About the Instant Pot
Instant Pot (Not Insta-Pot) is a brand of multicookers manufactured by Instant Brands. The multicookers are electronically controlled, combined pressure cookers and slow cookers. The original cookers are marketed as 6-in-1 or more appliances designed to consolidate the cooking and preparing of food to one device. The brand has since expanded to include non-pressure slow cookers, sous-vide immersion circulators, blenders, air fryers and rice cookers.
History
In 2009, Robert Wang, Yi Qin, Dongjun Wang, and one other friend, all former employees of Nortel in Ottawa, Canada, started working on designs for the Instant Pot. Robert Wang is credited as the inventor of the Instant Pot. This beginning model operated as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice or porridge cooker, yoghurt maker, sauté/searing pan, steamer, and food warmer. This model was under development for 18 months.
In 2013 Chris Stevens a UK Housewares ‘veteran’ started the distribution of the Instant Pot brand in the UK and Europe as the second version was being made available in North America.
In 2015 Chris Stevens took over commercial operations and wrote the strategy and business plan that over the next three years transformed Instant Pot into one of the fastest-growing brands in the history of the Housewares and kitchen appliances market. The plan focused on a radically restricted group of leading retailer partners and very early examples of social media marketing to create a community of users. It became a cult brand with millions of followers. The range was expanded to accommodate the needs of the select group of top North American retailers.
In July 2015 the Instant Pot Smart-60 cooker was recalled, affecting about 1,140 units in Canada and the United States. The defect caused an electric current to leak, which could potentially shock the product’s user. There were four reported instances of this shock before it was recalled.
In February 2018, five production runs of Instant Pot Gem 65 8-in-1 Multicookers were recalled because they were overheating and subsequently melting due to a manufacturing issue.
