"The Instant Pot and the Miracle Kitchen Devices of Yesteryear"

[user 22017]

Sharing because it is a fun read and I noticed that many nomads like 'Instapots'
~~~~~
So what doomed the Instant Pot? How could something that was so beloved sputter? Is the arc of kitchen goods long but bends toward obsolescence? Business schools may someday make a case study of one of Instant Pot’s vulnerabilities, namely, that it was simply too well made. Once you slapped down your ninety dollars for the Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1, you were set for life: it didn’t break, it didn’t wear out, and the company hasn’t introduced major innovations that make you want to level up. As a customer, you were one-and-done, which might make you a happy customer, but is hell on profit-and-growth performance metrics. Clark also suggests that, unlike the cooking-for-dummies promise of many culinary gadgets, Instant Pot required some actual effort. “It’s a tool for real cooks,” Clark said. “People think it’s magic, but that’s not the way it works.”

More: https://www.newyorker.com/news/afte...nd-the-miracle-kitchen-devices-of-yesteryear?

 

[eDJ_]

LOL, good points Carla. When I was in Design School one of our assignments was to visit big box stores just before the Christmas Holiday and look at all of the appliance offerings and take note of them. Later in the spring to visit some yard sales and see how much of this stuff was for sale having never been used. Most of these we single use items.

I love my Instapot, but then I cook. (which means I can prep food items to be cooked in the pot)

Right on the heels of the Instapot was the "Air Fryer" which offered utility the Instapot didn't. A user could buy frozen foods that were just heat and eat to use in the Air Fryer. Beyond that parchment paper liners were introduced which were something like the paper cups for Automatic Drip Coffee Makers.....so there was little or no clean up. Soon Food Companies began to introduce "Air Fryer" foods ready "for those on the go". And.....the Air Fryer took up about as much room as the Instant Pot.

From the view of those in Product Development/Design many of these Kitchen "Gizmo's" were made for little more than gift giving and doomed almost on arrival.

One of the leading figures of these things (who got rich) was Ron Popeil of RONCO products.

A couple of interesting books on this subject. (Minimalist Nomads should know about)

In Malcolm Gladwell's book What The Dog Saw he has a chapter on Ron Popiel....who was an amazing kid earning small fortunes as a young teen. Many of his products were more in the line of novelty gifts.

Dr. Victor Papanek's book Design for the Real World showcases much of these silly products whose only purpose was to make money for the producer. Not really satisfying any human needs.
One chapter, "Our Kleenex Culture" addresses some of this.

About the Author​

Although most of Dr. Papanek's work had been in product design, his background included architecture and anthropology. He taught or chaired departments at universities in Canada, the United States, Denmark, Sweden and England. In recognition of his work to create a closer understanding between the impoverished Third World and technologically advanced countries, he was nominated for the Alternative Nobel Prize. In 1981 he received the ICSID/Kyoto Honors Award for his development of a communications device for the governments of Tanzania and Nigeria. He was also senior design consultant to Volvo of Sweden, to the government of Papua New Guinea and to a medical lighting firm in Australia. From 1981 he was permanent J.L. Constant Distinguished Professor at the School of Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Dr. Papanek died in 1998.

 

[user 22017]

I kinda remember jokes about Ron Popeil and RONCO products. Similarly, Earl Scheib who would paint any car for $99.00. Great advertising strategies. Remember the jingle 588 2300 Empire? Don't remember what it was for but I remember the jingle.

 

[mattvei]

Jingle was for carpet cleaning

 

[Gr8ful]

Empire Ad was selling carpet. You could buy today & get it installed tomorrow. I even found a You Tube

RONCO's funniest product IMHO was Head Spray Paint for balding people
I think all the commercials are on You Tube. Wonder how many Pocket Fisherman's he sold?

I've always had a great memory for everything but names. Can you still say the Big Mac ingredient ad? A friend I flew with was buried yesterday after having dementia, such a terrible illness!

 

[user 22017]

Empire Ad was selling carpet. You could buy today & get it installed tomorrow.

Always found that black spray on hair fascinating, lol.

I just recited the Big Mac jingle to my granddaughters last night. Don't think they caught that it was a jingle.

I used to have a long hamburger one memorized that listed every ingredient super fast.. I'm forgetting it.

Is this the Big Mac? Two all beef patties special sauce lettuce cheese pickle onion on a sesame seed bun?

And of course the Whopper one: "Hold the pickle hold the lettuce special orders don't upset us. all we ask is that you let us serve it your way. Have it your way..."

I try to remember old jingles for my grandchildren but they are fading fast. Jiminy Cricket: I'm gonna live to be 103... 'cause I'm no fool. << safety lessons from junior high health class. Found one of them: )

And, Buckle Up for safety, buckle up. Buckle up for safety, always bucket up. Put your seatbelt on.... forgot the rest, lol.

 

[brianlongk]

Yes! This one is great. I used it to make (American) goulash in my instant pot on the crockpot settings. I did a 7 hour low cook on the sauce then added the noodles and ran it for another 30 min on low and it came out wonderfully!

 

[Gr8ful]

I liked the old lady saying "Where's the beef" in the Wendy's commercial while we all yelled look under the pickle. This was the pickle capital of the world & may still be. Faulkner had & lost the Vlassic contract but got McDonalds or so I hear. He'd plant 2 or 3 times then move all the pickle picking machines, trucks, people, etc to Florida & do the same in the winter but it looks to have slowed way down the last few years as all farming has done. It worries me that Bill Gates owns over 1/2 the U.S. farmland among others who want de-population, plant meat & us to eat insects. Animal production is way down here also. We we're the Mint & Celery capitol also & Edgar Bergen lived here also.

