Instant Pot Study 2024

Pie chart shows how often people use the Instant Pot on average

Welcome to the biggest Instant Pot survey ever made!

We asked more than 1000 Instant Pot users about their cooking habits and here are the results.

Instant Pot drawing alongside a colorful pie chart

 

Our daily meals, cooking habits, and livelihood revolve around the Instant Pot, and this is what intrigued us to ask pertinent questions to our readers and subscribers. 

For this research, we surveyed 1108 Instant Pot users about their cooking routine. We were curious about how people use the Instant Pot in real life.

While we know how we use the Instant Pot, we also understand that not everyone uses their Instant Pot in the same way or for the same purposes as us - and this is what prompted this survey.

How frequently do we use the Instant Pot?

At Corrie Cooks, we use the Instant Pot every single day. There isn't one specific meal that we use it for, as we have recipes for literally just about anything and everything that you can imagine.

Not only do we use the Instant Pot daily, but we use it often multiple times a day and even pack one with us when we're traveling and going on vacation.

We use our Instant Pot frequently because it's a time-saver and a money-saver for us, and it makes really great food, too.

Pie chart shows how often people use the Instant Pot on average

Shockingly, just 4% of our surveyors use the Instant Pot as much as we do. The largest portion of participants (39%) use their pressure cooker 1-2 times per week.

There are also 5% of people who own an Instant Pot that "rarely" use it - meaning that it's just sitting on the shelf or the counter collecting dust.

(This could also mean that they save it for special occasions like holidays, etc., when the oven is being used and they need another cooking appliance to assist.)

How many Instant Pots do you really need?

We think that you need a lot, as in 4 or more. And that's a statement we'd back up by showing how often we use it.

It's nice having multiple Instant Pots because it gives you the freedom to make multiple dishes without having to wait for the cleaning to happen. While one Instant Pot liner is being cleaned, you can be using another at the same time.

It's also important to point out that just because we have multiple Instant Pots doesn't mean that they're all the same size. The sizes vary in quarts, which means that they can make large or small portions of any recipe that you're cooking.

Pie chart shows how many Instant Pot people have per household

Over 76% of those we surveyed said that one Instant Pot was really all that was needed. 18% put in their input that having two Instant Pots was a great plan, while only 1% thought that you needed at least four.

Is one Instant Pot enough for the average family?

If the average family size is 4-5 people, then one Instant Pot will be enough for the most part. There will be times when it would be nice to have two, such as the holidays or when you want to create dinner AND dessert using the Instant Pot, but those times will be far and few in between.

You can always start with one Instant Pot and see what it feels like and how the flow of the cooking is. If you're feeling stressed out constantly, you can always increase it to two.

Who’s afraid of the Instant Pot?

We remember the first time we try to cook in the Instant Pot. We were afraid that once we secure the lid and move the valve into the sealing position, after a while it's gonna explode.

Surprisingly, it didn't happen and we got a perfect Jasmine rice instead.

Pie chart shows whether people afraid of the Instant Pot before the first use

According to our research, almost 70% of the users were afraid of the Instant Pot before their first usage in some regard.

This fact makes me feel happy and sad, at the same time. Happy because we're not alone in our feelings, but sad knowing that so many people are frightened to use it, when there's actually nothing scary about it at all."

The Instant Pot is a very safe kitchen appliance to use. Just pay attention to the directions and to not rush the cooking process or to try and remove the lid during the cooking.

Being aware and being afraid are two very different things, and as long as we follow the simple cooking instructions, nothing should be happening.

Fortunately, the fear diminished over time.

What do we cook?

The great thing about the Instant Pot is that it can cook any type of dish without any issue at all. Don't believe me? These Instant Pot Cinnamon Rolls is a perfect morning starter, this Instant Pot Shrimp Boil for Lunch is divine, this Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli makes an amazing dinner, and for dessert, whipping up this Instant Pot Chocolate Cake is a breeze. Top it off with some Instant Pot Homemade Wine, and you're all set.

The point of all the above recipes is to prove that you can cook up all types of breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and drink options that you want - all in your handy dandy Instant Pot.

Gone are the days when you had to wait hours for meals to cook or heat up your entire house just to warm up the stove. The Instant Pot is an amazing kitchen appliance that does amazing recipes in a fraction of the time.

