Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Hacks & How-to's

Instant Pot vs. Crock Pot: And the winner is…

Kim Renta
By

Instant pots, crock pots, slow cooking, rapid cooking—with so many cooking options available and only a limited amount of counter space (and budget dollars), it’s hard to decide which method is best for you. While both instant pots and crock pots provide value for busy households and have their base of devoted fans, they each provide different cooking methods and results.

We’ve spelled out the features of both—now you can pick between these two great kitchen staples with this guide!

Related Videos

Instant pot vs. crockpot, what’s the difference?

Instant pots

While crockpots are about slow cooking all day while you’re busy at work or doing household chores, instant pots (also known as electric pressure cookers) allow busy people to get meals prepared and on the table fast—really fast. Instant pots work by raising the boiling point of water and using the trapped steam to reduce cooking time. 

Here are some other features of instant pots:

  • They are multi-functional: In addition to bringing meals to the table in a fraction of the time as standard cooking methods, instant pots can also slow cook, sauté, steam, warm, and act as a rice cooker. 
  • You can slow cook with an instant pot. Using the slow cooker function on your instant pot will cook foods slowly like a crockpot, but the results tend to be less juicy than with slow cooker meals. 

Crockpots

A crockpot is a slow cooker made from heat-insulating stoneware surrounded by a heating element. The stoneware pots maintain a consistent temperature, allowing you to cook food slowly and at low temperatures.

Is a slow cooker the same as a crockpot? 

There’s a key difference between slow-cookers and crockpots. While crock pots are always made from stoneware, there are other types of slow cookers made from metal sitting atop a heated surface.

How to decide between an instant pot or a crockpot

  • Easy to use: Crockpots win this category. Typical crock pots have low, medium, and high cooking temperatures, while instant pots have more functions which can be confusing to some users. Of course, plenty of online tutorials are available to make it easier to understand your new instant pot’s functions.
  • Price: Crockpots win this category, too. You can find affordable crockpots, some as low as just $15, while the most basic instant pot can cost $60 or more. Of course, the tradeoff is that crockpots only offer one function: slow cooking.
  • Size: Crockpots have more size variations, so if countertop space is an issue, you would probably say that crock pots win in this category as well. You can find crock pots as small as 1.5 quarts and as large as 8 quarts, while instant pots are typically offered in 3, 6, and 8-quart sizes.
  • Safety: This one is a tie. Both crock pots and instant pots are safe to be left alone when used as directed by the manufacturer.
  • Time: Both crock pots and instant pots save time but in very different ways. Instant pots are more for last-minute meals when using the pressure cook function to get a hot meal on the table in a matter of minutes. Crockpots have earned their “set it and forget it” reputation because you can simply throw together ingredients in the morning and come home to a perfectly slow-cooked meal. 

Both instant pots and crock pots offer home chefs the ability to provide flavorful meals with minimal effort—one can deliver completed meals in just a few minutes, the other cooks slow and steady while you are away. Either one saves you time and work in the kitchen, and both can free you from time spent slaving over a hot stove. 

Instant pots offer more cooking options, including the slow cooker feature of a crockpot, but an instant pot can’t duplicate the juicy results of a slow-cooked crockpot meal. When making your selection, it comes down to your family’s needs and which of the two fits that need better. 

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
5 New Year’s cleaning resolutions you can actually keep up all year
These easy ideas will have your home sparkling in the new year
Person cleaning kitchen with gloves and spray bottle

The new year always seems like a good time for new beginnings, including making some changes around your home. Whether you want to save money by using DIY methods for dry-cleaning clothes at home, sprucing up your master bath with a fresh coat of paint, or swapping out all the lightbulbs in your house for energy-saving LEDs, a few small changes can have a big impact on both your wallet and the planet.

If you’ve decided to make getting on top of your house cleaning routine a priority this year, we have five great ways to kick things off right. Let’s get ready for a cleaner, more organized 2023 with these New Year's cleaning resolutions.

Read more
Start off 2023 right: 8 low-cal dinner recipes that are actually tasty
If losing weight is on your 2023 resolution list, then try these healthy dinner recipes
Family preparing a meal together

We all overindulge a bit during the holidays. Between the baking, the parties, and the cocktails, the average American puts on about 5 pounds during the holiday season. Although it’s a bit of a cliche, the new year can give you a clean slate and an opportunity for big and small changes. 

If you’re trying to drop a few pounds in 2023, you’re not alone. Eating healthier and losing weight are always on the top of the list for New Year’s resolutions. But going from sugar cookies and eggnog to a diet of celery and lettuce is way too drastic a jump for most people. That’s why we think you’re going to love our assortment of yummy, healthy, low-calorie meals that are super tasty — and easy to make.

Read more
The house maintenance tasks homeowners think first-time buyers should know
A few considerations when buying your first home
try these 11 bathroom diys you can do in one hour plumber

Buying a home for the first time isn't for the faint of heart. There are so many decisions you need to make and so many considerations to keep in mind before you sign on the dotted line. The biggest worry (beyond the biggest financial investment you're making) is what you don't know, especially regarding house maintenance. Luckily, we have the expertise of those who have come before us.

Redditor theforeverletter recently posed this question on the r/Home Improvement subreddit: "Homeowners who have been doing this for [a while], what regular maintenance do people need to do to their house they don’t know they should be doing? For those of you who know far more than me, I bought a house last year; what things do I/other first-time homeowners need to do to keep up with everything we may not know? Of course, this depends on the house (Septic/city water crawl space/no crawl space) and things can vary, but happy to learn as much as I can!" Hundreds of people were happy to share their advice, and we've taken some of the most popular, so you know what to look out for.

Read more