If I had to guess, 98% of people who buy the Instant Pot do so because they’re trying to get dinner on the table faster.
Another 1% bought it because everyone else was buying it.
And then the last 1% of people are seeing if the Instant Pot saves money.
Turns out, that last 1% are on to something…
I honestly hadn’t thought about using my Instant Pot to save money until I started the Instant Pot Basics challenge. What started as a goal to use my Instant Pot once a day, making a bunch of things I normally make anyway, turned into me having to get a bit creative with the daily posts.
I mean, one can only make so much Instant Pot chicken stock, Instant Pot beans and Instant Pot brown rice, right?
The thing though, is by having the Instant Pot on my counter and at the ready, it’s already saved me money. Here’s how.
6 Ways the Instant Pot Saves Money
1. The Instant Pot Reduces the Temptation to Eat Out
When you know you can cook a whole chicken hands-off in under an hour, it’s a bit harder to load up the car and drive to the restaurant to wait for a table… and then wait for food that takes who knows how long to get to your table…
Just KNOWING that the Instant Pot can make you dinner just as fast – if not faster – than both delivery and take out makes it harder to eat out.
2. The Instant Pot Uses Very Little Energy to Operate
According to this chart, the slow cooker is #2 in terms of which appliance uses the least amount of energy.
But according to the Instant Pot website, electric pressure cookers have taken over that spot and are more energy efficient than slow cookers. Why?
- The Instant Pot is a fully insulated external pot, which loses less energy as it is being used.
- The Instant Pot uses much less water, requiring less energy to cook.
- The Instant Pot can monitor the internal temperature when it’s cooking and in turn, will stop continuously adding heat (and in turn using as much energy) when it’s reached the necessary cooking temperature.
- The Instant Pot cooks faster than the slow cooker, so it’s not on as long.
3. The Instant Pot Reduces Household Energy Consumption
Let’s assume for a minute that you’re cooking anyway… whether it’s on the stove or slow cooker or whatever. You’re cooking dinner.
Most kitchen appliances put off heat one way or another. We used to live in a rental house where the kitchen faced West. The oven in that kitchen was a heating BEAST. I did everything I could to avoid turning it on for dinner time, and honestly, Friday night pizza nights were brutal.
The Instant Pot is insulated, which means it keeps the heat in and your kitchen cool. I’ve used it daily for nearly a month now and not once have I ever noticed my kitchen being warmer than usual.
For those of us who live where summers are hot (they don’t call it Hotlanta for nothing!), the Instant Pot is a lifesaver!
4. The Instant Pot Can Help You Cook from Scratch
We all know that cooking from scratch saves money, right? Well the Instant Pot gives you the ability to cook a good chunk of your grocery list, from scratch, in less time that it would take you to go to the store.
- Beans
- Chicken stock
- Whole Rotisserie Chickens
- Tomato Sauce
- Yogurt
This isn’t an all inclusive list of course, but if you’ve ever put these things on your grocery list, the Instant Pot can make it for you for a fraction of the price!
5. The Instant Pot Can Reduce Your Grocery Bill
One of the biggest benefits to an Instant Pot is being able to buy the cheap, tough cuts of meat and cooking them like a boss:
- Chuck Roasts
- Top Blade Roasts
- Bottom Round Roasts
- Round-eye or Eye-round Roasts
- Shoulder Roasts
All of these roasts are no match for the Instant Pot. The best part is that they’re ready in an hour AND you don’t even have to marinade them ahead of time!
6. The Instant Pot Really Does Save Time
We’re all busy and as the saying goes, time is money. I wouldn’t cook everything in the Instant Pot, but 90% of my test recipes have come out fast.
For me, that means less time spent cooking, doing dishes and cleaning up kitchen messes… and more free time to spend with my family!
I always get questions on what Instant Pot I have, what size is best for your family and if there’s anything you should know before you jump in. I highly recommend reading my post on 20+ Things to Know Before You Buy an Instant Pot, plus my article on How to Make Slow Cooker Recipes in an Instant Pot. Both are extremely helpful for both new and seasoned Instant Pot owners!
Do you have an Instant Pot? How has it helped you save money? Leave your stories in the comment section below!
What do use stock for and how do you make it fat free for eating healthier??
