDeleteAs for me, I gave my crock pot away the last time I moved. If I want slow cooking, I use my cast iron stuff, which is far more decorative when not in use. I suppose, if I wanted fast cooking, I could investigate the convection option of my oven, but so far I haven't even done that. My counter is home to a microwave, a toaster oven, and an electric kettle, plus a blender that collects dust back behind the microwave and the brightly colored cast iron stuff.
As for the Kitchen-Aid mixer . . . well, the only thing that tempts me about that is that I have a spring-loaded shelf built into one of my cabinets. This shelf was designed to hold just such a mixer. You leave the mixer on it, and pull it out of the cabinet so it rises to counter height when you need to use the mixer, then tucks back away when you're done. I have a similar shelf in a built-in desk area, meant to hold the typewriter. Anybody else have shelves like these?
I seriously considered the mixer shelf but decided I'd rather have that space for more drawers. I have plenty of counter space and my mixer, which matches Deb's, lives in an out of the way corner.
DeleteI'd only get a mixer if I started a cooking show. On America's Test Kitchen they use it all the time. So it's a safe bet I won't be getting one.
DeleteI love my Kitchen Aid mixer even if I don't use it often. It's a "lifetime" appliance!
DeleteI love mine too. Hallie, you'd be hysterical on a cooking show! let's pitch it...
DeleteUPDATE: I talked to my friend who has an Instant Pot, and she gives it a big thumbs-up. She says it's wonderful for meat, beans, and soups. Her only concern is that, as with any pressure cooker, you have to be careful when you release the lid that you don't get steam-scalded.
DeleteAs for the Kitchen-Aid mixer, I just don't cook enough whipped potatoes, whipped cream, bread dough, cookie dough, etc. to justify it, although if I did cook more of that stuff I know I'd get tired of my hand mixer pretty darn quick. I don't have an out-of-the-way corner of my counter, so it would have to go on the shelf, and right now that shelf holds all the cat feeding supplies.
A special shelf for the Kitchen Aid mixer? I am so envious--and it's going on the list for the someday kitchen renovation. I'll admit, the Kitchen Aid is my happy appliance--I love to bake. And funny story. About 10 years ago, my ancient hand mixer died during the first batch of Christmas cookies (out of at least a dozen different kinds). The plate that held the mixers in place snapped and one of them wrapped itself around the other. There was smoke. And metal shards. And a baker in tears. Hub says, "Don't cry little baker, my mom sent a generous Christmas check. Let's get that mixer you've always wanted!" A few hours later, we're back from the chef shop, 5 quart professional grade mixer on the counter. More tears! I've named this cobalt blue beauty Opal. Hub says, "If I'd known it would make you this happy, I would have spend $300 on a blender for you years ago." "Blender?" I'm outraged. "Opal is NOT a blender!" "Whatever," says H. "Make sure you send Mom extra biscotti."
DeleteOh, and the Instant Pot--I love the thing! Soup stock! Perfect rice! and those hard boiled eggs! I made yogurt two weeks ago--so creamy and delicious!
I'm not really a crazy kitchen gadget person, but those two just make me a happy cook!
-Melanie
I am so old school that the fanciest cooking appliance I have is my small slow cooker! Even when I lived in a large house with a huge kitchen, I never really had that many appliances. I have always felt that if a gadget does too many jobs, it probably doesn't do any of them all that well. Also, I like to cook and bake, even though it is just me now, in a small apartment. I have my tea kettle and Keurig, a hand mixer and a blender my daughter left for me when she moved out.
ReplyDeleteHope Santa brings you a Roomba, Jenn!
We have every appliance known to man, but like Rhys most live in the pantry or the countertop appliance garage - including the spiralizer, the Cuisinart deluxe food processor, three types of ice cream freezers, the panini maker, etc. We use our hand mixer or whisk more than my Kitchenaid mixer, a Wusthof paring knife more than the food processor, and my Le Crueset Dutch oven more than my crockpot. The only appliances I can’t live without are my coffee maker and my Braun toaster. Most appliances are more work than they are worth.
ReplyDeleteI would strongly consider a panini maker because I LOVE paninis and grilling them in the skillet just doesn't get the same results.
