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
Instant Pot Dual Pod Plus
Did you know that Instant Pot makes a dual coffee and espresso maker? Now you do! The 4.4-star-rated Instant Pot Dual Pod Plus is on sale for Black Friday.
This kitchen gadget is compatible with K-Cup pods, Nespresso capsules and ground coffee when used with the included reusable pod. It lets you brew up to 12 ounces of coffee and up to 6 ounces of espresso at a time.
What’s The Difference Between Quick Release And Natural Release
With a quick release, you release the steam from the pot when cooking is done. With the natural release, you don’t release the steam immediately. Instead, you allow the pressure to decrease on its own.
Both have their pros and cons. For more details, check out our article: What do natural release and quick release mean on an Instant Pot?
Recommended Reading: How Do I Cook Rice In An Instant Pot
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
The Best Electric Pressure Cooker Is An Instant Pot
In 2021, Instant Pot streamlined its offerings. Weve tested the updated Duo, Duo Plus, and Pro models.
The Instant Pot is probably the most well-known electric pressure cookermore accurately called a multi-cooker because it can also slow cook, sauté, and morebut many brands make this handy type of appliance. A good electric pressure cooker can help get dinner on the table quickly and easily even when youre swamped. Of the 18 models weve tested from a variety of brands since 2016, the Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart is still our favorite. It offers great performance at a reasonable price, and its tried-and-true design makes it easier to use than other multi-cookers or gimmicky smart cookers.
Looking for things to make in your Instant Pot? Try these recipes for bone broth, corned beef and cabbage, salsa verde chicken, and classic beef chili from NYT Cooking.
Our pick
The Duo is a versatile time-saver in the kitchen. Its one of Instant Pots more basic and affordable models, and it does everything you need it to do with ease.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $90.
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What’s The Best Size Instant Pot
Instant Pots and other multi-cookers come in an array of different capacities ranging from 3 quart / 3 liters right up to 8 quart / 7.5 liters, so knowing which size Instant Pot is best for you can be confusing.
For most people, the 6 quart / 5.7-liter size Instant Pot will prove to be the most useful. Instant say this capacity is enough to feed between three and size people depending upon your appetite, so will be ideal for families or those looking to batch cook meals for a handful of people.
The larger 8 quart / 7.5-liter size will be a better fit for bigger families, or anyone cooking on a large scale, such as creating chilies, stews, or curries for a party. Meanwhile, for one or two-person households the smaller 3-quart / 3 liter, Instant Pot will ensure you’re not using additional energy by cooking a small quantity in an Instant Pot that’s just too large for your needs.
It’s worth remembering that not all models of Instant Pot are available in all sizes, so do check before deciding on the best model for you.
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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Is The Instant Pot Worth It
If youre a fan of set-it-and-forget-it hands off cooking, then the Instant Pot is as good as it gets. Its smart cooking features can handle anything you can throw in it from meat, grains, and veggies even from frozen!
Sure, a slow cooker is similar, but with the pressure cooker ability of the Instant Pot, cooking times are much shorter.
What Instant Pot Accessories Do I Need
Since each Instant Pot model is a little different, its important to read the manual and learn about the various features and settings of your Instant Pot. Generally, every model will include an outer body with a display panel and buttons, a lid, a pressure valve, a steam release valve, a plastic collector cup to catch any condensation released during slow-cooking, a stainless-steel or nonstick inner pot, a sealing ring that surrounds the lid and helps absorb odors, and a steam rack or basket to elevate food inside the inner pot.
Any Instant Pot accessories or gadgets you may choose to buy to bulk up your cookers functionality are just a bonus. Depending on what you plan to make with your Instant Pot, extras range from practical and essential to plain old fun. Some people buy extra sealing rings so they can use one for meat and one for baked goods. Some invest in egg trivets if they cook a lot of hard-boiled eggs. Some look into springform pans to make cheesecake and quiche.
Don’t Miss: How Big Is My Instant Pot
What About Other Multi
Since the popularity of the Instant Pot Canada, there have been other companies to come out with similar small appliances for your kitchen. In fact, shortly after we purchased an Instant Pot, I saw one of these imitations at Costco.
It was much cheaper, and I was about to get all worked up about it until I noticed the internal pot wasnt stainless steel it was non-stick coated aluminum.
That still seems to be the case the Instant Pots all have the stainless steel inner pot and other brands dont.
How We Selected The Best Instant Pot
We try our hardest to review all of the products we feature in our Small Appliance buying guides, and we are currently in the process of reviewing a number of the best Instant Pots in our guide. A few have already been extensively reviewed by our team of expert testers, and you can click through to find out how well they performed when we tried them out in our own homes.
Read Also: How To Cook Teriyaki Chicken Breast In Instant Pot
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.
Instant Pot Smart Wifi
The Instant Pot Smart WiFi pairs with your smartphone, so you can see whats going on in your Instant Pot from anywhere! My favorite thing about using it is being able to tell exactly how hot it is inside the pot.
In all other respects, it functions very similarly to the Duo Plus.
Read my full Instant Pot Smart WiFi Review.
Recommended Reading: How To Steam Shrimp In Instant Pot
Is Instant Pot Easy To Clean
Instant Pot is super easy to clean!
Next to making delicious meals in a matter of minutes, I love that Instant Pot clean-up involves only one stainless steel pot. Just soap and dish wash no specialty cleaners needed.
You should also clean your Instant Pot lid by rinsing it in the sink.
After enough heavenly suppers, your Instant Pot will begin to secure a food smell and possibly some food stains.
