Instant Pot vs Slow Cooker
The Instant Pot vs the slow cooker both offer a way to cook meals conveniently in one pot. However, they work in completely opposite ways. With the slow cooker, the clue is in the name! It cooks your meals very easily with the minimum of preparation time but it does take between 4 to 10 hours. The Instant Pot is essentially a pressure cooker and reduces conventional cooking time by at least 70%.
Both types of cooking appliances have some great advantages but which one is best?
The Instant Pot
The Instant Pot is a multifunction cooker which means it enables you to carry out a range of different cooking methods from the same appliance. Pressure cooking is the principle function and so the key point is that all cooking can be carried out extremely quickly.
Because cooking under pressure is very efficient it means that you can cook meals in a fraction of the time of conventional cooking. This is energy-saving and economical because you can cook cheaper cuts of meat for example without spending hours of power in order to get them tender. In addition, you can cook beans and pulses, without the need for pre-soaking.
The Instant Pot also functions as a slow cooker so if you want this type of dish, for example, a casserole; you can leave it on to cook in its own time over the course of the day. The choice is yours.
The Instant Pot is extremely easy to use. The interface includes numerous preset options, depending on the model, meaning that it is pretty idiot-proof. You simply select the desired recipe type such as meat, beans rice or anything else and after adding the ingredients to the pot, you are good to go.
Pros
- Very versatile
- Easy to use
- USA’s #1 pressure cooking brand
Cons
- Not everyone is comfortable with using a pressure cooker
- No money-back guarantee
- There is a lot to go wrong and there have been complaints about reliability.
The Slow Cooker
The slow cooker has legions of fans. The best-loved brand in the USA is the crockpot but there are other makes as well. The beauty of the slow cooker is that it is extremely economical to use and very convenient.
Although it does take a long time to cook, the energy consumed is only the equivalent of the output of the average light bulb so it will save you money on your electricity bills. N addition it is very convenient. You simply add the ingredients to the pot, set the timer and leave it. The slow cooker is ideal for busy mums or people who want to come home to a cooked meal already ready to eat without any added hassle.
The slow cooker is very easy to use and many people feel more comfortable with slow cooking than they do with cooking under pressure. Although pressure cookers today are very safe and easy to use, they still have a dangerous reputation that can be off-putting to some users.
These days a slow cooker can also come with multifunctions similar to a pressure cooker and so you can steam, sauté, brown and cook rice. It all depends upon the model.
Pros
- Very easy to use
- Economical
- Very safe
Cons
- Slow cooking takes a long time. If you are not well organized it will not suit you
- Not as popular as the Instant Pot.
In conclusion
We confess to having real affection for the slow cooker. There is something extremely comfortable about using it and coming home to a delicious cooked meal after a hard day at work is immensely satisfying. We love the fact that the slow cooker works on such an easy principle and of course, we love the energy-saving aspect. It seems good for the planet and good for our purses.
However, we can’t go against the fact that the Instant Pot does provide a perfectly adequate slow cook function. But it also does so much more. The pressure cooker is so versatile you could create a whole weekly varied menu from just this one appliance. You can roast meat, cook rice, sauté, create casseroles and stews and even cook your eggs and porridge all at the flick of a switch. In addition, you can make yogurt and some Instant Pot models even have a canning function.
By contrast, the slow cookers can really only cook things slowly and you probably would not want to eat casseroles and stews every day. And although some models do have a steamer and sauté option, again every pressure cooker also has these options.
In our opinion, this is a no brainer decision. The Instant Pot is an infinitely more superior appliance than the slow cooker. It is available in a wide range of sizes and comes with so many more functions than the slow cooker, it hardly seems worth buying.
Put simply the Instant Pot can slow cook, but the slow cooker cannot work as a pressure cooker. In our opinion the Instant Pot offers much better value and convenience so it is an easy decision; the Instant Pot wins hands down.
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