Wondering which Instant Pot to buy? Discover why this is one of the best kitchen tech items you'll ever own.
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Instant Pot (noun): The insanely fast, intelligent pressure cooker that can replace numerous kitchen appliances, and possibly the most important technological advancement in recent history. SpaceX is a close second. (Sorry pal, maybe if you cooked rice at the speed of light.)
Everyone completely flipped over the Instant Pot on Black Friday, but if you missed out on those deals, don't worry — they are constantly on sale, especially on Amazon. But what's all the hype about, anyway? According to their website, Instant Pots use 70% less energy than the average pressure cooker, but somehow cook food, as their title states, instantly — well, 2-10 times faster, but that's the closest to instant you're gonna get.
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This means that dishes that traditionally need all day to cook are ready in, like, minutes, which makes the torture of impatiently waiting to eat far less painful, and saves you from eating a quick frozen meal after a long day. And have you seen the reviews on these things? Almost every model is an Amazon's Choice product with near perfect ratings, so it's not hard to see why everyone and their mother are throwing down to get their hands on one.
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What is hard, however, is choosing the right Instant Pot for you. With multiple series, cooking functions, quart sizes, but virtually identical appearances, it's easy to go into "WTF" mode.
Never fear: Mashable Deals is here, and we're, well, creepily obsessed with the Instant Pot. Check out our guide to the features of each Instant Pot, and may the speedy cooking be with you.
Today, all Instant Pots on the market are part of their third generation line, which basically makes them the Ferrari of pressure cookers. Aside from enhanced safety features, the most significant new addition is the microprocessor technology. This provides readings of pressure and temperature from built-in monitors, making previously complex (and annoying) cooking tasks possible through a variety of smart programs.
This collection of programs can be tweaked and tailored to perform super specific tasks that you may have struggled with pre-Instant Pot (e.g., the perfect way to cook rice). These programs get down to the nitty gritty of heat intensity, pressure, and cooking duration to achieve consistent results in the kitchen. Oh, and did we mention there is also an Instant Pot cookbook and a free Instant Pot recipe app?
To pump you up for the rest of the guide, here's one of the bazillion possible recipes you can make with your handy new obsession. To see more of the Instant Pot family freaking out over their creations, check out the #instantpot hashtag on Instagram and peruse more Instant Pot recipes here. And, if you're that person who can never get enough of this internet sensation, don't miss this story on how Robert Wang started the Instant Pot empire after getting laid off from his job.
A post shared by Jo Cooks (@jocooks) on Dec 31, 2017 at 8:12am PST
LUX Series
The Instant Pot LUX: 6-in-1 Programmable Cooker is the most "basic" of the bunch, though basic is far from an accurate description, considering the number of things this puppy does. The LUX combines the functions of six appliances: It's a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, warmer, and sauté pan, and is one of two Instant Pots that does not make yogurt. (A good rule of thumb: The number in each Instant Pot's title, e.g. "LUX: 6-in-1" describes the number of kitchen appliances it claims to replace.)
The LUX also features 12 built-in smart programs: Bean/chili, meat/stew, soup/broth, sauté, poultry, steam, congee, multigrain, rice, pressure cook, warm, and slow cook (which are also available in all other models). The LUX model comes in 3, 5, 6, and 8 quarts and features a red and black screen with numerous buttons to adjust the settings.
Sales are frequent and availability varies, with non-sale prices starting at $59 for the Mini, $59 for the 5 quart, $79 for the 6 quart and $109.95 for the 8 quart.
Get the LUX: Amazon | Ebay | Walmart
Learn more about the Instant Pot LUX60
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DUO Series
The Instant Pot DUO: 7-in-1 Programmable Cooker is a slight step up from the LUX, as it features all six functions previously mentioned, plus it makes yogurt. It also features the same 12 built-in smart features as the LUX. The DUO model comes in 3, 6, and 8 quarts. Physically, the LUX and DUO models look almost identical, but with slightly different buttons.
Sales are frequent and availability varies, with non-sale prices starting at $69.99 for the Mini, $99.99 for the 6 quart, and $129.99 for the 8 quart.
