The One Surprising Item That Will Solve Your Kitchen Clutter Problems

Instant Pot

Most of us have at least a few different small appliances in our kitchens. While almost every small kitchen appliance does something you can do on your stovetop or in your oven, we buy them because they offer added convenience that traditional methods can’t match. But after a certain point, those convenient appliances start to become an organizational nuisance. After all, each of those “small” appliances takes up a certain amount of room!

That’s one of the reasons why the Instant Pot makes such a valuable addition to any kitchen. Because you can use this one appliance to replace at least seven of those other small appliances that are taking up your valuable storage space. And that’s exactly what we’ll be exploring in today’s blog post! Find out how your Instant Pot can streamline your kitchen storage, and help you make the absolute most of the time you spend in the kitchen. :-)

Instant Pot

And to learn even more about this incredible cooker, check out my eBook Everything Instant Pot! This handy reference guide is packed with tips and tricks for both beginners and experienced users alike. You can find it in my shop, or get it for free if you’re an OGT Plus member!

7 Appliances You Can Replace With Your Instant Pot

Instant Pot

1. Pressure Cooker

The Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker, so the most obvious tool it can replace in your kitchen is your old stovetop pressure cooker! With 10 safety mechanisms, the Instant Pot is much safer (not to mention more consistent and user-friendly) than the stovetop variety. Pressure cooking is one of the best ways to enjoy deliciously tender foods in a fraction of the time of other methods!

Instant Pot

2. Slow Cooker

The Instant Pot is so much more than just a pressure cooker too. You can even replace your crockpot with it! The “Slow Cook’ program works just like your crockpot, and has Low, Medium, and High heat settings. (The default heat setting for “Slow Cook” is Medium. To change the heat setting, adjust to More for High heat, or Less for Low heat.)

I highly recommend investing in a glass lid like this one to use when slow cooking in your Instant Pot. It works just like any other crockpot lid does, releasing excess steam while retaining as much moisture as possible during cooking.

Want a more thorough explanation about how the Instant Pot differs from a crockpot? Get all the details at the link below!

Related: Instant Pot vs. Slow Cooker – What You Need To Know

Instant Pot

3. Rice Cooker

Rice is the one food I cook most frequently in my Instant Pot, by a long shot! Rice is a great side dish for many of my family’s favorite dishes, and cooking it in my Instant Pot takes next to no effort. And the best part is that the rice is perfectly cooked every time! And while you can also make perfect rice in a rice cooker, it takes longer to cook than it would in an Instant Pot.

Related: This One Added Ingredient Makes The Best Rice Ever

Instant Pot

4. Yogurt Maker

If you’ve never tried homemade yogurt, you are in for a treat my friend! It’s so delicious, and you don’t need a bulky yogurt maker to do it. You can make it right in your Instant Pot with the “Yogurt” program! While the process isn’t hard, it does require some specific steps to get it right. (It is a fermentation process, after all!)

To get the full step-by-step instructions on how to make delicious homemade yogurt in your Instant Pot, read my full post on the topic at the link below.

Related: This Is The Easiest Way To Make Delicious And Healthy Homemade Yogurt

Instant Pot

5. Steamer

Replace any steamer device with the Instant Pot, the perfect tool for quickly steaming vegetables and fish. It’s really quick, and can perfectly steam even the most delicate foods! There are a variety of steamer baskets you can buy online to use in your Instant Pot, like this mesh steamer basket. There are also stackable steamer baskets that allow you to cook steam multiple foods at once!

Instant Pot

6. Warmer

Your Instant Pot can replace anything you might use to keep food warm, whether it’s just until dinnertime or throughout a whole party! The Instant Pot has a “Keep Warm” function that turns on after pressure cooking, but you can also turn it on manually any time you want. Keeping soups, dips, and other foods warm is a breeze with this handy function!

Instant Pot

7. Sauté Pan

The “Sauté” program on your Instant Pot is such a brilliant addition to the versatile machine. While you can pressure cook raw meat as is, searing it beforehand helps to give it a deeper flavor. The “Sauté” program allows you to sear your meat right inside your Instant Pot so you don’t have to use one of your clean pans doing it on your stovetop!

You can also use the “Sauté” program to thicken sauces and soups after pressure cooking, or even to make stir-fry!

Instant Pot

… And More!

