You might remember an article I wrote a few weeks ago, “There’s a Problem with Instant Pots?” A couple responses made me realize that further conversation is needed.
Carolyn wrote: “I am that person with the languishing Instant Pot! A friend gave it to me months ago (without the instructions) and it sits on the floor of my garage. I’ve seen TV contestants use it to make stews or other watery dishes in less than 30 min and still get “cooked all day” flavor. My question for you is why use the Instant Pot when you have a crockpot? How do you decide which one to use?”
Not to be flippant, but really the answer is simply to use the one that works best for you. In other words, remember the point of it all is, first and foremost, to get meals on the table that taste good and satisfy your health needs. So you get to decide whether a slow cooker or instant pot works best for your time, energy and skill levels. And don’t worry if you’re using the latest trendy appliances, ingredients, or techniques!
To help you determine whether one or the other would work better for you, I’ve compiled a list of pros and cons that I’ve noticed since I use both.
Speed Instant pots are the winner here, obviously. What takes a slow cooker all day can be accomplished in an hour with an Instant Pot.
Note, however, that the speed advantage can easily be neutralized for the slow cooker with just a little planning. For example, I was always in the habit of planning ahead if I had something like a pork roast to cook, thawing it one day and then popping it into the slow cooker the next morning. This process didn’t require any more prep time compared to the Instant Pot, it just required a different start time–and thinking ahead!
Also remember, as my earlier article mentioned, the Instant Pot isn’t completely “instant.” Cooking, e.g.., a pork roast takes only 45 minutes under pressure. But the pot has to be both pressurized before and de-pressurized after, adding another 10 to 45 minutes of cooking time, depending on what’s being cooked.
Flavor Obviously, there is nothing like a slow cooker for “cooked-all-day” flavor, but I find the Instant Pot equally good in this respect, or at least a close second.
Learning Curve Slow cookers are the winner here. As a general rule, you put foods in the cooker, cover, and then cook a long time, being careful to avoid removing the lid very often since that lowers its temperature.
Instant Pots, on the other hand, require a fairly significant time investment to first set them up and then learn about the settings, locking the lid, pressurizing and releasing, cleaning the parts, etc. But note that after using the pot just a couple times, you’re set.
Precision Timing Learning how long to cook foods is the only significant downside of the Instant Pot. Basically it is a pressure cooker, which can indeed cook foods quickly, but it can also overcook them in a heartbeat! So it takes a little experimentation to get the cook times down for various foods.
Happily there are many cooking charts available to guide your experimentation. Just search on “instant pot cooking chart.” Download one that includes a wide variety of vegetables, since those are the most susceptible to overcooking, like the one below listed on Etsy. The tougher things like meats, grains and beans have a little more tolerance, but you still don’t want to stray far from the recommended timing in your chart.
Meanwhile, the slow cooker is not nearly so sensitive on timing. Of course, forget about it too long and food will get mushy and tasteless. But for the most part, an extra 15 to 60 minutes (maybe even more) is not a problem
Versatility The Instant Pot can be used to cook a greater variety of foods, like vegetables and grains that I wouldn’t normally cook in a slow cooker.
The Best of Both Worlds? Don’t forget, the Instant Pot has a slow cooker function so you can have the best of both worlds in one appliance. I have yet to use mine in that capacity, but if anyone has, let us know how well it works.
The Bottom Line
If you’re happily making good meals with one or the other of the instant pot or slow cooker, then carry on! As LinkedIn contact Coach Herb Kieklak commented, “I love my crock pot . . . not sure if it qualifies as an instant pot but it allows me to meal prep for the week.” Exactly! Keep on with that crock pot, Herb–and Carolyn, too!
On the other hand, after reading the pros and cons above, you might discover that one appliance would work better than the other. So give it a try. Both are fairly inexpensive and I like having both for different situations.
Above all, don’t let FOMO or guilt get in the way. We have enough barriers to healthy meal making already. As for that languishing Instant Pot, if it has no clear advantage, maybe it is better off with someone for whom it will work well with their meal making style. And what you don’t see won’t leave you feeling guilty or like you’re missing out!
Speaking of Crock Pots . . .
Kitchen Attachments
Text from my son-in-law last week: “Sad news. We found a crack in our old crock pot. Sad to see it go.”
My reply: “I get it! After gifting us with so many wonderful meals, kitchen equipment can become a little like old friends.”
My dearest kitchen friends are my 20 year old saute pans and knives. As you can guess from the previous article, my Instant Pot has replaced my trusty slow cooker for the most part. And a year ago I had to let go of my Cuisinart food processor that was my very first decent piece of kitchen equipment. But after 35 years, I could no longer find the grater and slicer parts I needed, but I found a very happy buyer for it on Ebay.
Does that sound crazy? To become attached to kitchen equipment? Do you have a kitchen friend you love? Comment with your story or a pic or both!