Best Multicookers: Instant Pot Pro vs Crock Pot Express Crock XL

Introduction

Multicookers promise to replace a surprising number of appliances. They pressure cook, slow cook, handle rice and other grains, and take care of searing and browning, all in one countertop machine. Everyone has heard of the Instant Pot, but there are many multicookers on the market, and they do not all cook equally well.

To find out which ones are actually worth your counter space, testers cooked with more than a dozen models priced from about $77 to $250, in both six-quart and eight-quart sizes. They made white rice, pressure cooked and slow cooked beef stew and baked beans, and used the sear and saute function to brown beef and soften onions. Two machines clearly rose above the rest: the Instant Pot Pro 8-quart multicooker and the Crock Pot 8-quart Express Crock XL pressure cooker.

What We Tested and How

The testing covered the core functions these machines are bought for: rice and grain cooking, pressure cooking, slow cooking, and searing and browning. White rice, one of the things multicookers do well, was a baseline test. Beef stew and baked beans were cooked in both pressure and slow cook modes, and the sear and saute function was used to brown the beef and soften onions for the stew.

By and large, pressure cooked food came out a little better than slow cooked food. In slow cooker mode, the best models cooked the beef stew in seven hours and the baked beans in four hours, while some models took considerably longer.

What We Tested and How: The Temperature Data

To understand why some machines were slower, testers measured the temperature rise with a wireless tracker using measured amounts of room temperature water. The ideal pressure cooking temperature range is 236 to 245 degrees Fahrenheit. Most machines got there in about 25 minutes; a couple got there faster, in about 20 minutes, and held that temperature consistently.

That matters for two reasons. First, these cookers work most efficiently in that temperature range. Second, the machines with the greatest temperature fluctuations were the same ones that were slower to slow cook the beef stew and baked beans.

What Separates the Best Multicookers from the Rest

Searing performance varied widely. Some machines produced a great sear on the beef and a nice fond, while others could barely soften onions. The better performers ran a little hotter, but there was another difference: they had unlined stainless steel pots, whereas the others had nonstick pots. Nonstick coatings limit fond development. They are easier to clean, but if you are going for flavor and fond over ease of cleaning, stainless steel wins.

A few other factors are worth checking before you buy:

• Simple controls. Some machines have cryptic buttons and flashing displays that make them harder to use.
• The pot itself. Stainless steel with good handles beats nonstick for browning.
• Removable lid. Some models let you lift the lid off completely, while others only tip up, which complicates cleaning and access when you need to stir food during sauteing.
• Steam release. In pressure cooking mode, you have to release steam to stop cooking quickly. On most machines you must hold the valve open, standing near rushing hot steam. On the best models, it is a one-touch operation: flip the switch and step away.

Testers vastly preferred the one-touch steam release, and it was one of the marks of the overall winner.

The Winner: Instant Pot Pro 8-Quart Multicooker

The Instant Pot Pro 8-quart multicooker, priced at $150, earned the top spot. It has clear, simple controls, a nice pot with helpful side handles, and it did a great job cooking across the tests. The removable lid and one-touch steam release round out a design that is simply easier to live with.

If you want the strongest all-around performer from the testing, this is the one to get.

The Best Value: Crock Pot 8-Quart Express Crock XL

If you want to save a little money, the best buy came in at about half the price: the Crock Pot 8-quart Express Crock XL pressure cooker at $77. Its pot is nonstick lined, so you do not get quite the degree of fond that stainless steel delivers, but it is easier to clean, and it still performed well across the cooking tests.

For anyone who wants multicooker capability on a tighter budget, this is the one to look at first.

Buying Advice

If flavor and browning performance are your priority, favor a model with an unlined stainless steel pot and simple controls. If convenience and cleanup matter more, a nonstick-lined pot is a fair trade. Eight-quart sizes suit larger households and batch cooking, while the cooking behaviors that separated winners from the rest, stable pressure temperature and reliable slow cook timing, apply across both sizes. Whichever model you choose, a one-touch steam release is a feature you will appreciate every time you pressure cook.

Conclusion

After cooking rice, beef stew, baked beans, and seared beef across more than a dozen machines, two models earned a recommendation. The Instant Pot Pro 8-quart multicooker at $150 is the overall winner, with clear controls, a stainless pot with handles, and strong cooking performance. The Crock Pot 8-quart Express Crock XL at $77 is the best buy for budget shoppers, offering easy cleaning and solid results. Either way, you get one machine that can genuinely replace several appliances on your counter.