I was a long time user of an old-fashioned stovetop pressure cooker. I heard about the IP when it first came out and, I'll admit, I sort of scoffed at the idea. It seemed like a needless gadget for those too afraid to put a steel pot on a flame. Boy, was I wrong!

What pushed me over the edge was an old friend who got one and couldn't stop singing its praises. I finally buckled and bought one in May. Reader, I am now obsessed. Not just obsessed, I've become an Instant Pot evangelist, telling anyone and everyone about my love of this device.

The stovetop version worked fine, but it was finicky. I mainly used it for beans (I'm also obsessed with beans and legumes: black beans, pinto beans, red beans, lentils, split peas, bring it on) and I was constantly terrified that something would go very wrong if I wasn't paying attention. What I failed to understand about the electric version of a pressure cooker was how HANDS OFF it is. I know that "set it and forget it" is the old infomercial cliche, but it couldn't be truer of the IP.

The arrival of my IP coincided with the early days of quarantine. I was furloughed from work and found myself with lots of time on my hands. So I jumped into the world of the IP with both feet. I highly recommend r/instantpot on Reddit. Reddit may be a cesspool of trolling teens and the alt-right, but boy that subreddit is a beacon in the abyss. I found so many amazing recipes that for the past two months I've literally been using it 5-7 times a week. Between the sautee and pressure cook functions, it allows you to cook an array of things without adversely heating up your house in the middle of summer.

What really has been a revelation is cooking international cuisines. Let's face it, I'm a white guy in my forties living in the midwest. I enjoy eating a wide variety of things and I love to cook, but I've always been intimidated to try my hand at Indian, Asian and middle eastern cuisines. Turns out all you need is an IP and a visit to your local Indian or Vietnamese grocery store and you're off to the races. I've been cranking out vegetable korma, butter chicken, dal, shawarma, pho, you name it.

And even simple things like hard boiled eggs or just a simple chicken breast (straight from the freezer!) are done in very little time. For beans (my true love) it's a revelation. It produces the silkiest, most delicious beans I've ever made. And you don't even need to soak ahead of time. I modified a recipe I found online to make the best refried beans imaginable and my hummus game is on point. I even make yogurt on the regular that my kids are obsessed with.

PROS:
- Worry-free pressure cooking
- Solid build quality
- Able to produce complex tasting meals with ease
- Versatility
- Cooks a variety of things without heating up your home

CONS
- Bit of a learning curve
- Silicon sealing ring absorbs odors to an absurd degree

If you like to cook, like to try new things, and love a true kitchen convenience, I can't recommend the Instant Pot enough. It's one of the best things I've bought in years.

One Year Update 5/24/2021:
What a year, right? Well, I got back to work at the end of last summer and continue to use the Instant Pot at least 1-2 times a week. I still mainly use it for beans, but I really learned to appreciate it over the winter. Imagine making soups, stews, chili, etc. that seems like you cooked it all day but really it was about an hour. My sister-in-law brought hers over for Thanksgiving and we had two going at the same time and it really made that huge dinner so much easier. Amazing.

I don't recommend using it as a slow cooker, and yogurt ended up being more hit-or-miss than I liked. But I continue to use my Instant Pot regularly. It was a really great purchase.

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FURTHER UPDATE - It's now August 2017 and I've had my IP for almost 2.5 years. I got Pork Chile Verde dialed in, using the recipe from Serious Eats. I add a diced fresh jalapeño and some lime juice after cooking to add brightness to the sauce. Perfection! And I tested out the slow cooker with Chow's Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos. It took a mere 2 hours (adjusted to MORE, or high). I use 2 jalapeños in place of the harder-to-find habanero pepper and add 1 tablespoon chili powder. Also perfection. I'm still using my original gasket rings, one for savory foods, one for sweets and both are holding up fine. I've moved my slow cooker and rice cooker to the garage, because I just don't use them anymore. And like most long-time users, I never use the preset programs, because most recipes require a timing adjustment anyway. It's just easier to use the manual button for everything. If you're a fan of split pea soup, you've got to try Kenji's technique from Serious Eats. Saute ham and aromatics until softened, about 3-5 minutes, then add peas and liquid. Cook under pressure for 20 minutes and quick release the pressure. Stir and the peas melt into perfect smoothness. I know, it goes against the warnings, but it works. I've never had any issue with the pressure valve getting clogged or peas spewing out the valve. I used to make this with slow release, but Kenji's method is far superior and takes only 30 minutes, start to finish. Try it! I've also replaced my old favorite steamer basket for one with a handle, the Hartigo steamer basket. It's pricey, but copycats as low as $9.99 are now available. Most of them are probably just as good, search for Hartigo and read the reviews to make sure you're not getting a piece of junk.

