I’ve found that there are just some essential products that I always have on hand in order to make such delicious food (and to make life a little easier). I’ll use this page to share with you the products I find very helpful to help you in all your cooking adventures!
*Advertising Disclosure: Jeffrey Eisner/Pressure Luck is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
The Instant Pots
As you’ll notice, nearly every single recipe on this page features the Instant Pot. Therefore, you’ll definitely want to get one (or two if you have the space and want to make multiple things at the same time!). There are quite a few different models and sizes of Instant Pots available and all are available at amazon.com at the clickable links below. ALL my pressure cooking recipes are tailored to these Instant Pot models and their controls. But before I mention the models, here are a few totally unbiased videos to demonstrate the differences and features of each and how they all work so you can see for yourselves!:If you want to see a video of the Instant Pot Duo Plus compared to the Instant Pot Duo, check this video out here!If you want to see a video of the Instant Pot Duo compared to the Instant Pot Ultra, check this video out here!If you want to see how to get started using your brand new Instant Pot with no worries and covering all the bases, check this video out here!
The Instant Pot DUO Family – The Best Price
Perfect for those who aren’t sure how much they’ll 100% use their Instant Pot at first, the Instant Pot IP-DUO series is a GREAT deal (it’s the best price of all the Instant Pots, excluding the Lux series which I find to be outdated at this point and lacking features). I use this model in many of my videos and I love it AND it comes with a yogurt setting! I’ve been using it for about a year and a half now nearly every day and it still works like a charm, but if I were to buy one today, it would be the Ultra or the Plus since they have more advanced displays and I love having the latest and greatest of everything!
- 3-qt/mini (feeds 1-2) – http://amzn.to/2GUdgQv
- 6-qt (feeds 4-6) – http://amzn.to/2qsBDgx
- 8-qt (feeds 6-10 and best size for cooking roasts) – http://amzn.to/2qsvQY8
The Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus Family – Fully Loaded
The Instant Pot Ultra is the newest and sleekest looking Instant Pot yet! The crown and top-of-the-line model, it only has two physical buttons on the display panel and is practically all dial/knob-controlled but is very easy to use and boasts the most advanced display along with the same pre-sets as the previous models but with beautifully illuminated setting indicators as well. It also includes an altitude setting for those who live in the mountains as well as a simulated sous-vide function. If you want to go ahead and spend a little extra for the latest on Instant Pot design and technology with every possible option offered and don’t mind a push-knob button approach, go for the Ultra!
- 6-qt (feeds 4-6) – http://amzn.to/2vzHT93
- 8-qt (feeds 6-10 and best size for cooking roasts) – http://amzn.to/2GUe2Np
The Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer – The Pressure Cooker that’s also an Air Fryer
The most innovative Instant Pot yet, the Duo Crisp + Air Fryer
Better Than Bouillon
When it comes to a recipe requiring ANY kind of broth or stock (chicken, beef, vegetable, seafood – either of the organic OR reduced sodium variety as well), getting Better Than Bouillon is A MUST. I promote this essential product all the time in my videos because not only does it taste better than boxed or broth, but it’s going to save you money and time as it will be right at your fingertips in the fridge! All you do is scoop 1 teaspoon and mix with 1 cup of water and PRESTO! – you have 1 cup of broth! You can find many of these at your local markets and many Costcos carry the chicken, beef and vegetable reduced sodium in very large jars for cheap, but if you can’t seem to find them at your local markets as some flavors are tougher to find than others, you can find all the base flavors at these clickable links below or click here for some great prices!:
- Chicken
- Organic Chicken
- Reduced Sodium Chicken
- Vegetarian Mock Chicken
- Beef
- Reduced Sodium Beef
- Vegetarian Mock Beef
- Turkey
- Vegetable
- Organic Vegetable
- Reduced Sodium Vegetable
- Lobster
- Clam
- Fish
- Ham
- Mushroom
- Organic Mushroom
- Chili
Stovetop Counterspace
Honestly, this massive stove-top cutting board is the best thing ever – especially for a kitchen with limited countertop space (like my apartment here in NYC)! Well built and durable bamboo. Just use it responsibly and obviously ALWAYS make sure your burners are off and room temperature while it’s sitting on top of them 😉 A LIFESAVER of a kitchen asset! Buy here!
Immersion Blender
Sometimes, when making some soups, (like the orgasmic Beer Cheese Soup) and Immersion Blender comes in very handy. This one is perfect and ALSO comes with an egg beater AND a mini food chopper attachment. Click here to buy! It will make your soup blending and puréeing SO much easier!
