Instant Pot vs Crockpot: Which Should You Buy?

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TL;DR — A Crockpot (slow cooker) does one thing well: slow, hands-off cooking over 4-10 hours for tender stews, roasts, and set-it-and-forget-it meals. An Instant Pot is a multi-cooker that pressure cooks (fast), slow cooks, sautés, steams, and more in one appliance. Choose a Crockpot for simple, cheap, reliable slow cooking; an Instant Pot for speed and versatility. Simplicity vs versatility is the core trade. The HomeWhisk team compared the two against aggregated feedback. For picks, see our best instant pot guide.

The HomeWhisk editorial team researches kitchen equipment by analyzing manufacturer specifications, functions, and aggregated user reviews from major retailers and cooking communities. Our recommendations are based on what the products actually deliver, not what brands promise.

“Crockpot” and “Instant Pot” are both brand names that became generic terms, and people often weigh one against the other. Here’s the real difference and which fits you. For picks, see our best instant pot and best slow cooker guides. (Note: Crockpot = a brand of slow cooker; see also our slow-cooker-vs-instant-pot guide.)

Clearing Up the Names

A quick clarification makes the comparison make sense, because both are brands.

“Crockpot” is a brand of slow cooker — so famous the name became the generic term for slow cookers. A slow cooker cooks food slowly at low heat over many hours (4-10+), and that’s essentially all it does. When people say “Crockpot,” they mean a slow cooker.

“Instant Pot” is a brand of electric multi-cooker — also so famous its name became generic. An Instant Pot pressure cooks (its headline fast-cooking function) AND slow cooks, sautés, steams, makes rice/yogurt, and more, all in one appliance.

So the real comparison is: slow cooker (Crockpot) vs multi-cooker (Instant Pot). A Crockpot is a dedicated slow cooker; an Instant Pot is a do-everything multi-cooker that includes a slow-cook function. This means an Instant Pot can technically do what a Crockpot does (plus much more), while a Crockpot specializes in slow cooking alone. That framing drives the whole comparison. See our slow-cooker-vs-instant-pot and how-to-use-an-instant-pot guides. Our best instant pot and best slow cooker guides cover both.

How They Compare

Here’s how the Crockpot (slow cooker) and Instant Pot (multi-cooker) stack up.

What they do:

• Crockpot: slow cooking only — low, slow, hands-off cooking over hours for stews, roasts, soups, chili, pulled pork.
• Instant Pot: pressure cook (fast), slow cook, sauté, steam, rice, yogurt, and more — a multi-tool.

Speed:

• Instant Pot: fast via pressure cooking — a stew in ~45 min that takes a Crockpot 8 hours. Big advantage when you’re short on time.
• Crockpot: slow by design — hours of cooking (which is the point for hands-off, all-day meals).

Simplicity / ease of use:

• Crockpot: dead simple — add ingredients, set low/high, walk away. Nothing to learn, very forgiving.
• Instant Pot: more features and a learning curve (pressure settings, release methods) — more capable but more to understand. See our how-to-use-an-instant-pot guide.

Hands-off / convenience:

• Crockpot: ultimate set-and-forget — start it in the morning, come home to dinner. Great for all-day cooking.
• Instant Pot: fast and can also slow-cook, but pressure cooking needs a bit more attention (bringing to pressure, releasing).

Texture / results:

• Crockpot: long, gentle cooking develops deep flavor and very tender results (many prefer it for certain stews/roasts).
• Instant Pot: pressure cooking tenderizes fast and locks in flavor; slow-cook function mimics a Crockpot (though some find its slow-cook slightly different).

Cost and simplicity:

• Crockpot: cheaper, simpler, fewer things to break.
• Instant Pot: pricier, more electronics, but replaces several appliances.

In short: Crockpot wins on simplicity, all-day hands-off cooking, and price; Instant Pot wins on speed and versatility. Our best instant pot and best slow cooker guides cover options.

Which Should You Buy?

Match the choice to how you cook and what you value.

Buy a Crockpot (slow cooker) if you:

• Want simple, hands-off, all-day cooking — start it in the morning, dinner’s ready at night.
• Love set-and-forget stews, roasts, soups, chili, and pulled pork.
• Prefer a dead-simple, forgiving appliance with no learning curve.
• Want the cheapest, simplest option that does slow cooking reliably.
• Don’t need pressure cooking or multiple functions.

See our best slow cooker guide.

Buy an Instant Pot (multi-cooker) if you:

• Want speed — pressure cooking makes meals in a fraction of slow-cook time.
• Want versatility — one appliance that pressure cooks, slow cooks, sautés, steams, and makes rice (replacing several gadgets).
• Cook on shorter timelines (dinner in under an hour from frozen or tough cuts).
• Are willing to learn a few features for the added capability.
• Want an all-in-one to save space and money on multiple appliances.

See our best instant pot and how-to-use-an-instant-pot guides.

