The Best Fluffy Pancakes recipe you will fall in love with. Full of tips and tricks to help you make the best pancakes.
INTRODUCTION:
If you have moved to a new place and are getting your kitchen appliances, you must undoubtedly include an Instant Pot on the list. Combining technology with convenience, Instant Pots have emphatically made fast-moving lives a whole lot easier.
With an Instant Pot, you can cook different kinds of food, thanks to its multiple cooking functions. An Instant Pot acts as a pressure cooker, steamer, slow cooker, yogurt maker, warming pot, cake maker, and whatnot!
Moreover, over the years, a lot of new Instant Pot models have arrived. These electric cookers are a lot better than gas stoves as they save time and consume less energy. With many new models and series, it is quite difficult for someone to find the best option. Well, we took care of that for you!
Difference Between Various Instant Pots Models
Before you look into different Instant Pots reviewed below, it is essential to understand the difference between various Instant Pot models – Lux, Duo, Duo Plus, Smart, and Ultra. It will help you know about what each model has to offer.
Lux
Lux Instant Pot models offer the most basic functions. Additionally, they are affordable and best for people who do not have to make yogurt or cook over low pressure.
Duo & Duo Plus
Duo and Duo Plus Instant Pot models come next to Lux and make the most popular options. Coming in different sizes, they also offer additional functions that Lux models do not.
Smart
Smart Instant Pot models come in two versions: smart Wi-Fi and smart Bluetooth. Wi-Fi Smart Instant Pots feature voice control functions and are also compatible with Alexa.
Ultra
Ultra models feature the highest number of functions. Popular as 10-in-1 models, they cater to all your cooking needs in addition to a variety of automated functions. However, these are comparatively expensive.
Top 5 Instant Pots for a Single Person
Here are our top 5 picks for Instant Pots for a single person:
5. Instant Pot Lux Mini 6-in-1
Instant Pot Lux Mini 6-in-1 is the oldest of the Instant Pot family yet brings great convenience for your everyday instant cooking needs. It offers all the basic features that you would unquestionably love to have in your Instant Pot.
Being the most affordable product of the family, it also comes in all the different sizes; however, for single-person use, we suggest going for Lux Mini featuring 3 quarts of capacity.
The V3 series include an egg function and a cake function as well as programs for soup and broth, rice, grains, porridge, meat and stew, and steaming. Furthermore, you can adjust the settings as per your requirements. On average, this Instant Pot can pressure cook for four hours straight.
Pros
- Affordable yet functional
- Keeps the food warm for ten hours
- Offers six different functions
Cons
- Cannot toggle between high and low pressure
- No yogurt-making function
Keep Warm Feature: What makes this Instant Pot unique and outstanding is its Keep Warm feature. Accordingly, it can keep your food warm for up to ten hours. This especially comes handy when you cook food like lentils.
4. Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1
Instant Pot Duo Mini 7-in-1 is the next on our list, providing the two major functions that Instant Pot Lux fails to deliver.
With its three temperature levels and ability to switch between low and high pressure, you can surely rest assured that your food is in the right hands. Additionally, the rest of its six cooker programs are the same as that of Lux. Whether you want to cook meat, rice, or porridge, you are good to go!
If you do not want to go with automated programs, you can also set the pressure level, sauté temperature, and slow cook temperature manually. Moreover, it can cook for up to two hours and can delay the cooking for up to 24 hours.
Pros
- Three cooking temperatures
- Makes yogurt
- Great for beginners
Cons
- Does not make eggs and cake
Make Yogurt Easily: With your Instant Pot Duo, you can easily make yogurt. All you need to do is press the yogurt button. It also automatically sets the incubation temperature without you having to worry about it. You never have to find and set the optimal temperature manually. This means no testing and no wasted time.
3. Instant Pot Duo Plus Mini 9-in-1
Instant Pot Duo Plus Mini 9-in-1 is the newer version of Duo. Offering a 3-quart capacity, it is great for a single-person cooking needs. What makes it different from the Duo series is its sleek design, LCD screen, user-friendly interface, and three new cooking functions.
The intuitive interface shows four icons representing the status of Instant Pot – cooking progress, pressure selected, sounds status, and keep warm status.
