The Instant Pot Ultra 6 Quart was my daily driver pressure cooker for the last couple of months, and I Have Thoughts I Must Share.
I expected the Ultra to be my new favorite pressure cooker, pushing the Instant Pot Duo Plus from kitchen island down to the shelf of backup cookers…but in the end, the Ultra wound up on the shelf, and the Duo Plus is still in my kitchen, my everyday cooker.
FCC Notice: This is not a paid review. I bought these cookers with my own money. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so if you buy anything through the Amazon links on my site, I get a small commission from Amazon. Thank you!
It’s an Instant Pot!
The Ultra’s strengths are same as the rest of the Instant Pot family. It has all the features that I love: a stainless steel inner pot, gasket holder built into the lid, lid holder built into the handle, and easy set-it-and-forget-it pressure cooking. It’s an Instant Pot, and that makes it a darned good pressure cooker.
A new pressure release design in the lid
Let’s start with my favorite new feature, the lid with an auto-closing pressure valve. Older Instant Pots come with a weighted pressure valve with a handle on it – pressure is released by turning the valve, which manually sits it on a little shelf that holds it open. It’s simple, and it works…except when I forget to close it before I start cooking. Part of my pre-pressure routine is “make sure the valve is closed” right after I lock the lid.
The Ultra has a weighted pressure valve, but no handle and no shelf. Instead, it has a system built into the lid. There is a lifting tab under the pressure valve, controlled by a spring-loaded pressure release button. Push the button, and the tab lifts the pressure valve, releasing the pressure. I like the added safety of a separate pressure release button – there’s less chance of scalding myself with steam this way.
Even better, the system automatically closes the pressure valve when the lid locks. Rotate the lid, and the pressure valve closes. No more forgetting to check the valve, no more wondering why the cooker is hissing instead of coming up to pressure. I love this feature – it’s another simple design innovation by the Instant Pot team.
The new, larger display is also pretty. Its best feature is an animated heating curve, showing the pressure cooker’s progress – pre-heating, cooking at pressure, or keep warm. It is a lot easier to see where the Ultra is in its cooking cycle.
I Bought the Most Expensive Instant Pot on Amazon! Is It Worth It?
FAQ
What is different about the Instant Pot Ultra?
What does the ultra button do on the Instant Pot?
What is the capacity of the instant pot Ultra?
Is the Instant Pot Ultra 10 in 1 worth the price?
Instant Pot Ultra If high design is important to you, the Instant Pot Ultra 10-in-1 is worth the price. Its sleek, modern look with a large, bright blue display boasts a a cooking time graph (so you can quickly see where the pot is in the pressure-building/cooking/releasing process).
Is an Instant Pot worth it?
Yes, we do think an Instant Pot is worth it, particularly for pressure cooking. There’s a reason it’s one of the most popular kitchen appliances out there. Because an Instant Pot is essentially an electric pressure cooker, it allows you to cook things that might take a long time (like dried beans, and tougher cuts of meat) much faster.
Is the Instant Pot Ultra a good size?
The IP can do no wrong. The Instant Pot Ultra is still a 6-quart model . While it isn’t necessarily a con, that is the only size option. This is the same size as the original Instant Pot, so you won’t be getting a roomy upgrade. This probably won’t be a turn-off for most, though, as you can fit quite a bounty of food into the pot.
Does Instant Pot Ultra have a button vs a valve?
Button vs. valve. The Instant Pot Ultra implements a button that you’ll press to release pressure rather than having to handle the valve. While this is hardly dangerous, it can get hot fast, and it can cause injury if you’re not careful. Set it for later. You can choose ‘delay start’ so that cooking begins after you dump the food in.