Review Cusinart Electric Pressure Cooker Vs Instant Pot

Desire to purchase a pressure cooker?

Unsure which model is all-time for you? (or best for your buck?)

Think you gotta have an InstaPot?

Read this post before you buy.

Allow me get this out of the manner first: I'm not being paid to review either of these items.

If yous happen to buy i from clicking on a link, I'll option upwardly a few pennies from an Amazon commission, simply I honestly have no vested interest if you buy one or the other, or none at all.

This is an unbiased review of your options, ane I wish I had before making my investment.

I think i of the reasons InstaPot has get then pop is because a lot of bloggers are paid to review them and go a substantial kickback if you purchase one from them. It creates a tendency, though perhaps not an honest 1.

Heck, even I bought into all the buzz and hype which is why I now own both!

There are 2 types of pressure cookers: stovetop and electric.

StoveTop vs. Electric Force per unit area Cookers

I bought a stovetop force per unit area cooker several years agone...

...and information technology scared the beeejeezus out of me.

I ever thought I was going to blow up my apartment using information technology, which is completely irrational, I know. (They're totally safe).

Nevertheless, I tried to use it a few times to cook dry out beans and they never came out quite right.

I don't fault the pressure cooker.

I was living in a crappy apartment, using a crappy electric stove, and living at high altitude in Colorado, (plus there was no shortage of user error I'yard sure)... and then off to Goodwill information technology went.

I think almost of u.s.a. are attracted to the thought of a pressure cooker equally a "kitchen helper."

Something to save us time and money, help get good nutrient on the tabular array...

and if that'south your interest, you lot probably desire an electric pressure level cooker.

Electric Force per unit area Cooker

Y'all tin can leave information technology completely unattended, and I oftentimes do -- cooking big batches of beans or vegetable broth while doing laundry, watching TV, or fifty-fifty when I'm out all day.

(It'due south not uncommon for me to throw in a bag of potatoes before leaving to run errands for a few hours.)

I bought my first electrical PC about three years ago and have used information technology near every mean solar day since.

I don't "cook" in my pressure level cooker, I apply it mainly for preparing bulk ingredients passively.

I utilise information technology to cook dry out beans (which is well worth the investment on its own in my opinion. It'll pay for itself within 2 months if y'all previously bought canned beans), potatoes, squashes similar acorn or kabocha, corn on the cob, artichokes, and greens similar kale.

Basically starchy or thick vegetables that would otherwise take a while to bake, boil, or steam I now force per unit area cook.

I also make huge batches of broth from my vegetable scraps. (Run across this post and video).

You tin also cook grains in your pressure cooker, but I don't like the manner pressure cooked rice comes out.

I've been so spoiled by my rice cooker that I yet prefer it for rice, and I've constitute having both the pressure cooker and rice cooker can be a big life saver when I need to MEGA multitask (I need beans AND rice).

Of course you don't need both -- you could but be ameliorate virtually planning and time direction (woe is me).

One more honesty: PCs are NOT faster (not really).

The 'cook time' is less, truthful, but you too have to factor in all the time it takes to attain pressure, and the time it takes for the pressure to release after.

The idea that you put beans in a pressure cooker and xv minutes later on you have cooked beans is not the reality.

Beans accept about an hr all said and done, which is near half the fourth dimension as the stove tiptop (and no soaking is required), so that IS awesome -- only the PC is non always equally fast. Greens, for example, take less than 5 minutes on my stove meridian. They require 1-3 minutes in the PC, only it takes at least five-vii minutes to accomplish pressure before the cooking even starts. If I quick release the pressure, it takes another minute -- if I don't, another three+ minutes. So it'due south not less time, but it is less attending.

I think the existent selling point to PCs is that yous can batch cook unattended. Speed is sometimes some other bonus.

CUISINART VS. INSTAPOT

Cuisinart

What I like:

• Smaller, easier for traveling
• Easier to use / less complicated / more than intuitive
• Peak is easier to maneuver
• Timer counts upwardly
• Cheaper

Instapot

What I similar:

• Stainless steel basin (though other brands have SS too, and you lot tin can buy an SS insert that fits the Cuisinart)
• Comes apart, and so you lot clean information technology really well.
• Makes a dissonance to let you know the tiptop'due south on right
• Additional settings (though I have non used any)

Comparing FUNCTIONALITY:

I found the InstaPot very intimidating initially. I recall it was all the buttons.

I actually like the basic, minimalist control panel of the Cuisinart.

It'due south simple and more intuitive for me.

For example, I put my kale or beans or potatoes in, select high or low pressure, button the push to count upward the minutes I want information technology to cook, and voila! I'm on my manner.

