Over the past few years, Instant Pots have become increasingly popular. This has been driven by the various benefits they can offer when cooking. However, it often opens the question as to which Instant Pot is best.
This is a question that many people would have thought of, with a significant number of them looking for an Instant Pot comparison. There is quite a considerable number Instant Pots to choose from, which means that there could be a lot to include in a review.
There are a few Instant Pots that stand out from the rest. This should mean that they’ll come up in almost any Instant Pot review that you find. While choosing which one is best may be somewhat of a personal decision, there are several that come well recommended.
Quick Instant Pot Comparison
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**Below, you'll find our more detailed reviews, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews.
How instant pot Works
Food preparation takes time. It also takes an understanding of how to perfectly prepare different dishes and foods for the ideal meal. Cooking with an Instant Pot is like cooking with any other types of pressure cookers. So, if you are trying to Google, "how to use or how to cook with a pressure cooker" than you have come to the right page.
Cooking with an Instant Pot does not take long to learn and master. It only requires patience and a willingness to adjust the settings for your own needs. There are many different ways to use an Instant Pot, and some of them requires experimentation with your recipes.
What To Look For In An instant pot
Though pressure cookers are fairly simple machines, there are still a couple of factors that you should look for before you purchase one to ensure that you are getting the most out of your money.
Here are a couple of features and benefits that you should consider when deciding which Instant Pot to buy:
Programmable Features
If you are always in a rush or on the go, you might want to look for a Instant Pot that comes with programmable features. Programmable features completely eliminate the need to set up your pressure cooker every time you use it. With a single push of a button, you can easily cook a meal the way you want it to be.
Cook and keep heat
Once the food cooks, it goes into a warming mode where the machine keeps the food consistently warm and fresh. So even if you’re going to eat it after a few hours, it still has a perfect temperature.
Lid
The Instant Pots come with the standard lid, which has a valve that you must seal when pressure cooking and it locks for safety. Once the food is cooked and the valve releases all pressure, the lid unlocks and it is safe to open.
Accessories
Find out what is included in the purchase of the Instant Pot and what accessories are available if you decide to get it later. Some Instant Pots will include accessories like trivet in the package. Instant Pots also have other accessories you can buy separately like tempered glass lid for slow cooking, different types of inner pots and many more. There is also the new air fryer lid that transforms your pressure cooker into an air fryer. These accessories can help you maximize the use of your Instant Pot.
Size and Capacity
When it comes to a pressure cooker, you need to buy the one that really suit your needs. If you are only cooking for a small family, a smaller Instant Pot (6 quart) is the most practical option. On the other hand, if you have a big family, you definitely need something with a bigger capacity (8 quart).
Energy-Saving Features
With all the electronic features pressure cookers these days, it’s imperative that you look for those with energy-saving features. This way, even if you keep your food warm all day, it won’t consume a lot of energy. Compare energy ratings so you know which one is the most efficient.
Footprint
Does the Instant Pot look clunky? Does it take up a lot of counter space? If you don’t have a lot of counter space, it’s better to get a more compact Instant Pot.
Top 5 Best instant pots
1. Instant Pot Duo
The Instant Pot Duo has been a top-seller on Amazon for quite a significant amount of time. There have been a variety of factors for this popularity, with many of these concentrating on its features. Alongside this are the various settings that you can take advantage of.
For example, there’s a setting to make yogurt, which is something that you might not see with some alternatives. You’ll also have much more control over the cooking pressure, as you can choose from between high to low. This could mean that you’ll be able to cook a variety of different dishes with it.
You should also have an extensive amount of control over the cooking temperature. This should mean that you’ll have a considerable amount of personalization when you’re cooking. Alongside this is the fact that you shouldn’t have to worry about cooking different dishes correctly.
There’s also a large handle on the lid, which should make opening and closing it quite easy. This means that you shouldn’t have to worry too much about checking the food while it’s being cooked.
Pros
- Like getting 7 appliances for price of 1
- Fourteen different smart built-in features
- Cook high or low with pressure cooker
- Yogurt made easy
- 6 Quart capacity
- 12 Preset Temperatures
Cons
- No settings for sterilizing or making eggs or cakes
- Some quality issues - test presets when you get it
2. Instant Pot Lux
While many of us will want an instant pot with all of the bells and whistles, some might prefer a more basic approach. This should typically mean that it will be much easier to understand and use. Much of this is seen with the Instant Pot Lux, which is the standard option to consider.
