Instant Pot Review (the new Pro vs the old Duo)

[@ChongFrisbee]

talking about consistency... this channel is the only cooking related one I kept subscribed to, precisely because it is consistent. In terms of quality content, mind you

[@marcfruchtman9473]

I agree, the lack of accurate temperature settings to "dumb down" the settings is absolutely frustrating. Thanks for the info about the Sous-vide setting.

[@soundfable9909]

I'm so excited for the upcoming bean video!

[@joesleavy9435]

bean waiting for that

[@kelleyforeman]

I had no idea that you like the slow cook function for cooking beans! I have an instant pot Duo, but I've always used the pressure cook setting. I'm very interested in learning a new method in the next video! Thanks, Helen!

[@cathygallivan8553]

I prefer to cook dried beans using the pressure cook function. It's really fast! You don't have to soak the beans first but if you do the beans will be cooked more uniformly.

[@darylfortney8081]

Totally agree with not wanting “smart” appliances but preferring accurate

[@SandiHooper]

Helen I love how tenacious and solution oriented you are! Great work around on the beans. I haven’t entered the Instapot world yet, and this really makes me hesitate. The slow cooker function is just as important of a feature as the pressure cooker in my kitchen. And I don’t have a ton of space for single use appliances, but if I can’t count on the slow cooker to stay steady over an 8-12 hour time frame, that’s kind of a deal breaker. Especially if the sous vide function isn’t really good enough. Thanks for this thorough discussion. I always know that you’re not just a subjective reviewer because you’ve got data to back up your review-kudos on another great video

[@MelanieOh]

I feel the same way as you about the lack of documentation and specificity for things like temperature in new cooking appliances these days. Accuracy and standardization are the way of kitchen consistency and excellence!

[@Banagal]

I just bought a new Instant Pot Duo because my old one was limping a bit. I love cooking beans and bean soups; I look forward to your next video. I find it interesting to learn bean cooking temperatures. Thank you, Helen.

[@neilpickup237]

One thing that I particularly like about the flat bottomed liner is that it can go on the stovetop. Not only does it heat-up more quickly, and is easier to regulate, but it is now directly under the extractor hood.

[@CheeseDud]

I’ve found the Sous Vide function in mine to only have a variance of 1-2 degrees and have had great success with steaks!

[@TheVirtualTim]

I don’t own an Instant Pot was sure was tempted. Your video is making me do a re-think. I wanted something to cook quinoa and rice (so I ended up going with a rice cooker). I use a slow-cooker for beans.

[@daviswinnick3765]

Great video Helen!

[@vaazig]

Instant pot sous vide pro tip: Making chevre cheese at 25°C for 24h. The pressure cooker function sterilises the vessel beforehand.

[@neilmunro6683]

Hi Helen I have instant pot pro plus because it has a canning feature.. I haven't found the slow cooker to be a problem but the pot is marvellous. I will have to do some checking.. Thanks..Lochness Scottish Highlands..

[@dagnolia6004]

Helen tells it like it is!

[@BulletproofPastor]

Specification loss in user manuals is widespread. Generations ago a car manual told you how to adjust the engine valves, today it warns you not to drink the water in the radiator.

[@ecospider5]

Great information as always. Thanks

[@TheArcSet]

Thanks for this. Finally got a steel pressure cooking (10.00 in a thrift store) and I've been enjoying instant chicken adobo. I can see the convenience of a programmable one though, when they hold a precise temperature.

[@garryhammond3117]

Thanks Helen - Your videos are always informative and enlightening. - Cheers!

[@BatPotatoes]

I've had my instant pot pro for about two years now. I like the handles and I prefer to use the insert on the stove top for any sautee or browning. I found my 6qt instant pot pro has a much more wimpy heating element than my old 8qt duo, and it really struggles to come up to pressure. The lid also traps water in between layers of metal. It makes a very strange hissing/gurgling sound under pressure sometimes, and I have to dry it handle side up to drain all that water out of the secret hiding places. I also HATE the beeps. So many beeps. All I want the dial to do is control the heating element and nothing else.

