Instant Pot Duo Crisp 65
Instant Brands
Normally $230, Now $160 at Amazon
This is the “ultimate” appliance for quick meals, slow braises, and yes, even bread proofing. The 13 features of this Instant Pot will cover all your kitchen needs, with on-screen instructions to help you along and the quietest steam release. Of course, there’s an app to help you get acquainted with your Instant Pot.
The lowest price we’ve seen is $160.
What Size Instant Pot Should You Get
Instant Pots come in three basic sizes: 3, 6 and 8 quarts. Most people with a household of three to five people will do fine with a 6-quart — the most popular size. If you’re cooking for one or two, you might consider the three-quart model. And if you have a small army of mouths to feed or tend to host large gatherings, the bigger 8-quart multicooker will be a better fit. In our experience, there is no difference in performance between the different sizes.
Instant Pot Instant Pot Meat Claws
Amazon
Normally $16, Now $13 at Amazon
The saying you can never have too many accessories doesnt usually apply to the kitchen, but it does when they are on sale. Not only do these Meat Claws make it easier and more convenient to shred meat quickly after cooking because of the special design that interlocks them together, but they are also quite a deal right now.
Recommended Reading: How To Cook Popcorn In Instant Pot
How Does It Work
Putting it simply: airtight container + water + heat + food = fully cooked meal. But how that actually works is pretty cool. Usually, water/liquid can only boil at 100 degrees celsius, because most pots are not airtight, so steam escapes. This means that food can only get up to that temperature, increasing cooking times considerably. Instant pots and pressure cookers create a situation where steam and heat cannot escape, increasing the boiling heat of liquid and food to 120 degrees celsius . Essentially, your food is cooking considerably faster at higher degrees.
But what does it do about heat regulation? Instant pots don’t let your food burn because they have a pressure sensor inside the outer pot. The inner pot with deform slightly at such high temperatures, and touch a pressure plate. When this happens the pressure cooker turns off the heating element. This allows the heat to cycle so your food cooks evenly, and shouldn’t burn. Interestingly, ovens work a similar way. They’ll shut off the heat to maintain the temperature inside.
In order for an instant pot to not just be a fancy pressure cooker, the internal computer can adjust temperatures and heat cycles to different foods in different ways. That’s how an instant pot can achieve all those different settings.
What Is The Best Black Friday Deal On The Instant Pot
In past years, we’ve seen amazing Instant Pot Black Friday deals from all our favorite retailers. Last year, we saw tons of amazing Instant Pot Black Friday deals – with some models for as little as $50. This year, Black Friday is likely to yet again be the perfect time to pick up an Instant Pot. If you already have one, then it can also be a good time to consider upgrading considering how great the prices cam be. It is also a great time to snag one or two to give as gifts for the food lovers and cooks in your life.
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Can You Air Fry In An Instant Pot
You sure can. Where the Ninja Foodi’s crisping lid once had a leg up is no longer Instant Pot’s blind spot. The fall 2019 collection brought the first Instant Pot Duo Crisp, which opened the door for a collection of other air-frying Instant Pots with Pro, Plus, or both tacked onto the end of the name. There are also multiple dedicated air frying convection ovens by Instant Brands that do not pressure cook.
For folks who already have an Instant Pot and don’t want to replace it just to buy the Duo Crisp, Instant Pot released a standalone air fryer lid that attaches to regular Instant Pots and turns them into an air fryer. This lid works on all existing models with the exception of the Instant Pot Pro Plus, the now- discontinued Duo Evo Plus, Duo SV, Smart WiFi, or Max. This lid is compatible with the Duo Nova, which is also discontinued.
Still confused about what air frying even is? Read our simplified explanation of the crisping craze and check out some of the best air fryers.
Are There Any Disadvantages To An Instant Pot
Instant Pots are affordable and easy to use and clean, so there aren’t too many downsides to buying one. If you have a small kitchen or limited cupboard space, it’s worth noting that Instant Pots do take up a bit of space so consider how much you think you’ll use it before settling on one. There are compact 3-quart Instant Pots but, as you might imagine, they don’t have as much cooking capacity.
Read Also: How Long To Cook Beef In Instant Pot
Other Multicooker Brands To Consider
There are options from other brands, too. We reviewed a great Wi-Fi multicooker from ChefIQ, for example. It does more than Instant Pot’s Wi-Fi model and comes with an integrated scale, nonstick pot and helpful iOS or Android app. It costs $200, so if you’re not ready to graduate to a high-end model, Instant Pot’s more affordable options are great for beginners. Ninja also makes several multicookers that have performed well in our testing. The Ninja Foodi 6.5-quart with SmartLid and is just one of several options from the brand’s expansive line.
Instant Pot Duo Plus With Whisper
The Instant Pot Duo gets a major upgrade in this latest iteration. Not only do you get a sleek, stainless steel finish, you get 25 smart programs. One significant difference between this version and the original is that the Instant Pot Duo Plus with Whisper Quiet Steam Release trades sous vide cooking capability for a cake making feature.
