Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

When my crockpot died, I had a decision to make: buy another one or try out the Instant Pot that's been getting so much attention lately. I read many, many reviews before purchasing this. I had been a crockpot user for 20 years and have a ton of recipes. I love the ease of fix-it-and-forget-it while I run around in the afternoons as a "soccer mom". That being said, I am always willing to try new things, understanding that new technology brings many benefits. This however, did not bring me any benefits. When I received my new Instant Pot and read the directions, I was disappointed and felt a bit mis-lead. Sure, it may take 20 minutes to cook rice. But first, the pot needs to come to full-steam temperature (5-15 minutes). Then it cooks for the 20. After, you must let the steam release any where from another 5-15, depending on what the food item is. Do the math. I don't know what your definition of "instant" is, but 35-60 minutes is not mine. Problem #1: 5 + 20 +10 minutes is NOT instant. I can cook rice on the stove top in that amount of time = no benefit. Problem #2: I still have a pan to clean; same as if I'd cooked rice in a pan = no benefit. Problem #3: When using the Instant Pot, you cannot add additional ingredients as easily as you can with a crock pot (you'll get burnt if you lift the lid while it's cooking) = no benefit. Problem #4: When I use a crockpot, I make a whole meal in one pot. For example, I may make a pot roast, potatoes, veggies, and a gravy or sauce. This is not possible with the InstantPot, again due to the "can't remove the lid" thing. According to their recipe book, they suggest, (I'm not kidding you) cooking things in shifts and letting something sit, in another container, on the counter, while you cook the other part of your diner. Can you see where this is gong? That's about a 2-3 hour stand-around-in-the-kitchen-and-wait-for-dinner kind of device. No benefit there. Guess who bought a new crockpot? This girl, right here!