Insta Pot vs Ninja Foodi vs not having another counter appliance...

[horn4life 3,818]

The wife has shown interest in getting one of the combo pressure cookers/ air fryers.  I am more in the WTF do we need it for?  I guess I could see how the air frying side of things and maybe being creative in that arena with different veggies could be interesting. I don't think I would ever use the pressure cooker, but I could be wrong.  More than anything I just assume it's another counter top appliance that ends up rarely being used that looks cool on a shelf in the garage.

If she wants it ,I will happily get it for her. If I go that route then I figure then I need to go with the larger sizes. As if we use it, using it for parties or when we have guests might be one of the primary times of use. 

We already have a duel fuel double convection oven and a convection microwave, other than frying I don't think we will use it, but convince me otherwise, so I can more gleefully make this reluctant purchase!

Thanks in advance.

Edited December 11, 2019 by horn4life

[4th&Five 41,704]

if any of this looks good you should get an instant pot...

 

[Deej 77,177]

You'll use an Instant Pot. Isn't an air-fryer just a convection oven, which you already seem to have? I also don't feel devices that claim to do more than one thing do those things as well as a dedicated device. 

[Zepol87 9,263]

Instant Pot for sure. Allows me to be even lazier for dinner during the week

[formermav43 4,606]

I use my pressure cooker frequently, but didn’t see the need for an Instant Pot given I already had a slow cooker and, like you, didn’t want more unnecessary countertop appliances. But I have a traditional pressure cooker instead and I love it.

[BurntOrange&White 40,450]

Instant pots are amazing.

[52-80 19,280]

12 hours ago, Deej said:

You'll use an Instant Pot. Isn't an air-fryer just a convection oven, which you already seem to have? I also don't feel devices that claim to do more than one thing do those things as well as a dedicated device. 

Yes it is.  The overall shape and volume makes the convection action of the air fryer slightly more efficient for cooking small batches.  But it's really functionally redundant. 

 

Advantages of electronic/programmable pressure cooker (i.e. instant pot) over traditional ones are automatic pressure, timing function, and  ease of cleanup.  Traditional ones you have to manually bring to temp, monitor the pressure, reduce the temp, and washing is bulkier with attached handle (whereas electronic one has the removable pot sleeve). 

 

You can't brown food as well as with traditional p.cookers, but for most recipes that's not a problem.

[horn4life 3,818]

thanks guys, I was saying that I could see the "frying" aspect as I have to heat up a large oven to use the convection feature.  

I did look at some YouTube videos and one thing that was interesting on a instaPot Duo vs Ninja Foodie was that the exhaust heat was MUCH less on the InstaPot.  So that in my mind means more efficient. I still am leaning toward not buying one but I know the wife is gonna want it, for at least a month before it finds a new home in the garage.

 

[NeverMarryAStripper 22,030]

Instapot is worth just for hard boiled eggs and pot roast.

[elfenix 34,387]

On 12/12/2019 at 1:54 AM, 52-80 said:

You can't brown food as well as with traditional p.cookers, but for most recipes that's not a problem.

iirc they're making a new inner pot that is stove safe for all your browning needs. 

in my experience the instant pot kinda sucks as a slow cooker, and that's while using the glass lid. 

[Deej 77,177]

4 hours ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

Instapot is worth just for hard boiled eggs and pot roast.

And beef short ribs and oxtails.

[Zepol87 9,263]

And beef short ribs and oxtails.

Damn I still haven't made the short rib recipe from the thread. Will do this weekend

[Deej 77,177]

It's good shit.

[horn4life 3,818]

So do I need the large one or can I get by with the smaller Unit? lm guessing I need to go bigger? 

Hard boiled eggs? 

 

[elfenix 34,387]

16 minutes ago, horn4life said:

So do I need the large one or can I get by with the smaller Unit? lm guessing I need to go bigger? 

Hard boiled eggs? 

 

7 in 1 6 quart is what most recipes are designed for.  i wouldn't go smaller or with fewer functions. 

[horn4life 3,818]

I saw this at COSTCO today and it seemed like a pretty good deal at $149.99 for the 6.5 quart crisper/fryer/dehydrator, with a $40 discount.

https://www.costco.com/ninja-foodi-6.5-quart-pressure-cooker-with-tendercrisp-and-dehydrate.product.100487179.html

 

Think I may just pull the trigger at costco as I can always rationalize to myself that I could always return it... instead of clearing a space in the garage.

[NeverMarryAStripper 22,030]

7 hours ago, elfenix said:

7 in 1 6 quart is what most recipes are designed for.  i wouldn't go smaller or with fewer functions. 

The quart is good, but I don’t think I’ve ever used any function other than manual and sauté.

[TornACL 7,766]

I haven't yet educated myself on the difference between an instapot and a crockpot. 

[52-80 19,280]

13 minutes ago, TornACL said:

I haven't yet educated myself on the difference between an instapot and a crockpot. 

pressure and programmability

[elfenix 34,387]

Heb has instant pots 6qt Viva 9 in 1 for $60.

