Instant Pot 8 Quart Comparison

Can I Use My Instant Pot As An Air Fryer

Instant Pot now sells a lid you can buy to make your Instant Pot an air fryer. This lid from Instant Pot only works on the 6 Quart!

But I recently bought a Mealthy CrispLid to make my 8 Quart Instant Pot into an air fryer as well. There are a couple of third party ones that work with the 8 Quart.

I will be reviewing this in a new post as soon as I try it out.

I love that a lid can be used with the Instant Pot though. Rather than having to buy another large kitchen appliance.

If you are interested in getting an Instant Pot that can work as an air fryer too then check out the Instant Pot Duo Crisp Pressure Cooker 11 in 1, 8 Qt with Air Fryer, Roast, Bake, Dehydrate and more.

Whats The Diameter Of Instant Pots

The inside of each pot is where the real action is going to be happening and how much can fit in it.

There are several things to think about when looking at the diameter. A frozen roast of good size isnt going to fit in the 3 qt. If Im going to be doing any freezer cooking where I place a frozen meal in the pot to cook Ill need to be sure to freeze the meal in a container that will be slightly smaller than the diameter of the pot.

Also, the pot in pot method should be considered too. The pot in pot method is cooking foods inside the pot in smaller pots, like ball jars, ramekins, or stackable pans. This method would work in all three sizes but will be limited with the smaller 3 qt.

To give a comparison of the size of each I placed this large steamer basket inside each one.

The 3 qt. has room for the steamer with the sides straight up.

The 6 qt has room for the steamer with the sides spread out about halfway.

The 8 qt. has room for the steamer to spread the sides out about 3/4 the way.

Of course, you can close the sides on the steamer and enclose what is being cooked and even layer this above another dish, but this way you can get a feel for the size difference.

Instant Pot Duo Plus Price And Availability

• List price: $119.99/ £99.99

The Instant Pot Duo Plus will set you back $119.99/ £99.99 for the 6 quart/5.7-liter capacity or $139.99/ £139.99 for the bigger 8 quart/8-liter version. The 3-quart / 3-liter capacity is $99.95, but this model isnt available in the UK. All sizes are available directly through Amazon in the US and UK. Its not currently on sale in Australia.

As we mentioned earlier, its the most affordable Instant Pot that features the quick steam release button and is an upgrade on theInstant Pot Duo Nova which is also available in Australia and costs $99.99/ £119.99/ AUS $269

• Easy steam venting
• Easy to customize time and temperature settings

We reviewed the 6 quart/ 5.7 liter capacity Instant Pot Duo Plus and the size and footprint is similar to the other Instant Pots of this size. It measures 12.9 x 12.2 x 13.4 inches/ 33.5 x 31 x 33cm and the US model weighs in at 11.5 pounds while the UK version weighs 5.6kg. Generally speaking, these appliances are designed to stay on your countertop, but this one isnt too heavy to lift in and out of a cupboard if you prefer to hide it away. Plus, all the accessories including the power cord fit inside the pot, making it neater to store.

The chicken was pleasingly tender and succulent, falling off the bone and at 210oF/ 99oC, was certainly cooked through. In just 33 minutes the curry was perfectly cooked and flavorsome.

Also Check: How Safe Is Instant Pot

Instant Pot Duo Overview

The Instant Pot Duo is the basic Instant Pot model and the first one I personally purchased! Heres an overview of the model:

• Size the Instant Pot Duo comes in 3, 6, and 8-quart sizes.
• Functions the Duo has 7 different functions pressure cook, sauté, steam, slow cook, warm, and functions as a rice cooker and yogurt maker.
• Smart Programs the Duo has 14 smart programs, such as soup, meat/stew, rice, and more, which are great for those who are new to the Instant Pot.
• Whats Included you get the pot, stainless steel inner pot, lid, sealing ring, and steam rack.

Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid

If you are looking to turn your Instant Pot into an air fryer or comparable to the Ninja Foodi, these lids are compatible with most 6t quart models. With the air fryer lid you can turn your Instant Pot into a 6 in 1 air fryer that can roast, air fry, bake, broil, reheat, and dehydrate.

The lid is detachable and easy to use. Its simple to clean and store as well. The Even-Crisp technology makes sure that you get the crunchy, golden, perfect finish that youd expect from an air fryer!

According to the Instant Pot website the Air Fryer lid comes with a multi-level air fryer basket, a dehydrating and broiling tray, and a protective pad to sit it on when its hot! When you are storing the lid this protective pad also acts as a storage cover.

Its easier to list the posts that are not compatible with this list so Ill do that below:

The air fryer lid is also not compatible with ceramic inner pots. It works with the stainless steel inner pots ONLY.

Recommended Reading: How Good Is The Instant Pot Air Fryer

Instant Pot 6 Quart Vs 8 Quart Slow Cooker Differences To Know

• The 8-quart size is available for the Instant Pot Duo, Duo Plus, Pro, and Ultra models. While the different variations offer unique features, the 8 quart is really just a bigger size and does not offer any extra options.
• The 8-quart size allows you to make enough food to serve more than six people, so its great for larger families or potlucks.
• The 6-quart size is available for every Instant Pot variation. This includes the Instant Pot Duo, Duo Plus, Pro, Max, and Ultra.

The Max is the only variation of this slow cooker that is available exclusively in the 6-quart size.

Depending on your needs, this may be the determining factor in your decision to purchase a 6 quart Instant Pot over the 8-quart. The 6-quart size can feed smaller families of 4-6 people.

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.

Recommended Reading: Can You Put Foil In An Instant Pot

Why You Should Trust Us

Senior staff writer Lesley Stockton and staff writer Anna Perling have seven years of combined experience covering electric pressure cookers. Lesley has worked in professional kitchens for over 20 years and has reviewed more than 20 electric pressure cookers and stovetop pressure cookers for Wirecutter since 2016. Anna updated the pressure cooker guide in 2019 with an additional 20 hours of testing and has covered kitchen gear for Wirecutter for three years.

For this article, we searched for editorial coverage of the Instant Pot Duo Crisp and pored over reviews. Throughout our years of testing these appliances, weve consulted Hip Pressure Cooking, The Veggie Queen, and Miss Vickie for guidance. Lesley has also interviewed pressure-cooking experts Lorna Sass, author ofCooking Under Pressure, and Mike Vrobel, author of the blog Dad Cooks Dinner.

Instant Pot Ultra Programmable Cooker

Uses: Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice/Porridge Cooker, Cake Maker, Yogurt Maker, Sauté/Searing, Steamer, Warmer, and Sterilizer | Built-in programs: 16

As you might guess by the name, this is Instant Pot’s current top-of-the-line model. The main advantage of the Instant Pot Ultra over the Duo and Lux models is the ability to customize all settings to your own liking, which it will automatically remember for the next time you use it. This feature will benefit experienced cookds. Otherwise, it has a bigger and brighter screen, a couple more cooking programs included, and altitude adjustment. It is available in 3-quart, 6-quart, and 8-quart models.

Read Also: How Long To Cook Frozen Chicken Wings In Instant Pot

What Are The Benefits Of Using Instant Pot 8 Quart Stock

Quite a few! Aside from making cooking easier and more efficient, many instant pot 8 quart stock can also help you make healthier choices by allowing you to prepare foods without added oils or fats. Additionally, some tools like blenders and food processors can actually help you save time in the kitchen by eliminating the need to chop or shred ingredients by hand.

How We Researched & Tested

To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key featureslike ease of use, material, or pricein addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. Our team also incorporated their own personal experiences testing products in their own lives. We then used these insights from our research and testing to assign a star rating from one to five to certain products on the list.