DeleteI was gifted a panini maker a few years back, and don’t use it often enough...I need to move it to the front of the cabinet. Whenever I do use it, I love experimenting with different sandwiches. Thanks for reminding me; I’m going to go get it out right now.
DeleteIf eating paninis would fuel your creativity, please go for it. We are all so anxious to see Clare and Russ again!
The only reason I have both a hand mixer and a KitchenAid stand mixer is because my mother succumbed to the siren call of the KitchenAid. Which she passed off to me when she moved, years ago. I don't have room for it on my counters, so it lives under a round, skirted table that holds the winerack she also gave me. The winerack gets a lot more use.
ReplyDeleteI do have four CrockPots, but they are mostly for entertaining. The 6-quart one is great for soups, etc.; the mini one gets pulled out to keep dips hot; the double one is used for big family meals to keep the sides hot. The oldest one is medium-sized, and gets used a lot in the wintertime. These all live in different places: the medium one is in a bottom drawer in the kitchen, along with the ridiculous drinks blender my daughter bought me instead of a real food processor. It's fun, but how often do we make Margaritas?
The rest of them are either in the laundry room (big and small) or the basement (double). In the new house, though, I'll have a big pantry, and bonus storage on the island for seldom-used items.
I really hate countertop clutter, although we seem to have too many choices for coffee/tea production here. The electric kettle, a French press, a Mr. Coffee (actually three of these, but only two are on the counter), and two other drip brewers that live in the coffee drawer (above the CrockPot drawer).
And I confess to having two different ice cream makers. It used to be three! We used to have an ice cream party every few years, with all homemade ice cream. Guests brought toppings.
Jenn, I can relate to the desire for a Roomba with a pet. We had two big grand dogs here for almost a week, and I could practically create another dog with the hair they left behind!
Karen, with three cats and two super-shedding German shepherds, that happens in our house every day. That's why I love the battery powered Dyson so much. It is awesome.
DeleteRemember when Cuisinarts were the big deal? I loved mine—then it got to be kind of a pain. Now it lives in the basement with the blender. I love spiralized veggies, but I just buy them.
ReplyDeleteMy old Cuisinart bit the dust last year, and I got a new one. It must weigh less than half the original. But then I don't suppose it will last thirty years.
DeleteTwo different people have given us spiralizer thingies. Neither of them work at all, so I also buy the veggies already done.
DeleteI use my Cuisinart to make pastry dough and to mince meat for Shepherds pie. ( no, it's not made with real shepherds)
DeleteMy thirty-year-old original Cuisinart bit the dust a few years ago. I replaced it with a Kitchen Aid food processor, which is huge! The Cuisinart could go under the counter, but not this monster. And I only use it a few times a year, most of the time preferring my good knives and an immersion blender. Maybe I will trade it in one of these days...
DeleteI was blown away when I visited New Jersey this spring and saw spiralized veggies at Wegman's. I think I took a photo of them.
DeleteMy Cuisinart is almost thirty years old and still going. I use it instead of a blender for blending soups, and for quick-slicing when I'm making something that takes a lot of thin veggies, like scalloped potatoes.
DeleteI got an Instant Pot for Christmas two years ago, experimented with it a little for a while, and now it sits in a cupboard most of the time. Honestly, the thing I liked most about it was that if I forgot to start the rice cooker as I started meal prep, I could still have brown rice with my meal by doing it in the Instant Pot. I have been thinking about connecting to one of the Facebook groups about it to see if I could find recipes that actually appeal. I suspect that if I invested the time I would enjoy learning how to speed up some recipes I rarely make because they take too long for an average work night.
ReplyDeleteNo Instant Pot here. I learned my lesson 2 years ago when I finally got my long-wanted Kitchen-Aid mixer. It looks very pretty on my counter and takes up a lot of room but I've only used it 3 times. It was a nightmare from day 1. My hand mixer is much better. I gave up coffee so I don't have that cluttering the counter and I keep the seldom-used toaster in a cabinet. I do have a microwave but if I were to get another appliance it would be a toaster oven; I think that would come in very handy for just one person.
