What Is the Best Instapot to Buy in 2021? Instant Pot Review & Comparison

Quickly Compare Insta Pot Models. Choose the Best for you and on Sale

TOP PICK
Instant Pot Duo
Instant Pot

It’s the perfect starter: not too large, not too small and not quite as complex as the high-end models.

WHY WE LOVE IT
  • Simple & Easy to Use
  • 7 in 1 Kitchen Appliances
  • Built-in Microprocessor
TAKE NOTE
  • Does not sterilize or cooks eggs or cakes
BEST FOR BEGGINERS
Instant Pot Lux
Instant Pot

The Duo gives all the regular Instant Pot features, including a yogurt maker setting. 

WHY WE LOVE IT
  • 6 kitchen appliances in 1
  • Easy to use, clean and maintain
  • Adjustable Temperature Settings
TAKE NOTE
  • Just pressure cooks in high
BEST FOR NEW PARENTS
Instant Pot Duo Plus
Instant Pot

Much more advanced and improved display interface can also sterilize baby bottle and toys.

WHY WE LOVE IT
  • 9-in-1 Multi-Pressure Cooker
  • Large LCD Display
  • Dual Pressure Settings
TAKE NOTE
  • The cooker works up to 4 hours
BEST FOR VALUE
Instant Pot Duo Ultra
Instant Pot

The 21 temperature settings lets you experiment until your food is just right.

WHY WE LOVE IT
  • Ultimate Custom Programming
  • Altitude Adjustment
  • Cooking Progress Indicator
TAKE NOTE
  • Expensive
TECH SAVVY CHEFS
Instant Pot Max
Instant Pot

Built with the highest safety mechanisms ever produced in a cooker. Plus Offering the industry’s leading sustained working pressure at 15 psi.

WHY WE LOVE IT
  • Touch Screen
  • NutriBoost technology
  • Accurate temperature control
TAKE NOTE
  • Relatively new to the market
instapots

Instapots recommendations are based on more than 50,000 confirmed customer experiences and our team’s exhaustive examination system. We never suggest an Instant Pot we haven’t independently tested in our cooking kitchen. We guaranteed, when you’re ready to purchase, an Instant Pot you pick meets are leading standards.

You’ve probably browsed through several articles about Insta Pot already. Perhaps you’ve purchased an Instant Pot and used the recipes mentioned in those articles. But what if you didn’t purchase the best Instant Pot to suit your needs?

Remember that Instant Pots are not all the same. Some Instant Pots are multi-purpose pressure cookers while others are not. It can be hard for an amateur to notice the difference between these pots because most Insta Pot models have the same wattage, voltage, and pot size. But the thing that makes them different is the software they’re programmed with. The best Instant Pots have smart programs which provide preset heat levels, time, and pressure levels.

What exactly is an Instapot Pressure Cooker (AKA Instant Pot)

Okay, so an Instant Pot is like a combination of a slow cooker and pressure cooker. It even has a sauté option too.  There are buttons which you push to make these cooking actions take place. That way, you don’t need to worry about setting the proper time, heat, and pressure for the food. If you’re new to cooking and you want to prepare simple meals fast, such as eggs or oatmeal, then an Instant Pot is wonderful. In addition, the Instant Pot is also convenient for cooking thicker pieces of food, such as baby back ribs.

You can take virtually any recipe and adapt it to the Insta Pot. It may take some practice before you get it right, but you will eventually. When you pressure cook your food, you can limit and alter the cooking time and the liquid. If you are slow cooking the food, the time will increase while the liquid will decrease.

So basically, the Insta Pot is a multi-cooking electric pot which allows you to cook foods slowly or quickly.

Best Instant Pot for Families, Singles, Students and for the Money.

All the models and sizes that have been launched by the company are modern appliances and are completely safe no cooker is less than the other in terms of safety and ease. All the models are well-built and are sturdy with stainless steel interiors. They also have similar features, and all are great.  We have done a good comparison between different Instant Pot models below.

