Instapot is easy to use, work well both as a pressure cooker and a slow cooker. We tested a lot of cookers but found ourselves coming back to the Instant Pot for its versatility and good pricing.
Top Pick– Instant Pot Duo 60 321 Electric
Best Premium– Duo Evo Plus 9-in-1 Electric
Best For Beginners– Instant Pot Lux 6-in-1 Electric
Best High-end– Instant Pot Ultra 10-in-1
Best Tech- Savvy’s– Smart WiFi 8-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker
Best Instapot Reviews 2021
Instant Pot is the No.1 selling cooker brand in North America and it is easy to see why. With so many variations of the Instant Pot, you can rest assured that you will find at least a model that will meet all your needs.
Top Pick
Instant Pot Duo 60 321
Best selling model which cooks up to 70% faster. Built with latest 3rd generation technology and comes with 10+ advanced safety features including overheat protection.
Check Latest PriceWhat is an Instant pot Aka InstaPot?
An Instant Pot (Instapot) is a multi-purpose cooker which can work like a rice cooker, a pressure cooker as well as a slow cooker. It is an electric pot that lets you either cook fast or slow as per your requirement. People love it for its versatility, convenience and of course, good pricing. It’s also worth mentioning that people get it because it does the cooking automatically and you really don’t need to have your eye on the cooker all the time.
1. Instant Pot DUO60 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Instapot
The Instant Pot DUO60 is a tad more expensive than the LUX60 and gets additional set of features. It gets all the six functions of the LUX60 plus it makes yogurt.
Physically, the LUX and DUO Instapot models look identical except for slightly different buttons. It also has 14 presets instead of 12 on the LUX. The DUO60 also has a detachable power cord and a lid holder. It will definitely come in handy when your power cord breaks.
The Duo is available comes in 3, 6 and 8-quart sizes respectively. If you can, we recommend you stretch a bit and get the Duo Plus which gets more features you are likely going to need.
Pros:
- Good construction and premium design
- 14 preset of various recipes
- Slow Cooker feature
- Delay cooking time of up to 24 hours
Cons:
- Learning curve although slight
2. Instant Pot LUX60 V3 Pressure Cooker
The LUX60 is the company’s entry-level Instant Pot aka Instapot. It is available in 3 sizes- 3 Quart, 6 Quart and 8 Quart. This model doesn’t include all the bells and whistles you will find in the more expensive models but covers all the essentials really well.
We have been using the LUX60 V3 in our office for a while now. It has been fun using it and at the same time, it has reduced the cooking time dramatically. We mostly boil eggs at the office and the machine does it in minutes. It was also convenient when we didn’t have to stare at the machine to finish off the boiling. After selecting ‘Egg’ from the predefined menu, all we had to do is wait for the machine to beep to let us know that the eggs were boiled.
The LUX60 V3 is able to both pressure cook and slow cook. Using it, you can prepare sauté, rice, meat/stew, porridge and egg in no time. Unfortunately, it cannot cook at low pressure. If this is a feature you need in your next cooker, it’s best you look at the Instant Pot Duo. You also cannot use it to make yogurt or beans.
If you can live without these features, you will absolutely love this product. It’s well constructed and has a good design. As with all the other Instapot, this too comes with a 1- year warranty.
Pros:
- Short cooking time
- Well laid out menu and instructions
- 12 presets
- Available in 3 sizes
- Works well as a pressure cooker, rice cooker, saute, steamer, cake maker and warmer
Cons:
- No smart features
- Cannot make yogurt
- Cannot cook in low pressure
3. Instant Pot Ultra 10-in-1 Instapot Cooker
If you thought the DUO Plus had it all, you would be wrong. Sure, it has most of the features you will ever need, but if you want something extra, the Instant Pot Ultra is the one to get. It packs in all the functions each model before it has (pressure cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, egg cooker, steamer, warmer, sauté pan, yogurt maker, cake maker and sterilizer) and gets more advanced features.
With the Ultra, you get the ‘Ultra’ button which lets you personalize and program the button as per your requirement. Also, the cooker gets a dedicated steam release reset button. In addition to that, the cooker gives more precise cooking times and also features altitude adjustment which are both neat features.
But the highlight of the Instant Pot Ultra without any doubt has to be its design. It gets an even larger blue LCD display which gives more information including the altitude adjustment feature. In addition to that, it gets a dial knob for smart program selection.