[@liamtahaney713]

Simple and accurate is better.

[@akicarus9508]

Such a hard Woman when it comes to the kitchen. I appreciate it.

[@TheSimArchitect]

I use the sous vide setting for slow cooking. There's also another model that has an "air fryer" lid (I have one from another brand). It's fantastic for browning. I wish you had given it a try. I use it to brown my onions or to give some color to my meats after or before slow cooking. Also great to make omelets (the version I am talking about has a teflon inner pan). Very happy to see you playing around with it again, nonetheless. Have a lovely Holiday Season! 🎄🎁🥂 Oh, and you can change the duration and temperature on those pre set cycles by pressing the round button and rolling it to the sides to adjust. 🙂

[@birkoishere]

If I may be so bold as to ask - What is the air fryer lid made of? And what is the coating?

[@dirtyketchup]

Also, this is why I refuse to buy "smart" appliances whenever it's a viable option. Not only it is annoying to try to fight with them when they try to outthink you, but then you have to replace a perfectly useful appliance because some cheap chip finally burnt out. I know my stovetop pressure cooker can't do all of these same functions, but I find comfort in knowing that it can handle the majority of tasks, plus I get the benefit of ultimate searing power that isn't throttled by a lawyer-driven safety feature (not to mention my 12-qt pressure cooker takes up as much space as a 6-8qt electric one). I also keep one of those old fashioned slow cookers from the 90's for any of my "set it and forget it" needs. Those old crocks are bulletproof and I know I can rely on it for beans without ever needing to replace a perfectly useful appliance.

[@stevegee_smokinpapasteve]

I cook a lot of Dal and beans and have been debating about getting a simple pressure cooker as I don't want another appliance joining my kitchen counters. Looking forward to your next video. Thanks

[@3075stephen]

I like the quick cool tray that rapidly brings down the pressure.

[@alexanderk.3177]

Hmm! I haven't used my Instant Pot Mini for a proper bean cooking yet -- but am ready for an advice on how to cook dry beans in IPot to perfection. 🎉

[@yvans.73]

I recently bought a new pot because I wanted to use it to make yogurt, but the sous vide function was one I was also planning to use. Thanks for letting us know about the inaccurate temperatures and for giving me more ideas about how to make use of it!

[@Hanimex.]

Good thing you can still use your old IP for slow cooking if it's not sealing properly.

[@TristouMTL]

I want accurate tools, too, although luckily, I don't have to develop recipes. I do want to be able to follow them, however :) I love my Instant Pot (new version), and tried the slow cook function a few times, noticed no real difference, and forgot about it. However, my early youth was spent in a farmhouse with no electricity or plumbing and our meals were cooked on a wood stove that my hippie mother learned to use. No temperature dial, not even a working temperature gauge or anything other than her hand to say it's at the right temperature, and even when she got the temperature right, she'd have to keep it constant herself by controlling the airflow and the amount and size of wood that was burning and how much heat went to the oven compared to the stove-top above she was using for preparing the rest of the meal. I have nothing but respect for her and indeed, my ancestors who fed entire families in such conditions and never thought twice about it, perhaps marvelling at the fact that they had nice cast iron stoves with ovens instead of cooking over a fire pit like THEIR ancestors did. And I have never had better freshly baked bread than what she made with that stove. Well, perhaps hot Montréal wood-fired bagels come close :)

[@philipp594]

You can use the inner pot of the pro on the stovetop.

[@chongli297]

Now I'm waiting for the new video with bated breath! I have an Instant Pot Lux Mini and an 8 qt Duo Plus. I specifically avoided buying the Pro because of all the changes to the way cooking works and the control wheel which I find very annoying compared to the simple buttons of the older models

[@sportswolf1]

I was just going to buy another instant pot, but not now. Thanks for the timely video

[@snowyminnesota6028]

Helen, I don't know if you're planning on including this in your upcoming beans video, but I like doing those multi-bean (like 12, 15, 16) mixes. I usually do them in an enameled Dutch oven on the stove or in the oven, but if there's a good way to do it in the Instant Pot, I'd sure like to know about it. I know using fresh beans is important, too; so, living where I do (rural midwest), the one place that seems to have a handle on their turnover and keeps things fresher than elsewhere is Walmart. Just a thought in case there are other small-town people like me who want to cook better. I patronize my local independent grocers as much as possible, but sometimes they just can't come up to the mark.