Things we liked:
  • 7 in 1 Kitchen Appliances
  • Simple & Easy to Use
  • Built-in Microprocessor
  • Fast and Flexible Cooking
  • Multiple Temperatures
  • Brushed Stainless Steel
  • Alexa Free App
Things we didn’t like:
  • No LCD display

Amazon Best Seller:

Now the Duo model is an upgraded version of the Lux model as it has 7 in 1 functionality and can also make yogurt. There are also certain tweaking within the design as the Duo model is much more easier to handle, and you can now comfortably hold the pot. This pressure cooker also works in 2 different settings. Similar to Lux, the Duo model is also incompatible with the iPhone or Android app. The Duo Model comes with diverse capacities including 3 Qt pot, 6 Qt pot and 8 Qt instapot.

Suitable for: Small or large families. The instant pot duo model 3 Qt is the smallest and most compact instant pot available whereas 6 and 8 Qt offers great choices for large quantity cooking.

The Classic: Lux is the basic model. Buy it if budget is your main priority.

Visit Amazon.com
…or read our instant pot lux review

Things we liked:
  • 9-in-1 Multi Pressure Cooker
  • Large LCD Display
  • Status Icons
  • Multiple Cooking Programs
  • Stainless Steel
  • Dual Pressure Settings
  • Alexa Free App
Things we didn’t like:
  • Takes Time to get Used to it

The all new upgraded Instant Pot DUO Plus 60 has an efficient and improved display interface. The manufacturers have focused on providing a much more user-friendly product than the old version. Why do we call this a much more upgraded version of the old insta-pot DUO60?

This Instant Pot DUO Plus 60 has all the cooking program keys on the touchpad control panel making it much more comfortable to select and operate. The display has more indicators than before including the mode indicator, pressure indicator, time and cooker status icons. All add more convenience and ease of usage. The LCD quality provides better understanding and improves operations for the users.

We have studied their user manual and also tested how each of these new cooking programs works. Our experience was great. The Duo Plus is even fingerprint resistant in comparison to earlier models. This is great for anyone who is going to cook with the Duo Plus regularly.

Best Hybrid: Much more advanced and improved display interface is making it more user-friendly.

Visit Amazon.com
…or read our instant pot duo plus review

Things we liked:
  • Ultimate Custom Programming
  • Simple to use with Central Dial
  • Altitude Adjustment
  • Cooking Progress Indicator
  • Stainless Steel
  • Quick Release Button
  • Alexa Free App
Things we didn’t like:
  • No Touch Screen

The Instant Pot Ultra is like the Duo Plus. But the one major difference is the Ultra allows you to have more control over the different options and settings available. In other words, you can choose to warm the food, pressure cook it, or slow cook it whenever you want. The process is streamlined with the pressure valve that automatically closes to make the pressure cooking much safer.

Therefore, if you care about having more control over your cooking options and having a huge display screen, then you should choose the Ultra. It may even be faster than the Instant Pot Max, even though the Max is advertised as the fastest. But a comparison test between the Ultra and Max proved otherwise. The Ultra was able to reach the appropriate pressure for cooking chickpeas more quickly.

The Sophisticated: The Instant Pot Ultra-model is super convenient as it has a very simple interface which offers an easy to understand dial and a control panel with no buttons.

Visit amazon.com
…or read our instant pot ultra model review

Things we liked:
  • Touch Screen
  • Steam Release
  • NutriBoost technology
  • Accurate temperature control
  • Brushed stainless steel exterior
  • Food grade 304 (18/8) – no chemical coatings
  • Free Recipe App
Things we didn’t like:
  • Relatively new to the market

The Instant Pot Max is the most recent model released and now the most expensive model too. It is supposed to pressure cook up to 15% quicker than any other Instant Pot model. While other models have 1,000 watts, the Max has approximately 1,100 watts. Regular pressure cooker recipes for stove-tops are still acceptable to make with the Max, which includes an automatic quick release function.

On the downside, the Max isn’t great for pressure canning, even though the manufacturer states that it is. Personally, we recommend the Instant Pot Ultra for anyone looking for high performance and speed in their pressure cooking.

