Cookaholics Bulletin Board

I have decided to leave the 1950s and want a new slow cooker. Hamilton Beach 33969 seems to win all ratings (ConsumerSearch, Wirecutter) but Instapot tops sales (Amazon)...??? WHAT TO DO, WHAT TO DO?

My hesitation comes from some of the Instapots reviews - SCARY

ALSO - what size: 6qt.or 8qt?

Lastly, Amazon reviews for Reynolds slow cooker liners seem fabulous, but pricey. Your thoughts, please

I have the IP 6 qt, and use it for countless things. Is that HB slow cooker just a slow cooker, and if so, is that what you want? Do you ever cook in a pressure cooker? Do you have a rice cooker that you use regularly? And what size recipes do you make? Most dishes I make I have plenty of leftovers, often freezing 3 or 4 pints of soups and curries. But some people that cook for more might want the 8 qt.

I make a lot of dishes with legumes, as well as whole grains, and sometimes use the pressure, and other times the slow cook mode, depending on the recipe. Sometimes, I'll put something that takes longer in first, for a few min on the pressure, then put the faster cooking things (usually lentils) in, and switch to slow cook. The SS pan is good for sautéing things like onions and the like, when starting out a dish. I gave away my rice cooker and slow cooker after I had this for a while.

I use this IP much more than I ever used the slow cooker, which was always stowed away on top of a cabinet in my dining room!

Thanks for your comments, Dave.

We are two & and I use my pressure cooker at least once weekly. The only rice I make is a perfumed rice done in a pilaf style according to CI directions. I considered using my pressure cooker as a slow cooker - leaving the pressure setting to zero, but assumed that this would still let out too much moisture. I am STILL using the original Rival ceramic slow cooker with two settings - about 300 years old. I have never been thrilled . . .

Which IP do you have/use/recommend?

I have 3 Instant Pot Duos. Got the 6 qt. when it first came out. I was so happy when the 8 came out and got it immediately. That is my work horse. I reach for it 99% of the time, the 6 is lonely stored in the dining room. I do use both at the same time as when I make Black beans and white rice. Steve was using the 8 for food for our GoldenDoodle, I was making Yellow Rice with corn in the 6 and we were running out of yogurt. So I found the 3 qt. on sale at Target with free 2 day shipping and bought it. I use that for yogurt. I recommend an 8 qt. Duo or better. It gives a lot more room to saute or sear which you can do prior to pressure or slow cooking. I've converted most of my old ATK braises to the IP. Also do hard boiled eggs, and Cuban Flan and Cuban Bread pudding in it. Instant Pot also has Aura and Omni. You might want to check those out.

Wino,

I'm one of those folks who still has separate slow cooker and pressure cookers instead of getting an IP.

However, I'll admit that's mostly inertia; I don't use either one frequently, and it doesn't seem worthwhile to replace them. If I lost either one I'd probably get an IP as replacement. Particularly, the IP has one advantage over every slow-cooker I've seen: a sear setting. There's many slow-cooker recipes I don't make because they require searing in a pan followed by slow-cooking. Why get two pots dirty?

Wino,

I have the DUO 60 model, which is a 7 in one series. That's the usual series on sale. Not sure what funtions are missing in the 6 in one, or what the extras are in the 9 or 10 in one series. You'd have to research them, to see if any sound more useful to you.

BIG thanks to all.

We ordered the 8 quart Ultra. My current pressure cooker is 8 litres and I use all of it. Using the comments, I also ordered the clear lid, the silicone lid (excellent reviews for storing it in the fridge), and two extra sealing gaskets (red & blue) because of ‘stink’ issues for some, plus the additional warranty for $3. IP has some terrible reviews re: warranty claims and this helps -according to some.

With PRIME this should be here this week. I’ll keep a diary for a while and come back here.

Glad you got one, Wino. I'm sure you'll get a lot of use out of it. I'll be interested in seeing how you like it, and get into using it.

I’ll be sure one of the first dishes includes PUMPKIN SPICE - just for Fuzzy!🤪

If you use Facebook, I suggest you join the Facebook Instant Pot group. It can be very helpful re recipes and user problems. It does have a lot of repeat questions, but I often find great nuggets. Got a recipe there for Chicken Marsala that was the best I've ever made and maybe had. I never use my glass lid, found that I had some that fit after I bought it and then never needed it. But we use the silicone one all the time. Only problem with that is that Steve makes food for our Golden Doodle Sunny in it an puts the liner in the fridge with the silicone lid. He ends up eating half after seasoning it since he makes it unseasoned for Sunny. I ended up getting a second liner for the 8 because it was out commission for several days. Enjoy.