You know that feeling where it seems everyone around you is going crazy over some new product, and you’re just sitting there like, meh? Well, that’s how I feel about my Instant Pot, and I feel like I’m the only person in the world who feels that way.
Now, I don’t hate my Instant Pot, but I honestly don’t think I would even have one if it wasn’t free.
I entered a contest at work a few years ago, and they were giving away an Instant Pot to three winners. I was one of the lucky ones.
Before I decided the Instant Pot wasn’t for me, I tried so many recipes with it. Soups, casseroles, side dishes, pasta recipes, many meal-prepped lunches, and countless chicken recipes, including my husband’s favorite – chicken piccata. I think I even made hard-boiled eggs in there once. I also purchased the yogurt maker insert, thinking that would change everything. After all that, now I pull my Instant Pot out of the pantry maybe twice a month?
So, why exactly don’t I love my Instant Pot?
- Food always manages to get stuck to the bottom of the Instant Pot even when the trivet is used. I obviously can’t just open the lid anytime to stir the food to prevent that.
- By the time you read your recipe, pull out everything needed for it, prep it all, throw it in the pot and wait for the pot to build up pressure, so much time has already passed that there is no way this thing is a time saver. If anything, it might save you from washing a couple of extra dishes.
- The rubber gasket. Sure the Instant Pot is easy to clean, but no one mentions the smell. The rubber/silicone/whatever it is made of absorbs everything. I’ve tried so many ways to get the smell out. But I just end up replacing it, which seems wasteful to me.
Somehow, I keep going back to my trusty slow cooker.
This is weird now that I think about it because my Instant Pot has my slow cook setting, and they both hold the same amount of food. But hear me out.
My slow cooker is amazing! It was a gift at my bridal shower about ten years ago. The lid on it latches down so you can easily travel with it. It has a warm setting, in addition to the usual high and low. There’s a handy notch on the lid’s handle that perfectly fits the serving spoon it comes with. So you won’t forget to bring it anymore. And if you need to unplug it and move it somewhere else, it magically remembers the temperature and time left for cooking when you plug it back in. I honestly would be devastated if something happened to it.
Here’s the thing – my free time is usually early in the morning, so that’s when I can cut everything up and throw it in the slow cooker. When I get home from work and school pick up, I have about an hour or so until hubby gets home. This is usually when I can squeeze in a quick workout or get our son down to the park before sundown.
At this point, I’m basically keeping my Instant Pot around for two meals that happen to be our son’s favorites – chicken wings and gumbo, both of which can be cooked straight from the freezer and can be prepared ahead of time, which definitely helps on the crazy nights. So, I won’t be getting rid of it anytime soon.
What do you love about your instant pot? What would you say to change my mind and make me as Instant Pot obsessed as the typical household?
