How To Choose An Instant Pot
When it comes to choosing the right Instant Pot determining the size is step one. Instant Pot models run from smaller compact versions that can easily be stored on a counter or in a cabinet to larger heavy-duty choices that can replace other kitchen appliances in your home. If you have a bigger family that you cook for daily you may want to opt for a larger eight-quart Instant Pot model. On the other hand, if you live alone or share an apartment and dont want to sacrifice countertop or cabinet space then a more compact three-quart model should do the job. The most popular models are the six-quart models which fall right in the middle.
Before you buy an Instant Pot you should also consider the type of cooking and meal prepping youll use it for, as many Instant Pots are multicookers with a wide variety of cooking functions. For example, options such as the Instant Pot Ultra 80 10-in-1 Pressure Cooker and Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Pressure Cooker double as a sterilizer that parents may find particularly helpful. Others, such as the Instant Pot Ultra 10-in-1 Pressure Cooker , have the ability to make cakes, which may be ideal for a dessert person who likes to bake a lot. This model is also a great fit for those who want more customization when making food. Some Instant Pots have programmable cooking functions, Wi-Fi connectivity, and, not to mention, Instant Pot accessories that you can buy separately, so consider the best option to fit your needs.
What Is A Slow Cooker
Simply put, a slow cooker is a countertop electrical appliance thats designed to simmer for long periods of time at a low temperature. This capability lets you put something into the slow cooker in the morning, leave it safely to simmer all day and cook slowly in a way that preserves flavor and juices and happens gradually over several hours. By the time you get home from work or wake up in the morning, you have a new dish.
Slow cookers are most often adjustable, but all of the temperatures made available are lower than other countertops or your standard appliances offer. This is part of why they can be left on and cooking for a longer period of time and largely unsupervised their temperatures do not reach the same dangerous heights. The simmering process that they put your food through in the pot is low maintenance but good for moisture and locking in flavor.
What Size Instant Pot Should I Get
The Instant Pot comes in three sizes: 3 quarts, 6 quarts, and 8 quarts, making it a versatile countertop appliance for small kitchens and large families alike. The 6-quart Instant Pot is the most popular option for home cooks, as most recipes are written for that size. Generally, a meal cooked in a 6-quart model feeds three to six people. The 8-quart models, on the other hand, are ideal when youre feeding a large family, cooking for a party, or doing weekly meal prep. Last but not least is the 3-quart Instant Pot , which is perfect for cooking for one or two people or keeping in a small kitchen. While every model is available in the 6-quart size, not all models are available in the 3- and 8-quart sizes.
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Instant Pot 6 Qt Duo Plus Stainless Steel Electric Pressure Cooker
$129.95$110.46
Free shipping. Usually ships within 3-4 business days
Make cooking easy with this Instant Pot Duo Plus electric pressure cooker. For versatility, it offers a rice cooker, slow cooker, yogurt maker, steamer, saute pan, food warmer, sous vide and sterilizer.
In stock
Make cooking easy with this Instant Pot Duo Plus electric pressure cooker. For versatility, it offers a rice cooker, slow cooker, yogurt maker, steamer, saute pan, food warmer, sous vide and sterilizer. A cooking progress bar and 13 customizable programs allow easy operation and fast cooking. Stainless steel construction makes it built to last.
FEATURES:
- Cooking progress bar shows every step from start to finish
- Innovative auto-sealing lid with switch for easy, stress-free venting
- Stainless-steel inner pot with tri-ply bottom for perfect sauteing
- Cook up to six portions, perfect for growing families, meal prep, and batch cooking
- Use it at home and bring it on the road RV trips, sporting events and more
- Up to 70% faster and more energy efficient than other cooking methods
- Dishwasher-safe lid and inner pot for quick and easy clean-up
- 10+ proven safety features, including overheat protection and safe locking lid
- Extra sealing ring and stainless-steel steamer rack included
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS:
- Product Weight : 11.46 lb
- Capacity : 6 qt
- Preset Cooking Options: Bake, Rice, Steam
- Heat Source: Electric
Should I Get The Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid
The Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid is sold 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.
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Other Electric Pressure Cookers We Tested
$199 at
If you love the Instant Pot Duo and also love using an air fryer, this may be just the electric pressure cooker option for you. We found it performed identically to the Duo when it came to pressure-cooking our three recipes, and the interface is also essentially the same as the Duo, though it has four more cooking functions than that model .