FIRST UPDATE - 11 months later, I'm still loving my Instant Pot. This winter I've added my favorite soups to it's repertoire. Senate Bean soup (recipe from Saveur.com) is the best bean soup ever, with only 12 minutes under pressure. For the two of us, I skip the ham hocks and buy a chunk of ham from the deli counter at the supermarket that I cut into half-inch pieces. I replace half the cooking water with low-sodium chicken broth for deeper flavor. Split pea soup is also the easiest ever, cooking in just 10 minutes. I use chicken broth and diced ham in it, too, unless it's January, when I toss in the bone from our Christmas ham. When I don't have any ham at all, I bring out my secret weapons, ham soup base and liquid smoke. All the same flavors, less money! For the holidays I made a pumpkin cheesecake that was sheer heaven. I even made that Bolognese sauce I was planning in my original review and my dude and DIL declared it the best they'd ever tasted. She's bonkers for my refried beans, too.

I routinely use it to make mashed potatoes for two or a crowd. I made them for 11 people at Thanksgiving and for just the two of us last week. I use my steamer basket to hold them. I bought this RSVP Endurance Stainless Steel 3 Quart Wide Rim Mesh Basket and had my guy remove the handles. Perfect fit! Best thing? Because they sit above the liquid, they absorb less water, which means they taste a lot more like potatoes. Doesn't matter whether I'm cooking 1 potato or 9, it takes 8 minutes and a quick release. On turkey day we riced them right into the liner pot, added half and half, butter and set it to keep warm while we finished up with gravy and getting things out to the table. Baby yukon or red potatoes, cooked whole with skins on, are cooked the same way and are so much better than boiled. Tossed with butter, salt and pepper, they're one of the easiest sides ever. For them I use this Stainless Steel Steaming Steamer Rack 8.5 Inch Diameter, which is great for things that won't fit in the basket. Best of all, I store both of them right in the Instant Pot along with rack that came with it. A good thing, too, because I've about run out of storage space in my kitchen. Fortunately, I use my IP often enough that it pays to keep it on the counter. My stand mixer, used maybe once a month, has been relegated to a cabinet.

The next thing I want to conquer is Chile Verde for two. I plan to use boneless country-style pork ribs as a smaller cut alternative to pork butt. I'm still trying to find the perfect recipe that I can adapt to the IP. I continue to be amazed at the things I can cook in one pot, making cleanup a breeze. The convenience, time savings and above all, the taste, keeps me on the lookout for new things to make in it. In fact, every time I read a recipe for a braise of any kind, I mentally begin to rewrite it to work in my IP. Full disclosure, I still haven't used the slow cooker function, because cooking under pressure produces better food than my slow cookers ever have.

ORIGINAL REVIEW - I've had my IP for 3 months. In that time I've used it to make ribs, steel cut oats, my very first ever baked cheesecake (no cracking!), pulled pork (BBQ and Mexican), chile Colorado (wondrous), risotto (yes I did) and beef tips in gravy (so good). That's not all I've made in it, but it's a small sampling.

Other reviewers have gone into great detail about it's features and functions. I'm more into telling you how it fits into my lifestyle. I'm an early retiree, living in Tampa, FL with my husband. Our son, DIL and their 4 young wolves live on the next block and we're often together on the weekends and even some weeknights. I'm a fairly accomplished home cook and cook most things from scratch because they taste better and take only a little longer. I'm all about making the process easier, faster and better. I also HATE standing over a hot stove for a long time. My Instant Pot works well, whether cooking for 2 as I usually do, or feeding the entire wolf pack (that's 8 of us when we're all together).

I don't like to use my oven unless absolutely necessary. By far my most used appliance is my Breville Smart Oven (the big one). It keeps my kitchen much cooler year 'round. I consider slow cookers too hot to use indoors in summer, as running on low all day my kitchen still gets warm, even with a ceiling fan. My Instant Pot is a slow cooker, too, and it doesn't heat up my kitchen at all. It's just better insulated, but I've found that meals are so good under pressure that there's no need to use the slow cooker function. I keep meaning to, but speed always seems to prevail. I love that I can make roasts and other long-cooking things that we used to reserve for cooler months.

One of my concerns was the ability to cook smaller cuts of meat and smaller volumes of other foods than the recipes indicate. I was assured by my friends at Chowhound.com that this was simple. For meats, I just buy a smaller cut from the same area of the cow or pig. Instead of a pork butt, I use blade steak or boneless country ribs. For chuck roast, I use chuck steak or boneless beef ribs. These things all cook in about 35 minutes.

