Instant Pot
 

Sounds exactly what I need, but wanted to ask here first. Do you brown meat before stewing? I take it the pot has not exploded on you folks? Is 6 qt a lot for one person, although several days' leftovers would be great?

They're basically trendy pressure cookers, right?

6 qt is enough for a family of four with leftovers.

I believe there's an IP thread in the dining forum.

You can use the saute function and brown the meat in the pot.

It has many more safeguards than a traditional pressure cooker and I've never heard of one exploding. But if doing the quick release steam method, watch your fingers.

They are far more than a pressure cooker. It's just as much a slow cooker, but can also be used to saute, steam, cook rice, etc.

love mine. You can brown the meat first, and then use the "stew" option, and let it go.

I've been making meatballs and pasta, takes like 10 minutes, so simple. They do have pressure relief valves, and there's a few other safety measures.

Seriously - you can brown the meat in this thing? One downside of many crock pot recipes is the need to brown the meat before it goes into the crock pot.

Yeah, really! I might just get one...

I brown boneless, skinless chicken thighs for stews and curries. Never made soup before, but if this device is as great as it sounds I'd try.

For a solo household, I'd probably try a 3 qt machine first.

I really, really want one of these but I'm afraid it will prematurely mothball our expensive Zoji rice cooker.

As someone who was a one-person household when I bought mine, I'd disagree. Go with a 6 or 7 quart.

I love my instant pot but don't make rice in it because I love my Zojirushi!

What I have heard about the Instant Pot is that it is good at many things, but rice is not one of them—keep the Zojirushi. I am idly contemplating the IP, but wondering why a person who’s lived 50 years without either a pressure cooker or a slow cooker would suddenly change her cooking methods to use one. (However, I did come to the rice cooker late in life and absolutely love it.)

I believe that the Instant Pot choice is either 6 or 8 quart.

Truly a great cooking device!

I must say I dont cook often but love my instant pot!!! take a chicken or turkey carcass, water and veggies and in minutes have an amazing bone broth. its a great and easy to use device which is a must for me

I love my instant pot.
i already had a stove top pressure cooker, butnot a slow cooker when I bought it.

i use it more than anything else.

Thanks, folks! Looks like 6 qt will be likely. I'm an old geezer who's never used a slow cooker nor pressure cooker either. I rarely eat rice at home, so I keep TJ frozen packets on hand. I prefer couscous with curry/stew, which comes out OK in the microwave.