Greek Yogurt Strainer
If you wish to make some of the BEST, EASIEST and HEALTHIEST Greek (strained) yogurt in your Instant Pot, this strainer is a MUST! It’s the one I use and it is sure to filter out all the whey in a mess and hassle-free fashion so that you achieve a thick, perfect yogurt every time! Perfect for also making my tzatziki dip!Click here to buy this amazing item at a great price!
Stackable Pots
Did you know you could also do recipes that call for cooking two (or more) things at once where they can be cooked separately at the same time so they don’t have to touch one another?! This means you can cook rice in one pot while cooking chicken in the other! These handy stackable pots can be found by clicking this link right here!
Silicone Pod Trays
If you want to make my famous Potato Pancake Pillows, egg bites or cheesecake bites, then these silicone pod trays are for you! They are the perfect size for either your 6qt or 8 qt Instant Pot PLUS they don’t smell and are SUPER easy to clean! I absolutely love them!
Metal Tea Ball
Having a metal tea ball means more than just making tea with loose tea leaves – it also means having a fantastic and practical way to contain loose spices while infusing them into a soup (like my Pho) or sauce (like in my Short Ribs)! No more fishing them out of the post separately thanks to this great kitchen hack! Click here to buy this very useful item for super cheap!
Bundt Pan
If you wish to make something bundt-style, then THIS guys RIGHT HERE is the PERFECT thing for you (click here to buy!) I use this incredible little pan for classics such as my Stuffing and Bread Pudding. Not only does it ensure even cooking due to the hollowed center, but it also fits PERFECTLY into the 6qt and 8qt models! Definitely get this one!
Inner Baking Pans
There are SO MANY recipes you can make that utilize a pot-in-pot (or PIP). My Cheesecake and Noodle Pudding are two examples. Therefore, you’ll want to buy either one or both of these Fat Daddio’s pans that will perfectly fit your 6 quart Instant Pot:
You’ll also want to click here to buy these parchment rounds which fit perfectly into the pans – especially when making a cheesecake (but not the noodle pudding)!
Carrying Case
Thinking about a carrying case to take your favorite cooking buddy on a trip or to a potluck? The Quick & Carry Case is the PERFECT companion and with additional pockets/compartments for accessories, you can’t go wrong!
They are available in both the 6qt and 8qt sizes and will fit any Instant Pot model of that size. Buy yours here!
You can check out my honest and unbiased review which you can view here!
Cleaning Products
After a few uses, you may notice that the beautiful shine which once graced your Instant Pot may have dulled down. But that all changes in ONE MINUTE thanks to Bar Keeper’s Friend!
Just sprinkle some onto your dampened Instant Pot (or any dulled surface) scrub in with a damp sponge, let sit for one minute, then rinse off and dry with a paper towel.
And PRESTO! Your pot will look as good as new again!
Buy the powder version here and the liquid version here!
Click here to see a quick demo of it in action!
Steaming/Boiling Inserts
Did you know that Ikea’s marketplace has some SERIOUS goodies for your Instant Pot? Because it does!
These Stabil steamer baskets will allow you to cook or steam THREE different things in your Instant Pot right at the same time! And they will fit into any 6 OR 8qt models. And not only that, IT’S FOR CHEAP!
Don’t have an Ikea near you? Buy them here!
You can check out my honest and unbiased review which you can view here!
Trivet and Steaming Support
While all Instant Pots come WITH trivets to rest your eggs, meats and veggies on, not ALL the trivets shipped are the same. If you find the one that came with your pot has too many gaps that eggs, meat or veggies may slip through, I highly suggest you get this one. It also comes with a steel steamer basket with handles! Click here to buy!
Or perhaps you’d only like a trivet that perfectly holds up to 6 individual eggs? Click here to buy that!
Additional Sealing Rings
All Instant Pots have a silicone sealing ring that comes with it – and it’s a good thing because this ring is critical for a successful pressure cooking result. Often, folks remove their silicone rings to clean them from the pot and then replace them (by the way – make sure you do this properly or the steam will escape from the lid and it won’t come to pressure). Sometimes, if done very often, this can cause some wear and tear. Also, some people prefer to use different sealing rings depending on what’s cooking as the silicone has a tendency to retain the aromas of what was cooking (some use one for meats, one for seafood, one for desserts, etc). These come in pairs at a GREAT price and you can get them in blue and red OR in the classic clear color. Click here to buy!