Also Check: How To Make Instant Pot Spaghetti

Size: Instant Pot 8 Qt Vs 6 Qt Comparison

Lets talk about the sizes of these two instant pots kinds. If you are in need of an instant pot, and you dont really know which to go for, then let me show you a comparison of both, in order to help you choose which is best for you.

Instant pot size 6-quart is smaller than size 8-quart, as youve expected. Then, an instant pot size 8-quart is more expensive than 6-quart, as expected too.

Ranking The Different Instant Pot Models

While people may rate each of the Instant Pot models differently, this is how I like to think of them.

High-End: Pro , Pro Plus

Specialty: Duo Crisp or Pro Crisp or Duo Crisp Ultimate Lid , Duo Max , Smart Wifi

Upgrade 2: Duo Plus, Duo SV

Upgrade 1: Duo Nova , Duo Viva

Standard Model: Duo

Budget Model: Lux

* * *

At this point, I want to include a brief introduction for new Instant Pot shoppers and a quick guide to the different Instant Pot models:

Read Also: What To Cook In An Instant Pot

How Did We Choose These Instant Pots

In searching for the best Instant Pot, we consider several critical factors, including these.

• Cooking methods: All Instant Pots come with several different cooking functions, but the more advanced models, like the Instant Pot Duo Crisp and Instant Pot Pro Plus, have extra capabilities like air frying and cake baking.
• Size: Whether you’re cooking alone or feeding a big family, Instant Pots likely have a size that works for you.
• Control panel: Instant Pots are notorious for large control panels, making accessibility a key feature.
• Cost: The cost of Instant Pots is an important consideration for most shoppers, so we keep price in mind when comparing the different Instant Pot models.

Which Model Of Instant Pot Should You Buy

Before I go into specifics about each Instant Pot model, let me say that most of the fancy stuff is stuff you probably dont need. For example, you may have noticed that Instant Pot models vary in the number of pre-set program buttons. All of those program buttons are just a combination of a cook time and pressure setting .

So, whether or not your Instant Pot has a poultry or cake button is not important, because you can cook pretty much anything in your Instant Pot using the Pressure Cook function and manually setting the cook time. In fact, most of the recipes that you find are going to tell you to use the Manual/Pressure Cook function, not one of the other program buttons. And pretty much every recipe will be cooked at high pressure.

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What Is An Instant Pot

The Instant Pot is a multicooker appliance that can perform the functions of a variety of appliances in one tool. Every Instant Pot model can pressure cook, slow cook, keep your food warm and sauté, and all models can effectively cook rice, meat and soups. No matter which model you pick, you’ll get a pressure cooker that will help you prepare dishes in a fraction of the time it would take using traditional methods.

How Fast Does An Instant Pot Come To Pressure

The things that you can cook in the Instant Pot is endless. To that end, I have several links at the end of this post featuring delicious recipes that would be just the tip of the iceberg.

So I wanted to cook something that was common and that I had success with already with my 6 qt. pot. I decided to make the brown rice recipe that is included in the recipe book that comes with each Instant Pot. I put the 2 cups of brown rice in each pot. Added in 2 1/2 cups of water and closed the lids. Made sure the steam valve was closed and set the pots on Manual/Pressure Cook for 22 minutes.

As soon as they started I set that timer and watched the pots. I was ready to jot down the time that it took for each one to come to pressure and then begin to do actual 22 minutes of cooking at pressure.

Which one would get to pressure first. I thought that the 3 qt. would be the first, but I was wrong. The first to come to pressure was the 6 qt.

The 6 qt. took 8:47 minutes to come to pressure.

The 8 qt. took 9:46 minutes to come to pressure.

The 3 qt. took 11:15 minutes to come to pressure.

I was really surprised.

I really thought the 3 qt. would come to pressure quicker and make the total cooking time less, but the wattage is not as strong on the 3 qt. and it did make a difference in cooking time.

