Instant Pod Review

Are you contemplating a new coffee maker? Hate spending a ton of money on fancy coffee at your favorite coffee shop? See if this coffee maker would make a great addition to your kitchen gadget collection. Here’s my review of the Instant Pod, the Instant Pot coffee maker.

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Instant Pod Review - Instant Pot Coffee Maker + Video

Instant Pod Coffee and Espresso Maker

Why You Should Trust My Instant Pod Review

• Coffee Fanatic. I absolutely adore coffee. When I’m not grabbing a coffee on the go, I’m using one of my many other coffee makers to make the perfect cup at home.
• Efficient. I love using kitchen gadgets to make cooking more efficient. That’s the only way I know how to do things. If a cup of coffee is creating problems instead of fixing them, I’m not interested.
• Gadget geek! : I’m a self-proclaimed food tech enthusiast and have been known to purchase (and review ) just about any kitchen appliance or tool I can get my hands on.

Watch The Video Review

What Is An Instant Pod?

The Instant Pod is Instant Pot’s version of a coffee maker. But it’s not just any regular coffee maker. It makes coffee and espresso all in one machine .

Four Reviewing Points For The Instant Pot Coffee Maker

There are four factors I took into consideration when I was reviewing the Instant Pod. They are:

1. Footprint
2. Capacity
3. Ease of Use
4. Price

1. Footprint

One of the biggest factors a person will take into consideration when they’re thinking of expanding their kitchen gadget collection will be how much space it takes up on their kitchen counter or how easy it will be to store if they don’t use it very often.

The easiest way for me to show you this is to compare it to another common kitchen gadget that you likely already have in your kitchen. In this case, I used a 6 quart Instant Pot.

Will The Instant Pod Fit Under My Kitchen Cabinets?

The height of these appliances is about the same. The Instant Pod coffee maker might be an inch taller than the 6 quart Instant Pot with the lid on.

While the Instant Pod may fit under your kitchen cabinets, it is probably too tall to be functional. Since you have to raise the top to put the pods in, you would need to move it out to put the pods in and move it back under the cabinets.

If you’re looking for the actual dimensions of this espresso/coffee machine, it’s 16.2L x 7.2W x 13.0H in inches.

2. Capacity

This machine has two different compartments that you will need to become familiar with. they are:

• Water Reservoir - The part you fill with water to brew coffee or espresso.
• Used Pod Drawer - The part that holds the used pods after the coffee or espresso is brewed.

Water Reservoir Capacity

If you’re a frequent coffee drinker, this will be very important to you. The idea behind a machine like this is that it makes coffee quick and easy. If you’re constantly refilling the reservoir with water, it isn’t saving you any time.

This Instant Pod holds 68oz (or 2L) of water. This is large enough that you won’t be constantly refilling it.

Used Pod Drawer

If you choose to use smaller pods (like the Nespresso pods ) they automatically empty into the used pod drawer after your Instapod coffee is done brewing. This is great because you don’t have to worry about tossing the used pod after every use.

This drawer holds around 12 used pods before you have to empty it.

What Kind Of Coffee Do You Use In The Instant Pod Coffee Machine?

Speaking of Nespresso pods , you’re probably wondering what kind of coffee you can brew in this coffee maker. This is ideal for people making just one cup of coffee at a time.

If you’re familiar with Keurig coffee makers , it’s similar to that–but more versatile. You can use:

• Nespresso Pods
• K Cups
• Peet’s Pods
• Reusable K Cup Coffee filters with ground coffee

3. Ease Of Use

Who wants a coffee maker that is a pain to use? When selecting the right coffee maker, you want something that’s functional and easy.

I will say with the Instant Pod , I had to use it a couple of times to figure it out. You have to lightly press the buttons to select them. Don’t try to press them down hard, or nothing will happen.

However, I will say once you get the hang of how it works, it is very simple to use.

How To Use The Instant Pod Coffee Maker and Espresso Maker

1. Fill. Add the water to the reservoir.
2. Stage. Place glass or mug of choice at the base of the machine under where the coffee or espresso dispenses.
3. Push. Press the power button.
4. Choose. Select the style and size of coffee you wish to brew.
5. Wait. In 10-15 seconds, the Instant Pod will begin to pour the coffee into your cup.

How Many Different Brewing Functions Does The Instant Pod Have?

This has 6 different button functions on the top. They are:

Espresso

• 2 oz. espresso
• 4 oz. espresso
• 6 oz. espresso

Coffee

• 8 oz. coffee
• 10 oz. coffee
• 12 oz. coffee

4. Price

The price of coffee machines that have similar functions can vary significantly. But the price of ownership is the more important thing to take into consideration. Here are a couple of things to help you decide if the price of this Instant Pod justifies purchasing one for YOU.

• How often do you stop for coffee at your local coffee shop? If you find yourself stopping several times a week for coffee, and would be just as happy with coffee at home, this will easily save you money.
• Do you find yourself making a full pot of coffee and throwing half of it away? This machine reduces the waste of coffee by only brewing one or two cups at a time.

