One of the most popular appliances in kitchens today has got to be the Instant Pot. I have a deep love for the Instant Pot myself and thought I’d share with you all today why it’s an appliance worth owning and some of the basics. I think a lot of people are intimidated by the thought of a pressure cooker, but let me first say, this is not the same pressure cooker your grandma has. The Instant Pot has a lid that locks in place and can’t be removed until all pressure is released.

Here’s a quick look at some of the reasons I love owning the Instant Pot.

• User Friendly
• Time Saver
• Makes Meal Prep Easy
• Shredded Meat in Less Than an Hour
• Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs with the Touch of a Button
• Safe
• Easy to Clean
• It doubles as a slow cooker, warmer, rice cooker, steamer, sautés, & more depending on which model you have.

I started out with basic model The Instant Pot^® Lux™ 6-In-1 6 quart years ago and loved it. This did everything I needed, but the only problem was I was constantly filling it to the max line so I ended up upgrading to an 8 quart Duo model.

This post contains affiliate links.  If you purchase something from these links, we could earn a small commission.  This would be at no additional cost to you.​​​​​​​

If you’ve ever looked at Amazon at the different Instant Pots you probably we’re overwhelmed and didn’t know which one you need. Let me help you out.

Here’s a look at some of the different Instant Pot models they make and an idea of what they cost.

• Lux ($79) -basic model
• Duo ($99)-lid stand and lid is dishwasher safe
• Viva ($109)-this one bakes and doubles as a sous vide.
• Ultra ($149)-LCD display, altitude adjustments, cooking progress indicator, & more.
• Max ($149)-canning capability
• Duo Nova ($99)- closing the lid automatically closes the pressure valve(incase your forget to turn it) & this one comes in a 10 quart size, whoa!
• Duo Evo Plus ($119)-has a stovetop friendly inner pot with easy-grip handles.
• Duo Crisp + Air Fryer ($179)- the best of both worlds right here!

See all the different Instant Pot models I didn’t even mention and more details about them all on their website here.

Not sure what size you need? Here’s how to decide what size is best for you.

• 3 Quart – way too small, don’t bother unless this is an extra one for side dishes.
• 6 Quart – perfect families of up to 5 people and makes weekly meal prep a breeze! This is a good size to start with in my opinion.
• 8 Quart – for when you need to feed a crowd of 6 or more, or for large batch prep. This is the size I have. It’s big, but it’s perfect.
• 10 Quart – This one is for those entertaining large crowds or doing big batch cooking.

Some Things to Know about Instant Pot Cooking

• It takes about 10 minutes for your pressure cooker to get to pressure and another 5-10 minutes for it to quick release the pressure after cooking. So keep in mind a recipe that says to cook for 20 minutes will actually take 35-40 minutes total.
• Sealing ring must be on correctly to seal right.
• The lid must be locked before it will start to pressurize.
• The lid valve must be set to pressurize before it will start. Unless you have the Duo Nova model, which does it automatically for you.
• Inner pot comes out just like a crockpot for cleaning.
• Most come with a few attachments but you can always purchase more.
• Max Line- No food above line.
• Liquid- you have to make sure you put ½ -1 cup of water or marinade in with your food or it will burn and shut off.
• The manual button is usually all you need.
• Sauté button comes in handy! Sear or cook your meat right in the pot before slow or pressure cooking. I use this all the time.
• Natural release means the pressure will slowly escape on it’s own once cook time is up. This takes around 20 minutes.
• Quick release – press this button and hot steam shoots up! Release all the pressure in 5-10 minutes

Popular Stay Fit Mom Instant Pot recipes:

• Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
• French Dip Sandwiches
• Pinto Beans
• Cream Cheese Chicken Chili – This is probably what I make in my Instant pot most.
• Greek Shredded Chicken
• Sesame Orange Chicken
• Shredded Pork Roast– I make this all the time to use in other recipes. Tacos, mac & cheese, enchiladas, sandwiches, etc.

Follow us on Pinterest for more great recipe suggestions!  We love seeing Stay Fit Mom recipes in your kitchen!  Post your meals to Instagram and be sure to tag @stayfitmom_Krista and @stayfitmom_Tracy!