The Instant pot Max cooker assists you to cook your favorite food in less time as it comes with NutriBoost technology that boils the vegetables or meat at boiling motion during pressure cook to soften the content of the food to add nutrition and flavor. You can even make soup or broth in it as it breaks down the vegetables, lentils, and meat to give consistency in the texture. Further, it not does cook faster but can do home pressure canning as well.

It has a large touchscreen installed in it, makes programming easy. With the help of the display, you can adjust the temperature, pressure level and time according to what you want to cook. This would help you to eliminate the actual time that is consumed to make that recipe.

The pot is made from food grade 304 stainless steel which means it is rust-resistant and the pressure of the stove wouldn’t damage your pot. Thus, your pot would look as new when you purchased it.

Moreover, the unique feature it offers is the automated venting and lid-lock to avoid any harmful accidents while boiling or steaming the food. So, the UL certified pot ensures to provide you safety along with instant cooking technology.

The Sports Car: Built with the highest safety mechanisms ever produced in a cooker. Plus Offering the industry’s leading sustained working pressure at 15 psi. Historically, this pressure level been obtained by stove-top pressure cookers.

Visit Amazon.com
…or read our instant pot max review

Things we liked:
  • Smart WiFi display
  • The display is large, bright and easy to read
  • 750+ pre-programmed recipes
  • Share access with anybody
  • 13 smart programs
  • 8 an in 1 appliance
  • Stainless Steel
Things we didn’t like:
  • Instructions are complicated

Compatible with:     

The product has a smart WIFI display to get connected with your mobile devices easily. A large blue LCD screen which shows you about the temperature and all. Meanwhile, you can set your cooker from anywhere you want; you don’t need to go the kitchen and check the cooking process. Just do it while you are watching your favorite movie.

But don’t get confused here because you cannot activate your Instant Pot WIFI from miles away with your smartphone. For safety reasons, you must be within 45 feet of the Instant Pot for the Wi-Fi connection to stay active.

Furthermore, it has 750+ built-in recipes according to your taste buds. Thus, this product work like eight different cooking appliances in 1 pot.  Also, it has 3 warms up the food temperatures to maintain the hotness level of your food. Plus, it has 11 safety mechanism which will prevent food for spoiling.

No more need to stand like a robot in the kitchen every time while you are cooking something, allow your mobile device to control the temperature of your food. Now, enjoy your meal without standing all the time in the kitchen.

This amazing device has its own 13 built-in programs such as broth/soup, stew/meat, chili/bean, slow cook, Cake, searing/sauté, multigrain, Rice, Porridge, yogurt, Steam, Keep Warm, and as well as Pressure Cook.

The Techie: WIFI control stainless steel cooker, which can easily be operated by using your mobile device.

Visit Amazon.com
…or read our instant pot ultra model review

Things we liked:
  • 6 kitchen appliances in 1
  • Easy to use, clean and maintain
  • Ability to cook eggs, soups, rice, beans, and lentils
  • High Pressure Settings
  • Adjustable Temperature Settings
  • Stainless Steel
Things we didn’t like:
  • Old dated version

This is the most economical product of the company. If budget is your main concern and you are looking for something of greatest quality yet lower price, then Lux is the right choice for you. You can call it 6 in 1 model which does the pressure cooking, browning, sautéing, slow cooking, warming, and rice cooking. However, the Lux model does not make yogurt because it is not compatible with the app for iPhone and Android devices.

Instant Pot Lux 60 6Qt (v3 6 in 1) This is the most basic model of the instapots with a few features, and yet it has made lives easier for many people throughout the globe who prefer to go basic rather than technical.

Now the Duo model is an upgraded version of the Lux model as it has 7 in 1 functionality and can also make yogurt. There are also certain tweaking within the design as the Duo model is much more easier to handle, and you can now comfortably hold the pot. This pressure cooker also works in 2 different settings. Similar to Lux, the Duo model is also incompatible with the iPhone or Android app. The Duo Model comes with diverse capacities including 3 Qt pot, 6 Qt pot and 8 Qt instapot.

