Crock-Pot VS Instant Pot

On September 20, 2022 by Tricia

Everything you NEED to know about the Crock-Pot versus the Instant Pot!

Watch us as we talk about the similarities and differences in these two appliances, how to do freezer cooking for both, and have your questions answered.

See the details in this direct comparison video!

Slow Cooker

Pros

(Brand example: Crock-Pot)

Fewer Functions: This can be a pro for those who are overwhelmed by too many buttons and uses.
Convenient: You can put your meal in and walk away until a later time in the day, usually hours later, and do other things.
Easy: Slow cooker meals are usually easy to throw together for cooking that day or freezing, not labor-intensive.
Time: They have helped us save time in the kitchen for YEARS!

Cons

1 Function: They only serve one function.
No Cooking from Frozen: You can not safely cook frozen meals in the slow cooker, you must first properly defrost them.
It takes a LONG time: You have to wait hours for your meal to be ready.
Meat Texture: Meats can often turn mealy or dry.

Slow Cooker Meal Plans Slow Cooker Recipes

Pressure Cooker

Pros

(Brand example: Instant Pot)

Lots of Functions: Rice cooker, saute’, slow cook*, yogurt maker, and pressure cooker.
Convenient: You can put your meal in and walk away until a later time (minutes instead of hours) and do other things.
Easy: Instant Pot meals are usually easy to throw together for cooking that day or freezing, not labor-intensive.
Cook from Frozen: You can cook frozen meals in them without defrosting as it comes to pressure it defrosts the meal, using the liquid to cook the meal and the meal is above 140 degrees in less than 2 hours so you are safe to consume them.
Tender Meat: Meats and meals are often more tender, not mealy or dry as they are being cooked with steam/pressure allowing them to retain moisture.
FAST Cooking: Meals are ready in MINUTES! (Example: Whole FROZEN chicken from start to table in under 1 hour, even with pressure-time).

*The electronic pressure cookers such as Instant Pot can be a slow cooker too!

Cons

Multiple Functions: There are a lot of buttons and functions and for those who like simple machines, this can be a steep learning curve. When taken step-by-step or function by function it is much easier.
Old School Concept: Years ago our mothers and/or grandmothers likely owned a stovetop pressure canner or cooker that has given pressure cookers a bad rap. These devices are not your grandmother’s pressure canner and are much safer and easy to use than those.
Coming to Pressure: The “coming to pressure” time can often take a while and set you back in getting your meal prepped quickly. It is a good rule of thumb to remember to account for this added time when cooking.
The “Burn Notice”: Because of either your ingredients, not enough liquid, or a million other things, you may experience a burn notice where the Instant Pot overheats.

Instant Pot MEAL PLANS Instant Pot Recipes

How to Convert Slow Cooker Recipes into Instant Pot Recipes

Compare with similar Instant Pot recipes.

Check other recipes whether around the internet, in a cookbook, or on our site to look for a similar set of instructions. That will help you with all steps: prep, cooking, and pressure release.

Overall, reduce cooking time.

A good rule of thumb is about 8 hours on Low, 4 hours on High in a Slow Cooker = 25-30 minutes Manual/Pressure Cook in the Instant Pot.

Natural Release for even more “slow cook” time.

Naturally releasing the pressure will allow your original slow cooker recipe to sit and cook just a little longer, molding flavors and tenderizing meat. However, if you’re in a hurry, a quick-release will do just fine!

Determine whether you will cook from frozen or from thawed.

Remember, you cannot cook meals in a slow cooker from a frozen state as it sits in the “danger temperature zone” for too long. You can only cook meals from frozen with an Instant Pot or another programmable pressure cooker.