Things I Like About The Instant Pod

There are several functions of this machine I like a lot. Here are some of my favorites:

• Smaller footprint. Since this is a two in one machine (a coffee and espresso maker), I don’t have to find room on my kitchen counter for two separate gadgets.
• Large water reservoir. I don’t have to fill the water in the machine every day.
• Variety. This gives me the option to make a variety of different espressos and coffees depending on what I’m in the mood for.
• Easy Cleaning. The parts of the Instant Pod that would need to be cleaned frequently are all separate parts, so it is very easy to clean and reassemble.

Things I Don’t Like About The Instant Pod

While there aren’t a ton of things I don’t like about this machine, there are things I wish were slightly different about it.

• Temperature. The espresso and coffee that come out of this machine aren’t piping hot like I prefer my coffee to be. It still temps around 160 degrees, so it’s not iced coffee by any means, but I prefer mine to be hotter.
• Buttons. The buttons aren’t press buttons, so they can be temperamental.

Would I Buy This?

I think the Instant Pod is a great machine for the right person.

I would say you should buy this coffee/espresso maker if :

• You like to drink both coffee and espresso.
• Don’t have room for both a coffee maker and espresso machine.
• Drink a lot of coffee.
• Want to cut down expenses from buying coffee out a lot.

You might decide to pass on this gadget if :

• You only drink coffee or you only drink espresso.
• Only drink coffee on occasion.
• You would rather have all of the extras on and in your coffee as you get at the expensive coffee shops.

If you think this is the right coffee maker for you, you can buy one HERE .

Want More Coffee Maker Reviews?

• Best Coffee Grinder For French Press
• Best Pour Over Coffee Makers
• Instant Pod Review
• Nespresso Espresso Review
• Buying Guides
• Equipment Reviews
• Sboly Single Cup Coffee Maker Review
• Best Cold Brew Coffe Makers
• Best Iced Coffee Makers
• How To Choose A Single Serve Coffee Maker
• Best Portable Espresso Maker
• The Best Cappuccino Makers of 2020

If you found this Instant Pod review helpful, make sure you share it with your friends on Facebook and Pinterest so they can decide if they need to add this coffee/espresso maker to their kitchen gadget collection.

Originally Published August 15, 2020

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Ever wonder why your food burns in the Instant Pot? Tired of getting that BURN message? I will explain the five main reasons your food burns, and how to avoid getting that dreaded Burn Message.

Why You Should Trust How I Know Why Your Food Burns In The Instant Pot

• Cookbook Author: I’ve written 5 Instant Pot Cookbooks that have been authorized by Instant Pot.
• Efficient: That’s the only way I know how to do things in the kitchen. Who has time to waste when you’re trying to get food on the table? I’m known for my ruthless efficiency and use the pot in pot cooking method every chance I get.
• Gadget geek! : I’m a self-proclaimed food tech enthusiast and have been known to purchase (and review) just about any kitchen appliance I can get my hands on.

Why Did My Food Burn In The Instant Pot?

There are five different reasons your food burned or you received a burn notification in your Instant Pot. Those reasons are:

1. A Bad Recipe
2. Type of Ingredients
3. A Sticky Fond
4. A Non-Performing Seal
5. Issues With Your Float Valve

1. A Bad Recipe

It’s no secret that cooking with the Instant Pot has become insanely popular. With the increased popularity, a lot of new bloggers and home cooks have started creating recipes to share. Unfortunately, a lot of these bloggers and cooks are inexperienced at using their Instant Pots. This has produced some recipes that haven’t been tested as thoroughly as they should be.

How To Determine A Bad Recipe

There are a few ways to determine if a recipe is a bad recipe before you attempt to make it yourself for the first time. These indicators are:

• A lot of steps . One of the perks of cooking with your Instant Pot is the simplicity of the recipes and the ability to set your pot and let it cook for you.
• Multiple pots and pans being dirtied to make one dish . If you have a sink full of dishes after you’re done making an Instant Pot recipe, did you really even cook it in your Instant Pot? An efficient Instant Pot recipe will ask you to do everything right inside of the liner and will utilize the Pot in Pot cooking method .
• Adding too much water . Most recipes do not require a lot of liquid to create enough steam to bring it to pressure. It is essential to add water for the pot to come to pressure, but a lot of it will come from the ingredients themselves. If you see a recipe that calls for you to saute off the extra water after the cooking time, it’s a pretty good indicator that there was something wrong with that recipe.
• Nonuniform cooking times . If you have any experience at all using a pressure cooker, you probably have an idea of how long it takes to make some of your favorite foods in the Instant Pot. If the cooking times seem drastically off from anything you’ve ever seen mentioned in a trusted recipe it will likely burn.

Check Out One Of My Instant Pot Cookbooks

One guaranteed way to make sure you’re going to get a recipe that turns out perfect every time is to use a recipe that has been thoroughly tested by a reputable blogger.

Don’t forget to check out my otherBest-selling Instant Pot Cookbooks!

