6 month Review of the Instant Pot Pro: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Summary

Susan reviews the 5.7L Instant Pot Pro, her fifth Instant Pot since 2017. She praises its easy steam release, improved control, and customizable settings. The model features stay-cool handles and a flat stainless steel bottom, enhancing sautéing and searing. Susan highlights the Inner Pot's dishwasher-friendly design. However, she finds the slow cooking function confusing and dislikes the new beep tone, although it can be turned off. Despite minor drawbacks, she recommends the Instant Pot Pro for its versatility and performance.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Instant Pot Pro is a 5.7-liter, six-quart pressure cooker with various functions, praised for its efficiency.
• 👍 The auto-close vent and easy steam release feature make it user-friendly, especially for those nervous about pressure cookers.
• 🎛️ It provides more granular control over cooking functions, such as a customizable sauté range from 1 to 5, which is an improvement over lower-cost models.
• 🛠️ The five customizable buttons allow users to save personalized cooking programs, making regular tasks like cooking steel-cut oats easier.
• 🍳 The hob-safe stainless steel inner pot with stay-cool handles makes sautéing and searing more convenient, and it can also be used on a stovetop.
• 🥘 While the Instant Pot Pro excels at pressure cooking, the slow cooking function requires adjustments and is not ideal for dedicated slow cookers.
• 🍚 It performs well as a rice cooker and steamer, handling basmati, jasmine, and brown rice effectively, as well as delicate fish and vegetables.
• 📉 The removal of the zero-minute pressure cooking option, often used for quick steaming of greens, is a disappointment for some users.
• 🔕 The Instant Pot Pro allows users to turn off the sound for those sensitive to the loud beeps and tones.
• 🎶 The beeping sounds are louder and more annoying than previous models, but this can be turned off through the settings if needed.

Q & A

What is the main product being discussed in the video?

The main product being discussed is the Instant Pot Pro, a 5.7-liter pressure cooker with multiple cooking functions.

What is Susan's experience with Instant Pots?

Susan has owned five Instant Pots, and she has been using them since 2017. She is experienced with their functionality and features.

What makes the Instant Pot Pro's lid and steam release different from older pressure cookers?

The Instant Pot Pro has an automatic pressure mode when the lid is closed, and the vent is automatically closed, making it easier and safer to use compared to older manual pressure cookers.

How does the Instant Pot Pro help with sautéing?

The Instant Pot Pro offers more granular control with a 1-5 heat range, allowing better temperature adjustments while sautéing compared to other models that have limited heat options.

What is Susan’s favorite feature of the Instant Pot Pro?

Susan's favorite feature is the Inner Pot, which has stay-cool handles, a flat stainless steel bottom, and is hob-safe, making it versatile for both pressure cooking and stovetop cooking.

How does the Instant Pot Pro improve convenience with frequently used recipes?

The Instant Pot Pro has five customizable buttons that allow users to save settings for frequently made recipes, such as Susan's Steel Cut Oats, making it easier to use in the morning.

Why is Susan dissatisfied with the slow cooking function of the Instant Pot Pro?

Susan finds the slow cooking function confusing and unreliable, requiring adjustments to timings and temperatures. She prefers pressure cooking over slow cooking for better flavor and faster results.

Why is the missing 'zero minutes' setting a drawback for the Instant Pot Pro?

The 'zero minutes' setting is useful for quickly cooking vegetables like broccoli without overcooking them. The Instant Pot Pro's minimum cooking time is one minute, which removes the convenience of this feature.

What issue does Susan have with the beeping sound of the Instant Pot Pro?

Susan finds the beeping sounds of the Instant Pot Pro irritating, especially when adjusting settings. She recommends turning off the sound using the center button feature for a better experience.

What is the benefit of having two inner pots for the Instant Pot Pro?

Having two inner pots allows for more efficient cooking. For example, one can be used for a stew, while the other is used for cooking additional side dishes on the stove, making the cooking process faster and more flexible.