[@kelleyforeman]

I'm a midwesterner, too, and I've been ordering beans from Rancho Gordo. My sister and I split an order so we can get enough beans to qualify for free shipping that we can still use in a timely manner. Their beans are outstanding!

[@marchismo]

Thank your for this video.Your analysis is so thorough!

[@laurenterry1711]

I like my Pro. Though, I NEVER use it to slow cook. I think I did once and it must have been a disaster because I never did it again. I use it mainly use it to pressure cook my beans.

[@along5925]

Wonderful information. Thank you!

[@MrKirby365]

I wanted the new instant pot until I found this out, The slow cook function is like 50% of the reason I like my pot... what a bummer

[@dirtyketchup]

More bean tutorials coming, Helen?! Oh my goodness, just when I thought you had already spoiled us with your legume lessons, and now we're getting more? Your passion continues to impress.

[@jeremiahbullfrog9288]

This new appliance sounds even worse than the old one! Thanks for sharing your unbiased review and I am stoked for the bean guide.

[@doctaflo]

question, Helen: every slow cooker and air fryer i’ve owned puts off a plastic smell when running, even after many uses. do you have this problem, or am i buying the wrong brands? i keep reading “this is normal,” but if it’s getting in my nose, it has to be getting into the food, right? i guess you could claim it’s in insufficient quantities to do harm, and i’m sure driving a car or running a gas cooktop puts out worse contamination, but it still skeeves me out. plus i feel like sooner or later the other shoe will drop in the form of some public health study demonstrating there was no such thing as a safe amount of plastic to inhale or eat. thoughts?

[@helenrennie]

it's not likely to be plastic, but the oil covering some components so that they don't rust. is that good to inhale? probably not. That being said, I didn't notice that on my Instant pot (definitely not after the first use). My breville toaster oven had that issue, but that was only a problem on the first couple of uses.

[@doctaflo]

@ thanks, super-helpful to know!

[@bberdan6603]

Temperatures are not accurate on mine or daughter's insta-pot pro. I am going to get another crock pot that I'd hope the instapot was to replace.

[@firstlast446]

dang I have the ultra from 2017 and all the things you like other than the condensation have always been my only issues with it, almost a shame it's still going strong so I can't justify upgrading lol

[@juts89]

I thought they went bankrupt, surprised new ones are still coming out

[@PredictableEnigma]

Great video! Thanks for the info Helen. Now I know to be careful when looking for instant pot recipes to make sure thier instructions apply to my model. *sigh*

[@thequantaleaper]

Wvery beans recipe I find for the IP is for pressure cooked, how long at high slow cooked in the Duo?

[@nunyabeezwacks1408]

I'd like to know this, too!

[@helenrennie]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5q4lKydrpuKldU Take this video with a grain of salt. I don't know if all Duos work the same way. Mine maintained perfect 194F at slow cooker high

[@fredbrown7954]

Standards should be followed. Not guesses in cooking 🎉

[@UTeewb]

I don't have one but doesn't the pro have a sous vide setting? Thinking if the Sous Vide setting works, you could just set sous vide to 194 and make your beans as you normally would.

[@lottebelice]

That’s what she’s talking about in this video from 4:01, right?

