Instant Pot Mini Accessories

Not sure what Instant Pot Mini Accessories you need and which you should skip? We’ve got you covered!

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When we bought our 3-Quart Instant Pot Duo Plus last year I had a bunch of accessory-related questions…Did we need additional silicone rings? Is an accessory set a good value or mostly full of junk?

Since getting comfy using our little multi-cooker (check out this Instant Pot Mini Beginner’s Guide if you need help) we’ve purchased quite a few accessories and thought it would be useful to share our hits and misses. Below are 9 accessories that will help you do EVEN MORE with your versatile little machine.

Let us know about your favorite accessory in the comments!

3-QUART INSTANT POT MINI ACCESSORIES

1. Extra Silicone Rings

Hands down, extra rings are the best investment. Just like silicone baking mats, the rings absorb odors. To keep from having a bowl of garlic-scented oatmeal it’s best to switch them out depending on what you’re cooking.

We use the red ring for garlic/onion seasoned food and the blue ring for sweet dishes, like coconut rice pudding and oatmeal for two.

2. OXO Silicone Egg Rack

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! This rack is awesome for making hard-cooked eggs but we also use it for lots of other odd shaped foods (like steamed beets) that don’t balance well on the metal trivet that came with our machine.

3. Glass Lid

This lid is one of our least used accessories. We originally purchased it to make kettle corn but weren’t fans of the process or the popcorn. So it hasn’t been used since. Because the glass allows you to see what’s going on in the pot, I’ve heard it’s very handy for slow cooking.

4. Instant Pot Cookbook

Tim and I liked The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook For Two by Janet A. Zimmerman so much we made 4 different recipes from it in just one weekend!

The book features a variety of two-serving recipes (both meaty and meatless), helpful tips, and lots of ideas for using up leftover ingredients. If you want to read our full review of this fantastic Instant-Pot-Authorized cookbook you can see it on our Cooking For Two Cookbooks Page.

5. Instant Pot App

Have you checked out the Instant Pot Recipe App yet? It’s totally free with lots of recipes and fun features like the ability to create grocery lists. You can even reduce the number of servings on a recipe and the ingredient amounts are automatically adjusted down for you!

6. Silicone Mitts

Grabbing the lip of the inner cooking pot with a kitchen towel or potholder can be awkward. A pair of mini silicone mitts makes it simple to grab and hold the pot while keeping your hands protected. Also, the mitts nest within each other so they’re easy to tuck away in a kitchen drawer.

Our mitts were part of an accessory set but you can find a pair at most grocery and department stores or grab a set of red Instant Pot branded ones on Amazon.

7. Extra Inner Cooking Pot

As we’ve started using the machine more I can see how convenient it would be to have a second pot for:

• Cooking during the holidays.
• If we take it camping.
• Or meal prepping hard-cooked eggs and beans on the weekends.

Right now, we’re trying to decide between getting a second stainless steel one or the ceramic coated variety. Do you have a recommendation?

8. Steamer Basket

If you’re looking to cook lots of veggies with your 3-Quart Instant Pot Mini then you’re going to want a steamer basket. Initially, I looked for a silicone basket but could only find them for the larger machines. I settled on this one because I liked the handle.

We’ve been really happy with the basket and have used it to steam asparagus, fresh and frozen broccoli, and red potatoes. I can’t wait to try making vegetable broth with it.

Our basket was part of a set but there is a very similar one that’s sold separately.

9. Silicone Egg Molds

Skip Starbucks and try making a batch of homemade Egg Bites‎ using your Instant Pot Mini! I’ve seen these bites made with ramekins and sturdy silicone muffin liners but I like using an egg mold to make ours (recipe coming soon).

The little molds are also handy for creating fun portion-controlled desserts like brownies, muffins, and birthday cake-style cheesecake bites.

There are a variety of mold sizes available for the 3-Quart IP. We’re big fans of these 4-cavity ones that come in a pack of 2 and make large egg bites.

Are Accessory Sets For The 3 Quart A Good Value?

I think that depends on how many of the pans, baskets, racks, gadgets, or tools you’ll actually use. There are A LOT of sets available on Amazon, each one filled with different accessories.

For us, the set I purchased was okay but we probably should have just bought separately the 2 pieces (basket & mitts) that we use the most.

How to determine if an accessory set is a good value for you:

• Make a list of the main items you think you’ll use.
• Look up how much each one is sold for individually.
• Add those $$$ up.

If the total is greater than the price of the set – you know the set is a good value. If it’s less, skip the set and separately purchase just the items you want.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE INSTANT POT ACCESSORIES?
Please share in the comments!