Instant Pot Glass Lid
If you would like to cover your Instant Pot while in Slow Cooking mode (yes, you can use it as a slow cooker too!), or just to keep your food warm, this quality Instant Pot branded glass lid you can purchase here will do the trick.
Bamboo Steamer
If you wish to steam some veggies or make my Soup Dumplings, you’ll DEFINITELY want to click here to buy this adorable 6″ bamboo steamer which fits perfectly into the 6 quart Instant Pot!
You’ll also want to buy these liners to fit the 6″ steamer!
I am also told that this 8″ steamer will fit in perfectly as well so click here to buy a larger size!
And you’ll also want to buy these liners to fit the 8″ steamer!
Ice Cream Maker
As much as I love my Instant Pot, my second favorite kitchen gadget is my Ice Cream Maker! If you don’t already have an ice cream maker, this one isn’t only FANTASTIC, but it’s SUPER AFFORDABLE!
It makes the most delightful, refreshing and wonderful frozen treats – especially the smash hit Dole Whip!
Dole Whip Soft Serve
Oh! You wanna make some DOLE WHIP that tastes IDENTICAL to Disney’s? You’re gonna need this and you can buy it here! It’s LITERALLY THE SAME MIX THEY USE IN DISNEY! And don’t be freaked out by the $20-$25 price tag. This makes 90 HALF-CUPS OF DOLE WHIP! And we only use a little bit of the mix for each batch so this is going to last you up to a year (or a few months depending on how addicted you are to it)! AMAZING VALUE!
Oh yeah. IT’S DAIRY-FREE for any lactose intolerant or vegans (or both!) AND KOSHER! Try it in all these flavors!
Kitchen Rack
If you’re like me and have a small kitchen (the joys of NYC living), this AMAZING 4-tier Kitchen Rack may change your storage life as it has mine.
Sturdy, looks good and BARELY ANY assembly required!
French Onion Soup Crocks
If you wish to make the best French Onion Soup you’ll ever have, you’re going to want to buy French Onion Soup Crocks to do it right! These are going to come in VERY handle during the cheese broiling process and so I’ve listed two different types of crocks you can get. Both come in sets of 4 and are in that EXACT style you love.
Ninja Blender/Food Processor
The Ninja Intelli-Sense is the BEST blender I’ve EVER used! Because some recipes focus on things that require food processing and/or a blending/purée (like my Cauliflower Purée), I HIGHLY suggest you get this fabulous Ninja Blender which ALSO works as a food processor, spiralizer to make Zoodles, smoothie maker and makes the BEST resort-style frozen drinks. It does all you could want it to do. All for a GREAT value. Click here to buy!
Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer
Certain recipes call for a mixer that has some serious power behind it, especially for some batters (like the one I used in my Cheesecake) or for even shredding chicken easily. There really is nothing else like a Kitchen Aid stand mixer. There’s a reason they’ve been around for ages and I just love that beautiful retro look they all have – not to mention they’ll become good friends with your Instant Pot! I got mine 3 years ago and I still have no idea how I managed to live so long without it. They make life in the kitchen so much easier! Click here to buy this wonderful appliance!
Need to grate cheese for a recipe and hate doing it by hand? Click here to buy this life-changing attachment!
Pyrex Ramekins
In order to make mini cakes in the Instant Pot (such as the famed Chocolate Lava Cake), you’ll want to get these 6-ounce Pyrex ramekins as they are perfect for it! They are super affordable and come in a set of 4 and will last a while!
Zatarain’s Shrimp & Crab Boil
Since my Shrimp Boil is one of my most popular dishes and because Zatarain’s isn’t easy to find in every market if you’re not in the southern US, you can get it here! A little of this stuff (seriously, a splash is enough) goes a long way and it packs one serious punch! Not only perfect for the Shrimp Boil, but for PLENTY of other seafood or cajun recipes alike!
Victoria White Linen Marinara Sauce
If you’ve seen my videos (like my Alla Vodka or Meatballs), you’ll know I am IN LOVE WITH Victoria White Linen Marinara Sauce and use it in any recipe that requires sauce (if I don’t have time to make my own, of course). You can find this sauce at most Costcos and they are sold in 40oz jars in packs of 2 for a great price! BUT if you aren’t a Costco member or if your local market doesn’t carry this brand, I strongly suggest you click here to buy this magnificent sauce if you don’t have the time tomake your own. I truly believe it’s some of the best jarred sauce you can buy and even Nonna would approve!