[horn4life 3,818]

Bit the bullet like I knew I was going to eventually. Not a bad deal really $149 at costco for the 6.5 quart Ninja Foodi pressure/air fry/tender crisper. Fucking box was huge, need to really clear a bigger spot than even I anticipated in the garage. 

I think I am going to us it to make super soft boiled eggs necessary to make a "rebel within" solf boiled egg inside a muffin.  Figured it will be fun to try over the holidays.  And maybe some giant cookie. 

[Underdog 28,873]

Bought the Foodi 5/1 about a month ago, both the grill and air fryer work great.  

[LongestHorn 759]

It is my understanding pressure cooking preserves more of the foods nutrients than any other cooking method.

[52-80 19,280]

7 hours ago, LongestHorn said:

It is my understanding pressure cooking preserves more of the foods nutrients than any other cooking method.

That's housewife science. 

 

Pressure cooker just maintains pressure within vessel...which is released at the end of cooking.  With open container cooking it's water vapor that floats away (you can taste the liquid that accumulates on the bottom of cooking lids and it's just distilled water).

 

In braises and stews and such, pressure cooker does cook with less liquid, but in an open vessel you end up reducing the thing so there's same volume at the end.

 

It's all.nonsensd

 

[LongestHorn 759]

With a few exceptions, one which we note below, scientific data supports pressure cooking as one of the cooking methods that preserve the most vitamins¹.

It’s important to note that, to date, we have not found a comprehensive study on the vitamin and mineral retention on a significant selection of pressure cooked vegetables.  None of the studies we did find addressed steaming those vegetables in the pressure cooker – only boiling them under pressure.  Research on the pressure cooker’s effect on food is a hodgepodge of studies conducted in different countries, laboratories and conditions, using just one or a few select vegetables that measure the effect of pressure cooking on just one vitamin, mineral or antioxidant.

A well done 2007 study published by The Journal of Food Science² measured Vitamin C retention in broccoli using five cooking methods. The researchers pressure cooked broccoli at high pressure (15PSI/1 bar or 250F/121C) for two minutes and found that 92% of the vitamin C was retained compared to 78% retention for conventional steaming.

“Boiling and steaming caused significant vitamin C losses, 34% and 22%, respectively, while with the other treatments [pressure cooking, microwaving and microwave pressure cooking]  more than 90% retention was observed.”

These findings contradict an earlier study published in the same journal³ that documented a high loss of antioxidants in broccoli after pressure cooking. However, the authors of this earlier study conceded that these nutrients were not actually lost but, instead, transferred to the cooking liquid.

[52-80 19,280]

That's exactly the thing.  The cooking methods are not comparable.  Microwaving a brocolli is not a substitute method for steaming or pressure cooking. 

 

Pressure cooking requires less liquid than an open vessel, hence less dilution in water.  But also you're not using it to save time/water over steaming a veg.  You're using it to cook sauces and stews and braises and stuff - to a target final volume - so in the end it's the same solids and liquids in the final product

[VABuckeye 2,472]

Breville Smart Oven Air

its an amazing appliance and you can cook up to a 14 lb turkey in it.  

[horn4life 3,818]

OK had to bump this back up as I was totally wrong.  We have used the shit out of it!

We got the smaller 6.5 quart Ninja Foodie and we honestly have eaten more at the house because of it than I expected for sure.  As folks may already know the ability to make perfect boiled and soft boiled eggs you can always peel is sweet in and of itself. Carnitas was the first thing we did, and something I had never done, turned out great. Did some chicken quarters I was gong to do BBQ style, but steamer overcooked in 10 minutes so chicken and rice it was.  Rice took no time in the chicken broth, mmmmmmm. I can see where since it's just she and I now we will use the thing a lot. Simply because of the speed of prep.  We have tended to eat our quite a bit simply because of the speed, but the Ninja Foodie is making us rethink "fast" as in getting in the car, getting the order placed, food to table, and getting the check and the check paid.  Sitting at home getting fast quality, and spending a fraction is actually sort of cool, especially when the quality it so good.  We were roasting a lot of veggies in the oven, and this unit can do the same thing with less energy and a lot faster.  A few minutes pressure cooking then air roasting or frying, and you have them in a few minutes.  From what I can tell, the only difference in air frying and air roasting is initial temp setting.

Instead of going out the other night wife wanted to do ribs and buy some HEB potato salad.  Instead she bought some potatoes, and 10 minutes later we were mixing the homemade salad together.  Got a big bowl and spread out the mixture about 1-1/2 thick around the bowl and tossed it into the outside fridge. 25 minutes later we had awesome baby backs.  We went 20 minutes on pressure then air fried 5 minutes, then added sauce and air fried another 5 minutes.  It was perfect except for the extra thick ends.  I would go 23-25 on the pressure, then air fry 5 min, sauce, then 5 min.  What used to take at a few hours, can be achieved in 45 minutes.

The only drawback is even the smaller 6.5 quart is pretty big on the countertop.  IF I were still feeding four of us I would have likely gone for the larger 8 quart.  Still learning and experimenting, but a lot more use and potential uses than I thought. So figured I should come back and say my initial thoughts were wrong.