Get the DUO: Amazon | Best Buy | Ebay | Target | Walmart
Learn more about the Instant Pot DUO
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DUO Plus Series
The next pot in the line and the #1 best-seller in the Instant Pot family is the DUO Plus 9-in-1 Programmable Cooker. The Plus series takes the options up a few notches: Along with the same features and programs of the LUX (pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, warmer, sauté pan) and the yogurt maker of the DUO, the PLUS also features an egg cooker, sterilizer, and cake maker. The Plus model comes in 3, 6, and 8 quarts.
As we continue to climb up the ladder of Instant Pots, devices with more advanced features also seem to get shinier and more spaceship-like. Compared to the LUX and DUO models that have red and black screens, the DUO Plus features a larger (and prettier) blue LCD screen with food status icons and buttons that replicate the look of a touch screen.
Sales are frequent and availability varies, with non-sale prices starting at $99.95 for the Mini, $119.95 for the 6 quart, and $199 for the 8 quart.
Get the DUO Plus: Amazon | Ebay
Learn more about the Instant Pot DUO Plus
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Ultra Series
The possibilities keep getting more and more endless, y'all. The next Instant Pot up is the Ultra: 10-in-1 Programmable Cooker. It features the appliance functions each model before it has (pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, egg cooker, steamer, warmer, sauté pan, yogurt maker, sterilizer, cake maker) and Instant Pot refers to it as "the next generation of kitchen appliances". Enjoy personalized programming with the "Ultra" button, a steam release reset button for ultimate safety, and more precise cooking times with the altitude adjustment and cooking indicator features. The Ultra comes in 3, 6, and 8 QT.
Appearance wise, the Ultra is probably the most high-tech and spaceship-looking of the entire Instant Pot line. The blue LCD is much larger than that of the DUO Plus to make room for even more cooking indicators and the altitude adjustment feature. The Ultra also features a sleek dial for smart program selection.
Sales are frequent and availability varies, with non-sale prices starting at $119.95 for the Mini, $149.95 for the 6 QT and $179.95 for the 8 QT.
Get the Ultra: Amazon | Ebay | Sur La Table
Get the Instant Pot Ultra: 10-in-1 Programmable Cooker
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Smart Series
You know how we said Instant Pots are the Ferrari of pressure cookers? Well, the Smart Bluetooth 7-in-1 Programmable Cooker is one you'll definitely want to take for a spin. This beauty is stainless steel outside and inside, and acts as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, sauté pan, steamer, food warmer, and yogurt maker. Three temperature settings are available in sauté mode for different thickening, browning, or simmering, and there are three temperature settings in slow cook mode.
Most notable about the smart series, however, is obviously the Bluetooth capabilities. With the Instant Pot app, users can program complex cooking steps into the recipe scripts through their phone or tablet. Cooking on a busy schedule and changing cooking temperature when you're not even home just got a whole lot easier. Heck yeah.
The Smart Series pot comes in 6 quarts. Physically, the pot's face actually looks similar to that of the DUO Plus, and does not feature the spaceship-like buttons or dial that the Ultra has.
Sales are frequent and availability varies, with non-sale prices starting at $159.99.
Get the Instant Pot Smart Bluetooth: Amazon | Best Buy
Learn more about the Instant Pot Smart Bluetooth Pressure Cooker
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Gem Series
If you're as in to meat roasts as Guy Fieri, the Gem: 8-in-1 Multicooker is the Instant Pot for you. The Gem is the only rectangle-shaped Instant Pot, making it ideal for cooking larger chickens, ducks, or roasts. It also features most of the beloved appliance benefits that the other pots have, like slow cooking, pressure cooking, rice cooking, steaming, warming, baking, sauté, and stew. (This is the second Instant Pot that does not make yogurt.) According to the website, the Gem remembers your most recent cooking settings, so if you finally get your roasting technique down, you don't have to worry about losing those perfectly tailored settings.
Of course, the Gem has that third generation microprocessor technology, and also features a 1500W heating element, which is one of the highest in the multicooker category to provide optimal searing, roasting, and baking while continually monitoring heating throughout the duration of cooking. The Gem comes in a 6 quart model, with the face and screen most similar to the look of the smart series, with only real difference being a small, black screen (and the rectangle shape, of course).
Sales are frequent and availability varies, with non-sale prices starting at $79.99.
Get the Instant Pot Gem: Amazon | Jet | Walmart
