instant pot

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

I'll ask again, as I see Patsy has just used hers.

What does the instant pot do. If it effectively a slow cooker, I won't really need one. I never did use my slow cooker much, and at £20, it wasn't really a waste.
But I adiosed it in the move.

As I can ask for anything for Christmas and get it, do I want an instant pot.
That would depend on what it does really.

I'm also adding, romeska?
Anyone got one of those .....

I pretty much rely on my small oven (combination microwave actually), for stews, pinchos, fish dishes, fishcakes, cakes etc etc.
I haven't put my new integral oven on once yet, although it will be used for a Christmas meal.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

I have an IP Gill. It's a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer and all sorts of other things. Mine is an early model but the newer ones can be air-fryers too.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I'm still umming and erring about an IP, but as I said elsewhere will almost have to get one I think as my pressure cooker won't last much longer, and I suppose ditching that will create some space

So the decision now, is air fryer or not? It's quite an expensive addition, not sure

I wouldn't have the nerve to use an oven for the first time at Christmas, I'd want a couple of test runs, I'm a belt and braces kind of a girl

[chihuahua8 Profile]

Well, I did buy one, used it once and then it went to the Charity shop. Maybe I should have percevered but life's too short to be messing about with something like this.
I do have a small deepfryer which I rarely use, apart from that I'm quite happy with my microwave, hob top and oven. I can use the warming drawer as a slow cooker but never have.
I've been cooking for well over 50 years now. BTW my Grandmother was a cook in service and she used to judge the oven heat just by putting her hand inside the oven! H&S would have a fit!
JeanT

[mistakened Profile]

I have been debating an Instant Pot too, at present I have decided against it. We have a small slow cooker which is used a couple of times a week at this time of year. It would not be used much in summer and would take up space.

[herbidacious Profile]

I am curious (and ignorant) about pressure cookers. My mum had one (terrifying) but does it do more than just cook things (mainly meat? Pulses?) quickly? (I guess it must...)

I don't use my slow cooker either (few things I make merit or benefit from it, and I have always been worried about leaving it on for 9 hours or so, while I am out at work), although I realize I am cooking most things on a very low heat. (140 fan)

This all said I am a sucker for gadget, but the rational side of me would be put off an IP by the space it would take up as much as anything... and I find that gadgets that are put away, don't get used.

[Busybee Profile]

I’m also in the umming and ahhing camp about an instant pot. I’m scared witless about pressure cookers, watching my Mum use one put me off, but I do use both a slow cooker and an air fryer. I suppose if one of those failed I would jump and buy the instant pot.

BB

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Thanks Peps.
From that list, I'm afraid a few things I don't require. Rice cooker, airfryer, slow cooker
Steamer and pressure cooker I might use. I steam vegetable every day practically on the hob.

Sue, I've been asked for ginger biscuits, which means the cooker will be used for baking this weekend.
I've used the grill, which is fine - for fish fingers!

Regarding the air fryer.
It's quite a big bit of kit. But I'd happily buy mine again if it conked out.
For a single person, perhaps you could look at a smaller one?

Mine is 2.2litres, and I've attached 2 images of what you actually get inside. I bought the little skewer attachment, which I've not used yet.
I should tho. You could put koftas on those spikes, and of course pinchos.
It will take a half a bag of french fries easily.

4 x scotch eggs I've done before.
Sunflower gave me the tip to cut a mesh to go inside, to preserve the basket. And to put kitchen paper in the base for the same reason.

It's a very clean way of "frying", with rapid results too.

Unfortunately, my Philips 9220 was £60 3 years ago, and I thought that was a lot. But is now a whopper price at £95.
Jeez.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Herbi and Busy.
When I had a pressure cooker in the 90's, I turned into my mum = over cooked vegetables, and shrunken meat that only flaked.
Also, on Masterchef, anyone who digs out the pressure cooker seems to produce mediocre meals. So I feel not much has changed for me to acquire one.

I'm in the wonderful position now having decluttered, of only having things I truly use around me.
And don't want to push that too far again.

