is an electric pressure cooker the same as instant pot

Decades before the invention of the pressure cooker, cooking stuff which takes hours to be ready is a nightmare. Now we have a pressure cooker that makes that fast, it takes minutes to boil. 

To add to that, instant pots came into use to bring upto function what is lacking in pressure cookers. The question that comes to people’s minds now is an electric pressure cooker the same as an instant pot? Is instant pot safe? Can you use an instant pot recipe on a pressure cooker?

The questions above are very important, especially for those who want to buy these products for their kitchen. This article will address them and also answer more questions about instant pots and electric pressure cookers.

is an electric pressure cooker the same as instant pot

The answer is Yes! An instant pot is an electric pressure cooker because both use pressure to cook and those that fast are a little different in time.

Though there are several differences between an electric pressure cooker and instant pot, they still cook.

Let us look closely at each of them to know what makes them the same and what differentiates them.

How does instant pot work

An instant pot is a pressure cooker. It combines the functions of other Cookwares like pressure cooker, Crock pot, yogurt maker and Rice cooker. Due to this ability to perform all this function with ease, it is a multi-cooker.

With it’s built in easy to use function, instant pots cook food in 70% less time than on the stove top. It is nice for cooking foods that take a long time in a normal pot  like pot roasts, whole chicken, brisket and dried beans.

Both the electric pressure cooker and the instant pot can cook food fast but the difference is in the convenience the instant pot has. 

Why choose an instant pot over stove top pressure cooker

• Easy for beginners to use, unlike the pressure cooker which intimidates those who don’t Know how to use it. 
• With its sophisticated microprocessor that monitors and adjusts pressure, temperature, time, and heat. You can cook with easy
• Like the traditional electric pressure cooker, it Cooks food up to 70% faster than other methods and delivers consistent, delicious results every time.
• It has more safety features that protect its users from excessive amount of pressure
• Convenient one-touch control of 13 programs can be customized to remember the way you like to cook
• Smart Lid automatically seals your Instant Pot. Steam release is also a breeze with a fast, safe push of the quick release button.

Does instant pot have multiple functions

An electric pressure cooker can do many things, but the Instant Pot takes it to a whole new level. There are many functions that instant pot can do that makes it different from too stove pressure cooker

• Pressure cooker
• Slow cooker
• Rice cooker
• Steamer
• Sauté Mode
• Keep food warm
• Make Yogurt
• Sterilize
• Make cakes
• Canning
• Sous Vide

Can you use an electric pressure cooker instead of an instant pot?

Yes, you can use an electric pressure cooker instead of the instant pot if all you want to achieve is fast cooking. Since an electric pressure cooker can trap the steam in the pot which increases the pressure, this will aid the fast cooking of the food. 

But when you want convenient cooking time and other functions that come with an instant pot, then an electric pressure cooker can’t do that.

Set it, forget it.

Like the traditional slow cooker where you can put all your ingredients for stew or roast and leave it to come back later, same is with instant pot but in a faster way.

You can put all the ingredients you need into the instant pot, put the lid on, press the on button and when you come back to your food, it’s done. The big difference is that instead of taking 6 hours to cook, the same food will be done in 2 hours or less

Is a pressure cooker the same as a crock-pot

You might be wondering what is the difference between a Crock-Pot and pressure cooker. There is a difference. Pressure cooker Cooks food very fast while a crock pot Cooks slowly.

Pressure cooker is not the same as a crock pot. 

But you can compare a Crock-Pot to an instant pot. Both the instant pot and Crock pot, which is generally called slow cooker, can cook food slowly.

The traditional crock pot is an old invention when compared to an instant pot. They are made with a heat insulation material which helps to maintain a set temperature to Cook slowly as the person wants. This is made possible by using a low heat over a longer period of time.

In recent years, new crock pot has been produced which can perform multiple functions as an instant pot, an example is the Express Crock multi cooker

So you can rightly say that an instant pot is the same as the new crock pot but not a pressure cooker.

Is electric pressure cooker safe

Some years ago, the Generally accepted stove top pressure cooker received some criticism due to the ease at which the lid is removed before the release of the pressure which can cause burns to the user and mess up the kitchen.

That is not so with the electric pressure cooker. Electric pressure cookers are very safe for use. With advances in Technology, modern electric models are equipped with built-in safety features that prevent you from releasing the lid while the pressure is still high.

Is electric pressure cooker better than stove top

Both the electric pressure cooker and stove top cooker are all pressure Cookwares, but still have some differences. 

Fast: An electric pressure cooker is better than the stove top in some areas like Easy to operate and when you know all the functions, you also pay less attention to the cooking. This saved a lot of time for the user.

On the other hand, a stove top pressure cooker is better than an electric pressure cooker in the time it uses to attend to high pressure. Stove top reaches a high pressure faster than the electric cooker. 

Noise control: electric pressure cooker is better than stove top when it comes to noise. When cooking with a pressure cooker, you hardly hear noise from the pot until you are releasing the pressure but it is otherwise with the stove top.

Cleaning: stove top pressure cooker is better than electric pressure cooker in that many parts of the pot can be immersed in water for cleaning which is not possible with electric pressure cooker.

What is the major difference between a pressure cooker and Instant Pot?

There are several differences between the electric pressure cooker and instant pot but usability, technology and safety is Paramount. When using pressure cookers there is a risk of explosion, causing a mess and even burn, but with Instant Pots which comes with advanced safety features makes them much safer to use and far more user-friendly.

Are all Instant Pots pressure cookers?

Yes, all instant pots are pressure cookers. while Instant Pots are technically multi-cookers – with functions including slow cooking, rice cooking, steaming, warming and sautéing – they’re all pressure cookers.