In every small appliance test, we check ease of use, performance, functionality, taste test, and also assess value for money. Overall cooking takes into account how well the pressure cooker copes with cooking a beef and vegetable stew, a tricky risotto with delicate courgettes and cooking dried beans. By combining multiple appliances into one kitchen appliance, preprogrammed buttons help you take advantage of the different cooking functions. But current Instant Pot owners should take note: There are several new models on the market these days, and according to my testing, they’re worth it. Finally, we set the steam release to ‘seal’ - programmed it for one minute and after preheating for just over four minutes, it completed the one-minute cook and we then flicked the switch to vent which took just 30 seconds.

Sign up to receive daily breaking news, reviews, opinion, analysis, deals and more from the world of tech. Millie loves to bake, so she will take any excuse to review stand mixers and other baking essentials. The Instant Pot Pro Crisp 11-in-1 offers a lot in one appliance, letting you air fry, pressure cook, grill and more. The air fryer lid needs to be upright when you're using the pressure cooking lid, which makes it harder to fit the Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 6.

If you aren't convinced by instant Pot, I think the Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 8-qt XL Multi Cooker is the newest wave in multi-cooking.

Pressure cooks, sautés, steams, sous vides, slow cooks, warms, air fries, roasts, bakes, broils, and dehydrates. Overall the Duo Crisp and Pro Crisp are both pressure cookers that come with air frying features and the same smart programs.Admittedly, the potatoes didn’t turn the same golden brown color that they would have if I’d roasted them in the oven, but a few extra minutes in the air fryer would have taken care of that. She tried this Instant Pot at home for several weeks, making meals for herself and her husband, as well as batch cooking and filling up the freezer. There are various different capacity Ninja Foodi and Instant Pot models, so check that your appliance has a large enough capacity for the recipe you’re looking at.

It also has a safety-locking lid and a cover for the pressure vent that stops it from splattering when you're ready to release. You can put the pot in the dishwasher, and because it has silicone-coated handles, it's easy to lift out even when your meal has recently finished cooking. And what’s interesting about the Instant Pot Pressure Cookers + Air Fryers is it gives you two completely different types of cooking in one kitchen appliance. The NutriBoost function — essentially automatic stirring, which Instant Pot claims breaks down starch — is a bit of a gimmick, and didn't improve on dishes. Its insert can go in the dishwasher, as can the non-stick pot, and while it has two lids the air fryer one is built onto the side.If you’re looking for an additional Instant Pot, there are a few interesting features in the new Pro Crisp that make a nice upgrade. To test out how well the Instant Pot Pro Crisp can cook a variety of dishes, we started with a slow-cooked beef chili. But if it is in your budget and you’re interested in those coveted air-fryer capabilities, then this all-in-one design is a no-brainer choice. The Instant Pot Pro Crisp is the brand’s top-of-the-range model, and is one of only two designs that come with an air fryer lid. The lid reached 140 F/ 60 C during cooking, but the sides and handles all stay cool enough to touch.

Two methods of pressure drop include the natural method - where you leave the pressure cooker to drop back down to normal pressure naturally, or where you can release the pressure quickly, manually. I also created a series of culinary tests to analyze each model’s specific capabilities and features. Both of these models have the core features but are not as vast as their other electric pressure cooker-only models.

The Instant Pot Pro Crisp + Air Fryer is one of the electric pressure cooker models made by Instant Brands. If you’re planning on moving your appliance after using it, you might be interested to learn that these models weigh roughly the same at just over 10kg each. Instant and Ninja offer a large range of multi-cookers and some are more basic than others so we’ll focus again on the Instant Pot Duo Crisp and the Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 Pro Pressure Cooker. The names all sound a little vague, but while they seem alike, there's crucial differences between the Duo, Pro, and Crisp ranges. Instant Brands also offer 2-in-1 Instant Pot Pressure Cooker and Air Fryers that come with both the Pressure Cooker Lid and Air Fryer Lid.