I have the six quart and cook for two. I like having leftovers for lunches.

We were gifted the 6Qt Duo Smart (or whatever the app enabled version is called) for Christmas. I love it and it is large enough to make a meal for 3 with leftovers. I can cook a 4lb roast in it easily, and it made some pretty awesome pulled pork.

I am keeping it and our regular large oval crock-pot so that I can make multiple dishes at once. (Also our crock pot has a travel case that makes it great for pot lucks.)

Most of the IP recipes I've found -both online and in cookbooks- are for the 6Qt, which seems to be the standard size.

You could go with either the 6 qt or the 8 qt. You don't have to fill the entire thing when you cook. Recipes for the 6 qt will work for the 8 qt. I have both, and I don't change the cooking time when I cook with the 8 qt.

I have a medium-sized Instapot ... and I wish I had the small size (for when it's just us two) and the large size (for cooking for a group + for the freezer).

I suggest you go small first ... and then, if you're happy with it, add a large model too.

We LOVE corn-in-the-cob from the Instapot, which requires a larger version ... but we also like making boiled eggs (out of the shell, poured into a metal container) for egg salad. Stews, etc. will fit in any size ... but, obviously, your quantity will vary.

I often halve recipes with no problem in my 6 quart. You can also use the "pot in pot" method (google that) to cook several small dishes that have similar cooking times. A 6 quart is a good size to start with.

I cook for DH and myself most of the time. I bought the 8 qt. Duo 1 1/2 years ago. I find any recipe I ever tried works fine, whether it is large or a bit smaller. I do like the larger 8 qt. when I am doing pork back ribs. The packs I buy have two racks of ribs and when cut into smaller pieces I stand them all up in the IP on the rack/basket they provide. I think a 6 qt. might not fit them all or it would be pretty crowded. DH says ribs done in here are the best he has ever had. I do put them on a cookie sheet under a broiler for a few mins at the end.

I think you will enjoy either model. The Duo or new Duo Plus seems to be the most popular and versatile model. There are lots of good recipes out there. And stew meat is fall apart tender in 30 mins in it!

I have a $40 6 quart knockoff that I bought 5 years ago as a Christmas doorbuster to see if I liked it well enough to buy the real thing. I use it a lot for a family of 2, and it has lasted much longer than I had the right to hope. I still haven’t bought a “real” one.

6 quarts is not quite big enough for a ham remnant with the bone . I have to trim it up, and it still fits awkwardly. I wish I had an 8 quart one for those space challenging items. You can always cook smaller quantities in the bigger pot.

The silicone ring sealer will absorb odors and colors. Mine is that orange tint of tomato sauce from the pasta dishes I cook in it. This is where having a couple of replacement rings helps. Especially if you want to cook sweets in it. You don’t want a hint of garlic in your cheesecake.

I hacked my own stand and sling to cook dishes in pots inside. This is again where an 8 quart with an accessory kit would be the better choice.

So, given my experiences as just a 2 person family, I’d still recommend the larger 8 quart version with an accessory kit and extra rings. I think you will get your money’s worth out of it. It’s earned its spot on the counter along side the rice maker and coffee maker instead of inside the cabinet. Those are the only 3 small appliances that have earned that honor.

I hear it makes rice very well too. But with my induction range, I have that figured out perfectly and prefer that. Plus whatever meat dish I am making in the IP often is going with the rice cooking on the stove. I gave up my slow cooker which I didn't use often. That way I made space for the IP. Some people complain that the IP doesn't do slow cooking as good as a real slow cooker. I have done several recipes and don't see much difference. The trick is to buy the lid or just find one of your own that fits and use it instead of the sealing lid. That way the pot can let out the smallest amount of moisture just like a slow cooker will. I found a double set of extra sealing rings for a real good price on Amazon.

I have the 8 qt but only cook for 2. We too love having leftovers and I am very glad that I have the 8 qt. I have a tip for you. Store the lid upside down on the instapot & you will not have problems with the odors that so many complain about.

If you're planning on doing yogurt, make sure you get the model that has a yogurt button (there's one that doesn't). You can still make yogurt in the one without the button but it's a little more work. I have an 8 qt and a 3 qt. Instant Pot. I got the 3 qt just to make yogurt (because it occupies the pot for at least 8 hours) and it's the perfect size for that. Amazon has a zillion accessories that you can buy for any of the sizes. Once you get your pot, be sure to check out This Old Gal on Facebook. She posts a lot of good recipes and hints. There is definitely a learning curve, but it's a fun one with good food at the end. P.S. Make cheesecake!

I make yogurt once a week using the IP but I still like to heat the milk on the stove. I like to strain the gritty little milk solids out after the milk is heated and for me it's just easier to do it from the saucepan.