[@UTeewb]

@ lol I swear I watched the whole video but either she reuploaded or I got distracted :p

[@lottebelice]

@@UTeewb that is so relatable though lol

[@friesencj1]

I purchased the pro model three years ago and found it frustrating that it didn’t have a yogurt setting. The lack of instructions for this product is very frustrating. Having a background in food service quality assurance I expect accurate information and results- time/temperature etc to produce a safe end product. If an appliance is to operate at a temperature or within a range it should be held to that standard. So Im in agreement with you that they should provide the temperature specification range information to the end user in their product manual. The machine has to have thermostat sensors and programming to adjust when out of range. These should be fully tested before releasing the product to customers. Like most corporations once they have your money they really don’t care about following up with the customer concerns. They may silently listen and improve the next model in hopes of capturing your hard earned money once again. It’s a disposable world we live in. BTW I figured out that I could use the sous vide setting to make my yogurt - my sous vide runs 2-3 degrees warmer than the specified temperature required to make yogurt. Thank goodness for probe thermometers - but they also need calibration periodically. Looking forward to the bean video.

[@hollandsemum1]

The thing I've always found frustrating accuracy wise are older European recipes designed for preset ovens, which are labled by number (1-5, etc). If they don't include the temperature, it's not helpful in the US. One of my Dutch cookbooks does list both, so I use that as a guide and pencil notes in as necessary. What all of them do is to give a term or range for temperature, such as slow, or xx° to xx°, along with the usual 5 to 10 minute range of baking time. So you really need to understand what you're making and your oven's individual quirks in order to get a compatible temperature and time - more pencil notes.

[@a_trauma_llama2991]

Your point about lack of clarity for the technology is perfect. We can still use ancient recipes by adapting to modern kitchens, so too should a new Insta user be able to use older recipes without worry, just a little knowledge of the devices. For the beans, what about the overnight soak method? I know that's popular in latina cooking, but I don't know beans well enough to know if its applicable to your fave.

[@xandrios]

Never owned one of these... would it make sense to get the older Duo model now that these are on sale everywhere?

[@keletienne7947]

What do you use to measure the temperature over time in this video?

[@rickm5271]

Here, here! Accuracy is much more important!

[@daylus4358]

Fantastic as always! Real bummer about the slow cooker though.

[@Chance57]

Ive had the duo evo plus for year and it cracked in a move. Just got the pro the day before Thanksgiving because they don't make that one anymore and it's literally the same thing. Im kinda hype its black now though because matches everything else I have.

[@justinyoung9055]

Time for you to join team Crockpot for slow cooker beans and pot roasts!

[@transparenthuman]

The slow cook function on the Pro works just like my modern Crock Pot when it's in slow cook mode and not sous vide mode the way you describe it. Maybe they were going for recipe parity with generic slow cooker recipes?

[@lizardas]

That's weird about your condensation cup overflowing. I have an older model, bought 8 years ago, which I use all the time, and I've never once had that happen. I can't even remember ever emptying the condensation cup. But when mine croaks, I'm getting the Pro. I've read many favorable comments about it on the Facebook IP site. When anyone asks which model to get, the answer is invariably the Pro.

[@vanci3449]

DOPE VIDEO!!!!

[@sharvo6]

If you're going to do a video on cooking beans, you must have found a work around ... looking forward to it!

[@lmiaaamin1660]

just received my pressure cooker When I close th lid Then move it it can move slightly forward &back Is that normal?

[@PaulDominguez]

There's a reason they don't include the temp range because Instant Pot manufacturer knows the problem but chooses to cut corners rather than fix the problem.

[@caseroberts9863]

Have you tried the Ninja? The pot is smaller, but it might be more accurate.

[@nishiki393]

The Ninja pot is also coated with garbo non-stick coating isn't it? One of the best things about the IP is the high quality solid non coated stainless steel inner pots they come with.

[@caseroberts9863]

@nishiki393 Honestly, I don't know. I don't have either one. I also watch the Foresty Forest channel. He has the Ninja Foodi 10 in 1 He seems to use it weekly. It's supposed to be safe non stick ceramic. Not Teflon. Anyways, that's what I know. 😬

[@nishiki393]

@@caseroberts9863 Okay thanks for the reply, and I'll check out that channel. The safer coatings are likely better but I doubt they are 100% safe though. And with regard to these, it's not just the coating chemicals I worry about either, it's also the fact that these manufacturers use it so that they can use cheaper aluminum inner pots... and when the nonstick coating flakes off, is scratched off, etc, exposing the underlying aluminum... aluminum consumption is not healthy at all. So all in all it just makes for more of a disposable society because then you have to throw the whole inner pot out at minimum or possibly the whole device sometimes if they don't provide replacements at a reasonable cost.