However, its about twice as heavy as the Duo, and with the air fryer lid , it requires a lot of vertical storage and counter space . Included are a broil/dehydrating tray, multi-level air fryer basket, air fryer basket base, protective pad, storage cover and rack. So, if you think an air fryer-pressure cooker combo would save room and youd use it frequently, this model is certainly worth considering. Otherwise, the Duo will work just fine and the Pro Plus will perform even better.
$149.95 at
$52 at Walmart
$179.95 at
The Zavor LUX is a high-quality pressure cooker: It is simple to set up, with an intuitive digital LED display, including a super-handy preheating indicator, a lock icon, and screen that changes colors so you know when cooking has started the LUX also has a custom setting that lets you program your favorite recipes. There are 10 cooking functions and it comes with a steamer basket and trivet. We liked that the pressure valve includes a clean option that pops the piece out for easy maintenance.
$329 at Ninja
$149.95 at
The Best Instant Pots
Whether youre someone whos looking for an easier way to prepare meals or would like to have fewer appliances cluttering up your cabinets, an Instant Pot can be a great investment. If youre in the market for an Instant Pot, weve rounded up some of the best Instant Pot models out there based on highly rated reviews. And if youre someone who is looking for more homemade meal ideas, then youre in luckmany Instant Pot models also come with a free app that includes nearly 2,000 Instant Pot recipes. and IP Reddit communities are also great resources for IP chefs and new buyers.
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Instant Pot Duo 6 Quart Multi
Courtesy Walmart
Normally $99, Now $89
If your Instant Pot stays on the countertop, its okay to want it pop just a bit. Featuring all the functionality of 7-in-1s – pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté pan and more, the regal red stainless steel finish is easy to clean and provides a modern look in any kitchen. Thirteen customizable programs accommodate a variety of one-touch meal options.
The lowest price we’ve seen is $87.
Should I Buy The New Instant Pot Duo Plus 60
Here comes the most important question: Should I buy the Instant Pot Plus?
Our Recommendations:
- New Instant Pot Users: Highly recommended as it is hands down the most user-friendly electric pressure cooker in the current Instant Pot product line.
- Current Instant Pot LUX Users: If you are looking for an upgrade, we highly recommend the Instant Pot DUO Plus 60.
- Current Instant Pot DUO Users: You already have a machine that can do everything this machine does. So, well let you decide on this one
- Buy as a Gift: From the packaging to the more polished product comparing to previous models, this would make an awesome gift!
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Instant Pot Pro Plus Smart
The defining feature of the new Instant Pot Pro Plus Smart is that you can pair it with your iPhone or Android to automatically engage the cooking functions from more than 800 smart recipes on the Instant Brands Connect app. This doesnt mean you can press Start while youre at the office and come home to your Instant Pot braising ribs , but you can control almost everything through the appincluding the steam release! The Pro Plus Smart also features a premium inner pot with easy-grab handles and comes with NutriBoost, a function that mimics the motion of boiling by moving food in the pot to enhance the flavor and texture.
Built-in smart programs: Access 800+ smart recipes via the appFunctions: Pressure-cooking, rice-cooking, slow-cooking, yogurt-making, steaming, sautéing, food-warming, sous videcooking, baking, sterilizing, NutriBoostSizes available: 6-quart Instant Pot
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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Instant Pot Pro Crisp + Air Fryer
The 8-quart Instant Pot Pro Crisp + Air Fryer is the Duo Crisp turned up to 11. This pro model has all the same functionality of the Duo Crisp plus an upgraded lid with advanced heat protection, auto-sealing, and gentle pressure release. The sturdier stainless-steel inner pot is made to handle anything its stovetop friendly and oven safe up to 450ºF.
Built-in smart programs: 11Functions: Pressure-cooking, slow-cooking, steaming, sautéing, food-warming, sous videcooking, air-frying, roasting, baking, broiling, dehydratingSizes available: 8-quart Instant Pot
How To Choose A Pressure Cooker
Simple stovetop cookers use the heat source of your stove and need a bit of attention as youll need to adjust your burner to maintain proper pressure, while newer electric versions do the job automatically .
While folk wisdom holds that pressure cookers are dangerous, accidents are in reality rare . All the pressure cookers we tested come with multiple safety features and lids that lock into place, and are designed so that all pressure must be released before the lid can be removed . Some models spit out a bit of moisture as steam condenses, but many of the electric versions include condensation collectors that catch any water before it drips onto your counter.