I use broth as a base for any soup. Once it’s been made, with bones, carrots, celery, onion, bay leaf etc for flavour, I strain out the vegetables and leave the liquid to cool. Then it goes into the fridge and when cold the fat solidifies at the top. I scoop out the fat and return some vegetables to the broth. Stock is a substitute for broth and you remove the fat the same way.
Hmm, I’ve been considering the instant pot. We eat out way too much and we’ve been trying to cut back. This seems like a great way to help with that. I HAD a crock pot but unfortunately after 2 uses it just wouldn’t turn on anymore.
Loved the article. I am planning to purchase an instant pot but not sure about the model I should go with. Just out of curosity, which is your preferred model of IP. There are couple of them available at Amazon. If I go with the cheapest one, will it become obsolete or outdated within a year or two?
Thanks Paul – I have this model: http://amzn.to/2yYH6zQ. As for updated machines or yours becoming obsolete, only IP can answer for sure!
I just got an IP for Christmas and I am in love!
My experience with broth gelling is that broth made with at least some meat tends to gel, and broth made with only bones usually doesn’t. And that’s with the IP, too. Everyone seems to have their own theory and experience. 🙂 Either way, the broth is yum. I can’t remember the last time I bought broth. Making it is so cheap, easy, and so much healthier. I often have 1/2 gallon jars of it in the fridge, although sometimes it makes it to the freezer!
My kids prefer to drink yogurt over milk most of the time. I make a gallon at a time in my instant pot. We go through about a gallon a week. I figured I’d save $400+ a year by making my own rather than buying it. Full disclosure: I’m comparing milk I buy from Aldi to quarts of normal plain yogurt I could buy from Aldi or Walmart. Obviously raw or organic milk would be more expensive but so would organic yogurt. I balked at first about paying the price for an instant pot when I could technically make yogurt, broth, beans, etc without one but it makes it so much easier and faster for me to make those things that I’m much more likely to make them. And therefore more likely to save money.
I know it’s six years later, but I just wanted to leave this comment for any new readers. While Beth is making yogurt for her kids to make drinks with, if you want thick Greek-style yogurt do not use Aldi’s milk. Almost any other store brand milk makes thicker yogurt. I’ve been making yogurt for 30 years and I’ve used Aldi’s milk several times to be sure it was the milk, not some other error. Still love Aldi’s, just not their milk for yogurt making!
I have two Instant Pots and use them every single day (well almost).
Here’s my question… I love me InstantPot but the chicken broth I’ve made in it never gels when cooled… same ingredients as stove top just in the IP instead. It also has a strange flavor that I don’t love. Has anyone else experienced this? BTW… I made your Soaked Whole Wheat Bread for a friend who is going through chemo to go with vegetable soup and it’s really good! I can’t eat yeast bread but I snuck a slice because I have no self control :)!
I sneak pieces too. 😉 To be honest, I’ve NEVER made chicken stock that actually gels, so I think it’s more about the quality of chicken than the cooking method (to be honest). Granted, I’m not a scientist, but that’s my best guess with all the articles I’ve read and experiences I’ve heard about. I buy organic chickens, but I think pastured chickens gel, and there are certain parts of the chicken (like the feet) that naturally have more gelatin. No worries – your stock is still healthy. 🙂 As for the flavor, that’s weird. Can you describe it? And what ingredients do you typically add?
All my chickens are pastured and from the same guy so it’s probably not that. I add carrots, onions, salt and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Maybe the vinegar?? Ultimately I can just make it on the stove top but I LOVE the efficiency of the IP. Thanks for taking the time to brainstorm with me!
I’ve heard that if you put a few extra chidken wings in the pot for stock it will gel betteer
you need to add some extra fat like bacon or something..
It’s true…the chicken feet are the key! If you only add like 1-2 in each pot of chicken bones, you’ll get beautifully gelled bone broth! It will gel after being in the fridge for a time, not right out of the pot when it’s hot, by the way. I hope this helps! 😀
Pressure cooker broth does not gel because pressure cookers produce a higher heat and pressure that causes the gelatin in the chicken to break down. The components are still there, but the gelatin is broken down.
Hmm… I make chicken stock in a regular stove-top pressure cooker, and it gels…
How do you cook your chicken before using your pressure cooker for broth? Do you roast it in your over?