ReplyDeleteJudi, we have never had a toaster in our house, only a toaster oven. We absolutely love them. The current one is a Cuisinart and has been great for a good ten years now. You can do so much in a toaster oven besides make toast!
DeleteOne of my daughters asked for a magic bullet for Christmas. Anybody in JRW land use one?
ReplyDeleteI stripped my counters to the essentials: kitchenaid mixer, toaster oven, and electric kettle. The coffee bean grinder and French Press live in a cabinet. For slow cooking I use a vintage Le Creuset Dutch oven.
Yes on the Magic Bullet! When I first purchased the Bullet I was marginally committed to the style of food prep it supports. Recently, at the request of my doctor, I have had to revisit the need to change my eating habits. I am now so reliant on it I actually considered taking in with me on a recent road trip!!! BTW, this is the only appliance that came out of the cupboard to live on the counter permanently.
DeleteI don't even know what it is!!!
DeleteI’m with Deborahon this — vision of the Lone Ranger and his silver bullets sitting on the counter?
DeleteI seem to recall "the Magic Bullet" referred to penicillin in WWII - especially as used against what used to be called "social diseases!"
DeleteIt's a juicer on steroids
DeleteOh, yes, please to Mrs. Patmore coming over! But definitely a no to the instant pot for my kitchen. Our house is small, so there is simply no room. If any new appliance were to find room here it would be a toaster oven or, maybe, a microwave. We have neither. We do have, though, a small "appliance garage" in a little recessed nook at the end of one counter, and in it we store the coffee grinder (essential), the toaster (of course) and the rice cooker (like Debs, I could not do without it). The electric kettle has in its own spot, as does the radio -- is a radio an appliance? I'm not sure, but every kitchen I've ever had has had a radio in a central spot. If I'm in the kitchen, I'm probably listening to the radio, too: CBC, which is our equivalent of your NPR.
ReplyDeleteI'm a resounding NO to the Instapot. And I gave the crock pot away years ago. These things may be a godsend to people who work 8-10 hours a day and then have to get a meal on the table. My only job is getting those meals, and I have all day to do it.
ReplyDeleteMy kitchen counters contain the Kitchenaid mixer, which I use at least once a week, Julie's coffee pot and my electric kettle, French press, and coffee grinder. When we got the new kitchen, the contractor put revolving shelves in our two lower corner cabinets, and all other appliances go there, the toaster, the Cuisinart, which I use maybe monthly but adore, and the Food Saver. That is one of those vacuum things that seal stuff for the freezer, and I'm on my second one in ten years, indispensable. Plus a hand mixer for quick jobs and an immersion blender for whatever. I think there's a Waring blender in the basement if I ever need one again.
For slow cooking I have an oven and a variety of Staub enamel and cast iron pots.
The center island contains a trifle bowl full of fruit and a bread basket full of cat. Don't ask.
Almost forgot Alexa, the kitchen one being a Dot. But she only takes up about three square inches.
DeleteWe have the vacuum sealer, too, because we process our own venison. And a dehydrator, and an electric food grinder. They all live in the basement.
DeleteThe thing is, when you need those, nothing else will do.
LOVE my immersion blender... I got it and dumped my regular blender.
DeleteMe, too, Hallie! Although we do have a regular blender which we almost never use.
DeleteI have 'immersion blender' on my Christmas wish list! Which brand do you all recommend?
DeleteKitchenaid. For electric appliances, they are outstanding. For hand tools, OXO.
DeleteJess, mine's a cuisinart - get one with an all metal blade and housing at the immersion end. And I just bought my daughter one.
DeleteJenn, we have a Roomba somewhere. It was indispensable when we had five cats, each of whom shed a new cat daily. Now we have two dogs who don't shed and one small cat who sheds very little and only on the navy blue sofa. I think you'll like the Roomba. You can program it to clean as often as you want and it does its thing. I hear the new ones are wonderful. Even my old one does a great job, especially for getting under the beds.
ReplyDeleteI want the Roomba the Finns use for keeping their forests litter-free--don't you think it would be a big help with my leaves every autumn? ;-)
DeleteAnd the wet Roomba to keep their beaches free of encroaching oceans.
DeleteFlora - cracked me up!!