I based the list above on the capabilities of the the Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1, their most popular model and the one most frequently purchased on Amazon. But other models have different capabilities and features. For instance, the Duo Plus 9-in-1 models have three additional programs: “Sterilize,” “Egg,” and “Cake.”

And the Instant Pot 8-quart Aura Pro model is shaking up the game even further! If pressure cooking isn’t your thing, you can grab this multi-cooker that includes a super useful a “Sous Vide” program! Cooking sous vide yields some of the most tender, perfectly cooked foods you’ll ever taste with zero guesswork required on your part.

Instant Pot

So no matter what model you own or are looking to buy, rest assured that your Instant Pot can replace many of the small kitchen appliances that are cluttering up your cupboards! :-)

What’s your favorite way to use your Instant Pot?

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Jill Nystul (aka Jillee)

Jill Nystul is an accomplished writer and author who founded the blog One Good Thing by Jillee in 2011. With over 30 years of experience in homemaking, she has become a trusted resource for contemporary homemakers by offering practical solutions to everyday household challenges.I share creative homemaking and lifestyle solutions that make your life easier and more enjoyable!

About Jillee

Jill Nystul

Jill’s 30 years of homemaking experience, make her the trusted source for practical household solutions.

About Jillee

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15 Comments

  1. My dear friend gave me the 8 quart Instant Pot for Christmas and I’ve enjoyed using it. I’ve got a large family to cook for and I’ve thought of getting a second one in order to cook rice and whatever main dish I’m serving that day at the same time. I love that it cooks so quickly but I don’t feel like it’s as reliable as my slow cookers. I’ll never part with those!

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  2. I think of the instant pot as more of a 3in1. As a pressure cooker, rice cooker and saute pan it works well. However when using it as a slow cooker, my food sticks to the bottom, which I dislike. And the keep-warm feature on my instant pot mini doesn’t keep it at serving temperature, so I still have to microwave it. As for a yogurt maker, I don’t own one as Astro makes several great flavors with minimal additives. And most of those appliances are stored in my cupboard when not in use. Now if you could put away the other clutter that really does live on my countertops, I’m in!

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  3. I use my ‘Keep Warm’ function to reheat food as well; straight from the fridge. Just put your food in there and press the button. I put the lid on and walk away but if you want to stir and watch over it you could probably leave the lid off. Your choice. And there is no pressure build up so no wait, just open the lid and serve.

    If I get side tracked it keeps the food at that perfect temp, no worries.

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  4. I know this is an older post. But, I recommend the ninja Foodi :) does everything an instapot does and also dehydrates, and air fries:) I have had electric pressure cookers since before there even was an instapot.. it’s just a brand, there are others that do the same thing. QVC even has there own.

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  5. I do not like everyday cooking. My late husband did most of the cooking for us. But now I have to do my own and my instant pot is a lifesaver for me. I use either that or my microwave for just about everything I cook..

    The Sauté feature is one of my favorites. In addition to sautéing meats that I will finish cooking under pressure or in slow cook mode, I use it when sautéing ground meet for tacos, etc. The high sides guarantee that there is never any spatter mess to clean up.

    My second favorite feature is Steam. Perfect “hard boiled” eggs and the shells peel effortlessly every time. No more eggs that look like a mine field when you are finished peeling them.

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    • You would probably also get good use out of a toaster oven. Before the instant pot it was my go-to for cooking small amounts of meat, chicken or fish (fish doesn’t even need to be defrosted) and you can throw a few veggies in the tray with them. Then there’s leftovers for lunch or freeze a meal for another day. Perfect if you’re craving chicken with the crispy skin -spray with cooking oil and sprinkle with Cajun spice, simple!

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  6. If there’s another instant pot post, I may have to unsubscribe.

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    • Hi LJ! I’m sorry that you’re not a fan of the Instant Pot content, but luckily, I post 7 days a week and there is plenty of content about other things! :-)

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    • I Like theses posts, and you don’t have to read them. I want to get an Insta Pot and I am learning. Skim over them and read Jillee’s other amazing ideas.

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    • I simply don’t read them and concentrate on subjects in which I am interested.

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  7. I bought a pot that does all the instant pot does. I don’t need or want the instant pot. To me tis a fancy rush to get and in a years time just something else to have to move so I can get something behind it. And oh it is a pressure cooker also. My son the chef loves it.

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    • ??? Tell us what it is that you have found. Would really like to know. Jody?.

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