I too store the lid upside down. The silicone ring can also be removed and put in the dishwasher. I still find it has a bit of an odor, but I mostly cook meat or pasta dishes and I doubt that it alters flavours. Just the way silicone is.

Is there a brand difference between an "Instapot" and an "Instant Pot"? I haven't seen a product named "Instapot" but see references to it a lot.

I don't think there is such a thing as an "Instapot". I have read that people are referring to the Instant Pot when they say that.

A plain old pressure cooker is a lot cheaper and does 90% of everything that an Instant Pot will do. The yogurt bit and slow cooking are the two things it won't do. I already have 3 crockpots, and don't make yogurt. Saved $200.

Join the FB group - Instant Pot 101 for Beginners. All your questions answered, some cautions, good hints, and recipes too.

I use the 6 qt and 3 qt INSTANT Pot daily. It’s crazy how much I use them. Risotto in the pot is a game changer. Beans of all kinds, cheesecake, ribs, soups, quinoa, I could go on. America’s Test Kitchen has a really good cookbook with many elegant recipes.

6 qt for the 2 of us is fine and we freeze leftovers. The 8 qt would take over my counter!

Of course I don't do turkeys or hams. I have done a whole chicken.

Many people don't want to use the old style pressure cookers for fear of having them explode. I think that is a rare occurrence, but the Instant Pot pretty much gets rid of that. The temps are all controlled and it seems very safe and easy to use. If you watch around Black Friday and Boxing day these things go on sale on Amazon and in stores for dirt cheap. Mine was $99.00 for the 8 Qt. Duo. We just finished using ours for the 2nd time this week. I had carpal tunnel surgery a few days ago, so DH tried his 2nd time with the IP. I checked out that "This Old Gal" site that vpierce mentioned earlier, and found a recipe for Italian Pesto Chicken. She calls it her Dump and Cook method. Throw it all in, no sauteing required and put on the lid. The chicken was very tender and tasty.

I have a 6 qt ... and cook for two with plenty of 'overs.' Use it when the kids come, and there's enough for all. Can also fix ahead and put extra in the crock pot/s to warm and have several meals at once. Haven't quite mastered proofing bread in the IP yet ... works great on rice, beans and assorted sundry other things. Did corned beef and cabbage too for SPD .... so sad I'm the only one who likes that ... so, so, so sad about that ... (grin).

Dave

When I purchased my first instant pot, I had a stovetop pressure cooker and three crockpots. I now have two instant pots and one crock pot. I find the instant pot does everything all of the other appliances do, and more.

I make steamed eggs for deviled eggs every week, chicken wings, bone broth, yogurt, pot roast, ribs, and more. I just tried cooking frozen ground beef, and it worked perfectly. I love it, and now my college students each take a new one when they leave home. I buy them on amazon on prime day or black friday for the best prices.

I do the same thing you plan to do, and find my 6-quart instant pot is more than sufficient for the two of us with plenty of leftovers. I did have an 8-quart but found it was overkill and sold it to a neighbor. Not only did I not really need the additional volume, the unit itself is rather large to deal with. Having said that, I would probably go with the 8 if you really want to make huge quantities.

For a person new to pressure cooking the Instant Pot is simple to use, and if you can use the other functions you can save space by getting rid of the slow cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, etc. Plus you don't need a stove.

As a long-time user of a stove-top pressure cooker I prefer my stove-top cooker as it comes up to pressure much faster, and is less bulky to store or set up. I only drag out the Instant Pot (6 qt) a few times a year - for dishes that take longer than 30 minutes that I don't want to babysit.

Laura Pazzaglia's "Hip Pressure Cooking" is a good basic cookbook, and Urvashi Pitre's "Indian Instant Pot Cookbook" is a good intro to Indian cooking with the PC.

https://www.hippressurecooking.com/pressure-cooker-recipes/

I have been cooking with a standard pressure cooker for over 20 years and recently updated to an Instant Pot 8 quart because my new kitchen has induction and the old pot isn’t compatible.
I love the IP and went with the larger one because you can always put a smaller quantity in the big one, but can’t make a small one fit more.
I got a great deal on a used 6 quart model on Craigslist and gave it to my son who is in college. He uses it all the time.

The IP can take awhile to come to pressure, but I've found if you use the saute function to cook the meat or onions or whatever, it take far less time to come to pressure cause it's already hot!

I have both the 3 quart and the 6 quart. I mostly use the 3 quart for myself. I can take leftovers once, but that's it. Make yogurt in it, soup, cook dried beans, chicken, etc. When have company coming over, use the 6 quart.