Delete(just issued an inelegant "snort") Very good Flora!
DeleteSomewhere, Ann? Exactly what I feared. Room as go into hiding and you never find them again!
DeleteFlora, too funny!
DeleteYes to Mrs. Patmore, no to the Instant Pot. I am terminally petrified of anything that could potentially be a pressure cooker. I know they are safe and no longer explode all over the kitchen ceiling, but you know what they say about the woman who cannot remember history? Well, I'll be content to remember it and not repeat it. Besides, it would be so unfair to give my slowcooker an inferiority complex. We've been together so long. My next splurge - a Dualit toaster in apple candy red!
ReplyDeleteI am always tempted by things like the Instapot--but I've found that my stovetop/oven do everything I want to do--I rarely pull out the slow cooker. But, like Susan mentioned above, I might really be tempted if it would allow me to expand my repertoire of easy meals--that Ann Mah cookbook is calling my name!
ReplyDeleteHa, Flora, I am still tempted, too!
DeleteYes, braising is definitely possible on the stove or in the oven! But the Instant Pot does it more quickly, so it's great if you're short on time. And I've never been able to make beans on the stove (or oven) that are as consistently tender and velvety as what the Instant Pot produces.
Deletewhoo hoo, very excited to have you drop in Ann. We adore your books here at Jungle Red!!
DeleteOh, yes. The beans! In my ode to the Instant Pot above, I forgot the beans. Which are perfect in the IP. But I'm going to start sounding like one of those Instant Pot enthusiast-crazies that are all over the internet. Not that I find anything wrong with their enthusiasm!
Delete-Melanie
Jenn, my parents have two Roombas and they swear by them. However, they don't have pets, so I'm not sure how one would do with pet hair.
ReplyDeleteThis blog helped me figure out what to get my husband for Christmas. He's wicked hard to shop for. But he's always HATED our toaster which has recently started shedding its insides. He really prefers a toaster oven (bagels... pizza... french bread with melted cheese)... room for toast to feed visiting kids & grandkids. So I just hopped over to Best Buy and ordered him one. Shhhh.
ReplyDeleteHallie, we LOVE our toaster oven. Which one did you order him?
DeleteGood call. I love my toaster oven (GE brand).
DeleteY'all really made my morning! I love reading all of this. I have a toaster and a coffeemaker and a coffee grinder on the counter. We are in a condo with less counter space than I had in the house. My Kitchenaid mixer, Cuisenart, and the blender live in a cabinet under the counter along with a milk fluffer which I tend to forget about using (a gift from my sister who is a coffee and steamed, fluffed mild addict). There is a second coffee maker in a closet (for regular coffee when we have guests as the husband and I are decaf. people). No hotpot or slow cooker for me.. I usually have time to cook and when I'm pressed, I have go to recipes.
ReplyDeleteI notice no one mentioned the George Foreman grill. Remember when that was all the rage?
I do! I think half the women I know got one for Christmas and/or Mother's Day the year that came out. Then a few years later, you could pick them up for a buck at yard sales. :-)
DeleteJulia, John does use each appliance with enthusuasm for a few weeks then they are too much trouble to clean and put away so they are discarded He even bought a bacon bowl maker and if there is anything less useful I'd like to see it!
ReplyDeleteTits on a bull?
DeleteRhys, you have to do a blog JUST on John's gadgets, with pictures.
Arriving late this morning. Debs you seem to have your answer. Not too much support here for the latest, trendy gadget. I too have many of the tools we were told we couldn't live without and I'd be just as happy if they lived somewhere else. However, I will gladly make room for Mrs. Patmore.
ReplyDeleteMy counter tops are home to my Mr. Coffee, my microwave, and the Nutribullet. (see above). I pull out my stand mixer from time to time and I do like my crockpot. I'm glad I got a cuisinart.
I love my crock pot so I don't need a instapot. I would, however, love to have Mrs Patmore as my cook! Maybe we can clone her.