[horn4life 3,818]

Last bump - if you are interested in a Ninja Foodi Walmart just dropped the price $50 on the 6.5 quart.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ninja-Foodi-TenderCrisp-6-5-Quart-Pressure-Cooker-Black-OP300/202602825?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227164667792&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=277926692388&wl4=aud-430887228898:pla-464588962301&wl5=9028322&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=202602825&veh=sem&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7OnxBRCNARIsAIW53B_d2Pr2gfC0svhBBShOSga7CwwIIYxu1CCzU_uCqVE_MWuK2rKT6-saAn2vEALw_wcB

[irishtexan 11,532]

On 12/11/2019 at 1:25 PM, formermav43 said:

I use my pressure cooker frequently, but didn’t see the need for an Instant Pot given I already had a slow cooker and, like you, didn’t want more unnecessary countertop appliances. But I have a traditional pressure cooker instead and I love it.

I just bought a pressure cooker. Not an instapot. the problem I'm having is that every single pressure cooker recipe I search for is for an instapot where it basically says "set it to [whatever] and wait!" I'm having problems finding practical information on how to actually use the pressure cooker. Any resources you, or anyone else with a stovetop pressure cooker can share? 

[Dbeasy 15,233]

Yes I will share the resource of wisdom. Take back your appliance and buy an instantpot.

[Asithappens 974]

1 hour ago, irishtexan said:

I just bought a pressure cooker. Not an instapot. the problem I'm having is that every single pressure cooker recipe I search for is for an instapot where it basically says "set it to [whatever] and wait!" I'm having problems finding practical information on how to actually use the pressure cooker. Any resources you, or anyone else with a stovetop pressure cooker can share? 

If you're using meat, brown it first. 

Then put the veggies in with the liquid. Bring to pressure and cook for 15-20 minutes. 

If it's not done, cook for a bit longer. 

It's really pretty easy. I have to think that google would be of help.

[Deej 77,177]

27 minutes ago, Asithappens said:

I have to think that google would be of help.

[formermav43 4,606]

2 hours ago, irishtexan said:

I just bought a pressure cooker. Not an instapot. the problem I'm having is that every single pressure cooker recipe I search for is for an instapot where it basically says "set it to [whatever] and wait!" I'm having problems finding practical information on how to actually use the pressure cooker. Any resources you, or anyone else with a stovetop pressure cooker can share? 

Serious eats has a bunch of pressure cooker recipes.

[elfenix 34,387]

7 hours ago, irishtexan said:

I just bought a pressure cooker. Not an instapot. the problem I'm having is that every single pressure cooker recipe I search for is for an instapot where it basically says "set it to [whatever] and wait!" I'm having problems finding practical information on how to actually use the pressure cooker. Any resources you, or anyone else with a stovetop pressure cooker can share? 

https://www.hippressurecooking.com/pressure-cooking-times/

[52-80 19,280]

15 hours ago, irishtexan said:

I just bought a pressure cooker. Not an instapot. the problem I'm having is that every single pressure cooker recipe I search for is for an instapot where it basically says "set it to [whatever] and wait!" I'm having problems finding practical information on how to actually use the pressure cooker. Any resources you, or anyone else with a stovetop pressure cooker can share? 

you mean a manual pressure cooker?  its basically the same.  the types of cooking you do in them (braises, stews, etc) is more or less lenient on temp and times. 

 

theres a marker to indicate if your pressure is low'ish or high'ish, then typically you cook in 20/40/60 minutes in terms of length.  an hour under pressure being equivalent to say 3 or 4 hours of simmering at room pressure.

 

and when done, you can do a quick pressure release or gradual one depending on whether you really want to maintain texture.  quite straight forward

 

 

[NorthLoop 14,303]

We're on our 3rd pressure cooker, and it's an actual Instant Pot. The 2 before were off brand. 

1st one worked about half the time. 

2nd one exploded and nearly burned my wife's face off. 

Spend the extra money and get the Instant Pot brand. 

[Continental Op 3,934]

Sounds like you should have followed the Tsarnaev brothers' instructions a bit more carefully with that second one.  

[NorthLoop 14,303]

11 minutes ago, Continental Op said:

Sounds like you should have followed the Tsarnaev brothers' instructions a bit more carefully with that second one.  

Maybe I did. 

[Continental Op 3,934]

[DalTxHornFan 3,122]

This is a good site for pressure cooker recipes:  https://www.dadcooksdinner.com/pressure-cooker-recipe-index/

[Doug E. Fresh 452]

anyone ever use a Thermomix?  Curious if there is any feedback out there.  We are moving to a flat in London and will have much less space and have a friend over there that raves about this.  It's pretty damn expensive though.

https://www.thermomix.com

[52-80 19,280]

7 hours ago, Doug E. Fresh said:

anyone ever use a Thermomix?  Curious if there is any feedback out there.  We are moving to a flat in London and will have much less space and have a friend over there that raves about this.  It's pretty damn expensive though.

https://www.thermomix.com

my friends who love these are also bachelors/non-food people, so its a know your audience sort of thing.  im not down with the concept