[@mightymarf265]

Hallelujah!

[@GeorgeWTush]

If you can't set the temperature on the damned thing, no. Just no. Forever no.

[@Brandon1Wright]

I like cooking beans in a Dutch oven.

[@JohnNathanShopper]

💛

[@mattv5281]

I will never buy another instant pot after they deleted the Bluetooth functionality (that I paid extra for) from mine. They literally deleted the app from the app store, so it no longer works. I was able to use it as a rudimentary sous vide by setting a temperature in the app. There's no way to do that on the control panel on mine. Additionally, the user interface has always been confusing. Extra features don't work well, for example saute mode has temperature swings so wide that its almost useless. "Normal" alternates between cooking my onions and barely keeping them warm, but "More" alternates between cooking them and burning them. And I can't put it on my induction stove since the pot is dome shaped. I mainly use it as a rice cooker, but it's not even very good at that. I should have just bought a rice cooker instead.

[@kenmore01]

Design issues I can understand. Even if it is a downgrade from a previous model, though that's harder to forgive. The one thing I will never forgive is customer service ignoring you. That happened recently with an item I have with a "lifetime warranty". I wrote them and they didn't respond at all, so I bought a new one from their competition, and I'll never buy theirs again.

[@sac856]

Wonderful and very beautiful..🌻

[@WooYewMing]

I don't know who else feels this way, but Helen, the new thumbnail styles really don't fit your channel. They give off high-energy, high production, high editing (...or editing while high) youtube channel energy. it really feels like a mismatch to the calming nonchalant vibe that your channel is mostly about. I hope I'm not the only one that wishes for the thumbnail style change to be reverted. But that's my opinion.

[@moshebaum7612]

I feel the same, but if that’s what gets people educated about cooking - it’s a small price to pay

[@helenrennie]

I hear you about thumbnails. The old ones were made by me. The new ones are made by a designer. Why? Because KZbin is a competitive place and just like anyone else I need to get paid for my work, which is getting harder and harder. I realize that won't make you like those thumbnails any more, but I am guessing that my audience is just like me and they always want to know "why?"

[@Arberin]

I disagree, I think they're quite slick looking without being overly clickbaity (despite a few unnecessary arrows here and there)

[@DijonStockpile]

Good for the algorithm I reckon.

[@donotreply8979]

​@@Arberinthey're ugly, i hope the designer fixes them too not be so ugly yet effective

[@GenericMcName]

Yeah, no, that'd be infuriating enough to be instantly returned on my end. This isn't just mildly infuriating, it's a straight downgrade in disguise as "progress".

[@tomwestbrook]

Electric pressure cookers are a sure sign of the decline and fall of wester civilization. You'd have to pry my old stove top pressure cooker from my cold, dead fingers. I'll give it a thumbs up anyway, grudgingly. 😂

[@cmugy]

first. love your videos Helen

[@youtubegarbage7876]

IYou wish for more accurate cooking LEARN THE METRIC SYSTEM

[@Kickipod]

great video as always, but... please disable the autotranslated description, it reads very unprofessional. And why should one need a german description for an english video?

[@bjones9942]

Ovens are rarely what temperature the display/knob says either - and that's been the rule forever. Pots and pans differ in conductivity and heat retention widely between brands and sizes. One person cooks rice on the stove with a 1:1 ratio of water and gets perfect results. Another needs a 1:1.25 ratio because the lid on their pot doesn't fit as well (and this is why everyone's 'best' rice cooking method is only 'best' for them - even yours, Helen LoL). I go through a testing phase every time I get new kitchen equipment. It's a fact of life; I don't let it bother me.