ReplyDeleteThe Roomba has changed my life. Because I'm not going to vacuum unless I see dust bunnies out of the corner of my eye wafting along the wall so big I think they're a rat and scream. Use the crockpot a lot. Kind of worn out on the air fryer. It's huge and with a teenager in the house, I have to cook in batches to put enough food on the table.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, most days I work right up to what should be dinner time. I do use my slow cooker, but it takes planning ahead and taking time during the morning to get things in it. One thing it is great for, however, is making chicken stock overnight.
ReplyDeleteOkay, here's my counter top count down. Nespresso machine, which we adore. Hubs griped at me when I bought it, and now he's the one who makes coffee every single day. The milk frother that goes with the Nespresso--which I use every day. The monster Kitchen Aid food processor, which I would trade in for something smaller. The toaster over, yay! Electric kettle, yay! Blender, meh, but it sits back in the corner. And the Kitchen Aid mixer, which is the kitchen ornament, lol. Oh, and the cat fountain. Don't ask.
ReplyDeleteForgot Alexa, but she lives on the kitchen island. And of course I am not mentioning all the JUNK.
DeleteAsking: Cat fountain?
DeleteAt the behest of our vet. Cats like to drink fresh RUNNING water, so the fountain encourages them to drink and then they have less urinary tract issues.
DeleteObviously, we can't put it on the floor, because it would be instantly filled with dog hair. Maybe it could have it's own designated Roomba...
Here's Ann Mah on how to make your Thanksgiving dinner in the instant pot. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/how-to-make-an-entire-thanksgiving-feast-in-your-multicooker/2018/11/12/41ca0416-e2da-11e8-ab2c-b31dcd53ca6b_story.html?fbclid=IwAR0UQlnwTEFtjQKpsj53KbhY5ZUjLCHyiE9AIwi1qq5V0dUo5ipuwoTH02M&utm_term=.405aa67a3e66
ReplyDeleteHi, everyone!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE my Instant Pot so much I wrote my cookbook, Instantly French, for it – thanks for the shoutout, Deborah! I love the way it cooks beans and tough cuts of meat quickly and reliably. It's also fantastic for risotto and it makes the richest, most flavorful chicken stock in only an hour. I basically live on soups and stews this time of year, and it's a relief to be able to get them on the table in 20 minutes or less. Five-minute red lentil soup is a regular supper in our house. Last Sunday, I even cooked our family's Thanksgiving dinner in less than an hour, thanks to my Instant Pot. I'm also addicted to the chickpeas I make in it, superbly tender and velvety.
I'm not much of an appliance hound – on my counter I've got my Instant Pot and a toaster and that's it. I don't have a slow cooker, KitchenAid, CuisineArt, blender, coffee maker, or electric kettle and I'm extremely happy without any of them. But when I go away for the summer, boy do I miss my Instant Pot! :)
Hi, Ann! You got me on risotto!! I LOVE risotto but hate making it. It always seems to take me twice as long as the recipe says. And we live on beans, soups, and stews this time of year, too. I love my Le Creuset cookware for those things, but it means they are Sunday projects, not weeknight dinners.
DeleteI'm definitely putting the Instant Pot and your cookbook on my wish list! Do you have a favorite recipe from the cookbook?
Moroccan chickpea soup is my favorite recipe – a one-pot meal that's so healthy and easy! The book has a recipe for risotto (I know it's not French, but French people do love risotto!)
DeleteYum!! Maybe I could even get my hubby to eat chickpeas. Or just make it for myself!
Deletethis is off topic, but will a new novel be coming soon Ann???
DeleteYes, Ann, I want to know, too!
DeleteI will look for your cookbook, Ann!
DeleteYou are all very kind. I'm working on something new, but it's still very early days and I've been feeling frustrated. Your encouragement is bolstering me on this blustery day!
DeleteI have many friends who swear by their InstaPot, but every time I look I cannot figure out what about this device I need (because I, like a lot of you, have limited counter space). I don't make yogurt, I make perfectly fine rice in a pot on the stove, and my slow cooker fits nicely in a cupboard, where I can take it out as needed (to do a roast, usually).
ReplyDeleteWe did relegate the bread maker to the basement (something we used ALL THE TIME when we bought it and now mostly use to make pizza dough). That freed up some space, which we immediately filled with...
an Air Fryer. This thing, I like. It does perfect fries. I did roast chicken legs that were fabulous - perfectly crispy skin and moist meat (something I never have been able to get from the oven). Wonderful pork chops, slightly crisped outside, tender meat (again, something I've never been able to do). No smoke, no grease, little mess. Perfect. I'm going to try to find a recipe for chicken breasts for tonight.
