Instant Pot question

[Night Elf]

I'm looking at buying a 3-quart crock pot for my college dd. I have a cookbook for crock pot recipes for 3-4 quart pots. So in looking on Amazon, I see an Instant Pot and all it says it does which includes a slow cooker. Could she use an Instant Pot like a crock pot? Can she follow a recipe and put in all the ingredients just like she was putting them into a crock pot? She's not a natural cook but she's trying to cook more. I thought slow cooking would be good for her because she could do her prep work in the evening, wake up, put the ingredients in the pot, and turn it on low to cook all day while she's at school. 

How would an Instant Pot be different for her? Is it difficult to figure out all the different features? She may feel overwhelmed and then not use it at all. She needs simple. Honestly. Think of 'cooking for dummies'. 

[Kebo]

Yes, an instant pot can function as a slow cooker; there is a setting for it.  I have read that it is not "as good" as a crock pot at that kind of cooking, but I don't use that setting and that comment  has always confused me.  Maybe the temperature settings as not as ideal?  Anyway, yes it can function that way.... there is a separate (non-pressure) glass lid for slow cooking.  

There are a lot of buttons and features on an instant pot that could be confusing initially.  It's pretty easy if you master one style of cooking at a time (slow cook, pressure cook, sauté, etc).  I've seen printable cheat sheets online that could help with that. 

[Ellie]

1 hour ago, Night Elf said:

I'm looking at buying a 3-quart crock pot for my college dd. I have a cookbook for crock pot recipes for 3-4 quart pots. So in looking on Amazon, I see an Instant Pot and all it says it does which includes a slow cooker. Could she use an Instant Pot like a crock pot? Can she follow a recipe and put in all the ingredients just like she was putting them into a crock pot? She's not a natural cook but she's trying to cook more. I thought slow cooking would be good for her because she could do her prep work in the evening, wake up, put the ingredients in the pot, and turn it on low to cook all day while she's at school. 

How would an Instant Pot be different for her? Is it difficult to figure out all the different features? She may feel overwhelmed and then not use it at all. She needs simple. Honestly. Think of 'cooking for dummies'. 

The slow-cooker function seems to be the one that throws people. I haven't tried it yet, because I rarely slow-cook anything, anyway. The temperature levels are different with an Instant Pot: the "less" is the same as "keep warm" on a crock pot; "normal" is the same as "low;" "more" is the same as "high."

She can do prep the night before and pressure-cook it when she gets home, because many things can be dump-cooked. :-)

[marbel]

I used mine a a slow-cooker sometimes. It works fine. I do like that that inset is stainless steel and thus easier to clean than my crockpot insert.  I believe Ellie is right about the settings, or at least that's how I interpret it.

She might enjoy learning how to use it as a pressure cooker. If nothing else, it makes fantastic rice.  :-)  

In general, I am a fan of multi-function kitchen items, particularly when space is at a premium...

[Pen]

I gave away my slow cooker after getting my IP since  IP can do more things. I more often use the pressure and steam faster cooking. But IP can also sauté and slow cook. 

[Lady Florida.]

2 hours ago, Kebo said:

Yes, an instant pot can function as a slow cooker; there is a setting for it.  I have read that it is not "as good" as a crock pot at that kind of cooking,

I haven't tried it but I've read the same thing. I still have and still use my crock pot. For a college student I think a crock pot would probably work better than an Instant Pot, especially if they want to slow cook their meals.

Edited October 16, 2018 by Lady Florida.

[Pen]

3 hours ago, Night Elf said:

I'm looking at buying a 3-quart crock pot for my college dd. I have a cookbook for crock pot recipes for 3-4 quart pots. So in looking on Amazon, I see an Instant Pot and all it says it does which includes a slow cooker. Could she use an Instant Pot like a crock pot? Can she follow a recipe and put in all the ingredients just like she was putting them into a crock pot? She's not a natural cook but she's trying to cook more. I thought slow cooking would be good for her because she could do her prep work in the evening, wake up, put the ingredients in the pot, and turn it on low to cook all day while she's at school. 

How would an Instant Pot be different for her? Is it difficult to figure out all the different features? She may feel overwhelmed and then not use it at all. She needs simple. Honestly. Think of 'cooking for dummies'. 

 

If she had an IP and an extra inner pot or insert, and refrigerator, she could put together a breakfast in one container and a dinner in the other the night before.  In morning she could fast cook her breakfast while getting dressed. Then set the dinner pot to slow cook while in class, or if it were me, quick cook the dinner when she arrives home after class. She could snack on raw vegetables while waiting for the fast cooking. 

[G5052]

1 hour ago, Lady Florida. said:

I haven't tried it but I've read the same thing. I still have and still use my crock pot. For a college student I think a crock pot would probably work better than an Instant Pot, especially if they want to slow cook their meals.

 

Slower cookers are indeed easier than a pressure cooker. I think it took me about a year to learn how to consistently cook things in the pressure cooker, and now I use it nearly every day. Both of my college students are a bit intimidated by it though, so I'm trying to get them used to it.

I still use my crock pot because I can put something together the night before, leave it in the refrigerator, and then have someone who leaves later than I do put it in the crockpot.  

I love my instant pot though. Yesterday I got home from work and pressure-cooked chicken breasts for barbeque sandwiches and my lunches this week. You can pressure cook a lot of things that come out just as good as a crock pot would do.

I have a rice cooker that rarely gets used now. We prefer pressure-cooked rice. 

Edited October 16, 2018 by G5052

[Night Elf]

Ugh I don't know. I'm thinking I should just get the slow cooker because it's so easy. I'm afraid she won't use the instant pot because it has so many functions. It seems like it would be cool to do so many things but there will be a time of learning and she won't want to do that. She doesn't even like recipes that have too much stuff to prep. I have some wonderful recipes that she likes to eat when she's home but she won't attempt them at school because she doesn't feel like she can do them.

It would be different if I had an IP myself. I could teach her to use it. I"ve just been reluctant to buy one for myself because I don't need a new way to cook. All of our cooking is done with recipes from Hello Fresh and Home Chef. They're easy and tasty. I'll talk to DH and see if he'd like to get one. 

[PeterPan]

Yes, just go with the slow cooker. I love my instant pot, but it's more fiddling than she wants. And yes, that would be a fun idea to get yourself an instant pot and then at some point in the future see if she takes to it. There are things I love making in my instant pot. But for her purpose, just dumping things in the crockpot and coming back later to them cooked makes a lot of sense.

[happi duck]

Another vote for the crockpot in this situation

[Night Elf]

Thanks. Crock pot it is. If I can get her cooking more and eating less take out, that's a win.