Despite being more basic than many of its alternatives, it still offers six cooking settings. This should be as much as you would need, which helps to make it a recommended choice. However, it should be noted that you wouldn’t be able to pressure cook on a low heat, which could be a significant negative.
While this could be an issue for some people, it mightn’t be a significant one for most conventional cookers. Alongside this, the Instant Pot Lux should save you a lot of time when you’re cooking, as getting through various dishes should be a breeze.
One of the last notable benefits here is that it should be somewhat more affordable than many other options. As such, it could be one of the more cost-effective choices on offer.
Pros
- Like getting 6 appliances for price of 1
- Twelve different smart built-in features
- Top selling item on Amazon
- One of the easiest models to use (great for new users)
Cons
- Pressure cooker only works on high
- Less features
3. Instant Pot Duo Plus
As attractive as the Instant Pot Duo may be, many of us might want a little bit extra. This is where the Duo Plus shines, as it has everything the more basic option has, plus much more. This is something that many people would have guessed from the name.
There’s quite an extensive number of benefits and features that could make this an appealing option. One of the more notable is the sterilize program, which should mean that you’ll be able to pasteurize milk while also cleaning baby bottles and much more.
Another prominent difference between the Instant Pot Duo Plus and its standard alternative is its display. This is much larger here, which could be helpful for many people. Coupled with this is the fact that it’s much brighter. This could mean that it’s easier to read and use.
Changing the settings is also much easier than the Duo. This is because you wouldn’t need to switch the Duo Plus on and off to change anything, which is a minor problem with the Duo.
Pros
- Like getting 9 appliances for price of 1
- Fifteen different smart built-in features
- Makes cakes and eggs with push of a setting button
- Easily sterilize baby bottles and toys
Cons
- Only works up to 4 hours for the pressure cooker
4. Instant Pot Ultra
The Instant Pot Ultra has been gaining a significant amount of attention in recent years. Much of this has been because it offers quite a considerable amount of customization. This could make it a recommended option for any chefs who might want to experiment somewhat.
Alongside this are the pre-set temperatures. With there being 21 on offer, there’s many more to choose from than you might find with many other instant pots. There are a few other unique features to use with this option.
Prominent here is that this uses a smooth dial to change the settings instead of a variety of buttons. As such, changing many of these options and temperatures should be much easier and more straightforward than could be seen elsewhere.
Perhaps the last benefit seen with the Instant Pot Ultra is that it includes a steam release reset button. This should help make it much safer than some of the other options. As such, it’s something that you might want to use regularly if you buy the Instant Pot Ultra.
Pros
- Like getting 10 appliances for price of 1
- Sixteen different smart built-in features
- Programming made easy with dial controls
- 21 different temperature settings
Cons
- Not the best value for the money
5. Instant Pot Smart WIFI
The Instant Pot Smart Wifi contains many of the features that you might expect with each of the other models. However, it outdoes each of these by adding in smart technology and much more. This should mean that you’ll be able to do much more with it than many others.
Perhaps the largest draw of this is the Wifi connectivity that it has. This should mean that you’ll be able to set and control your settings from anywhere. It also means that you should be able to monitor your dish when it’s cooking.
This can be done from anywhere, so you shouldn’t have to be tied to the house if a particular dish takes several hours to cook. The Instant Pot app is also included with this, which offers over 750 recipes to try out. This could be an attractive thing for quite a significant number of people.
There’s also a variety of pre-programmed settings that you can use. These should be accessed with one touch, which should mean that they’re easy to start using.
Pros
- Like getting 8 appliances for price of 1
- Thirteen different smart built-in features
- Wifi connectivity allows you to control remotely
- Over 750 Pre-Programmed recipes
Cons
- Not ideal for first time users of InstantPot (get cheaper model first)
- Only as good as your wifi network
Conclusion
There is quite a lot of that could be included in a review on Instant Pots. However, knowing all of the above should give you the ability to choose the best one for you and your family. While determining which Instant Pot is best could depend on your specific circumstances, all of the Instant Pots mentioned above come highly recommended. Thus, you shouldn’t go wrong by choosing any of the above Instant Pots.
You will still need to put a significant amount of time looking through an Instant Pot comparison. By doing so, you should be able to make sure that you know everything possible before making the right and most informed decision.
While this could take a certain amount of time to figure out, this should be worth it over time. Therefore, being patient before making your decision could be the best approach.
Though this will mean that you’ll have to spend a lot of time going through a review on Instant Pot, it is well worth it.