Now let’s get into the obvious difference between this model and the regular Duo Plus: the steam release. Instant Pot’s latest technology and design allow the machine to diffuse steam more quietly than ever. It also gives you the option to use a remote button so you can open the cooking pot at a distance for extra safety. But is it worth buying this one over the original Duo Plus? There’s actually just a $20 difference between the two models, so we’d say the advanced steam release technology and aesthetics of this version make it worth itbut if you’re really into sous vide-cooking, we’d stick with the original Duo Plus.
Year released: 2021Cooking functions: Pressure-cooking, rice-cooking, slow-cooking, yogurt-making, steaming, sautéing, food-warming, cake making and sterilizingSizes available: 6- and 8-quart Instant Pots
Don’t Miss: Instant Pot Duo Plus 6 Qt Pressure Cooker
Should I Get The Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid
The Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid is sold separately and is compatible with 6-quart Instant models that dont already have air-frying capability . The Air Fryer Lid comes with a fry basket and other accessories and allows you to air-fry straight from your pressure cooker. In addition to air-frying, the Air Fryer Lid adds broiling, baking, roasting, reheating, and dehydrating functionality to compatible machines.
How We Test Instant Pots
To see how Instant Pots and multi-cookers stack up, weâve spent hundreds of hours whipping up curries and chilies, preparing batches of rice, and even steaming portions of vegetables, comparing the end results. Weâre looking for meat that falls off the bone but is still tender and succulent, rice thatâs fluffy but still with some bite, and crisp vegetables. Weâve also compared how easy they are to use and just how much they speed up cooking.
We evaluate each model on how many different cooking methods it offers, how durable and easy to clean the body and parts are, how loud it is in use and when releasing pressure, and how hot the exterior casing gets. Weâre also assessing how simple each multi-cooker is to use and whether you need to read the instruction manual before cooking, whether recipe inspiration is provided and the useful accessories such as racks and trays it comes with.
Read Also: How Long To Cook Frozen Pork In Instant Pot
Here Are The Main Attributes We Looked For And How We Tested Them:
Setup: I timed how quickly I could get the cooker set up and building pressure from the moment I opened the box. I also noted whether I could do this without looking at the instructions or if the controls were confusing. Most units took five minutes or less to set up.
Pressurizing: Many pressure cooker recipes look like they won’t take long, but few recipes factor in the time it takes for the unit to build pressure. A cooker that builds pressure quickly is a real time-saver. I tested how long it took each model to get up to pressure with just four cups of water inside. I also tracked how long the pressure build took during the cooking tests. I gave more favorable scores to cookers that built pressure quickly.
Performance: I put each multicooker through five cooking tests:
Additional cooking functions: Three of the units I tested featured sous vide cooking, and two had air frying capabilities. I cooked a NY Strip at 129 degrees Fahrenheit for two hours to test the sous vide and assessed how tender and flavorful it was. All sous vide cookers performed well. For air frying, I cooked a pound of Ore-Ida Extra Crispy Fast Food French Fries at 400 degrees for eight minutes shaking the basket halfway through and judged the doneness.
I donated most of the pulled pork my family didn’t eat to a local restaurant to keep waste to a minimum. And, extra rice and beans went to feed the pigs at a local farm.
Other Instant Pots And Pressure Cookers We Tested
We tested 11 electric pressure cookers for this guide. These are the ones that missed the cut.
What else we recommend and why:
Zavor LUX LCD: This model has more than 30 programmable settings, including sous vide, and an easy-to-read LCD. In our tests, it was easy to set up and use. It was quick to build pressure and made juicy, easy-to-shred pulled pork. However, we weren’t as impressed with its bean cooking and meat searing.
Ninja Foodi XL Pressure Cooker: The Ninja Foodi air fries and pressure cooks. And, in our tests, it did a great job of searing, slow cooking, and pressure cooking delicious meals but took longer than most units to build pressure. Read our comparison of the Instant Pot Duo Crisp vs. the Ninja Foodi.
Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus 80 : The Duo Evo Plus’s stay-cool handles set it apart from other multicookers since you usually need to grab potholders to lift a multicooker’s pot out. The pot also stays in place when you stir the contents. The screen is packed full of info, including several preset programs. It didn’t make our guide because it didn’t do better than average at any cooking task and was one of the worst at rice and slow-cooker pork.
What we don’t recommend and why:
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Best Multitasking Pressure Cooker
The Instant Pot Duo Crisp is a pressure cooker, slow cooker, air fryer, and sous vide machine all in one, making it one of the most useful and economical small appliances we tested.
- Capacity: 8 quarts
- Inner pot material: Stainless steel
- Settings: pressure cook, saute, slow cooker, steam, sous vide, air fry, roast, bake, broil, dehydrate, keep warm
- Number of included recipes: 100s in the free Instant Brands Connect app
- Extras: Air fryer lid, air fryer basket, heat-resistant pad for the lid, broil/dehydrate tray, steam rack
Pros: Features air frying and sous vide cooking options, comes with an app with 100s of recipes, easy to set up and use, cooks rice in under 20 minutes
Cons: Tended to build pressure and heat up slowly, didn’t sear well
We tested three units that could air fry or sous vide, but only the Instant Pot Duo Crisp Pressure Cooker could do both. The Duo Crisp comes with two lids: one for the usual multi-cooker activities and another with a built-in fan for air frying. And, an air fryer basket fits in the inner pot to allow for better airflow and flavorful browning. We air-fried frozen French fries and were impressed with how quickly they were ready and how crispy they tasted.
