Instant Pot vs Stovetop Pressure Cooker

[GeneParmesan]

Has anybody tested both in parallel and did form an opinion between a stovetop pressure cooker and an instant pot?
Mainly I want to cook beans, since I fell in love with the book 'Cool Beans'.

I am currious about the set it and forget it nature of the Instant pot. I have a rice cooker and therefore am very open about this concept.

However, I am concerned, that the effort it takes to clean the device nullifies the advantages of this advantage.
Also I know that a classic stovetop pressure cooker gives me some more flexibility for legumes with a stovetop device as I can reduce pressure quickly by cooling down the pot under running water.
I am wondering though if this flexibility is required in practice.

Currently I have a WMF Perfect Pro Stovetop Pressure Cooker.
Cleaning is as easy as it gets with this pressure cooker. You can simply remove the handle with all the valves by pulling back one spring. The handle gets cleaned under running water, the lid without the sealing ring goes into the dish washer.

 

[dabes]

There are Instant Pots that have handles for the inner pot, so you can just do a quick release of the pressure and cool down your food with ice/water like you would with a traditional pressure cooker.
For cleaning, I just fill up the pot with water and saute for 5-10mins and everything comes off easily.

Pic of the inner pot handles for reference

 

[Michi]

I am currious about the set it and forget it nature of the Instant pot. I have a rice cooker and therefore am very open about this concept.

[…]

Currently I have a WMF Perfect Pro Stovetop Pressure Cooker.

That's a really good pressure cooker! Seeing that you have a rice cooker as well (and I assume that you have an oven), I'm hard pressed to see what an instant pot would add that you can't do already.

I think the instant pot solution is interesting for people who are space constrained and want the convenience of having something that will control temperature and turn itself on/off automatically. An instant pot is also a bit more of a jack of all trades because you can use it for cooking rice, pressure cooking, and slow cooking. As always, that's also the disadvantage: you can do only one of those at a time. With your rice cooker, pressure cooker, and oven, you can do three different things simultaneously, if the need arises. (And, yes, for me, it is common to have two of the three in operation simultaneously and, occasionally, all three.)

Note that the "advantage" of an instant pot being "safer" is nonsense. Modern pressure cookers do not explode and neither do instant pots, period. An instant pot is not safer (or less safe) than your WMF pressure cooker.

 

[boomchakabowwow]

I was trying to determine which way I wanted to go. not sure why but I went with the Fissler. Stovetop version. I like how I can put it at the bottom of my pantry and forget about it, until I need it. the unit is perfect ALMOST. cooks great food, and my chicken noodle soup game is "up there".

the one thing that bums me out about the Fissler is the side of the pan. it tapers outwards slightly as you go up. what this does is it gets hot spots on the sides of the pan as the flame heat moves up the side of the pan. it is only an issue when I am doing my initial sear. clean up is a snap. the pure act of cooking takes any stuck on stuff and puts it into the broth/soup. I can almost wipe it clean with a towel. if the sides were straight I would use it as a regular lidless pot I imagine. right now, I have used it as a vessel to cool stuff. I don't have a lot of big pots, so it is all "pans on deck" some days.

 

[Michi]

the one thing that bums me out about the Fissler is the side of the pan. it tapers outwards slightly as you go up. what this does is it gets hot spots on the sides of the pan as the flame heat moves up the side of the pan.

I have a Fissler as well, with the same tapered sides. But we have a Ceran electric cooktop, so heat going up the sides is not an issue. I am super happy with the Fissler. It is incredibly energy efficient. The thick aluminium base has a lot to do with that, I suspect. And the seal is perfect, with zero steam escaping even at full pressure, so no heat is lost, and no annoying endless hiss in the kitchen or drips on the cooktop.

 

[aporigine]

That's a really good pressure cooker! Seeing that you have a rice cooker as well (and I assume that you have an oven), I'm hard pressed to see what an instant pot would add that you can't do already.

I think the instant pot solution is interesting for people who are space constrained and want the convenience of having something that will control temperature and turn itself on/off automatically. An instant pot is also a bit more of a jack of all trades because you can use it for cooking rice, pressure cooking, and slow cooking. As always, that's also the disadvantage: you can do only one of those at a time. With your rice cooker, pressure cooker, and oven, you can do three different things simultaneously, if the need arises. (And, yes, for me, it is common to have two of the three in operation simultaneously and, occasionally, all three.)

Note that the "advantage" of an instant pot being "safer" is nonsense. Modern pressure cookers do not explode and neither do instant pots, period. An instant pot is not safer (or less safe) than your WMF pressure cooker.

Space constraint—bingo
That and I am a bit of a scatterbrain, so the automation is a big plus.

The downer is I had to replace mine after three years, when the electronics went walkabout.

 

[boomchakabowwow]

I have a Fissler as well, with the same tapered sides. But we have a Ceran electric cooktop, so heat going up the sides is not an issue. I am super happy with the Fissler. It is incredibly energy efficient. The thick aluminium base has a lot to do with that, I suspect. And the seal is perfect, with zero steam escaping even at full pressure, so no heat is lost, and no annoying endless hiss in the kitchen or drips on the cooktop.

yup. easiest lid to clean ever. that seal is so easy to maneuver. I took mine truck camping once. we were in higher elevations, so it was a good thing to pack. I made a Vietnamese style stew campsite.

 

[Heckel7302]

I have an instant pot and I think it's great. I don't find it particularly hard to clean. I like the set it and forget it nature of it. I basically use it for three things:

1. stocks. Pressure cooked stock is so good, quick, and easy. I rarely if ever go low and slow since having it.

2. Beans.

3. Yogurt. Its so easy in the instant pot.

 

[Michi]

I use sous vide for yoghurt. That works well, too.

 

[Justinv]

The instant pot is great in that you set it up, hit start, and ignore it until done. It goes to whatever temperature and time you specify (for the premium models). Its silent and easy to clean.

Skip the base model and get the premium one that lets you set temperature and time. I have zero interest in a stovetop pressure cooker.

If you do canning, there is much research needed to see what’s appropriate for your uses.

 

[Michi]

If you do canning, there is much research needed to see what’s appropriate for your uses.

A normal pressure cooker, such as Fissler or WMF, is not well suited for canning. For one, there is the size limitation, unless you own a really big one. Second, the pressure limit of 1.8 bar (26.1 psi) is a little low, causing the water to boil at 116 ºC (241 ºF). Canning pressure cookers, such as the ones made by All American, reach 2 bar (29.5 psi), which means water boils at 120 ºC (248 ºF) instead.

Those few degrees do make a difference because they reduce the time the food needs to be heated for (meaning less change in texture and nutrients). Clostridium Botulinum is the big enemy here, and that starts to die at 240 ºF, but dies a lot quicker at 248 ºF.