How to decide:

• All-day, set-and-forget, simple, cheap → Crockpot.
• Fast, versatile, do-everything → Instant Pot.
• Want both slow AND fast cooking? → an Instant Pot does both (it has a slow-cook function), so it can replace a Crockpot while adding speed — though dedicated slow-cooker fans sometimes prefer a Crockpot’s simpler, gentler slow cooking.

A note on slow cooking in an Instant Pot: the Instant Pot’s slow-cook function works, but some long-time slow-cooker users find a dedicated Crockpot slightly better/more predictable for pure slow cooking. If slow cooking is ALL you do, a Crockpot is simpler and cheaper; if you want slow cooking PLUS speed and versatility, the Instant Pot covers both.

The honest verdict: Crockpot for simple, cheap, reliable all-day slow cooking; Instant Pot for speed and do-everything versatility. Most people who want flexibility choose an Instant Pot (it can slow-cook too), while those who only want easy set-and-forget meals are well served by a cheaper Crockpot. Our best instant pot and best slow cooker guides cover the picks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between an Instant Pot and a Crockpot?

A Crockpot is a brand of slow cooker — it cooks food slowly at low heat over many hours (4-10+), and that’s essentially all it does. An Instant Pot is a brand of electric multi-cooker that pressure cooks (fast), slow cooks, sautés, steams, and makes rice and yogurt, all in one appliance. So a Crockpot specializes in slow cooking, while an Instant Pot does that plus much more, including fast pressure cooking. In short, Crockpot = dedicated slow cooker; Instant Pot = versatile multi-cooker that includes a slow-cook function.

Can an Instant Pot replace a Crockpot?

Largely yes — the Instant Pot has a slow-cook function, so it can do what a Crockpot does, plus pressure cooking, sautéing, steaming, and more. For most people, an Instant Pot can replace a Crockpot while adding speed and versatility. However, some long-time slow-cooker users find a dedicated Crockpot slightly better or more predictable for pure slow cooking. So if slow cooking is all you want, a Crockpot is simpler and cheaper; if you want slow cooking plus fast pressure cooking and other functions, an Instant Pot covers both and can replace a Crockpot.

Which is faster, Instant Pot or Crockpot?

The Instant Pot, dramatically. Its pressure-cooking function cooks food in a fraction of the time — a stew that takes a Crockpot 8 hours might take an Instant Pot around 45 minutes. The Crockpot is slow by design, cooking over many hours, which is the point for hands-off, all-day meals but not for quick dinners. So if speed matters (dinner in under an hour, cooking tough cuts fast), the Instant Pot wins clearly. If you want to start a meal in the morning and come home to it, the Crockpot’s slowness is a feature, not a drawback.

Is a Crockpot or Instant Pot easier to use?

The Crockpot is simpler. You add ingredients, set it to low or high, and walk away — there’s nothing to learn and it’s very forgiving. The Instant Pot has more features (pressure levels, release methods, multiple functions) and a learning curve, so it’s more capable but takes some understanding. If you want the easiest, most foolproof appliance, a Crockpot wins on simplicity. If you’re willing to learn a few things for far more capability and speed, the Instant Pot’s complexity pays off. For total beginners who just want easy meals, the Crockpot is the gentler start.

Which is better for a beginner cook?

Both are beginner-friendly, but in different ways. A Crockpot is the simplest possible appliance — add food, set low/high, walk away — ideal for beginners who want easy, forgiving, set-and-forget meals with zero learning curve. An Instant Pot is also approachable but has more features to learn; it rewards a beginner willing to spend a little time understanding it with far more versatility and speed. For a beginner who wants dead-simple meals, start with a Crockpot; for a beginner who wants one do-everything appliance and will learn it, the Instant Pot is a great long-term choice.

Do I need both an Instant Pot and a Crockpot?

Usually not. Since an Instant Pot includes a slow-cook function, it can do what a Crockpot does plus much more, so most people don’t need both — an Instant Pot alone covers slow and fast cooking. The main reasons to have both would be if you frequently slow-cook two dishes at once, or if you strongly prefer a dedicated Crockpot’s simpler, gentler slow cooking while also wanting pressure cooking. For most kitchens, one Instant Pot suffices (or a Crockpot alone if you only ever slow-cook). Buying both is redundant for typical use.

Related buying guides: best cookware sets, best moka pot and best air fryer.

The Bottom Line

The Instant Pot vs Crockpot choice comes down to versatility versus simplicity. A Crockpot is a dedicated slow cooker — simple, cheap, forgiving, and unbeatable for hands-off all-day meals like stews, roasts, and pulled pork. An Instant Pot is a multi-cooker that pressure cooks (fast), slow cooks, sautés, steams, and more in one appliance, replacing several gadgets and cooking far faster. Choose a Crockpot for simple, reliable, low-cost slow cooking; choose an Instant Pot for speed and do-everything versatility. Since the Instant Pot includes a slow-cook function, it can replace a Crockpot for most people — though slow-cooker purists sometimes prefer a dedicated Crockpot. See our best instant pot and best slow cooker guides.