Of all the Instapot, it looks the most sophisticated and has an industrial design you are bound to love. However, with advanced features and good aesthetics, you better be prepared to pay more.
Pros:
- Aesthetics better than all the other models
- Venting and Pressure Regulator is available
- Crisp LCD Display
- Manual mode to fine-tune the dish
Cons:
- Expensive
- No smartphone connectivity feature
4. Instant Pot DUO Plus 9-in-1 Pressure Cooker
The Instant Pot/ Instapot DUO Plus the best-selling model in the Instant Pot range and is the model that we recommend. It is a 9-in-1 programmable Cooker and gets all the features on the DUO and adds a few more. It features an egg cooker, a sterilizer and a cake maker.
One feature that is worth mentioning on this model is the Dual Pressure setting. It allows you to cut the cooking time by up to 70%. The low-pressure mode, on the other hand, avoids overcooking delicate foods.
It comes in 3, 6, and 8-quart sizes. Apart from the inclusion of additional features, the Duo Plus also gets a larger LCD screen with Blue backlighting which looks a lot nicer than the Red and Black screen on the Lux and DUO series. Further, the LCD screen shows food status icons and also has flat buttons that replicate the look of a touch-screen.
As you’d expect, you pay more for these features. The price hovers around the $99 mark for the 3 Quart variant and goes all the way up to about $160 for the 8 Quart variant.
Pros:
- Delay start of 24 hours
- Keeps food warm for approx. 10 hours
- Slow Cooker mode
Cons:
- No Smart features
- Not available in 10-quart size
5. Instant Pot LUX80 6-in-1 Cooker
The Instant Pot LUX80 is the largest Instapot you can buy today. It is an 8 Quart cooker which is good for a family of 6 or more members. This, being one of the cookers from the LUX series, gets the same set of features as the first Instant Pot on this list.
Pros:
- Priced really competitively
- High-pressure setting shortens the cooking time by quite a bit
- No cost-cutting in the build
- 12 pre-programmed recipes which can be selected with a touch of a button
Cons:
- The manual that comes in the box isn’t comprehensive
Check out the 3 amazing and easiest instatpot recipes:
How to Choose an InstaPot?
So, you have decided you are getting an Instant Pot, right? Now you may be wondering which model to get and what size to get it in. Let’s answer these questions.
What Size of (Instapot) Instant Pot Should you get?
Before choosing a model, I recommend you choose the size first. You will find that all the models of the Instant Pot come in 3 sizes: 8-quart, 6-quart and 3-quart. The 6-quart is the size most buyers opt-in for and it’s easy to see why. It’s neither too small nor too big and is suitable for a family with 4-6 members.
If you cook for a lot of people and if you have a large family, go for the 8-quart Pot. Also, make sure that your counter-top is large enough to fit the 8-quart Instapot. Do note that the 8-quart Instant Pot is quite a bit larger than the 3-quart Instant Pot.
The 3-quart Instant Pot isn’t going to be for everyone. Only get this smaller size pot if you are cooking for yourself and maybe for your partner. It’s strictly for a family of two. If you ask us, we suggest you get the 6-quart Instant Pot because you never know when you need to cook for a larger group of people. Also, you aren’t paying all that much more for the larger pot. So, it’s best if you avoid the small 3-quart pot.
Which model of Instapot/Instant Pot should you buy?
You will find that Instapot makes a lot of pots. While two models may look similar, look closer and you will find that one has an additional feature the other one is missing. The prices of the products are also set accordingly.
As with most of the things, you don’t want to get the cheapest model nor the most expensive model.
The most basic series – Lux Series misses out on essential features such as slow cooking and you also can’t make yogurt with it. It has a limited feature set.
If you are not too constrained by your budget, we recommend you to upgrade to the Duo series. The Duo series gets all the essential features and at the same time, it is really well priced. Depending on the size of your preference, you can get one for anywhere between $90-$120.
The Ultra series sits above the Lux and the Duo series and comes loaded with a plethora of features. It comes with more presets, gets a higher pressure-cook time and keeps the food warmer for longer. It also gets altitude to adjust feature. You will find that some of the models even come with a smartphone and Alexa connectivity feature. While they may pack in all the bells and whistles, it’s also worth noting that you will have to shell out more cash for the aforementioned advanced features.