Also Check: How Long To Cook Baby Back Ribs In Instant Pot

Instant Pot Lux Programmable Cooker

Uses: Pressure Cooker, Pressure Cooker, Rice Cooker, Sauté, Steamer, Cake Maker, and Warmer | Built-In programs: 12

The oldest and most basic of the Instant Pot models, you will be able to get this model for the cheapest price. The Instant Pot Lux is perfect for those who will primarily use it as a cooker and want to save money by foregoing unnecessary features. The Lux lacks some of the features of its successors , but is still a solid choice for handling everyday cooking needs as it comes with 12 built-in cooking programs. It is available in 3-quart, 5-quart, 6-quart, and 8-quart models.

The Instant Pot Smart was released in 2018 as the company’s most high-tech pressure cooker. The Instant Pot Smart is WiFi-enabled and works with Amazon Alexa so you can control your Instant Pot with the compatible app or with your voice. You’ll get access to 1,000 pre-programmed recipes with the ability to verify cooking progress, and you can receive alerts on your smartphone.The latest Instant Pot features eight kitchen appliances in one and includes 13 smart programs. The Instant Pot only comes in one size, six-quart, and provides up to six hours of cooking time.

What Are Instant Pot Smart Programs

All Instant Pot models, regardless of size, are equipped with a variety of Smart programs. These can be used with the touch of a button.

Outside of the pressure cook option that is standard for all models, your Instant Pot may also have saute, rice, beans, soup, and even cake programs! These programs can be further adjusted according to preference.

Also Check: How To Steam Broccoli In The Instant Pot

Calphalon Slow Cooker: Best Overall

This Calphalon Slow Cooker has a capacity of 5.3 quarts , so its big enough to easily feed a family of 4-5. It has a cooking pot with a ceramic non-stick coating.

The digital timer is easy to use, with a manual dial to determine heat settings. And if you prefer to use this ceramic cookware pot on the stove or in the oven?

No problem. The inner pot is oven-safe and compatible with all cooktops, including induction.

Cleanup is easy with the ceramic non-stick surface. But you will have to wash it by hand since this slow cooker isnt dishwasher-safe.

User reviews raved about this Calphalon crock pot. They loved the sleek, matte black stainless finish and the lightweight design.

They enjoyed using it to sauté food on the stovetop at higher temperatures, then slow cook the rest of the meal on low.

Users did caution that the pot is not the same diameter all the way down. It looks more funnel-shaped. Not a big deal, but you may not have the cooking surface area to brown as much meat on the stove.

Its a little pricey compared with other basic slow cookers, but its well worth the investment.

Pros

• Easy to clean, ceramic non-stick
• Great cooking performance

• Inner pot is hand-wash only

Instant Pot Dimensions: How Big Are They

Depending on how big your kitchen is, or how much weight youre comfortable lifting, knowing the size and weight of each Instant Pot model can be important to your decision-making process. Heres a quick look at the Instant Pot dimensions side by side.

To start, for the different Instant Pot sizes , there are variations in length by width by height along with the weight. Overall, the dimensions are all pretty close for each quart-size within an inch or less. And the same goes for weight.

And one more note: this post contains affiliate links. This means I may receive a small commission if you buy through my link. You wont pay any more if you use this link.

Overall, heres a quick summary of the Instant Pot dimensions, as provided by the company, in general before we drive into the specifics

There is only one 10 quart Instant Pot option currently available, as part of the Duo Nova series.

* The Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer comes with two lids, depending on the cooking method youre planning to use. Overall the height of this Instant Pot increases by about an inch when using it as an Air Fryer. This also makes it the heaviest Instant Pot 8 Quart Models. The rest of the 8 quart models are approximately 15 1/2 lbs.

And one suggestion comes to mind if the overall Instant Pot weight has you nervous. Try lifting it in pieces . Each part contributes to the overall Instant Pot weight.

Lets take a look at each Instant Pot size, series by series.

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