The Classic: Lux is the basic model. Buy it if budget is your main priority.

Visit Amazon.com
…or read our instant pot lux model review

Who is the Insta Pot for? and which electric pressure cooker should you buy?

As much as we subjectively love the instapots pressure cooker, you need to decide whether it makes sense for you and whether it will fit into your lifestyle or your family needs.

We will share our enthusiasm and some information about the Insta Pot, but in the end, it is solely your decision to buy it. Here are some circumstances in which it’s a sizeable idea to consider purchasing the Instapot:

Busy Life – the instapots cooker saves you time in the kitchen and keeps more money in your wallet plus is basically cooks your meals with little to no added effort on your part

Big family – the larger pot models can fit meals that will support an army if you are one of the rare lucky moms or dads with many kids running around you don’t want to be attached in the kitchen for long hours.

Fitness healthy person – the Instapot cooker is excellent for preparing healthier, extra nutritious foods. You can meal prep your weekly meals.

Small kitchen – Kitchen counter space is valuable in a small kitchen, and the instant pot hardly takes any, all the while substituting a lot of heavy kitchen devices.

No stove-top – A hero for college kids as it only requires an electrical socket to operate. No more greasy cafeteria food, the cup of noodles or fast food.

Travel regularly – If you’re often on trips on the road, but still want to consume healthful and nutritious meals, the instapots pressure cooker can be a lifesaver.

Lazy & tired to cook – Lethargic cookers that don’t want to be bothered with inserting too much energy in the kitchen this exactly want you need nothing beats the Instapot cooker at this super easy method of cooking. Also, consider that it takes minutes to clean and is dishwasher safe.

On a budget – Preparing your food from scratch can conserve your money when you’re on a fixed budget. The low-cost items like cans or cartons of prepared meals can add up and buying rice, beans and dry legumes in bulk is so remarkably cheaper. Plus, you’ll save on the monthly electric bill.

Green environmentalist – As stated above, you’ll create less waste by purchasing your food in bulk and using less electricity is also better on the environment.

Plant-based Diets – Stick to your plant-based diets like beans, rice, and lentils.

Did you fall into one, two or any of the categories mentioned above? Then continue reading. Will help you decide out which instapot model and size would work best for your situation!

Things to know before purchasing a Insta Pots
What Size of Instant Pot Cooker Should I Buy?

When it is about the Instant-Pot, size does matter. The 8 quart size is ideal for large families, and you can easily prepare meals for 4-6 people. You can also make occasional dinners for about 8 people in case you are having guests over.

The 3 quart size is perfect for a college student or for those who have to cook food for only 1-2 people. The size of the pressure cooker also makes it easier to handle and transfer cooked food to serving ware. Although, to keep the size in mind consider 1 liter or 1 quart per person. So 6 quart is perfect for 6 people and 8 quart for 8 people.

size Instant Pot
Quick and Convenient

The instant-pot pressure cooker is genuinely a hands-off device. You toss your delicious meal inside and press a button. No need to babysit the kitchen. With a conventional (stove-top) pressure cooker, you need to be near the kitchen to monitor the food. This is precisely what makes the Instant Pot so handy, as no other cooking appliance allows quite as much independence. The instapots is also super quiet throughout the whole cooking process, aside from a bit of hissing in the start. Plus once your food is done, you get to savor the feast and walk away with a clean kitchen – no pots or stove-top to clean. It is straightforward to use once you get the hang of the various functions. With the built-in timer, you can arrange it up in the morning, and you’ll have a warm meal waiting for you. Running late? With an unexpected emergency. The Instapot cooker is programmable and will keep your meal warm for 10 hours after cooking.

There is a mass of stories and facts circling this all-in-one kitchen appliance, so let’s get the facts accurate first. This handy appliance met the criteria of having multiple uses so I thought I’d try it out for myself. Now it’s become perhaps the most-used appliances in my kitchen. It does a lot more than you’d expect, so don’t think it’s only good for one thing or another.

