Instant Pot Ace 60 Cooking Blender Review: Your Ultimate Kitchen Powerhouse

The culinary landscape is constantly evolving, and at the forefront of this revolution is innovation that combines multiple functionalities into a single, intuitive appliance. Enter the Instant Pot Ace 60 Cooking Blender, a groundbreaking device poised to transform your kitchen experience. This comprehensive review, unboxing, and guide will reveal everything you need to know about Instant Pot’s remarkable entry into the high-performance blender market. Prepare to discover how this versatile blender can effortlessly handle everything from silky-smooth morning smoothies and finely crushed ice to rich, hot soups and homemade nut milks, all while offering intelligent features, practical tips, and detailed tutorials for optimal use.

For years, many home chefs have dreamed of owning a high-end blender capable of both powerful blending and efficient heating, often eyeing premium brands like Vitamix. The Instant Pot Ace 60 Cooking Blender makes this dream accessible, offering a robust feature set at a fraction of the cost. Its introduction has been met with excitement, especially for those familiar with the Instant Pot family of appliances, known for their reliability and multi-functional design. This review aims to provide an honest, in-depth look at what makes the Ace 60 a standout appliance and a worthy addition to any modern kitchen.

The anticipation surrounding the Instant Pot Ace 60 Cooking Blender has been palpable among kitchen gadget enthusiasts. As someone who has long admired the capabilities of professional-grade blenders, I’ve often considered investing in a Vitamix. These powerful machines, frequently demonstrated at retailers like Costco, almost convinced me on several occasions. However, a gut feeling prompted me to wait, and I am incredibly glad I did. The arrival of the Instant Pot Ace Blender presents a compelling alternative, offering comparable performance to much pricier models without the hefty price tag. Exclusively available at Walmart, this innovative blender is priced at an astonishing $99, making high-performance blending accessible to a wider audience. Discover this incredible value and purchase yours directly from Walmart by clicking here.

Unboxing the Instant Pot Ace 60: What’s Inside?

Upon unboxing the Instant Pot Ace 60, you’ll immediately appreciate the thoughtful design and comprehensive set of accessories that accompany this versatile appliance. Everything needed to start blending and cooking right away is included, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable user experience from day one. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll find:

Lid: A securely fitting lid designed with a safety lock mechanism, essential for preventing spills and ensuring safe operation, especially when hot liquids are involved. It also features a removable measuring cup insert.
Glass Pitcher: The robust, high-quality 60-ounce (1.75 liters) glass pitcher is not only aesthetically pleasing but also incredibly durable. Its heavy-duty construction makes it ideal for handling both extreme hot and cold temperatures, providing stability and excellent heat retention for cooking functions.
Base: The sturdy base houses the powerful 700W blending motor and the 600W heating element, featuring non-slip foot pads to keep the blender secure on your countertop during intense blending tasks.
Food Tamper: This specially designed wand allows you to safely push ingredients down towards the blades while the blender is in operation, ensuring even blending and preventing air pockets, particularly useful for thicker mixtures or frozen ingredients.
Cleaning Brush: A specialized brush is included to aid in cleaning around the blades and other hard-to-reach areas of the pitcher, simplifying maintenance.
Measuring Cup: Integrated into the lid, this handy measuring cup accurately measures liquids up to 1 cup, perfect for adding ingredients during blending without removing the entire lid.
User Manual: A comprehensive guide that provides detailed instructions on assembly, operation, cleaning, and safety precautions, ensuring you get the most out of your blender.
Strainer Bag: A unique accessory that elevates the Ace 60’s functionality, specifically designed for filtering homemade nut milks (like almond or cashew milk) and soy milk, allowing you to create smooth, pulp-free beverages.

A New Era of Blending: Cold Blending Capabilities

The Instant Pot Ace 60 Cooking Blender truly excels in its cold blending capabilities, offering a range of preset programs that guarantee consistent and perfect results every time. Whether you’re a health enthusiast, a dessert lover, or someone who enjoys refreshing beverages, the Ace 60 has you covered. Its powerful motor and sharp blades are engineered to tackle even the toughest ingredients with ease.

Smoothie: Transform fresh fruits, vegetables, ice, and liquids into velvety smooth, nutrient-packed smoothies. The dedicated smoothie program ensures optimal blending cycles, breaking down fibrous ingredients and creating a creamy texture that rivals juice bar creations. Start your day with a vibrant, healthy concoction or whip up a quick post-workout refuel.
Crushed Ice: Forget struggling with flimsy ice crushers. The Ace 60 effortlessly turns ice cubes into finely crushed ice, perfect for refreshing iced teas, chilled cocktails, slushies, or even creating a bed for seafood platters. The powerful blades make quick work of ice, delivering uniform results without clunky chunks.
Ice Cream: Indulge in homemade, healthy frozen desserts with the Ace 60’s ice cream program. Simply combine frozen fruit, a splash of liquid, and your preferred sweetener, and watch as the blender transforms them into rich, soft-serve style ice cream or sorbet. This is a fantastic way to enjoy guilt-free treats tailored to your taste.
Nut/Oat Milk: For those seeking dairy alternatives or simply wanting to enjoy fresh, preservative-free beverages, the Ace 60 makes homemade nut and oat milks a breeze. Soak your preferred nuts or oats, blend them with water using the dedicated program, and then use the included strainer bag to filter out the pulp, leaving you with delicious, creamy milk.

