While the Instant Pot (or similar multicooker) can do just about everything, you can up your pressure cooking game even more. With the right accessories, you can make meal prep faster, easier, and more enjoyable. Without further ado, here are our top picks for helpful Instant Pot accessories.
Steamer basket
To get the most out of steaming foods in your Instant Pot, you’ll want a steamer basket that fits your cooking pot insert.
Steamer baskets hold more food, prevent small pieces from falling out, and help foods cook evenly. Using manual cook or your IP’s steam function, your fresh or frozen food will steam under pressure in less time than on the stovetop. Even dense foods such as sweet potatoes or winter squash can be steamed in less than five minutes.
Roasting rack/trivet
Similar to a steamer basket, a simple flat roasting rack elevates food while it cooks in your Instant Pot. Keeping foods off the bottom cuts down the chances your meal will burn, get mushy, or lose nutrients by being submerged in cooking liquid.
Racks also help steam move freely while allowing excess fat to drip off the food, preventing greasiness and helping you moderate fat consumption. Racks can be great for cooking rib cuts, bone-in chicken, or chops, which can all cook in 10 to 30 minutes — even for cuts like beef shanks or turkey breasts.
Egg rack
Cook lots of soft-boiled or hard-boiled eggs? The Instant Pot helps you whip up a batch in bulk, so you can have an anytime egg stash ready to go. Plus, Instant Pots only need about a cup of water to get the job done — far less than if you were to boil a lot of eggs on the stovetop.
By holding eggs in place, these racks minimize the chance of cracks or breaks, while helping eggs cook evenly. Egg racks come in different sizes and stackable models, so you can choose the right one based on your Instant Pot’s size and how many eggs you want to cook at once.
Mini loaf pans
The power of steam isn’t limited to cooking perfect meats and vegetables. Steam can also help you “bake” perfectly moist quick breads and desserts. That’s especially nice during hot months when you’re craving a tasty treat but don’t want to fire up the oven.
With mini loaf pans, you can crank out meat loaf and mashed potatoes, banana bread, and even cake, all with your Instant Pot.
Egg bite/muffin trays
An egg rack can cook whole eggs, and a mini loaf pan can steam baked-style goods. But what if you want to make muffins? What if you want to make those tasty steamed egg bites like the sous vide ones you find at Starbucks? Well, you’re in luck.
To crank out these types of sweet or savory snacks, invest in muffin liners and trays specifically designed for multi-cookers. You can often steam these types of foods in the same or less time it takes to bake them. Since you’re just firing up your Instant Pot instead of turning on the oven, you also save energy.
Stackable racks
Pot-in-pot cooking (or PIP) means you can cook different foods in separate containers at the same time. PIP is great when you want to serve foods separately or batch-cook separate dishes in order to stock your fridge or freezer.
Stackable racks help you get the most out of PIP cooking. Many stackable racks also include a handle to help you safely insert or remove your racks and pans without spills or burns.
Springform pan
Just like the springform pans you use to bake cheesecakes, lasagnas, breads, and other treats, a multi-cooker-ready springform pan has a removable ring that separates from the base after cooking.
Springform pans come in many sizes and styles, from large pans that fill the insert edge to edge and multiple smaller pans for smaller or personal-sized goodies and specialty items like bundt pans. While you may be hesitant to bake in the Instant Pot, this cooking method’s moist heat helps finicky foods such as cheesecakes cook through without drying out.
Bakeware sling
A sling slides under a piece of cookware as you set it inside the Instant Pot. Then, once cooking is complete, you can grip the ends to help you remove the hot dish from the Instant Pot.
Parchment paper is going to get wet and tear and foil is prone to tearing. A better option and sized to fit under and around your cookware, a readymade bakeware sling will not to tear and can be reused over and over. A sling will help you lift food out with secure, large handles, so you can grab on tight and don’t have to worry about burns or slips.
Honorable Mentions
With a quick search, you’ll find dozens of different Instant Pot accessories. While the list above includes our favorite items, here are a few other multi-cooker accessories that may come in handy.
- Multi-cooker mitts: Mitts made specifically for the Instant Pot are thinner and make it easier to pull out the insert.
- Steam release vent pipe: Opting for quick release? Divert steam away from the bottom of your cabinets with a steam release vent pipe.
- Air fryer lid: With this lid, you can use your Instant Pot like an air fryer for baking, roasting, and frying.
- Extra sealing rings: Keep one for savory goods and one for sweet, and an extra in case one breaks.
- Silicone storage lid: Rather than transfer leftovers to a separate container, use one of these lids to cover your Instant Pot cooking pot when storing food in the fridge.
- Glass lid: Though they don’t seal for pressure cooking, glass lids are helpful to see your food when using the slow cooker setting.
The Right Accessories Can Help You Raise Your Instant Pot Game
Remember: The right accessories match what you like to cook (and what you want to get better at cooking). With an arsenal of helpful tools, you’ll instantly get even more out of your Instant Pot than ever before.