 

[vanbrat]

I was given an instant pot. But it is huge and there are only 2 of us so it sits on its shelf mostly unused. At the same time, I was gifted a tiny little air fryer for my van. I have used the tiny air fryer more often. I was gifted a big regular sized air fryer that I am learning to use. I like the air fryers much more than the instant pot. Maybe if it was smaller. I have also been gifted a cotton candy maker, a snow cone maker, a really pretty popcorn maker, 2 different types of cake pop makers, a chocolate fountain, pasta maker, vacuum sealer, 2 juicers, 3 mixers, an emulsifier and a huge iced tea maker, a huge party sized gridle, and 2 milkshake machines. What do I use.... the microwaves I have 3, a tiny one for the van, one for the kitchen and hubby has one tiny one for his bar, (I am the queen of the zapper) the air fryers the one in the van and the one in my kitchen, my old crock pot I have had for 15+yrs for my kitchen , a small one was gifted to me for my van and I have not used it there yet, the tea maker (I drink iced tea by the gallon daily). I have a coffee maker, but I don't drink coffee so it only comes out if we have company. I have used the chocolate fountain 1 time what a pain! The snow cone maker is great for cocktails as well as kid safe stuff. I take it to work once in a while it's a novelty. Popcorn maker is cute and fun to watch so it comes out sometimes for movie night, but mostly it stays on its shelf. Cake pop makers are fun and I used them with the kids for cornbread. But now that I am semi retired they sit on their shelf. I get something like this EVERY single year for Christmas. I need a bigger garage, with more shelves. Oh yea I also have a big old fashioned apple press for making cider. IT gets used every year and we make 60 100 gallons of cider for the neighborhood. It has its own shed. It takes 2 grown men to move around.
I had a bread maker and used it 3-4 times it was nice to come home to a house that smelled like fresh baked bread after a day at the beach, but it was huge and a pain to use and clean and it fell on my toe once, so it went away.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Ronco's Mr. Microphone:

"Hey good lookin we'll be back to pick you up later!"...

Yeah right.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I kinda remember jokes about Ron Popeil and RONCO products. Similarly, Earl Scheib who would paint any car for $99.00 .....

Ronco Pocket Fisherman was actually good; great for kids.
I knew a couple of avid fishermen that kept one in their car for when they drove by 'interesting water'.

Earl Scheib: 'Paint any car for $99.95'. That's exactly what you got: a painted car. No prep work, no masking, no post paint finishing.

 

[towboater]

I kinda remember jokes about Ron Popeil and RONCO products. Similarly, Earl Scheib who would paint any car for $99.00. Great advertising strategies. Remember the jingle 588 2300 Empire? Don't remember what it was for but I remember the jingle.

I remember Earl Scheib in the 60's advertising " I will paint any car for $29.95 no up's no extras".

 

[Gypsy Jane]

Instant Pot does have an air fryer lid, but (unless it's changed) only for the large ones, not for the 3 quart one that actually fits in my van.

 

[jacqueg]

I kinda remember jokes about Ron Popeil and RONCO products. Similarly, Earl Scheib who would paint any car for $99.00. Great advertising strategies. Remember the jingle 588 2300 Empire? Don't remember what it was for but I remember the jingle.

I'm so freakin' old, I remember when an Earl Scheib paint job was $29.99 - "no ups, no extras"!

(I see towboater beat me to it!)

 

[RV411]

I am not full time, but will be adding (a simple) one of these to my Camp kitchen. I'm convinced that this will improve my cooking Speed and Efficiency on the road.

The other day I made a stew and used my chopper to cut the veggies, outside of enjoying the uniformity of the pieces, I found the process was much faster. The only drawback I can see is that anything other than the mandolin will require careful cleaning, also, the mandolin usually has a sleek build.


Picture courtesy of Wal-Mart

 

[user 22017]

I am not full time, but will be adding (a simple) one of these to my Camp kitchen. I'm convinced that this will improve my cooking Speed and Efficiency on the road.

The other day I made a stew and used my chopper to cut the veggies, outside of enjoying the uniformity of the pieces, I found the process was much faster. The only drawback I can see is that anything other than the mandolin will require careful cleaning, also, the mandolin usually has a sleek build.

View attachment 34300
Picture courtesy of Wal-Mart

I want a mandolin. A couple years ago I bought mandolins for three of my kids for Christmas. Don't think any of them used theirs . Thanks for the reminder... I'll add it to my wish list .

 

[jacqueg]

I tried a mandoline. I found that for just me, I was just as happy using a knife. No, I can't get the uniformity. But a mandoline saved me no time, as a knife is fast and easy to clean, while a mandoline is neither. And it takes up noticeably more space than a knife does.

 

[user 22017]

But a mandoline saved me no time, as a knife is fast and easy to clean, while a mandoline is neither. And it takes up noticeably more space than a knife does.

Thanks Jacqueg. Good points. I'll remember them.

 

[eDJ_]

Just a heads up on the mandoline It is perhaps the most dangerous tool in the kitchen as they're sharp as a surgeon's scalpel. Always use the safety guard to protect your fingers.

How to Use a Mandoline Slicer (and Keep All Your Fingers!)

Jacqueg is right. On knife skills remember the saying, "A dull knife is a dangerous knife".

 

[jacqueg]

Just a heads up on the mandoline It is perhaps the most dangerous tool in the kitchen as they're sharp as a surgeon's scalpel. Always use the safety guard to protect your fingers.

How to Use a Mandoline Slicer (and Keep All Your Fingers!)

Jacqueg is right. On knife skills remember the saying, "A dull knife is a dangerous knife".

Yup. I have one of those hand sharpeners, and use it nearly every time I use the knife.

Other things regarding sharp knives -

Hand wash only.

Do not just throw your knife in a drawer. I use a leather roll.