Beyond Blending: Unleashing the Ace 60’s Hot Cooking Potential

What truly sets the Instant Pot Ace 60 apart is its remarkable “cooking blender” functionality, seamlessly transitioning from cold blending to hot processing. This capability expands your culinary repertoire significantly, allowing you to create warm, comforting dishes with unparalleled ease and efficiency. The integrated heating element transforms raw ingredients into perfectly cooked and blended meals, simplifying meal prep and cleanup.

Purée: Achieve perfectly smooth purées for a variety of uses. Whether it’s creamy potato purée, vibrant vegetable purées for baby food, or silky fruit purées for sauces and desserts, the Ace 60 heats and blends simultaneously to create a consistently smooth texture, eliminating lumps and ensuring even cooking.
Soy Milk: Craft fresh, warm soy milk from scratch. The blender’s heating function is crucial here, as soybeans need to be cooked to break down enzymes and enhance digestibility. The Ace 60 automates this process, blending and heating the soaked soybeans to produce delicious, homemade soy milk, which can then be filtered using the included strainer bag.
Rice Milk: Similar to soy milk, making fresh rice milk involves both blending and heating. The Ace 60 handles this with precision, cooking the rice (often pre-soaked) while blending to extract its creamy essence. Enjoy a warm, comforting glass of freshly made rice milk, free from additives.
Soup: This is where the Instant Pot Ace 60 truly shines as a “cooking” blender. Imagine dropping in raw vegetables, broth, and seasonings, pressing a button, and returning to a steaming hot, perfectly blended soup minutes later. From creamy tomato bisque to hearty butternut squash soup, the Ace 60 cooks ingredients from scratch and blends them to your desired consistency, all in one pitcher. This feature saves time, reduces dirty dishes, and ensures a comforting meal with minimal effort.

Key Features of the Instant Pot Ace 60 Cooking Blender

The Instant Pot Ace 60 Cooking Blender is engineered with a suite of features designed to offer safety, power, and convenience, making it a truly indispensable tool in your kitchen. Each element contributes to its superior performance and user-friendly experience:

Safety Lock Lid: Prioritizing user safety, the lid securely locks into place before operation can begin. This intelligent design prevents accidental spills and ensures that the blender operates only when properly sealed, providing peace of mind, especially when blending hot contents.
8 Stainless Steel Blades: At the heart of its blending prowess are eight robust stainless steel blades. This multi-blade system is designed for superior performance, effortlessly crushing ice, pulverizing fibrous greens, and creating ultra-smooth purées with exceptional efficiency and durability.
700W Blending/600W Heating: This powerful dual motor system sets the Ace 60 apart. The 700-watt blending motor ensures ingredients are thoroughly processed, while the 600-watt heating element allows for precise temperature control, enabling the blender to cook soups, warm milk, and create hot purées directly in the pitcher.
60 Ounces/1.75 Liters Capacity: The generous 60-ounce glass pitcher is ideal for preparing large batches, whether you’re making smoothies for the whole family, a big pot of soup for meal prep, or entertaining guests. Its ample capacity reduces the need for multiple blending cycles.
Concealed Heating Element: Unlike blenders with exposed heating coils, the Ace 60 features a concealed heating element. This design not only ensures even heating but also makes the pitcher incredibly easy to clean, as there are no intricate parts for food particles to get trapped in.
Real-Time Cooking Temperature Display: For culinary precision, a real-time display shows the exact temperature of the contents during the cooking cycle. This feature is invaluable for recipes that require specific heat levels, giving you ultimate control over your cooking process.
Non-Slip Foot Pads: The blender base is equipped with sturdy non-slip foot pads, providing exceptional stability on your countertop. This prevents the blender from moving or vibrating excessively during high-speed blending, ensuring safe and secure operation.
Includes Manual Blending Keys: Low/Medium/High: Beyond the preset programs, the Ace 60 offers manual control options with dedicated buttons for Low, Medium, and High speeds. This allows you to customize blending intensity for specific textures and ingredients, giving you complete flexibility.
Pulse/Clean Function: This dual-purpose feature is a game-changer for both quick bursts of blending and effortless cleaning. To clean, simply add water and a few drops of dish soap to the glass pitcher, then press Pulse/Clean. The blender will engage in short, powerful bursts to dislodge food particles, significantly simplifying the rinse-off process afterward. It’s recommended to use this feature prior to initial use and regularly for maintenance.

Instant Pot Ace 60 vs. Vitamix: An Affordable Powerhouse?

For years, Vitamix blenders have set the gold standard for high-performance blending, known for their incredible power, durability, and ability to create ultra-smooth textures. However, their premium price point often puts them out of reach for many consumers. The Instant Pot Ace 60 Cooking Blender emerges as a compelling alternative, challenging the notion that top-tier performance must come with a hefty price tag.