Bar charts shows the top dishes people make in the Instant Pot like chicken, beef, soup, pork and rice

An astounding 80% of our readers cook chicken in the Instant Pot as their ingredient of choice. This comes as no surprise since it can be hard to cook chicken perfectly using traditional ways.

With over 60% of surveyors cooking soup in the Instant Pot, this just goes to show that people love to use their pressure cooker for recipes that are normally longer to cook with other cooking methods.

(Think about the time difference between cooking chili in the slow cooker versus cooking chili in a crockpot. We're talking literal HOURS of cooking time difference between the two.)

Why do so many people use their Instant Pot to cook chicken?

Cooking chicken in the Instant Pot happens for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, chicken is an affordable cut of meat, making it a choice for families worldwide.

Secondly, cooking the chicken in the Instant Pot is a great way to cook it perfectly without drying it out and making it challenging. The pressure cooker helps to keep the chicken moist and tender during the cooking process.

Bar chart shows all the foods people make in the Instant Pot from the most popular

The numbers above show that most people use their Instant Pot for cooking proteins, soups, rice, and beans.

At the very bottom are the desserts (11.8%), drinks (1.6%), and bread (2.4%).

The other category has quite a few (almost 20%!), which could include candies, cleaners, soaps, crayons, and more.

Seeing this wide variety is just more proof that the Instant Pot is a one-stop-shop for cooking just about anything and everything you can think of.

Do you use the Instant Pot as a slow cooker?

One of the biggest surprises that most people learn is that their Instant Pot can be used in other ways.

Almost 70% of surveyors didn't know that they could be using their Instant Pot as a slow cooker, too.

And while it's nice to have fast and easy meals in half the time, there are a few recipes out there that do need to cook longer than others - which is what the slow cooker feature is perfect for.

It's always a great feeling to let people know that they don't HAVE to spend money on both a slow cooker and an Instant Pot. That one purchase (the Instant Pot) would be able to function as both.

Bar chart shows how many people use the slow cook function of the Instant Pot

We got many requests to convert slow cooker recipes into Instant Pot recipes. But in real life, how many users really use the Instant Pot slow cook function?

We were actually surprised to find out that almost 32% of readers use other cooking methods on their Instant Pot.

Since most people want the Instant Pot for its quick-cooking ability, we honestly didn't expect this number to be so high.

Which functions do we use?

The top two functions that we use all the time are the pressure cook function, and the saute function - sometimes in the same recipe.

This is because a lot of Instant Pot recipes are one-pot recipes meaning that you can do all the recipe steps in the Instant Pot with some transferring and cleaning in between.

Bar chart shows the top functions people use on the Instant Pot like pressure cook, saute and air fry

Based on the high votes above, we're in good company! Just 20% use the air fry feature, and 19% use their Instant Pot to steam.

The majority use their pot to saute and pressure cook, just like we do.

Diving in a bit deeper, you'll see below that only 3.7% use the sous vide method - a great feature. This tutorial will teach you How To Sous Vide In Instant Pot, so you're not missing out!

Bar chart shows the frequently used Instant Pot functions from pressure cook to sous vide

How many people really use it to make bread?

Making bread in the Instant Pot falls into the "other" category, and that shows that 8.8% of people are making bread or something else in the Instant Pot.

If you haven't tried to make bread in the pressure cooker, try this Instant Pot Banana Bread. You can also make Instant Pot Cornbread as well.

What’s the most important function?

Most recipes will have you pressure cook and saute, so those are going to be the most important features to learn how to use.

Do we really need the yogurt button?

That all depends on if you make yogurt. This Instant Pot Greek Yogurt is simple to make and is a great money saver.

We make a lot of homemade yogurts because it's great knowing the ingredients that are being added and not having to worry about processed or added sugars.

We go into our thoughts a little bit deeper on the subject here: Is It Worth It To Make Yogurt In An Instant Pot?

The future of the Instant Pot

We also asked users how they would improve the Instant Pot. If they could think of anything to add or change, what would that be?

The most common answer was “nothing”.

Most of our participants said that they thought that it was perfect just the way it was. There were a few; however, that gave their thoughts on what could make the Instant Pot new and improved.

Here are the most popular answers:

Colorful Instant Pot

Changing up the colors was a biggie to so many readers. Even though the Instant Pot does have some special editions from time to time (Harry Potter, Star Wars, Mickey Mouse, etc.), the colors silver and black tend to be the only thing that sticks and is offered.

