Instant pots and air fryers have both become extremely popular kitchen appliances in recent years. They both offer convenient cooking methods and help cook food quickly. But which one is ultimately better? There are pros and cons to each appliance.
What is an Instant Pot?
An instant pot is a multi-use pressure cooker. It utilizes both pressure cooking and slow cooking methods to prepare food very quickly. Some of the features and benefits of instant pots include:
- Speed – Instant pots can cook food up to 70% faster than traditional cooking methods.
- Convenience – They are very simple to use with preset buttons for different cooking functions.
- Versatility – Instant pots can be used for pressure cooking, slow cooking, sautéing, steaming, and more.
- Space saving – Having one appliance with multiple uses saves storage space.
- Safety features – New models have 10+ safety features to prevent accidents.
Instant pots allow you to quickly pressure cook items like chicken, beans, rice, and more in a fraction of the normal time. They can also be used as a slow cooker, allowing you to prepare dishes with minimal hands-on effort. Overall, instant pots provide a very convenient, quick, and safe way to cook.
What is an Air Fryer?
Air fryers are small convection ovens that use very hot air and a mechanical fan to cook food. Some benefits of air fryers include:
- Healthier fried food – Air fryers use 70-80% less oil than deep frying, making the food much lower in fat and calories.
- Crispy results – The hot circulated air makes foods very crispy, just like deep frying.
- Versatility – Air fryers can be used to cook foods like fries, chicken, fish, and more.
- Safety – There’s no risk of hot oil splatter like traditional frying.
- Easy cleaning – Food drippings collect in a drawer below the basket that can be wiped out.
Air fryers provide a healthier alternative to enjoy crispy fried foods. The rapid air circulation cooks food fast while reducing added fat.
Cooking Speed
One of the biggest differences between these appliances is cooking speed:
Instant Pot:
– Pressure cooking speeds up cooking dramatically, reducing cook times up to 70% faster than traditional stove top or oven cooking.
– Most dishes can be cooked start to finish in the instant pot in 30 minutes or less.
– The pressurized environment forces hot steam through the food quickly.
Air Fryer:
– Air fryers cook most foods in 10-15 minutes since the hot air rapidly circulates around the food.
– Smaller batches of food cook faster than overloaded batches.
– Preheating the air fryer helps ensure faster cook times.
– Air frying is still typically faster than oven baking.
So in terms of speed, instant pots are faster for cooking foods like chicken, beans, rice, and stews. But air fryers are faster for cooking smaller batches of foods like fries, fish fillets, chicken tenders, and so on.
Cooking Methods
Instant pots and air fryers offer some overlapping but also very different cooking functions:
Instant Pot Cooking Methods:
- Pressure Cooking
- Slow Cooking
- Sautéing
- Steaming
- Rice Cooking
- Yogurt Making
Air Fryer Cooking Methods:
- Air Frying
- Baking
- Roasting
- Broiling
- Reheating
- Dehydrating
While there is some overlap with sautéing and reheating, the core cooking methods are quite different between the appliances. Instant pots excel at wet cooking methods like pressure cooking, slow cooking, and steaming. Air fryers excel at dry cooking methods like frying, baking, and broiling.
Cooking Capacity
There is a fairly big difference between the amount of food instant pots vs. air fryers can handle:
Instant Pot Sizes:
- 3 Quart – Good for 1-2 people
- 6 Quart – Good for 4-6 people
- 8 Quart – Good for 6-8 people
Air Fryer Sizes:
- 2-3 Quart – Good for 1-2 people
- 5-6 Quart – Good for 2-4 people
Instant pots have a much larger capacity, making them better suited for cooking larger batches for families and meal prepping. Air fryers work best for smaller households since their maximum capacity is 6 quarts compared to 8 quarts for instant pots.