The six basic functions are the same as that in Lux and Duo, allowing you to cook anything you want to. This includes meat, rice, porridge, beans, multigrain, and you can also steam, slow cook, and pressure cook.
What makes Instant Pot duo unique is its three new functions: eggs, cakes, and sterilization. Now you can make eggs that peel off quickly and bake exceptionally perfect cakes.
Pros
- Bakes cake and makes eggs
- Unique sterilization function
- User-friendly interface
Cons
- A bit pricy
Quick Sterilization: The sterilization function is excellent for young moms who are always worried about their baby’s hygiene. With Instant Pot Duo Plus, you can sterilize your baby’s bottles in a minute!
2. Instant Vortex Air Fryer 4-in-1
Instant Vortex Air Fryer 4-in-1 is undeniably the best option for people who love fried food. This Instant Pot model is an excellent combination of a pressure cooker and also an air fryer. It comes with a separate lid that houses a heater and a fan.
It is important to note here that Instant Vortex specifically does not come in a 3-quart size. Instead, its smallest size is six quarts. Therefore, if you are looking forward to the air fryer function, you will have to compromise on the size.
When it comes to basic Instant Pot functions, it can pressure cook, slow cook, sauté, and steam like other models. You can also roast your chicken or bake a fantastic cake for a perfect evening. In addition to that, it can also act as a dehydrator.
If you share the place with your partner or roommate, you better get your hands on this Instant Pot before it runs out.
Pros
- Unique air fryer function
- Cost-effective
- Allows dehydration
Cons
- Does not come in a 3-quart size
Best for Fried Food Lovers: If you always want the perfect wings, grilled sandwiches, or French fries, the air fryer function is undoubtedly for you. This pressure cooker can easily turn into an air fryer to cater to your cravings.
1. Instant Pot Ultra Mini 10-in-1
Here comes another great pick: Instant Pot Ultra Mini 10-in-1. This Instant Pot is the best option if you only know the basics of cooking. With its ten different cooking functions, there’s simply nothing it can’t cook for you.
This Instant Pot makes sure you do not have to eat out every day, thus saving a lot of money. Given its mini 3-quart size, you can easily cook single portions. Also, it is easy to store in small cabinets or simply place on your countertop.
It offers all the basic functions such as cooking meat and broth, sautéing veggies, baking cake, making eggs and yogurt, steaming, slow cooking, and whatnot. Also, it has a sleek design and a modern, user-friendly interface, thanks to a blue LCD screen.
Its new pressure valve design makes sure you need not double-check the steam release valve. It automatically adjusts the valve into a sealed position.
Pros
- Ten different excellent cooking functions
- A new pressure valve design
- Allows altitude adjustment
Cons
- Control and settings might be confusing for beginners
Offers Altitude Adjustment: What makes Ultra Mini stand out is its altitude adjustment feature. This makes cooking surprisingly convenient for people who love precision cooking. So, you can simply adjust the settings instead of changing your recipes.
One Person Instant Pots FAQs
1. What is the best Instant Pot size for a single person?
If you are looking for an Instant Pot for yourself, three quarts is the best option. It can cook food for two servings and, thus, goes best for singles and couples.
2. How to clean my Instant Pot?
Cleaning your Instant Pot is incredibly easy. All the non-electrical parts, including the lid, silicone ring, outer and inner surface, are dishwasher safe. Just detach and wash them!
3. Do Instant Pots consume a lot of electricity?
No, Instant Pots are energy-friendly. As compared to traditional electric cooking pots, they use 70% lesser energy.
4. How long do Instant Pots take to cook?
Instant Pots can decrease the cooking time by 2/3. So, you can cook what takes an hour to cook on a gas stove in 20 minutes in an Instant Pot.
5. What to look for in an Instant Pot?
When buying your first Instant Pot, you must consider the size, cooking functions, ease of cleaning, and budget.
Final Verdict
Instant Pots provide a safe and convenient way to prepare your food when you do not have enough time to cook it over gas. The built-in cooking functions make sure your food cooks perfectly well without affecting the taste.
Cutting the cooking time by 2/3, Instant Pots are a tremendous investment. If you want some basic, decent functions, go for Instant Pot Duo Plus. However, if you want advanced cooking functions and controls, pick Instant Pot Ultra Mini. For people who eat fried food quite often, Instant Vortex is probably the best option!