[jeral Profile]

I have no need of an instant pot and am always surprised at how big their footprint is yet are so popular. Maybe they're gift items for those people setting up home or renters who move often. I recall one yearthat breadmakers arrived on eBay in their hundreds labelled "unwanted gift"

herbidacious, I asked once about pressure cookers if non-meat and folks said yes, for e.g. beans/lentils or root veg, so it rather depends on how often suchlike would be eaten. Busybee, my mum did all veg in hers, incl. sprouts

[Earthmaiden Profile]

Changing the subject slightly, everyone I've known who has acquired a soup maker, either as a gift or planned purchase, raves about it. Whether it is one which prepares the veg and cleans itself or a more basic one, people seem to love them. Maybe that's a gadget to consider! I have tasted some of the results which have been excellent but still not sure I want one taking up space!

[aero280 Profile]

I used to use a pressure cooker, but it has sat in the cupboard for years. I didn’t get on with it because I couldn’t see what was happening. I was also a bit nervous because my aunt had a narrow escape when hers exploded!!

She was very lucky as she had just bent down to get the roast potatoes out of the oven when it blew. The cause was the bacon joint swelling and blocking the vent and safety release in the lid. The stove top was destroyed and the lid was embedded in the ceiling.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Wow, Aero. That's what I call a good story!

EM.
If you put whole pots, and whole carrots in for example.
What happens to those peelings, or something with seeds if your soup ingredients have them - or do you peel plus deseed stuff first before adding to the soup maker?

As you can tell, I've not looked into the soup maker before.

[Pampy Profile]

One of the things that I find really useful with my IP is the sauté function. It means you can pre cook, or brown things before slow cooking - saves having to do it separately on the hob. I've always wondered how a soup maker copes with the technique of cooking a mirepoix base for a soup, before adding other ingredients.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

do you peel plus deseed stuff first before adding to the soup maker?

I think it depends on the model. My hairdresser had one which prepared the veg and also washed the machine afterwards (no idea how but the work was minimal). A relative has one where you prepare the veg in quite a basic fashion and it does the rest. It doesn't wash itself up but the washing up isn't awful like a juicer or anything. The soup is really smooth and flavoursome.

[KeenCook2 Profile]

I think it depends on the model. My hairdresser had one which prepared the veg and also washed the machine afterwards (no idea how but the work was minimal). A relative has one where you prepare the veg in quite a basic fashion and it does the rest. It doesn't wash itself up but the washing up isn't awful like a juicer or anything. The soup is really smooth and flavoursome.

I can't get my head around that - how can it prepare the veg? And wash the machine afterwards?

I've also always been surprised at how people rave about soupmakers. Given that soup is pretty much one of the easiest things to make, I've not really been able to see the point

I've always wondered how a soup maker copes with the technique of cooking a mirepoix base for a soup, before adding other ingredients.

Me too!

[Badger's Mate Profile]

It's funny, the IP and breadmaker are both valued bits of kit that I wouldn't want to be without. Both get used several times a week and are worth their place in the cupboard and on the worktop respectively. The IP takes the place of both the old stove top pressure cooker and the slow cooker, thereby saving some space. The breadmaker does the job without making a mess in a smallish kitchen.


For soups, by contrast, I'm happy with a pan and a stick blender.

Busybee, my mum did all veg in hers, incl. sprouts

It allows you to put them on in late November.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

It doesn't, but somehow still makes very good soup!

I have no idea how it all works but it does seem better than it sounds! No idea how the washing/peeling works either but my young hairdresser, not happy at the unromantic Christmas present from her husband, could talk of nothing else once she'd used it and said she didn't need to touch anything from start to finish. Short of having a water carrying and rubbish emptying robot I suspect that's impossible. I still don't think I want/need one but making quick soup without using every utensil in the kitchen does sound attractive.

[KeenCook2 Profile]

It doesn't, but somehow still makes very good soup!
No idea how the washing/peeling works either but my young hairdresser, not happy at the unromantic Christmas present from her husband, could talk of nothing else once she'd used it and said she didn't need to touch anything from start to finish.

A whole, unpeeled onion?????

[slimpersoninside Profile]

I got a soup maker as a present and really like it. I never bothered to make soup before getting one but do now sometimes, usually for lunch. I can set it going and pretty much leave it to it's own devices, just pushing the stir button occasionally as I pass by. It suits me down to the ground but I'm sure they're not for everyone.

I've always wondered how a soup maker copes with the technique of cooking a mirepoix base for a soup, before adding other ingredients.

I tend to bulk cook this and freeze in soup portion sizes.