Wash the lid by running it underwater, and you can actually remove and even replace the lids silicone ring!
Can You Buy An Instant Pot With An Air Fryer
Yes. Instant Pot came out with the Instant Pot Duo Crisp and Air Fryer, which has all of the features of a regular Instant Pot, and it air fries, too. Instant Pot also came out with an air fryer lid you can add to compatible Instant Pot models. The lid is an add-on accessory to can place on the Instant Pot, and it basically turns your regular Instant Pot into an air fryer. These Instant Pot models are compatible with the air frying lid: Duo 60, Duo Plus 60, Lux 60, Ultra 60, Viva 60, Nova Plus 60, Duo Nova 60.
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Who This Is For
If youre a set-it-and-forget-it type of cook who needs to get dinner on the table with minimal effort, an electric pressure cooker may become your new favorite cooking tool. Making meals can be stressful and time-consuming, but an electric pressure cooker can do a lot of the work for you. As with a slow cooker, you add your ingredients to a pressure cooker, seal the lid, turn it on, and walk away. But instead of leaving it to simmer all day, you can cook dinner in an electric pressure cooker in under an hour . Pressure cookers speed up traditional braising, stewing, boiling, and steaming methods by trapping steam inside the pot. As pressure increases, it heats the moisture in the pot beyond the boiling temperature , so it can cook foods more quickly.
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After cooking many pounds of brisket, rice, and beans in six pressure cookers, we think the Fissler Vitaquick 8.5-Quart Pressure Cooker is the best you can get.
Yedi Total Package Pressure Cooker At A Glance
Benefits
Price: $$
This smart cooker from Chef iQ is jam-packed with features and functions fit for tech-lovers.
In fact, its equipped with Bluetooth and WiFi and can connect to the Chef iQ app, which includes hundreds of recipes and preset cooking programs and allows you to control your instant pot using your smartphone.
You can use this high end instant pot to pressure cook, sear, sauté, steam, slow cook, and ferment foods.
It can also hold up to 6 quarts and includes a built-in smart scale, which weighs the ingredients that you add to your instant pot and calculates exactly how much liquid is needed.
Nevertheless, it comes with a higher price tag than most other instant pots, and consumers who arent tech-savvy may find it difficult to use.
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Which Instant Pot Should You Buy
If money is tight, buy the Instant Duo in either the 6 or 8 quart depending on the size of your family.
The 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot Duo Plus is the most popular model and it is also a great choice. The Duo Plus adds a new steam valve design that is easier to use.
Honestly, the higher end models just dont make sense in my opinion or experience. The Duo and Duo Plus have everything I need to make meals for my family and for meal prep.
However, if you want the latest and greatest with all the features including Wifi control, get the Instant Pot Pro Plus Wi-Fi model.
Questions about which Instant Pot is Best for You?
If you have questions, please ask them in the comments below. I love to help!
Once you get your new Instant Pot, read my simple Instant Pot Manual to learn how to do a water test and start using your Instant Pot. Then try one of these Best Instant Pot Recipes.
This site contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Kristine’s Kitchen!
Best Air Fryer: Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer 11
Capacity: 8 quarts | Dimensions : 15.3 x 14.8 x 13.6 inches | Weight: 22.7 pounds | Programs: 11
Air fryers are here to stay. If youre yearning for an air fryer, but hate the idea of packing yet another piece of kitchen equipment into your already overloaded cabinets, then a device that combines a multi-cooker and an air fryer will save valuable space. Luckily, Instant Pot designed a multi-cooker/air fryer hybrid, the Instant Pot Duo Crisp.
This model truly takes the Duo to the next level. The Duo Crisp performs 11 functions including sous vide, roasting, broiling, and dehydrating. It comes with two lids, the regular cooking lid with auto seal, and the air fryer lid. The 8-quart size provides enough space for air-fried foods to fully crisp up, and the included air-frying basket is specially designed to optimize airflow.
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Instant Pot Vs Slow Cooker
Another common comparison is an Instant Pot and a slow cooker. Both offer a bit of convenience to cooking, the ability to set it and forget it. Since slow cookers have been around for generations, it is sometimes hard for traditional cooks to embrace the Instant Pot and what it can offer
Similarities
- Warming settings
Differences
- An Instant Pot uses pressurized steam that is sealed into the cooker a slow cooker uses heat conducted through the bottom and sides of the cooker.
- Time, an Instant Pot cooks most dishes in a fraction of the time it would take in a slow cooker.
- Using a slow cooker for stocks and stews will allow the liquid to thicken and reduce much more than an Instant Pot allows.
- You cannot open an Instant Pot to check on your food, add spices, or whatever without interrupting the pressure. A slow cooker, on the other hand, allows you to easily add, stir, and monitor dishes. Lifting the lid on a slow cooker has almost zero effect on the cooking time, as the heat is coming from the surrounding cooker, not pressure.
- Slow cookers also usually feature a see-through lid for easy monitoring, while an Instant Pots sealed lid offers no ability to see the food until you are done cooking.
How Instant Pots Work
Instant Pots and other pressure cookers have unique lids that create an airtight seal. Once the lid is locked in place and the cooker is set, steam gets produced in the pot and can’t escape.
The trapped steam increases the atmospheric pressure inside the cooker, increasing the boiling point of liquids and speeding up the time it takes to boil, braise or steam foods.
An Instant Pot should not be confused with an air fryer. Check out our guide on Instant Pot vs air fryer for more details.
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