I compare a lot of competing products on this site and today I'm bringing you one of my toughest comparisons for currently available-for-sale electric pressure cookers. So on this post you will find info about the famous Instant Pot line of multi-cookers vs the popular and efficient Power Pressure Cooker XL pressure cookers and how they differ from each other.
First of all, please know that buying the perfect electric pressure cooker to satisfy all of your needs is tough even with deep pockets - there's always something we like and dislike about every model. And even after we got the perfect pressure cooker, we found out a better model just came out the day after.
There are so many models to choose from and they all are slightly different.
Some examples:
- The Instant Pot line doesn't get any bigger than 8-quarts while there is a 10-quart Power Pressure Cooker XL available.
- Any Instant Pot DUO, Smart, or Ultra will make yogurt while the PPC XL will not.
- The IP-LUX is cheaper than the PPC XL and does everything just the same.
- The Power Pressure Cooker XL is better designed for people that prefer presets programs over manual control
- The IP-Smart and IP-Ultra give you extreme customization of cooking programs, letting you set any program yourself.
- If you live at high altitude the Instant Pot Ultra will adjust to your actual altitude for all your cooking.
As you can see none really do everything and of course you always have to weight price into any purchase. Right now if your budget is mid-range then I think your best bet is to buy the Instant Pot Duo or the Duo plus unless you need something bigger than 8-quart pot.
Table of Contents
Which Electric Pressure Cooker is the Best?
If you like the Instant Pot....
I tend to recommend the average consumer to steer towards the Instant Pot Duo 6-quart. The DUO line of pressure cookers are the best selling units from all brands across the board. They do just about everything average families need including a few features that aren't as normal such as yogurt making!
In my home I prefer the 6-quart model over the 8-quart model because I only have a family of four so it's enough for us. Moreover, most of the Instant Pot recipes available online are for the 6-quart model.
If you like the Power Pressure Cooker XL...
If you dislike manual control and want simplicity, I steer you towards the Power Pressure Cooker XL 6-quart model.
The 6-quart is just more practical and take less space on the kitchen. I prefer getting one 6-quart pressure cooker and one 3-quart pressure cooker for side dishes.
The PPC XL line of pressure cookers really excel at simplifying the cooking experience. You don't do anything manual on the pot, just choose your preset cooking program and walk away. It will also do alternative cooking methods like slow cooking, rice cooking and many more.
Instant Pot Models
The Instant Pot is the bestseller that dominates the electronic pressure cooker market at the present. There are several series of pressure cookers under the brand name of Instant Pot - and new models releasing all the time apparently. These series, in turn, have specific models in them. Each model has a different price, functions, size and target audience. What's the best Instant Pot? It's hard to tell, buy I will try to make it easier to find the RIGHT Instant Pot FOR YOU.
Let's take a look at the prime structure and model-wise features now:
1. The Instant Pot LUX series
The main specifications of the IP-LUX60 are:
- 14 in built programs.
- 6.33 Quart volume.
- Wattage of 1000.
2. The Instant Pot DUO series
There are two main models in the Instant Pot DUO series: DUO60, DUO80. All these three machines have a few things in common:
- The feature to make yogurt.
- Dual pressure settings.
The rest of their features are slightly different. The main specifications of them individually are:
The main specifications of the IP-DUO60 are:
- A volume of 6 quarts.
- Wattage of 1000.
The main specifications of the IP-DUO80 are:
-
- A volume of 8 quarts.
- A wattage of 1200.
3. The Instant Pot Smart
This is a single model series. The Instant Pot Smart is the latest Instant Pot product. Although really expensive, this electrical pressure cooker is one of the most advanced out there. In fact, the official website describes it as:
- It is a million-in-1 multi cooker. An unique product in the realm of pressure cookers till date.
- Can do everything that Instant Pot pressure cookers have to offer.
- It operates on a smart app and has an unique display that makes it really easy to use.
4. The Instant Pot DUO PLUS
This is another single model series. The DUO plus has the same specifications as the DUO. In this model, only one new feature has been added. That feature is:
-
A new “sterilize” function in addition to “egg” and “cake” programs.
Power Pressure Cooker XL Models
The Power Pressure Cooker XL is a series of three pressure cookers. These pressure cookers are reliable and have amazing reviews.
1. The Power Pressure Cooker XL 6 quart
The main features that the Power Pressure Cooker XL 6 quart provides are:
- A volume of 6 quarts.
- A wattage of 1000.
2. The Power Pressure Cooker XL 8 quart
- A volume of 8 quarts.
- A wattage of 1300.
4. The Power Pressure Cooker XL 10 quart
- This one is one of those rare extra-large sized pressure cookers which boast of a volume of 10 quarts.
- The wattage of this pressure cooker is 1600.
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Can you use power pressure cooker for canning?
Several sellers claim that the Power Pressure Cooker XL is one of those that can easily be used for canning foods. However, we really advice against that because the USDA has always been against that. If you are looking to can food, it is always the best and safest option to stick to the stove-top canners.
Those aren't too expensive and are always effective as well as certified safe. Why would you risk your health (and life, frankly) to save a few bucks when you are spending so much to get an electronic pressure cooker anyway?]
The Prime differences between the two models
The main differences between the two models are as follows:
- The Instant Pot has the yogurt function which the Power Pressure does not.
- The Instant Pot has new and upcoming smart models, which the Power Pressure does not.
- The Power Pressure has an extra large model of 10 quarts, which the Instant pot does not.
- The Instant Pot is slightly more expensive than the Power Pressure.
Note - If you are looking for a large electric pressure cooker then the comparison stops here. The 10-quart PPC XL is the biggest made by either of these two companies.
The Verdict: Which one to choose over the other?
While both of these models are really nice, in specific scenarios, one is better than the other. At the end of the day, you have to keep in mind that the model you choose must fulfill all YOUR needs.
Choose Instant Pot if...
You are looking for a smart model for easy functioning, the new Instant Pot models are the answer.
You are looking for a pressure cooker that can make yogurt, that's the specialty only Instant Pot gives you.
Choose Power Pressure Cooker if...
You are looking for an extra large volume of 10 quarts, only Power pressure has that option among these two.
You are looking at it from an economic perspective, you'll also find that the Instant Pot is expensive and thus the Power Pressure Cooker is the ideal choice.
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How big of a pork loin can I put in a 8 qt power cooker xl?
A lot of my weight watchers and keto recipes call for insta pot. I have a power xl pressure cooker. Can I use that instead of purchasing an insta pot?
Yes, absolutely! For almost all of the recipes on the site, you can follow the recipe using your pressure cooker instead.