There are so many different models of the Instant Pot that it’s very easy to be confused about which Instant Pot is best suited for your needs. This guide will give you all the information you need to decide which Instant Pot to buy. Follow this decision-making flow chart and get more details about the various Instant Pot models in the sections below. At the bottom of this post, you’ll find my favorite picks.
There are so many brands of pressure cookers and multi-cookers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably strongly considering the Instant Pot. I’m not familiar with other electric pressure cooker brands, but am very familiar with the Instant Pot and I feel you can’t go wrong going with the Instant Pot brand. The company is a quality company with great customer service and the Instant Pot has numerous built-in safety features that makes it stand out in a crowded field.
Once you make a decision to go with Instant Pot, you’ll need to select a model. There are so many choices that even an experienced Instant Pot user like me can get confused. I can imagine that someone completely new to the Instant Pot would be even more baffled about which Instant Pot to buy.
I’ve written this guide to help you with the decision of which Instant Pot is best for you. Most of the information I am presenting to you comes from the Instant Pot company’s website. I’ve gathered up information from different places and tried to weed out what might not be pertinent to a new user.
In the process, I’ve come up with my own summary of features and the above decision-making flow chart to help you find the best Instant Pot for your particular needs.
Once you go through the flow chart and make a choice of Instant Pot, click on the Instant Pot image in the section below to find out more information about the model. At the end of this post, I’ve also shared with you what my favorite picks are. All opinions are my own, based on my own experience!
Once you select a model, you might be interested in reading my beginner’s quick start guides for two popular models: The Instant Pot DUO Beginner’s Quick Start Guide and the The Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Quick Start Guide. You’ll also want to read my 17 Instant Pot Tips and FAQs which might save you some hassles down the line!
I’d also like to give a shout-out to Laura Pazzaglia over at Hip Pressure Cooking who’s the internet queen of pressure cooking. She has a great guide over at Hip Pressure Cooking.
Notes:
- This post assumes the Instant Pot model is priced regularly and not on sale. If a particular Instant Pot has a sale price that’s comparable to one with less functionality, you may decide to upgrade.
- The decision tree/flow chart above is not one-size-fits-all. It’s feasible that you cook for 1 or 2 people and a smaller Instant Pot would suffice, but you want the flexibility of having a larger Instant Pot.
- Some of the disadvantages listed below may only apply to you if one-button quick presets are important to you. e.g. if the Instant Pot does not have ‘Cake’ function, you can still make a cake in it, just not with a quick one-touch option.
Instant Pot Models
Click image to find out more
Instant Pot LUX MINI3 Quart 6-in-1 |
Instant Pot LUX606 Quart 6-in-1 |
Instant Pot LUX808 Quart 6-in-1 |
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Instant Pot DUO MINI3 Quart 7-in-1 |
Instant Pot DUO606 Quart 7-in-1 |
Instant Pot DUO808 Quart 7-in-1 |
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Instant Pot DUO PLUS6 Quart 9-in-1 |
Instant Pot SMART Bluetooth6 Quart 7-in-1 |
Instant Pot ULTRA6 Quart 10-in-1 |
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Instant Pot Model Details
In the following sections I’ve detailed all the information I could gather up from the Instant Pot website and try to give you the most pertinent and important information you will need to make a decision about the best Instant Pot to suit your needs. If a particular model has multiple sizes, I’ve noted if there are any features that are missing in that particular size of Instant Pot. For example, the Instant Pot LUX model’s Mini version does not have the Cake and Multigrain functions, but the 6 quart and 9 quart do have those functions, so I’ve made a note of that.
