Instant Pot and Crock-Pot are two brands that have become so popular that their brand names are often used in place of multi-cookers and slow-cookers, respectively. They both help make cooking more hands-off, but there are a few key differences between appliances that make them unique. Counter space is a hot commodity though, so you might be trying to decide between the two to save space in the kitchen.
The Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab is here to answer your questions and help you decide which cooker is right for you.
What to know about Instant Pots
Instant Pot is a popular multi-cooker brand known for its time- and space-saving appliances, making pressure cooking more accessible for the average person. In 2010, the brand launched its first product in order to help people with busy lives get food on the table fast.
The Instant Pot Duo has over 79,000 5-star Amazon reviews and a dedicated following of people who swear it changed their lives. They’re fast, efficient, multi-functional and have performed well in all of our Lab tests (the Duo Plus is our current top pick for the best pressure cooker). Not only do our Kitchen Appliance experts love Instant Pots, but our audience also does too. They’re often one of the most popular products that our readers buy each month.
✔️ Instant Pots are multi-functional. Many people think that Instant Pots are just electric pressure cookers, but they’re actually multi-cookers that cover a wide variety of functions: They slow cook, steam, warm, saute and work as a rice cooker in addition to pressure cooking. The main function of pressure cooking cooks food by raising the boiling point of water and trapping steam to reduce cooking time. Instant Pots also come with a stainless steel inner pot, which is a material designed to heat up quickly.
✔️ You can use an Instant Pot as a slow cooker. Yes, an Instant Pot can replace a slow cooker, but the results may be a little different. "The difference primarily lies in the shape of the cooking bowl. Slow cookers are often longer and wider and offer more surface area for larger roasts. There was some thought in the past that the slow cooker option in an Instant Pot made food drier because it tended to get hotter. But Instant Pots offer low and high temps now, just like a slow cooker, and proved to be just as good in our multi-cooker tests," says Nicole Papantoniou, Director of the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab.
✔️ What can you make in an Instant Pot? Our experts recommend using it for things like soups, rice, steel-cut oats and beans (all great for meal prep). Our Test Kitchen develops recipes specifically for the Instant Pot, and they even put together an Instant Pot cookbook. Tons of food bloggers and TikTok influencers have created Instant Pot recipes and videos, so you’ll never be short on meal ideas!
What to know about Crock-Pots
Crock-Pot is a brand started in the 1970s that is best known for its slow cookers and its loyal following. They’re often made with heat-insulating stoneware, which helps maintain a consistent temperature so you can cook your food using a lower heat over a longer period of time.
Here's where it gets kind of tricky: In recent years, Crock-Pot started making multi-cookers that can pressure cook, just like Instant Pots. Instant also makes a slow cooker with a dutch oven insert now, too. So when you compare a Crock-Pot multi-cooker (like the Express Crock multi-cooker) to an Instant Pot, they're essentially the same thing and have the same functions. But only traditional Crock-Pots are slow cookers, while all Instant Pots are multi-cookers.
Crock-Pot 6-Quart Cook and Carry Slow Cooker
Crock-Pot 6-Quart Cook and Carry Slow Cooker
✔️ Crock-Pots are great for entertaining and transporting food to potlucks since most have travel-friendly latches and handles so you don't have to worry about food sloshing inside and potentially spilling. Most also have a keep warm function to keep your dish at serving temperature for an extended period of time. Since you can even get casserole-shaped Crock-Pots with wide surface areas and shallow edges, things like chilis, fondues and hot sangrias are much easier to scoop out at parties.
✔️ What can you make in a Crock-Pot? If you expect to be cooking large cuts of meat and can plan ahead so you have the time to do so, then a Crock-Pot might be your best bet. Papantoniou says a Crock-Pot is great for pulled pork, brisket, short ribs and pot roasts, all of which come out great in a slow cooker. The GH Test Kitchen also has plenty of slow cooker recipes, but you can check our slow cooker cookbook for even more inspiration.
So which is better: Instant Pot or Crock-Pot?