This being my first pressure cooker, I had no idea how to use one, and specifically, I'm pretty clueless about cooking times because they're all over the charts, with many cookbooks (I'm looking at you, Great Big Pressure Cooker Cookbook with your 10 minute risotto) being no help at all. Or others which suggest we Increase the stovetop time by 30% for every recipe? Who thought that was the right way to go? My best results have come from the recipes on Serious Eats and Barbara Schieving's website, Pressurecookingtoday.com, using the timing charts on the IP website or hippressurecooking.com. Note that Barbara often lists much longer times for roasts than needed.

All the things I've made in it? Chile Colorado. I served it cubed the first night, then shredded the leftovers for burritos. Meyer Lemon Cheesecake, Creamy Parmesan Risotto, Lime Cilantro Rice, Pulled Pork, Baked Beans, Weeknight Pot Roast & Potatoes, White Rice (much faster than my rice cooker), Steel Cut Oats, Beef Tips, Pork Carnitas, Refried beans. I like to keep those on hand. I soak pintos overnight in the IP's pot, cook them with a quartered onion and mash them with butter or bacon grease, cumin and chili powder, right in the pot after reserving the liquid. They cost half as much as buying canned beans and taste worlds better. Ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender in 30 minutes. It was easy to make a double batch for the wolfpack, chill them overnight and finish on the grill next day. Next week I'm making the classic Bolognese from the ATK book which is only one ingredient away from Marcella Hazan's famous all-day version of the sauce. Total time, 90 minutes instead of 4 hours.

Best things about the Instant Pot, aside from how it makes food taste? It's effortless. Really, push Start and walk away. And the steel inner pot is wonderful. Most things I've made begin with the Sauté setting before going under pressure. We get superior browning before deglazing the pan with liquid. Although the silicone gasket now reeks of chili it hasn't affected anything else. If anyone knows how to remove the smell from it, let me know. Silicone is stubborn that way. I have a 2nd gasket that I use for oatmeal, rice and cheesecake. The gasket is easy to remove and replace. The steel pot goes into the dishwasher. I'm considering getting a nonstick pot for rice and oats. This handy appliance has transformed my summertime cooking, allowing me to break away from our usual salads and grilled chicken rut. Can't wait to see what it does for stews and chilis in winter.

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Make beef ribs in it. Super easy.

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As an occasional and budding home cook, the 6-quart Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker has been a complete game-changer in my kitchen! This versatile kitchen appliance has become my go-to for whipping up delicious meals with minimal effort and maximum flavor.

First and foremost, the 7-in-1 functionality is mind-blowing. It's like having a team of kitchen gadgets in one sleek and compact device. From pressure cooking to slow cooking, rice cooking, steaming, sautéing, yogurt making, and warming, this Instant Pot does it all!

The pressure cooking feature is the real star of the show. It significantly reduces cooking times, making it a lifesaver on busy weeknights. Whether I'm preparing tender stews, fall-off-the-bone ribs, or flavor-packed soups, the Instant Pot never fails to deliver perfectly cooked meals in a fraction of the time.

The slow cooker function is equally impressive. It lets me set it and forget it, making it incredibly convenient for days when I'm occupied with other tasks. The result? Melt-in-your-mouth pulled pork, rich and hearty chili, or tender pot roasts that are sure to impress.

Rice cooking has never been easier. The Instant Pot consistently produces fluffy and perfectly cooked rice, taking away the guesswork and hassle from traditional stovetop methods.

I was initially skeptical about the yogurt-making feature, but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Homemade yogurt is not only healthier but also more cost-effective, and the Instant Pot handles the process like a pro.

The sauté function is perfect for browning meats and sautéing onions and garlic before pressure cooking. It's a fantastic all-in-one tool that reduces the number of pots and pans I need to wash.

The 6-quart capacity is ideal for feeding a family or having leftovers for the next day. The stainless steel inner pot is easy to clean, and the exterior stays cool to the touch during cooking, ensuring safety and convenience.

The user-friendly control panel with pre-set cooking options and a delay start feature makes meal planning a breeze. Additionally, the included accessories like the steam rack, serving spoon, and measuring cup are thoughtful additions that add to the overall value.

In summary, the 6-quart Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker is an absolute must-have for any kitchen. Its versatility, efficiency, and convenience have transformed the way I cook, saving me time and effort without compromising on taste. If you're looking for a kitchen multi-tasker that delivers exceptional results, look no further than the Instant Pot Duo - it's truly a game-changer!

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It is easy to use & time saving. I am writing this review after 3 months of usage- if you're looking for a time saving and want best quality product among electric cookers - This is the best cooker with multiple options! Though price is little higher I would recommend it for mother's who are struggling to cook multiple dishes at a time! This has made cooking made easy!!