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The Instant Pot is a super-fast way to cook your favorite meals in a fraction of time of slow cookers or oven baking.
Plus, the Instant Pot is much safer to use since they are feature locking lids and safety systems to prevent explosions.
As you head to your favorite store, you’ll discover that there are quite a few different models to choose from. So which one is the best model for you?
Let me give you a review of the most popular models and sizes so you can decide on which is the right Instant Pot for your needs.
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Which size Instant Pot is best for you?
When deciding on the size of Instant Pot you want to get, you need to consider the size of meals you want to cook. Also, the size of your family will also help determine which Instant Pot is best for you. They are available in 4 sizes:
3 Quart:
The 3-quart (or, the Mini Instant Pot) is best if you’re cooking for one to two people. Perfect for the college student or someone cooking for themselves.
6-Quart:
The 6-quart model is the most versatile and the most popular size. It’s perfect for the average family and will fit all your pressure cooking needs. If in doubt, go with this size.
8-Quart:
The 8-quart size is available in a few models and is a good fit for larger families, or if you know you’ll be cooking a lot of large meals for family gatherings, church dinners, etc.
The different Instant Pot models
Now that you know what size Instant Pot works best for you, now let’s take a quick look at the different models available. There are four different main models with a few variations. There are 3 main models:
The Instant Pot Lux
The Instant Pot Lux is the one I would recommend for people new to pressure cooking. You may also hear as this one as the 6-in-1 model. It’s a pressure cooker, slow cooker, steamer, rice cooker, with sauté and keep warm functions as well for a total of six different ways of cooking. One drawback is that it does not have a canning feature.
The Instant Pot Duo and Duo Plus
The Instant Pot Duo is also called the 7-in-1 and will do everything the Lux can, but is also a yogurt maker. If you love yogurt and know that you might be interested in making your own at home, you might want to spring for the Duo. The Duo Plus has a canning feature and a cake/egg maker.
The Instant Pot Smart + app
The Instant Pot Smart WiFi is the latest main model in the Instant Pot lineup. It will do everything the previous two models do and more. The digital interface on the pot itself and the app that connects to your instant pot, allow you to control temperature and cooking durations for your meals as you see fit.
If you like gadgets, prefer the ease of being able to save your favorite recipes and instant pot settings on your smart phone, and love full control over your pot, this is the model to get.
Hopefully, this helped narrow down your choices for which Instant Pot is best for you. If you’re on a budget, go for the Lux model. If you’re a big fan of making yogurt or canning, consider the Duo. And, and if your budget allows, go for the Instant Pot Smart WiFi with full smartphone app integration. With the Instant Pot, it’s hard to go wrong no matter what model you choose.