The Best Instant Pots Of 202: A Comprehensive Buying Guide
All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Youve heard the hype, read the articles, perused the recipes, and have come to the conclusion that you absolutely need an Instant Pot . But finding the best Instant Pot model for your unique cooking needs is a more involved task than it may seem.
Though every Instant Pot has the same basic multi-cooking functionality that made it a household favorite, some are more versatile than others. Most of the models are very similar in terms of pot size, wattage, and voltage where they differ is mostly in the softwarehow many smart programs are built in with preset heat, time, and pressure levels.
Ahead, we’ll take a close look at all of the Instant Pot models and break down the built-in smart programs, cooking functions, and more. You can read about all of Instant Pots or jump straight to a specific model if you have one in mind:
But first things first: For those new to Instant Pot, let’s break down exactly what an Instant Pot is and what it can do.
is
The short answer: The Instant Pot is a convenient multi-cooking machine that lets you cook fast or slow.
Now, let’s get into each of the Instant Pot models.
Also Check: Which Is The Best Instant Pot To Get
Best Instant Pot Black Friday And Cyber Monday Deals
- 41% off – Instant Pot Pro 10-in-1 Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, 6 Quart:
- 24% off – Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, 6 Quart:
- 37% off – Instant Pot Pro Crisp 11-in-1 Air Fryer and Electric Pressure Cooker Combo, 8 Quart:
- 20% off – Instant Pot Duo Crisp 9-in-1 Electric Multi-Cooker + Air Fryer with Air Fryer Lid: $79 at Walmart
- 25% off – Instant Pot 6 Quart Duo Crisp + Air Fryer 9-in-1: $104 at Walmart
- 38% off – Instant Pot Duo Plus 6-qt. 9-in-1 Multi-Use Pressure Cooker: $79.99 at Kohl’s
Instant Solo Single Serve Coffee Maker
Courtesy of Amazon
Normally $100, Now $70 on Amazon
Instant makes much more than just its famous pressure cooker pots. This handy single-serve coffee maker can make a highly customized cup of coffee. Able to use coffee pods, grounds, and even a reusable pod, the Instant Solo also has a feature to adjust the brew strength. It comes in a variety of colors so you can find one that fits your kitchen décor.
Also Check: What Comes With Instant Pot Duo Nova
What Is An Instant Pot
Instant Pot is a multi-cooker from Instant Brands. A multi-cooker is an appliance that has many functions including pressure cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, yogurt maker, steamer, etc.
The functions that are offered in each model can vary. Some models have additional functions such as air fryer and/or sous vide. All these functions are also known as smart programs.
Also mistakenly referred to as Insta pot, Instant Pot has become so popular in recent years that the word Instant Pot is used as a generic name for pressure cookers of any brand.
Although the Instant Pot multicooker has many different functions, the most commonly used is the Pressure Cook function. Pressure cooking allows you to cook foods in a fraction of the time it would take in a pan or in an oven.
If youre new to the Instant Pot and arent familiar with how to use it, here are my guides on how to use some popular Instant Pot models:
How Do You Clean An Instant Pot
Cleaning an Instant Pot is easy but you should do it after each use. You’ll want to clean the base with a warm washcloth and scrub the cooking pot with soap and water. The lid, especially the underside, will also need a good washing after each use and the rubber ring can go through the dishwasher. Finally, you’ll want to wipe down the outside before putting it away. For more, see our full guide to properly cleaning your Instant Pot or multicooker.
Read Also: Instant Pot Duo 7 In 1
Best Budget Pressure Cooker
If you’re looking for a basic, affordable multicooker from the top name in the industry, the Instant Pot Duo Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker is your best bet.
- Capacity: 6 quarts
- Inner pot material: Nonstick
- Settings: pressure cook, sear/saute, steam, slow cook, sterilize, keep warm, ferment, plus 300+ preset programs in its menu
- Number of included recipes: 100s in the Instant Brands Connect App
- Extras: Extra sealing gasket, steam rack, steam basket, heat-resistant pad for the lid
Pros: Produced tender and juicy slow-cooked pork, builds pressure quickly, good browning, dishwasher-safe and metal utensil-safe stainless steel inner pot, Instant Pot app features 100s of recipes
Cons: Takes experimentation to get cooking times right, controls take some getting used to
The Instant Pot Duo Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker comes in three, six, and eight-quart sizes and features a stainless steel inner pot, which most Instant Pots have. The Duo did okay in each test but excelled in our slow cooker test. The slow cooker pulled pork shredded effortlessly and had an excellent, juicy flavor. The pressure build was quick for the pressure-cooked pulled pork, but the pork was hard to shred. It seemed like it could have used 10 more minutes of pressure cooking.