In order to decide which appliance is best for you, think about what you want to make and how you want to make it. Certain features of an Instant Pot might meet your needs better than a Crock-Pot, and vice versa. Here are a few aspects to consider:
✔️ Time: While both appliances save time, they do so in two completely different ways. Slow cooking is great for busy people, early birds and those who like to plan ahead. You add all of the ingredients in the morning and let them cook throughout the day. (That's why they're called "set it and forget it" appliances.) Pressure cooking is great for last-minute people and night owls who can use the pressure cook function after work to get a meal on the table in a matter of minutes that might otherwise take much longer.
✔️ Size: Not everyone has the space for large countertop appliances. Instant Pots typically come in three sizes: 3-quart, 6-quart and 8-quart. Our pros say a 6-quart is best for most people, but a 3-quart is a good option if you live alone. The 8-quart is perfect for larger families. Crock-Pots come in way more sizes, with options as small as 1.5 quarts (cute!) and as large as 8 quarts.
✔️ Ease of use: Instant Pots typically have more functions, which might seem confusing to someone with no multi-cooker experience. It takes a bit of getting used to, but there are plenty of online recipes and tutorials that help make the learning adjustment easier. Traditional Crock-Pots usually only have a high-medium-low dial, which is much more straightforward but is also quite limiting.
✔️ Price: Crock-Pots are much more affordable. Some are as low as $15 since they only slow cook. Instant Pots start at around $60 for the most basic multi-cooker option, but they're often discounted on Amazon for as much as 50% off.
✔️ Safety: If you remember the tragic This Is Us episode, then you might be worried about the potential dangers of these kitchen appliances. Just know that both Instant Pots and Crock-Pots are safe to be left alone when used as directed. People are sometimes nervous to release the steam from an Instant Pot, but you shouldn't be! Just make sure to use tongs (not your bare hands) to move the nozzle. For both Instant Pots and Crock-Pots, Papantoniou recommends following these safety precautions:
- Always leave enough clearance between the appliance the wall or other items. This keeps the appliance from heating (or even burning) objects around it. Plus, allowing for space around the appliance allows for air circulation to keep the appliance from overheating.
- Keep them away from water sources like the sink to avoid electrocution hazards.
- Place them on a heat-proof surface and avoid wood and cutting boards. The heat that comes off the appliances could melt a plastic cutting board or burn a wooden one.
The bottom line
There’s still overlap when comparing an Instant Pot to a Crock-Pot, depending on which model you're talking about. Just remember that all Instant Pots are multi-cookers, which means they slow cook and pressure cook, and Crock-Pots are usually only slow cookers.
If you only care about slow cooking, then go for a stand-alone slow cooker like a Crock-Pot. Want to choose between slow cooking and pressure cooking in one appliance? Then you're better off with a multicooker like Instant Pot that can do it all, but remember, both brands make slow cookers and multicookers, so make sure the model you buy has the features you want.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Nicole Papantoniou is the director of the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab and has overseen all of the most recent slow cooker and pressure cooker tests. She also was consulted by Amina and Abigail when developing this story.
Amina Lake Abdelrahman is a former editor at the Good Housekeeping Institute where she first coordinated with Nicole to write this story.
During her time working at the Good Housekeeping Institute, Abigail Bailey has tested, researched and written about everything from Japanese knives to hammocks. She worked with Nicole Papantoniou, the director of the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, to research and update this article.
Amina is a product review writer and editor who worked as an editorial assistant in the Good Housekeeping Institute from 2018 to 2020, writing original content based on GH Lab experts' product testing and analysis. Amina graduated from Montclair State University with a B.A. in communication studies and journalism.
Abigail (she/her) is product reviews writer who has covered everything from kitchen gear to mattresses and smart blinds. She graduated from Louisiana State University with a B.A. in creative writing and earned her M.S. in publishing digital and print media from New York University. She currently works at Wirecutter, but has also spent time on staff at Good Housekeeping and The Southern Review literary magazine. In her free time you can find her quilting, cross-stitching or trying to figure out how to squeeze one more bookshelf in her tiny apartment.