Foods They Cook Well
Here is an overview of foods that work well in each appliance:
Instant Pot:
- Chili, stews, and curries
- Tough cuts of meat like chicken thighs, pork shoulder, and beef chuck
- Dried beans and lentils
- Rice and grains
- Cheesecake and custards
- Hard boiled eggs
- Soup stocks
Air Fryer:
- French fries and potato wedges
- Chicken wings, nuggets, and cutlets
- Fish fillets and shrimp
- Vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and asparagus
- Pizza rolls and egg rolls
- Bacon
The moist environment of the instant pot works well for braising meats and cooking beans, rice, and stews. The dry heat of the air fryer is best suited for quick cooking battered or breaded foods.
Nutrition
Using an air fryer instead of deep frying produce much healthier versions of fried foods. Here is a comparison:
Calories and Fat for French Fries
| Cooking Method | Calories | Total Fat |
|---|---|---|
| Deep fried (2 cups) | 610 | 35g |
| Air fried (2 cups) | 230 | 8g |
Air frying reduced the calories by over 60% and fat by over 75% compared to deep frying. The moist cooking environment of the instant pot also limits the need for adding extra fat during cooking.
Price
Here is a price comparison between some popular models:
Instant Pot Prices:
- Lux 6-quart – $50-$80
- Duo 6-quart – $80-$100
- Duo Plus 6-quart – $110-$140
- Ultra 6-quart – $120-$170
Air Fryer Prices:
- 2-3 quart – $60-$120
- 5-6 quart – $100-$200
Air fryers are generally more expensive than all but the highest-end instant pot models. For most budgets, an instant pot is the more affordable option.
Ease of Use
Both appliances are fairly simple to use:
Instant Pot:
- Preset one-touch buttons for each cooking program
- Settings automatically adjust time and temperature
- Buttons for high/low pressure and pressure release
- Digital display shows cook time remaining
- Automatically switches to keep warm when done
Air Fryer:
- Dial or digital buttons to set temperature and time
- Some presets for commonly cooked foods
- Shake or flip food halfway through cooking
- Add oil to food or cooking basket as needed
The instant pot is slightly more hands-off since you simply add the ingredients and press a button. Air fryers require manually programming the settings and some food handling during cooking.
Cleaning
Instant Pot:
– Inner pot and lid can go in the dishwasher
– Exterior base should be wiped down
– Steamer rack should be hand washed
Air Fryer:
– Basket, pan, and crisping tray are dishwasher safe
– Wipe down exterior and empty grease from reservoir
Both appliances have dishwasher safe components that make cleaning very easy. The instant pot may need a bit more wiping down of the housing compared to the air fryer.
Safety
Both appliances have good safety features:
Instant Pot Safety:
- 10-15 built-in safety features including overheat protection and pressure regulators
- Newer lids have auto-seal mechanism
- Back-up safety release valve
- Detects and alerts improper lid placement
- Pot and contents remain safely locked during cooking
Air Fryer Safety:
- Auto shut-off if overloaded or overheated
- Cool touch exterior stays safe to touch
- Basket is safely housed inside pitcher
- Fryer cannot be opened during cooking
Both appliances have ample safety technology to prevent accidents. Instant pots do require reading the manual to understand proper use of the pressure features.
Conclusion
So which appliance reigns supreme? Here is a quick summary:
Reasons to choose an instant pot:
- Cooks food much faster
- More multi-use functions
- Larger capacity
- Works well for stews, rice, beans, etc.
- Typically more affordable
Reasons to choose an air fryer:
- Makes crispy “fried” food with less fat
- Easier to use with less learning curve
- Best for foods like fries, nuggets, fish
- Smaller footprint
For most home cooks, the instant pot is the more versatile and essential appliance to have. Its speed and ability to cook a wide range of foods in large batches makes it invaluable. The air fryer has benefits for a narrower range of crispy fried foods. Many people find owning both appliances provides the best of both worlds. But if choosing just one, the instant pot generally takes priority in the kitchen.