At a mere $99, the Ace 60 positions itself as an exceptionally affordable powerhouse. While it may not boast every single minute feature found in the most advanced Vitamix models, it delivers on the core functionalities that matter most to the average home user: powerful blending, efficient heating, and robust construction. The Ace 60’s 700W blending motor and 600W heating element are more than sufficient for daily tasks, from pulverizing ice and fibrous greens to cooking and blending hot soups from raw ingredients – a feature often found in high-end blenders.

The primary advantage of the Instant Pot Ace 60 is its incredible value proposition. For less than a quarter of the cost of an entry-level Vitamix, you gain a versatile appliance capable of both hot and cold processing, complete with dedicated preset programs and useful accessories like the strainer bag. This makes it an ideal choice for budget-conscious consumers who refuse to compromise on quality or functionality.

While a Vitamix might offer slightly more raw power or finer control for professional use, the Ace 60 is perfectly suited for home kitchens, busy families, and anyone looking to experiment with healthy eating or simplified meal prep. It provides a taste of high-end blending and cooking without the significant investment, democratizing access to advanced kitchen technology. If you’ve been dreaming of a powerful blender but balked at the price, the Instant Pot Ace 60 offers an intelligent and economical solution.

Maximizing Your Instant Pot Ace 60 Experience: Essential Tips

To ensure you get the best performance and longevity from your Instant Pot Ace 60 Cooking Blender, here are some essential tips and best practices:

Initial Cleaning and Regular Maintenance: Always use the Pulse/Clean feature with water and a few drops of dish soap prior to your first use. This removes any manufacturing residues. Continue to use this function for quick, effective cleaning after each blend, followed by a thorough rinse. For deeper cleaning, the pitcher can be hand-washed with warm soapy water and the included cleaning brush.
Mind the Liquid Minimum: For both hot and cold blending programs, ensure you always add a minimum of ¼ cup of liquid. This is crucial for proper blending mechanics and to prevent the motor from overheating, a principle similar to using the original Instant Pot. Insufficient liquid can strain the motor and lead to suboptimal results.
Familiarize with Sound Cues: The Ace 60 shares a familiar sound profile with other Instant Pot appliances. The distinctive beeping sound indicating the completion of a program is identical to the alerts from the original Instant Pot, making it easy to integrate into your existing kitchen routine.
Safety First: Never Reach into the Pitcher: For your safety, under no circumstances should you reach into the pitcher while the blender is in use or plugged in. Always ensure the unit is off and unplugged before attempting to clear ingredients or clean the blades.
Use Only Instant Pot Accessories: The lid, tamper, and other accessories are specifically designed for the Instant Pot Ace 60. Using parts from different blender models can lead to improper fit, reduced performance, or safety hazards. Always stick to the items provided by Instant Pot.
Avoid Overfilling for Thick Contents: When blending thick mixtures like nut butters, heavy sauces, or very dense frozen desserts, do not overfill the pitcher beyond the 1000mL mark. Overfilling with thick contents can put excessive strain on the motor, potentially leading to overheating. Adjust batch sizes or add a little more liquid to facilitate blending.
Layer Ingredients Correctly: For optimal blending, especially with smoothies, layer ingredients strategically. Start with liquids, then soft ingredients (like leafy greens), followed by harder items (frozen fruits, ice), and finally, dry ingredients or powders on top. This helps the blades draw ingredients down more efficiently.
Proper Blade Care: The stainless steel blades are incredibly durable, but proper care prolongs their sharpness. Avoid blending overly hard, non-food items, and always ensure the pitcher is clean to prevent residue buildup on the blades.

Is the Instant Pot Ace 60 Cooking Blender Right for You?

After a thorough review of its features, capabilities, and value, it’s clear that the Instant Pot Ace 60 Cooking Blender stands out as an exceptional kitchen appliance. It expertly bridges the gap between powerful blending and convenient cooking, offering a versatile solution for a wide array of culinary tasks.

This blender is an ideal choice for:

Budget-Conscious Home Cooks: If you desire high-performance blending and cooking functionalities without the premium price tag typically associated with brands like Vitamix, the Ace 60 at $99 is an unbeatable value.
Health Enthusiasts: Easily whip up nutrient-dense smoothies, homemade nut milks, and healthy frozen desserts, giving you full control over your ingredients.
Busy Individuals and Families: Its ability to cook and blend hot soups in one go significantly cuts down on meal prep time and cleanup, making healthy eating more accessible even on hectic schedules.
Aspiring Chefs and Experimenters: With both hot and cold programs, plus manual controls, the Ace 60 empowers you to experiment with new recipes, from purées and sauces to various plant-based milks.
Instant Pot Fans: Those already familiar with the reliability and intuitive design of Instant Pot products will find the Ace 60 a natural and welcome addition to their appliance collection.

In conclusion, the Instant Pot Ace 60 Cooking Blender isn’t just another blender; it’s a multi-functional kitchen powerhouse that offers incredible value, versatility, and performance. It simplifies complex cooking processes and elevates everyday blending tasks, making healthy and creative cooking more enjoyable and accessible for everyone. It truly redefines what an “affordable blender” can achieve.

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