Multi-Use

Given that this is a multi-use gadget, the instapot can potentially replace a rice cooker, a slow cooker, a sauté pan and even a steamer. I’ve had some friends of mine tell me they find themselves rarely using their oven and stove because of how much they use their instapot. I don’t think I would go that far with it and I don’t see it replacing my stove or oven any time soon, but I could certainly rely on it to be there for me if those appliances were to break down on me.

Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Yogurt Maker, Cake Maker, Egg Cooker, Sauté, Steamer, Warmer, and Sterilizer
Saves Time

This is perhaps the main benefit of using the pot and I noticed it almost as soon as I started using my instapot. It’s able to cook a recipe that usually takes 6-8 hours in a slow cooker in just one hour. I can even have a roast prepared for dinner in as little as 40 minutes. This is a major help on the days when we aren’t home throughout the day and have to quickly prepare a meal at night (and on the days that I just forget to defrost food until it’s too late or forget to put food in our slow cooker in the morning).

Good Value for Money

Even though the Insta Pot is more expensive than a generic single-use appliance such as a rice cooker or a slow cooker, it’s cost-effective when you use it as a replacement for these gadgets. I was able to get mine at half price in a promotion, and it’s certainly paid for itself given how much space and time it saves. Put it this way; would you rather spend $200 on a pressure cooker, a slow cooker, and a rice cooker separately, or pay $100 for one appliance that does all of these jobs and more?

Programmable

Another great advantage that separates the instapots from a regular pressure cooker and slow cooker is that it can be programmed. Given that it can cook food so quickly, there are times I don’t need to cook something as soon as I put it in the insta pot, but I would like it to be ready by a certain time. The insta pot has programmable features that mean you can set it up 24-hours in advance to cook food at a set time. There are many options pre-programmed into the pressure cooker that make it easier to use as well.

programe the instapot
Easy to Clean

Given that the cooking bowl is made entirely of stainless steel it’s super easy to clean by hand and is dishwasher safe. No more messy stove and splatters all over your counters. The mess stays in the Insta Pot. (Okay, you have to wash the pot, but I presume we can all handle one wash at the end of the meal.) Among single-pot cooking where you can steam, sear and sauté all in the same cooking pot, you will end up using fewer pots and pans. You can even cook several of dishes following in your pot.

wash the instant pots
The Facebook community and recipe books are your support

Given that the cooking bowl is made entirely of stainless steel it’s super easy to clean by hand and is dishwasher safe. No more messy stove and splatters all over your counters. The mess stays in the instant pot. (Okay, you have to wash the pot, but I presume we can all handle one wash at the end of the meal.) Among single-pot cooking where you can steam, sear and sauté all in the same cooking pot, you will end up using fewer pots and pans. You can even cook several of dishes following in your pot.

Healthier Meals

The insta pot pressure cooker is extremely accurate with cooking times and temperatures, thus maintaining things as tasty as possible and preserving their authentic taste. Thanks to the pressure it uses to heat things quickly, and the lower cooking temperature when associated with a stovetop, it protects the nutrients in your food better – providing you healthier meals. You can finally substitute those process cooking oats and replace them with steel-cut oats for a more healthier option. If you’re an individual that likes to travel, you know how tricky it is to eat well when your only choices are eating fast food. Well, the smallest insta pot version is exceptionally portable; you can bring it with you to your hotel room or RV! Simply plug it in the nearest electrical socket, and you can have a healthy meal from any place you may be. And imagine about all of the money you’ll be keeping from not eating out every single night.

A few negatives I notice from using the Instapots
The Up-Front Price

As mentioned before, the price is reasonable considering that it can replace other kitchen appliances, but it still retails at up to $200. I was able to pick up mine for less than $100 thanks to a promotion here. I would have saved a lot of money if I had registered for this when I got married rather than other appliances, but if sounds like a big up-front cost; especially if you already have all of the other appliances in your kitchen.

Is there a warranty?