Lighter Instant Pot

Many responded that they wished that the Instant Pot was lighter and easier to carry.

Bigger Instant Pot

When we cook for large families, it's important to get the biggest Instant Pot possible or opt for multiple.

Odor-resistant sealing ring

Another popular answer was to work on improving the sealing rings so that they do not retain odors so much.

These do have to be changed every so often due to the smell, so that could be positive for sure.

Non-stick inner pot

Some of you asked for an inner pot that is easier to clean, but we assume that a non-stick one will also solve your problem.

Longer cord

One of the biggest complaints is that the short cord limits the placement of the Instant Pot. A longer cord could help to give options for where to store and have it.

Canning option

Those who love to can would LOVE to have a canning button or option to make it a possibility.

And finally, the best suggestion in our opinion, the one that would make us very happy if it were to ever happen -

Small window so we can see what cooks inside

It would be AMAZING to be able to look and see how everything looks just to KNOW that it's cooking fine. That would be a dream!

As you can tell, there is still so much to learn about the Instant Pot and all of its uses and functions. This survey was done to shed light on how versatile the Instant Pot can be and how we can help to create tutorials and recipes to help showcase all the ways to use Instant Pots to their full capabilities.

Have any questions regarding this research? Feel free to comment bellow.

We worked really hard on this research. So if you like it, please share it with family and friends.

8 thoughts on “Instant Pot Study 2024

  1. I have the Instant Pot Max and I do use the canning function. I've successfully canned potatoes, beans and Salmon. Wish IP would put more effort into a stand alone canner.

  2. I don't think its shocking that so many people don't use their instant pot daily.
    1. They might not have large families- like me. I'm cooking for one, or two
    2. I like to be economical with my time and cooking. Mainly I make one pot meals - soups, stews and curries - and they then last me 3 days. I batch cook a lot of pulses and freeze them
    3. Now its summer I'm eating a lot more salads, no cooking required

  3. Yes a little longer cord, and non stick, and a canning function, also a more precise temperature regulation. I like to use it for making tempeh, yogurt function works but it does require a more precise temperature. Thank you, good all around. Bruce

  4. Thank you for sharing the survey. I use at least one of my two Qt IP's daily and it's been a life changer! (I only have kitchen space for two.) As a single mom of two daughters, using the IP saves me time and money and I no longer need to buy frozen pre-made meals.

    I fell in love with cooking again and made recipes I never would have taken the time to make using other methods, especially during hot weather. I got rid of my rice cooker and my round Crockpot. I've made cheesecakes, large pork roasts, ribs, rotisserie chickens, jams, curds, yogurts, popcorn, cornbread, meatloaf, casseroles, lasagna, dried beans, rice, whole Winter squashes and pumpkins, frozen chicken breasts, pulled pork, soups, stews, pasta, vegetables, desserts, heat up leftovers, sterilized mason jars, etc. Almost everything that can be cooked in an oven, slow cooker or on a stovetop can be made in the IP.

    My first IP lasted over five years with daily and twice daily use. When it died, I kept everything except the outer part. I use the extra liner pan to make additional dishes. I designed the new lid for "sweet dishes" and use the old one for everyday savory dishes.

    I bought a Mealthy brand air fryer lid and use that with my IP as a small air fryer and for browning. The only item I don't bake in my IP is my sourdough bread and rolls as it doesn't brown properly. I still use my oven in cold weather or my 6 qt oval Crockpot to bake bread. I don't use the Sous Vide function on my newer IP as I don't cook with plastic.

    I don't need a non-stick inner pot as cleaning is easy, but if something is stuck, I just add water and steam for 5 minutes, with natural pressure release and it's then easy to clean. I mostly cook lower carb recipes, without sugar or grain flours. I would appreciate if you would try and share some no sugar/no grain recipes.

    Best wishes in your journey to health!

  5. I have 2 instant pots & at least 1 usually gets used daily. I am Vegeterian whereas the rest of my family are not. Yes have done lots of corn bread & chocolate cake or sponge with dried fruit cake goes down well! Make loads of one pot meals, which I just love to do
    I also have a PKP at my holiday home as at the time I could not get an IP at the time there was a problem a few years back. The PKP is no way as good as the IP.

      1. Since so many recipes have a 10-minute wait after cooking is done, it would be nice if the IP could count that down automatically.

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