LUX |
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Instant Pot LUX MINI 3-quart 6-In-1Best for:
Power: 700 watt Notes:
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Instant Pot LUX60 6-quart V3 6-In-1Best for:
Power: 1000 watt
Notes:
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Instant Pot LUX80 8-quart 6-in-1
Power: 1000 watt Notes:
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Common to all Instant Pot LUX models |
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Functions:
Preset Programs:
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Advantages:
Disadvantages:
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** Prices listed are the regular (not on sale) and were obtained from amazon.com on this article’s publication date, for comparison purposes. Prices may have changed, so please check your retailer for current prices. |
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DUO |
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Instant Pot DUO Mini 3-Quart 7-in-1Best for:
Power: 700 watt Notes:
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Instant Pot DUO60 6-Quart 7-in-1Best for:
Power: 1000 watt Notes:
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Instant Pot DUO80 6-Quart 7-in-1Best for:
Power: 1200 watt Notes:
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Common to all Instant Pot DUO models |
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Functions:
Preset Programs:
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Advantages:
Disadvantages:
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** Prices listed are the regular (not on sale) and were obtained from amazon.com on this article’s publication date. Prices may have changed, so please check your retailer for current prices. |
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DUO PLUS |
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Instant Pot DUO Plus 6-Quart 9-in-1Best for:
Power: 1000 watts |
Functions:
Preset Programs:
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Advantages:
Disadvantages:
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** Prices listed are the regular (not on sale) and were obtained from amazon.com on this article’s publication date. Prices may have changed, so please check your retailer for current prices. |
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SMART |
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Instant Pot SMART Bluetooth 6-Quart 7-in-1Best for:
Power: 1000 watts |
Functions:
Preset Programs:
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Advantages:
Disadvantages:
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** Prices listed are the regular (not on sale) and were obtained from amazon.com on this article’s publication date. Prices may have changed, so please check your retailer for current prices. |
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ULTRA |
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Instant Pot ULTRA 6-Quart 10-in-1Best for:
Power: 1000 watts |
Functions:
Preset Programs:
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Advantages:
Disadvantages:
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** Prices listed are the regular (not on sale) and were obtained from amazon.com on this article’s publication date. Prices may have changed, so please check your retailer for current prices. |
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My Favorite Picks
I hope I’ve given you enough information to help you make a decision about which Instant Pot model to buy. If you’re still confused about it, I’ll share with you my favorite models and why I like them.
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The Instant Pot ULTRA 6 Quart 10-in-1 is my favorite Instant Pot model. My favorite features are the:
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My next favorite Instant Pot model is the Instant Pot DUO80 8 Quart 7-in-1. I like this Instant Pot because:
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My final choice is the Instant Pot DUO60 6 Quart 7-in-1. This was my first Instant Pot and I still love it because:
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JACKELIN SLACK
The lid to my crockpot broke and replacing it cost almost as much as buying a new one, so I FINALLY broke down and ordered the Duo 6-Quart. Thanks for all the helpful tips. No meat for me these nowadays, so I’ll be looking for vegetarian recipes on your blog. Can’t wait to start using my Instant Pot Thanks, Neena!
James Garvey
The IP Ultra now comes in an 8 Quart. How would you decide between the Duo Plus 8 qt and the Ultra 8 Qt?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi James – thanks for your question. Yes, I hear some people are already using them. I need to update this post don’t I? 🙂 I think the same questions apply. Will you be cooking for large groups and want lots of leftovers? I have a 6 quart (actually, I have two) and it makes a lot of food – more than enough for my family of five with some leftovers. I love my 6 quart Ultra but would also be happy with an 8 quart too. Mind you, the 8 quart is bigger and heavier – takes up a bit more room. Hope that helps!
James Garvey
Super helpful, I have a family of 4 (one away at college, one leaving this fall), so 6 qt seems like a better match and saves me some $$. One of my friends told me they wish they had gotten the 8 qt for leftovers, which was why I asked. Seems like the Smart BT has a lot more you can do with scripting, but I just don’t think we’ll take advantage of it. Have you found 6qt Ultra to offer you all the flexibility you need in preparing “set it and forget it” meals?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi James – the Ultra and Duo are very similar in terms of functionality, just the Ultra has some user-friendly features most notably the ‘self-sealing’ which I think is worthwhile because I’m super forgetful!
Kat
I really like your comments on the various IP models, however your price estimation on your favorite model of IP (ULTRA 10 in 1) @ $149.95 is about $187.00 lower than the one offered on Amazon today (12/26/17). The price shown there is $286.99 which makes me think the DUO 9 in 1 @ $119.95 may be a lot better bargain. What do you think?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Kat, I created the post about a month ago, so the prices are not current. I personally would not spend that much on the Ultra – you might want to wait until after the holidays until they’re fully back in stock. The Duo 9 in 1 price seems much more reasonable if you’re wanting to get one right now.
JACKELIN SLACK
This is such a great post. I came to your blog to figure out which instant pot to buy, but I had no idea how many models there are. This is great information, Neena. I’ll have to sit down and read this thoroughly when I have a moment. Thank you!!!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Jackelin – I’m glad you found it helpful, you’re so welcome! Good luck!