Mary/Liz
The Roomba did NOT work for us. It was more effort to set it up than it was just to run a regular sweeper.
ReplyDeleteAs for the InstantPot… LOVE IT! (I'd keep the rice maker, though!) It's best to NOT think it does everything. For example, I personally think it stinks at pasta dishes. I also remember when microwaves first came out and everyone said it would do everything, including bake cakes--not so much! But what the instant pot IS great for are sauces (Indian and Italian recipes), stews, soups, broths, quickly cooking filling for pot pies and sweet pies, and even 'roasting.' The latter works because of the saute function--great for browning, and then put the chicken (for example) on a rack and finish with pressure cooking. It's great also for dishes like chicken marsala, beef stroganoff, etc. (Again, cook the pasta SEPARATELY.) And as nuts as it sounds, even though I had a great method for boiled eggs, now the Instant pot is the only way I'll make them. Or steel-cut oatmeal! It's also easy to clean, and saves on number of pots and pans. (e.g., no browning meat in skillet and putting in crock pot... just brown on the saute function, then use the slow cook or pressure cook function.) The commercial kitchen grade steel of the liner makes it easy to deglaze while cooking, and to clean later. OK. I'll stop. I swear I don't work for an electric pressure cooker company!
The Roomba did NOT work for us. It was more effort to set it up than it was just to run a regular sweeper.
ReplyDeleteAs for the InstantPot… LOVE IT! (I'd keep the rice maker, though!) It's best to NOT think it does everything. For example, I personally think it stinks at pasta dishes. I also remember when microwaves first came out and everyone said it would do everything, including bake cakes--not so much! But what the instant pot IS great for are sauces (Indian and Italian recipes), stews, soups, broths, quickly cooking filling for pot pies and sweet pies, and even 'roasting.' The latter works because of the saute function--great for browning, and then put the chicken (for example) on a rack and finish with pressure cooking. It's great also for dishes like chicken marsala, beef stroganoff, etc. (Again, cook the pasta SEPARATELY.) And as nuts as it sounds, even though I had a great method for boiled eggs, now the Instant pot is the only way I'll make them. Or steel-cut oatmeal! It's also easy to clean, and saves on number of pots and pans. (e.g., no browning meat in skillet and putting in crock pot... just brown on the saute function, then use the slow cook or pressure cook function.) The commercial kitchen grade steel of the liner makes it easy to deglaze while cooking, and to clean later. OK. I'll stop. I swear I don't work for an electric pressure cooker company!
Jess, so I should keep my rice maker (which we use at least once a week, sometime twice, for brown rice) but it sounds like I could retire the slow cooker?
DeleteThe Instant Pot makes great brown rice! I don't use it for white rice, though.
DeleteOh, that's really good to know. The only time I cook white rice is for risotto.
DeleteI have the Skinnytaste cookbooks which have recipes for the instapot and I make the recipes on the stovetop instead. I’m not tempted to buy an electronic gadget that’ll probably stop working on me.
ReplyDeleteNot yet having read the other comments...I don't get having all that stuff out on the counter. We have a toaster and a coffee maker. That's it. The crock pot, mixer, rice cooker, cast iron dutch over, etc. live in deep lower cupboards and only see the light of day when needed. As for Hot Pot, I can't see the need. Seems like one of those trendy appliances that in a couple of years will be in the back of the closet.
ReplyDeleteThe pressure cooker was invented in the 17th century and the Instant Pot is simply a modern electronic version of it. After 400 years, I doubt it will disappear :)
DeleteThat's true, but there's not a thing wrong with the old fashioned metal pressure cooker my mom used, with the pressure thingie on the top of the lid.
DeleteI've never had a pressure cooking, although I remember my mom and grandmother using one when I was a child.
DeleteJulia, the main reason I drink coffee (espresso, usually) is so that I can have the hot frothed milk. You could have the milk without the coffee! It's fabulous.
