How does the Instant Pot DUO Plus 8 differ from other Instant Pots and multi-cookers?
Instant Pot has forged a sterling reputation and undeniable popularity in the kitchen appliance industry with its easy to use multi-cookers. After all, it doesn’t make sense to buy several different kitchen appliances when a single one can do all their functions.
This explains the popularity of the Instant Pot Duo. All the Instant Pots are all terrifically easy to use while offering variable cooking methods at your disposal. But now you get the upgrade on the Duo with the Duo Plus, and as a result, even more fantastic features and enhanced ease of use.
In this review we’ll cover the Instant Pot Duo Plus 8, which refers to the largest size at 8 quarts. This is for larger families, and for those who regularly cook for 6 or more people, or like to double up and freeze a meal. (You’re better off with the 6-quart version if you only cook for 4 to 6 people, and for fewer people you should go with the 3-quart version.)
How to Use the Instant Pot
Features of the Instant Pot DUO Plus 8
Let’s head on straight to the 9-in-1 features. More specifically, this dandy device can take on the roles of the following appliances:
If you look more closely, you’ll find that Instant Pot is actually rather understating its case, since the interface has 14 buttons for various functions. It can function as an Instant Pot warmer or you can have an Instant Pot sterilizer for your baby bottles or canning. You can press a button to make cake, for soup and broth, for meat and stew, and for bean and chili. There are also separate buttons for multigrain and for porridge.
The blue LCD display is large and readable, showing the timer and other settings. You have 4 icons to update you of the status of the food, telling you if heating or cooking is in progress, if you’ve selected the pressure cooker program, whether the Keep Warm feature is on or off, and whether the Sound is on or off when it finishes cooking.
The materials used in this Instant Pot 9-in-1 are top quality as well. It features brushed stainless steel for the exterior with a lid holder for both righties and lefties.
The stainless steel used for the cooking pot and the stream rack is food grade with no chemical coatings. Even the lid is also stainless steel and dishwasher safe.
Other helpful features include intuitive plus/minus buttons to make time and temperature adjustments and the lid storage system. This system includes a feature on the side that allows you to sit the lid upright by the rim of the pot. This gets it out of the way when you’re taking food out as you won’t have to set it on the countertop, which can get crowded. It’s a bit like having a hinge on the lid, except this time you can choose which side to put the lid and the “hinge”.
The cooking performance when tested was outstanding just about for all types of dishes. Try it with corned beef, beans, and rice, and everything comes out tasty. The sauté is especially terrific, and you can really get great chili out of this function. As an Instant Pot yogurt maker, it’s easy to use.
It is also extremely easy to clean, even compared to other topnotch multicookers. You can remove the gasket easily, and there aren’t any hard to access nooks where grime can accumulate. You can just toss the pot in the dishwasher and you’re set.
Specs
- Measures 14.8 x 13.5 x 14.5 inches with 8-quart capacity for at least 6 people
- Offers 9 cooking functions
- 14 distinct one-touch functions
- 4 status icons on large blue LCD screen
- 24-hour delay start
- Keep warm up 10 hours
- Lid rest on either left or right side
- Mute button for sound off when cooking late at night
- Food grade materials
Pros
Cons
Consumer Ratings
This has garnered thousands of customer reviews, and over 80% of them give it perfect marks. And it’s for this reason that its rating is sky-high and almost perfect as well.
Who Is The Instant Pot DUO Plus 8 For?
This is for those who want great dishes without having to spend too much time and effort preparing the food. Basically, you’re able to come up with tasty dishes simply by pressing a button. And it’s also for those who don’t really want to spend too much money on appliances, since you can buy this to replace up to 9 separate kitchen appliances. In fact, it’s cheaper than many comparable multi-cooker models.
Especially useful for larger families, and those that batch, and freezer cook.
Instant Pot White Chocolate Raspberry Pots de Creme
Conclusion
There are plenty of very good reasons thousands of people took the time and effort to give the Instant Pot Duo Plus perfect marks in various customer reviews. It really is that good! It can work as an Instant Pot steamer or pressure cooker, among with many other functions.
Even compared to other topnotch models, it rises to the top It offers excellent value for money.
And it simply makes things much easier for you. It doesn’t really matter what you cook. You’ll find that the results resemble what a master chef would come up with when using more traditional kitchen appliances. You can cook more easily and clean more easily, and at the end of it all you have food that you can truly enjoy.
With its 8-quart capacity, you can impress dinner guests and have them thinking you’ve been slaving away in the kitchen for ages. Try the Instant Pot Duo Plus 8-quart, and even when you have unexpected guests you can whip up a delicious meal in a jiffy.
You may also check Ninja Foodi TenderCrisp Pressure Cooker for alternatives.