Indian Instant Pot , Keto Instant Pot, Instant Pot Fast and Easy , Healthy Instant Pot & Vegetarian Instant Pot .

2. Types Of Ingredients

If you tried to create some of your own recipes and are wondering “Why Did My Food Burn”, take a look at what type of ingredients you were using. Some ingredients do not perform as well under pressure as others.

Here are a few ingredients you will want to use caution with when you add them to an Instant Pot recipe:

• Tomato Sauce
• Tomato Paste
• Cream of Anything Soups

This does not mean that you can’t use these ingredients. It just means that you need to take a few extra measures when you include them to prevent your food from burning in the Instant Pot.

How To Use These Ingredients Correctly

If you’re using tomato paste, tomato sauce, or a creamy canned soup you will need to ensure you’re adding enough thin liquid (such as broth or water) to allow steam to form . Thick liquids like the ones I recommended using caution with are not able to produce enough steam to raise your float valve.

Another thing to remember when you’re cooking with these thicker sauces is that you need to avoid putting them at the bottom of your Instant Pot . Try to layer as much as possible. Here’s an example of what I mean by this:

If you wanted to make a spaghetti dish in your instant pot, you would:

1. Brown hamburger or vegetables with the sauté function.
2. Break the pasta into smaller pieces and criss cross it in a layer on top of the hamburger or vegetables.
3. Cover the pasta with a layer of tomato sauce.
4. Add additional water to help the Instant Pot come to pressure.
5. DO NOT STIR. The layers keep the thick liquid away from the bottom of the pot so they do not burn.

3. A Sticky Fond

This is the layer that might be created on the bottom of your Instant Pot liner after you brown or saute something. It’s a small layer of caramelization that is created from the natural sugars in your food being exposed to high heat.

You may be asking yourself: why is a sticky fond bad?

Well, because the Instant Pot is smart and comes with several built in safety functions. It is able to determine if the pot is able to come to pressure by the environment on the inside. If there is any debris stuck to the bottom of your Instant Pot before you attempt to pressure cook something, it will give the Burn notification and stop cooking.

What To Do If You Have A Sticky Fond

It’s really a simple fix if you have a sticky fond on the bottom of your Instant Pot liner. Add a small bit of water and rub the bottom of your spoon or spatula against the liner until all of the food particles have dissolved .

Once the food is free from the bottom, you’re good to continue the recipe as written.

4. A Non-Performing Seal

The seal is the part of the Instant Pot lid that keeps the steam from escaping the pot. This allows pressure to build for cooking.

However, there are a few things that might cause your sealing ring from performing correctly :

• It is too loose. Your sealing ring should not be able to spin when it is secured in your Instant Pot lid. If it does, it is likely too loose. If your sealing ring is too loose, it will allow pressure to escape and may cause your Instant Pot to give the Burn notification.
• It is cracked or broken. If there is a crack or a tear in your sealing ring, it will allow pressure to escape.
• Missing seal. We’ve all been there. You take your sealing ring out to clean it, toss it in the dishwasher and forget to put it back in. Without the sealing ring in place pressure will not be able to form inside of your Instant Pot .

Where Should I See Steam Coming From?

It is common for steam to escape from around the floating valve until the Instant Pot fully comes to pressure. It is not normal to have steam escape from the sides of the lid. If that is happening there is an issue with the seal.

5. Issues With Your Float Valve

The float valve is the little button that raises and lowers to indicate whether your Instant Pot is currently under pressure. If it is not raising, the Instant Pot will give the Burn notification. This is a safety measure. This keeps steam from building inside of the pot. Here are a few things that could cause your float valve from raising as it should :

• Not enough water . If there’s not enough water inside of your pot to produce steam, the float valve will not raise. Steam is what forces the button up from the resting position.
• You forgot to turn the pressure valve from Venting to Sealing . Even the most experienced Instant Pot users have been guilty of this. So, if you do not set your pressure valve from venting to sealing, steam will escape and not enough pressure will form inside of the pot to cause the float valve to rise. I enjoy the feature on the Instant Pot Ultra that automatically seals the Instant Pot lid when you close it. It’s good if you can be forgetful like me.
• Debris stuck under the float valve . There is a small mechanism on the inside of the Instant Pot lid that needs to be cleaned. If you are having issues with the float valve operating properly, you may need to clean this mechanism. Food particles can be lodged inside of this while your Instant Pot is under pressure.

More On The Science Of Cooking

• Maillard Reaction
• What Is Sous Vide?
• Pot In Pot Cooking
• Why Did I Get The Instant Pot Burn Message?
• 6 Most Important Buttons On Your Instant Pot

All of the factors I listed above can be a reason for why you got the Burn notification in your Instant Pot. However, the easy explanation for every time it happens is that you didn’t use enough water or thin liquids .

Just remember that:

You need water to create steam. You need steam to create pressure. If your pot is not coming to pressure, your Instant Pot will give the burn message.

Originally Published August 21, 2020