Instant Pot Duo Easy 5.7L

This is a high-quality piece of kit. So far, I've only used this a few times, but so far, I've found it excellent. I haven't used all of the various functions yet, but for cooking rice and a one-pot meal, it's great. Specifically, I will be using this when camping or traveling in a van. See below for info regarding using it with a power bank. Spoiler alert: the Jackery 1000 Plus kicks back in a sunchair with a margerita while running this thing.I bought the 3L Duo mini. It came with an instruction booklet, but there were no recipes, so I had to go online. Nor did it come with rice paddles or a measuring cup. I guess they don't offer those anymore. My first test was with rice. I had watched videos that said to cook rice from 3-5 minutes, but they didn't explain how to set the timer. So I pushed the rice button and expected the + and - buttons to set the time. That didn't work, so I just left it to it to do its thing with the automatic Rice function. Well, that turned out to be way too long. I cooked one cup of rice with one cup of water (as per instructions in videos) and the machine cooked it for 12 minutes. The rice was ok, but it was a bit tough and sticky. I then searched videos on how to set the timer. I now know that the way to do that is to bypass the automatic button, press the Pressure Cook button, and then, indeed, the + and - buttons work for timing. So, the next time I cook rice, I will do that. Also, I manually depressurised the rice, because I didn't know what I was doing, so that probably didn't help with the texture.But I did set it manually for the next thing I cooked, which was a soup of whole baby potatoes, 3 small pieces of frozen Polish sausage, a baby cabbage, an onion, and two cups of water (may have been too much water). I cooked it for 22 minutes (plus the heat up/cool down period). The potatoes were just right, the sausage was a bit crumbly but fine, and the cabbage and onions were cooked pretty much to mush. But the broth was great and it was a delicious meal. So, next time, I will thaw the meat, chop the potatoes, and cook for a shorter period. It's a trial-and-error process with pressure cooking. However, overall, I was very pleased with a one-pot meal that I could 'set and forget' as they say.I bought the glass lid in order to use the pot as a slow cooker (which apparently isn't quite like a normal slow cooker, as I've been hearing in videos). I will update once I try that.Now, the main point of this review is to comment on its use with a power bank, in this case, a Jackery 1000 Plus. When I cooked the rice, I used the Jackery. It was at 100% charge at beginning. The overall time of cooking the rice was about 16-17 minutes (because of the initial heating/pressurization period). And I depressurized manually (natural depressurising takes a few minutes). I also ran a Ninja Slim 700w on it to make a smoothie, which only took about 7 seconds, literally (brilliant machine!!). When the pot starts heating and pressurising, it pulls a lot of power, close to its 700w rating (the pot, not the Jackery). Then, after it's pressurised, the power drops way down.After both of those uses, the Jackery was still at 90%. I was impressed!This pot will suit me to a T when spending long periods in a van. The pros: 1) Relatively speaking, the size is a little bulky for a van, but it's smaller than an oven (I say oven because you can quasi-bake things in it, though they won't have a golden colour.) and worth every centimeter, in my opinion. Plus it doesn't weigh much. 2) It's safer, because you're not leaving a pot on an open flame (especially for rice, which can boil over and burn easily). You can walk away from it and go do what you need to do. 3) Throwing things in a pot and ending with a tasty stew makes life so much easier on the road and is exactly how I like to cook after a long day when I'm tired. 4) It's fast. I normally let stews/soups cook for a few hours. 5) Clean up is pretty easy. 6) And most importantly, I can use this with a power bank with no problem. I don't need a separate inverter/AC system. The Jackery charges via 12v and solar, so I can just plug this pot in and get cooking without a complex electrical system.The cons (not really cons, just minor issues): 1) It comes with an instruction booklet, which you absolutely must read, but to really understand how it works and how to cook with it, you have to find some videos. This isn't a big deal. I usually do this anyway, with most things I buy. 2) Some people have complained that the whole process of cooking something takes longer than the actual cooking time, due to heat up/cool down, but again, this isn't such a big deal. It could be if you have a 9-5 job and kids, etc, but if you're living in a van, then presumably, you have a lot more free time. And what's a few extra minutes for all the pros mentioned above?The bottom line: This thing is going to make cooking in a van so much easier for me and I highly recommend it!

I have been trying a few different electric pressure cookers over the last couple of weeks, namely the Instant Pot (IP) and Pressure King Pro (PKP) models as shown in the photos. There are quite a few others, but I think the comments below will also apply.I have used a standard hob based pressure cooker before but these provide a whole new level of cooking options. I am probably late to the party, but glad I got here in the end :)Although the various models basically do the same thing, I have to say the IP for me, has the most flexability and seems to be very well built. I think it was the first to come out or has certainly been around a while. Here are few things that I found when I was looking to to buy one of these pressure cookers.1. Are accessories easily available ?2. When using a glass lid (assuming the model you buy has one available) will all the non pressure options be available ? The PKPs safety features will only allow the browning function with the stock lid off. This seems to be a function of the latest model and took an age to confirm from the maker.3. Are there different heat settings for the sauté/browning option ? PKP only has one, which is hot and I found quickly burnt. The IP has three.4. What is support like from both manufactures and other pot users ?The PKP is of course half the price but I found the IP to be of much better quality specifically the plastic handle, finish, and quality of the inner pot. The bowl/inner pot is also stainless steel rather than non stick (some non stick models have coatings that can flake off after a while) and having a 3-ply base can also be used on a hob unlike some of the other inner pots.I have now purchased an additional inner pot and glass lid for the IP, which I would highly recommend!Having said all that, I am sure either one will revolutionize and spur you on to more creative cooking, which is what the IP has done fo me. A highly recommended purchase, really glad I got one!

Since Instant Pot made its first appearance on the culinary scene, I have bought at least 5 of them, in various sizes. Why so many? My work schedule is unpredictable and time to prepare food is short, so that having a second IP available can REALLY SPEED UP the process of getting complex, multi dish feasts on the table! My family are not fans of one pot meals, preferring separate meat, veg, and grain/ legume offerings. I can cook a variety of food in a short time to feed us for several days during the always hectic work week. I have also given several as gifts for those brave souls willing to step outside their comfort zone and experiment with the IP. As others have noted, underestimating the amount of liquid required to cook various types of food under pressure is an error that is easily made until you get used to cooking in it. I own the 5 litre size, which is good for a small - medium family. Gift recipients say the 3 litre is good for 1-2 people. All IPs are well made and fairly heavy in weight, and seem sturdy. The only negative for me is that the silicon gasket retains odors over long time usage, even after soaking it in vinegar to combat the curry/ spice smell. I bought a replacement gasket to temporarily alleviate the problem.