DeleteAlso nothing wrong with toasting bread on a toasting fork over an open fire! The toaster does make it easier, though.
DeleteReading through eveyone's comments, I conclude I'm saving a TON of counter space by not drinking coffee. I didn't know milk fluffing was a thing, or that you needed and appliance for it!
ReplyDeleteOh, and the microwave is built in, and the food processor/blender is in a cupboard, as is the waffle iron and the griddle.
ReplyDeleteRick, you are so organized! And obviously have plenty of under-the-counter storage!
DeleteNo Instant Pot here either. I use my slow cooker every so often, and I just don't want to learn how to use something else. Of course, I'm rather susceptible to sales people talking me into something, so I avoid videos and sales pitches for it. My counter contains coffee maker (most important item), toaster, and slow cooker. Oh, and the microwave. I won't list the other mess on it. I have a small food processor, and I mean small, that I keep in the cabinets. I only use it to chop onion. I often wish I had a Kitchen-aid mixer, but I've survived with my hand mixer for 42 years of cooking, so I've never given in to that wish. My daughter has one and uses it often. My daughter also has a Roomba and loves it. She got it for the dog hair. Oh, she is updating to a new one this Christmas. Maybe she'll give me her old one.
ReplyDeleteI second the motion for you to do a post on John's gadgets, Rhys!
Funny story about the Instapot. I bought it, thinking that it was smaller than the crockpot that I already have. The instapot was too big and we have no counter space for the Instapot so we sent it to a relative. We have a crockpot that we had since I was a child. We still have the big roaster that belonged to my great grandmother.
ReplyDeleteDiana
My neighbor got an Instant Pot. So far, so good, except for making yogurt. She listed all the appliances it can take the place of if you downsize. That's all well and good but I'm not tempted. Besides wine bottles, baskets with fruit, onions, etc., and junk our counters hold a Kitchenaid mixer in the corner, a Keurig I'm not using, an electric kettle, a Sunbeam coffee maker, a toaster, and my husband's GE toaster oven. I do have a crockpot under the counter, an antique Oster blender my mom bought in the 60s (it looks cool), a Ninja I use instead, a manual juicer my husband bought this year, a dehydrator my son makes jerky with, my immersion blender, a coffee bean grinder, electric carving knife no one uses, electric knife sharpener. Also a small ice cream maker. All hidden and tucked away.
ReplyDeleteOh, and not appliances but necessary kitchen tools: tortilla warmers and pecan crackers.
ReplyDeletePat, your friend didn't have any luck with the yogurt? Boo.
DeleteNo. She says it just hasn't been setting right in the Instant Pot. So back to whatever she's been using for yogurt making.
DeleteSo much fun, this topic! I retired my mothers pressured cooker from the 50s because the handle was loose. The only appliance I’d like now is a pressure canner. It could last be in the basement until summer.
ReplyDeleteDyson V6, you say??? I must go investigate. Somehow, adding one more cat to the mix has made the pet hair unreasonable in my home. LOL.
ReplyDeleteI don't have an Instant Pot. Don't need one either as I don't do all that much cooking at home anymore. My idea of "instant" cooking is dialing up the local sub shop or going to the 99 restaurant and ordering a burger.
ReplyDeleteI do have a crockpot but it hasn't been used since a couple years before my mom died. I did make her homemade applesauce one time then but nothing since.
I've got a stove so as long as I can boil water, soup and mac and cheese, and goulash are going to be on the menu.
It's kind of bitterly funny considering I used to do at least 10 different meals including most of Thanksgiving dinner. But with just me, there's no point in really getting all fired up about cooking.
The only appliance on my counter is the KitchenAid mixer, which I have to move to the other counter to use. It's heavy! The toaster oven lives on the table, the blender, the slow cooker,and microwave are on other pieces of furniture, and the hand mixer and some other things live in drawers. I still like to cook even if it is just me but some things aren't worth the trouble. I may still have Mom's pressure cooker but I would be scared to use it. I think she got rid of it, though.
ReplyDeleteWow! The Instant Pot generated a lot of comments! Okay. I am not an appliance lover, but I love my Instant Pot. It's truly a life saver.
ReplyDelete