For extra versatility, many of the models come with trivets and steamer baskets, and some of the electric models even offer air fry lids, and ship with extra sealing rings for use in different types of recipes. Some featured nonstick inner pots, which can be great for easy cleanup, but stainless pots will likely be more durable over time. The electric versions were all intuitive to use, even given the multiple functions they offered, although some did require a few extra referrals to the user manual. All allow you to manually adjust the cooking time, but our favorites were models that included cooking progress bars and auto steam release. Sometimes we worried whether those without progress indicators had actually started pressurizing.
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What Can Slow Cookers Be Used For
Most people use their slow cookers to make meat. Because of the low maintained temperature, many cooks prefer to brown their meat in a frying pan first and then place it in their slow cooker, just to make sure it cooks thoroughly to the center. The slow cooker will take over from there, locking in flavor and keeping things tender. This quality is why so many people like to use their slow cooker on cheaper cuts of meat the simmering action enriches the flavor and texture to resemble more expensive cuts.
Besides regular cuts of meat, people often use their slow cookers to make:
Instant Pot Pro Review: Verdict
If you enjoy experimenting at mealtimes, this 10-in-1 Instant Pot Pro is the ideal pick. Not only does it have 10 cooking functions and 28 presets to suit every cooking need, but it also gives you five favorite presets for your own signature recipes. Whats more, it comes with an advanced, LED control display, and looks sleek in an upmarket, black stainless steel design. Granted, the display itself looks a little overwhelming with all the different functions, but its easy to navigate around with the control dial.
The 8-quart capacity is a decent size for large families and for batch cooking, but can take up some space on small countertops. The Instant Pot Pro isnt the cheapest model in the range, so this may not be ideal if youre only going to use a few programs. However, if youre a keen cook and will utilize most of its 28 programs , this is a worthwhile investment.
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What Does An Instant Pot Do
Yeah, why can’t you just get a regular slow cooker? At their core, Instant Pots are electric pressure cookers. The proprietary locking lid creates a seal that heats any water inside far past its boiling point, turning it to steam. When that steam has nowhere else to go, it creates pressure thus cooking food 2-10 times faster than what an oven or slow cooker could do.
The Instant Pot’s heart is a microprocessor aided by built-in temperature sensors that give Instant Pots the ability to 1. Mimic the cooking functions of multiple different appliances and 2. Switch between those functions at the press of a button. This collection of programs can be tweaked and tailored to perform super specific tasks that you may have struggled with pre-Instant Pot . They get down to the nitty-gritty of heat intensity, pressure, and cooking duration to achieve more precise results in the kitchen. Some of the more advanced models even offer personalized programming and will remember your settings for the next time.
Each Instant Pot model gains a new cooking method or two, so you aren’t paying for functions you won’t use.
Instant Pot Smart Programs Vs Functions
Instant Pots are beloved because of their ability to cook foods quickly using pressure. But theyre also wildly popular, in part, because theyre true multi-cookers that can be used to braise, sauté, steam, and so much more. But all Instant Pots are not created equaler, not every model can perform every function, and theyre billed accordingly . All Instant Pots can pressure-cook, slow-cook, sauté, and keep warm, and fancier models tack on additional cooking methods like yogurt-making, sous vide cooking, broiling, and air-frying. The functions are customizable, and while you cant air-fry or broil in a model that doesnt have an air-frying lid, people still manage to bake cake in models that dont offer mini oven functionality and make yogurt in models that arent officially marketed for yogurt-making.
The Instant Pot Smart Programs allow you to engage each cookers listed functionality with the touch of a button. Many models also have additional Smart Programs that take the guesswork out of specific items like cake, yogurt, eggs, brown rice, and more. The buying guide below details which and how many functions and Smart Programs are available with each model.
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Instant Pot Pro Review: Ease Of Use And Cleaning
Similar to other Instant Pots, its worthwhile reading the manual first just to get familiar with the settings. The Instant Pot Pro has a more advanced control panel display than other Instant Pots, which can seem overwhelming at first glance. However, once you get the hang of it, you can easily navigate around the settings. The one-touch buttons are straightforward to use, and the progress bar is handy for monitoring your cooking. Like all Instant Pots, the cooker automatically sets to Keep Warm once your dish is ready.
Perhaps the only downside is the stainless steel inner pot isnt non-stick, which was evident after cooking rice. This can take much longer to clean, but can be removed when soaked in warm, soapy water. Nevertheless, the lid and cooker exterior are all easy to clean with a damp cloth.