Information technology took me a solid 10 minutes trying to figure out how to employ the IP in this fashion.

I didn't desire soup, or grain, or whatsoever of the other settings --- finally I figured "manual" was the push I wanted.

I also find the IP top to be much harder to use, though all PC tops are pretty tricky.

I do love that the IP makes a little noise to let me know if information technology's on correctly, however.

Comparing TIMERS:

What I actually loathe virtually the IP is that it automatically starts at 30 minutes.

I can't recall of Whatever particular I'd cook for 30 minutes in a PC.

I have to then push the button several times to count down the timer since virtually things I do accept 1-3 infinitesimal cook times. It's a lot of button pushing annoyance.

(vs. the Cuisinart starts at 1, then I'thousand basically in that location.)

The IP automatically starts later a infinitesimal, besides, which is overnice in some means, but not helpful in others.

I prefer the "offset" button requirement on my Cuisinart because sometimes I load upwards my PC with the intention of starting it afterward, such as a few minutes earlier other food is done.

I like to time my foods so everything comes out at in one case for dinner, and having it ready to offset (but non starting right away) makes that actually easy.

"Oh… the burgers will exist done in 2… let me get striking "showtime" at present so the corn comes out at the same time."

Or I'll load information technology up before bed and striking start in the morning time…

Comparing SIZE:

The IP is bulkier, especially with the handles that protrude.

This makes it harder for me to pack it when I travel, though it too makes it much easier for me to motility it from storage over the fridge to my countertop.

The plug string for Cuisinart comes off completely. The IP cord is permanent, simply really flexible.

Comparison FEATURES:

One of the reasons I 'upgraded' to the IP was because it advertised itself as having all these other fancy features...

Simply nearly of the "special" features: slow cooker, rice cooker, saute/browning, steamer, and warmer are bachelor with Whatsoever PC.

(Indeed, my Cuisinart does all those likewise.)

It has a few "settings" which is special I suppose, though I have never used any of them.

The unique "yogurt" feature for the IP is intriguing, though I've read enough web log posts on the web to see that other peeps are making yogurt in other PCs too (and in slow cookers).

Comparing COOKING:

My Cuisinart gets to pressure faster, more often than not cooks in less fourth dimension, and cooks more predictably.

What I Chose:

As much equally I tried to exist an InstaPot fangirl, I eventually came to the conclusion that the Cuisinart worked better with my neuroses and work flow.

So I bought another ane and ditched the IP.

CONCLUSIONS:

Both force per unit area cookers have their strengths and weaknesses. It actually does come down to personal needs and how you'll be using that pressure cooker.

For case, if you want to exercise a lot of cooking (i.e. soups) in your pressure cooker, having that special setting might matter to you.

If your PC items normally accept more than 30 minutes, or you don't need to travel with it, OR your family is obsessed with yogurt… the IP is probably the mode to become.

If you lot're more like me: need information technology to batch cook beans and vegetables daily, travel oft, want non-stick, demand less bells and whistles, need a cheaper option, the Cuisinart is probably amend.

Merely!

The Real question - do you need a pressure cooker?

If you already do a lot of batch cooking and have a skilful routine with cooking bulk vegetables, beans, or rice, I would get one.

I'm GUILTY of being an optimistic purchaser -- significant I buy something thinking if I buy it, I will practise something.

Sort of like how I bought gym memberships thinking that would assistance me conditioning or lose weight, and it did at first until I savage out of the habit or lost my motivation.

This has happened to me with many expensive purchases: buying a juicer, a breadstuff machine, a soda stream, and the stovetop PC, among others -- all of which institute their way to Goodwill.

I bought these items with optimism that they would change me or assist me reach some goal, and they did not.

As it happens, the electric pressure level cooker did change me, but I was also already maintaining a lifestyle conducive to pressure cooker utilise, so I was primed for that change.

For instance, I was already using an electric steamer daily, which I got rid of when the PC arrived, and I was making a good effort of cooking beans on the stove, and so along, too.

I promise my review and experiences have been helpful, and if they have, please share it with a friend.

Click here to learn more than nigh the Cuisinart ($99.95)

Click hither to learn more most the InstaPot ($136)

There are as well other electric options, similar this $77 Tatung that looks like an IP and even has stainless steel.

If you have either (or another make) please share your experiences in the comments.

P.South. I'thou starting a "Melt Like a Pro" newsletter and blog series this February.

The first lesson will be virtually batch cooking (and using a pressure cooker!) So if yous've been thinking near ownership one… now'southward the time!

ALSO, signup for the HH newsletter (gratuitous) here and then you don't miss the "Cook Like a Pro" series.

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Source: https://happyherbivore.com/2015/01/pressure-cooker-cuisinart-instapot-review/

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