The conventional warranty across the board is one-year. It’s sufficient to get you through any catastrophic breakdowns in the initial months of use, but do you want the trouble of dealing with a bad apple for whatever reason? One suggestion is to go ahead and buy extra security with an extended warranty. You’re already saving a ton of money by it being a multi-device cooker so that additional dollars won’t harm. All of these collectively build the experience you’ll have with any kitchen device. After all, we want to be pleased that our new acquisition works right out of the box and for many years beyond.

Frequently Asked Question’s

1. Does it expedite up the food process?

Cooking in an electronic pressure cooker is regularly quick but can go overlooked for some swift food like shrimp and vegitables. Nevertheless, for most utmost food that usually take prolonged time like grains and meats, it can be prepared in shorter than 80 minutes. Furthermore, most quality instant pots can decrease cook time with up to 75%.

2. Is there any limitation of cooking in it?

This multi-functional cuisine machine can cook quantities of dishes in a short period. You just follow the cooking instructions for the provided food, flow it all into its interior pot, and seal for cooking. Although, there is a significant downside to this, as you cannot examine, taste or modify the contents of the dish while it cooks, you simply wait for it to complete.

3. What is the least liquid volume needed?

The general practice is to put sufficient liquid to reach and manage pressure. Hence, absorbent food will evermore need more water for cooking and some to pressurize the inner pot. Nevertheless, when preparing, food with quantities of moisture, just use more limited liquid, but the minimum is perpetually a cup nothing smaller.

4. Why does my dishes keep burning?

The most popular logic for food burns are inadequate water in the cooking instructions when food is attached to the base during sautéing. A Poor sealing can also obtain your water to desiccate, thus burning the meat, same as utilizing thick liquids like heavy cream and vegetable sauce to produce your pot to pressure.

5. Can I prepare frozen food without defrosting?

Yes, you can cook any chilled food without defrosting though it will demand some time to pressurize. Nevertheless, once the pot is below pressure, the dish time is the equivalent. Additionally, foods that are frozen in a smooth layer normally defrost quicker than those in lumps. You can perpetually cut the chunks in little pieces before freezing, for an more manageable and more enjoyable cooking process.

6. Why does it take extended time for the pot to proceed pressure?

The volume of time that a pot takes to develop to pressure is regularly defined by the quantity of food in the pot. The fuller it is, the more long-drawn it will demand to come to pressure. The variety of food also influences it pressure time, liquids take more extended time to pressurize than more compact food.

7. Is it secure to cook in it?

Yes, it is quite dependable to cook in an electric pressure cooker, as they are user-friendly with masses of security mechanism to lengthen its use and anticipate hazards. Additionally, most have 10 or also UL and ULC Approved safety characteristics verified to operate all the time.

8. What variety of cooking tools / accessories can I use?

You can forever use whatever oven-safe accessories, however stainless steel conduces to transfer heat quicker, so utilization of them. Nevertheless, you should perceive that various materials will transfer heat differently, consequently changing cook time. For greatest execution, use the accessories that come with your merchandise.

Conclusion
Moreover, the insta-pot will completely redesign the way you cook and will change your lifestyle for the better. Not just making your life easier but also fashionable. With such advancements and high-tech features, you will always be ready to cook. If you are in a hurry, you can choose the pressure cooking option, and if you have time, you can easily opt for slow cooking and get back to your kitchen at your own ease. Once you adapt yourself to the insta-pot life, there is never going back. It is similar to how smartphones have changed our lives, and everything now feels so connected. Similarly, this modern kitchen technology will make you so used to it that there is no looking back. I had some skepticism about the instapots so I was wary about trying it for myself. I was certainly surprised by how much I enjoyed using it (and there are over 5,000  instapot reviews on Amazon that agree with me). I honestly wish I’d tried it sooner and can see the insta-pot becoming my go-to wedding present for friends getting hitched in the future. The instapot stands out from basic kitchen tools such as knives and pans in that it’s not an essential, but it would certainly come recommended by me. It’s fast becoming one of the most-used tools in my kitchen. If you decide to go ahead and purchase, let me know in the comments or via email which one did you get. I would love to hear your reviews and thoughts about Instant Pot.
Best Instapot of 2020 – Instant Pot Reviews & Comparisons
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