When you are faced with 2 great appliances like the Instant Pot and the Power Pressure Cooker XL, it can be hard to choose just one.
This guide was created to help you understand the differences between the two.
You'll learn...
- The main difference between the two appliances.
- How the two compare side by side (with our handy comparison chart)
- What we love about each one along with the disadvantages.
Let's get started!
What's the Main Difference Between the Instant Pot and Power Pressure Cooker XL?
The main difference between the two units is that the Power Pressure Cooker XL has a canning/preserving function whereas the Instant Pot does not (although they have other varying functions).
The other major difference is the longer warranty (by 10 months) provided by Instant Pot.
The instant pot can be used for boiling water canning according to their website, but wasn't designed with a pre-set function like the Power Pressure Cooker XL was.
The comparison chart below covers a few more details....
Comparison Chart: Power Pressure Cooker XL vs. Instant Pot 7-in-1
We've taken the liberty of charting out all of the main functions and features
Attribute | Power Pressure Cooker XL | Instant Pot |
|---|---|---|
One Touch Preset Programs | 10 | 24 |
Display | Digital | Digital |
Dual Pressure Settings | Yes | Yes |
Delay Timer | Yes | Yes |
Automatic Keep Warm | Yes | Yes |
Dishwasher Safe | Yes | Yes |
Interior Material | Aluminum with nonstick coating | Stainless steel |
Exterior Material | Stainless steel | Stainless steel |
Warranty | 60 Days | 1 Year |
Pricing |
Another unit to consider is the Cuisinart Electric Pressure cooker, another competitor in this market.
Power Pressure Cooker XL Pros and Cons
Pressure cooking is incredibly popular these days because it allows you to get those scrumptious, slow cooked meals in a matter of minutes. So, if you are going to buy a pressure cooker, you might as well buy the best one, right? With so many uses, it's not a surprise that this one is so popular.
What We Love
- One touch controls
- Easy to clean - dishwasher safe parts
- Manufactured in various sizes
- Versatile - serves as a replacement for rice cooker, pressure cooker, canner, etc.
- Has its own unique canning and preserving function.
Breakdown
With this electric pressure cooker, you can cook almost any meal, and you can do it 70% faster than it would normally take. So if you are really busy and only have 20 or 30 minutes to make dinner, you can still make a complete meal, hassle free.
This pressure cooker also features one touch controls that allows you to toss in all the ingredients and cook it all with the touch of a button. It even has a setting for canning, so you can make delicious home made preserves and keep them fresh. Using the soup setting, you can also make this delicious vegetable soup.
The inner pot is made from non stick stainless steel, which makes it easy to clean because there won't be tons of pieces of food clinging to the bottom. The pot is also 100 percent dishwasher safe, which is even easier. It can go right in the dishwasher with the rest of your dishes.
Whether you have a family of 3, or a family of 10 or more, there is a Power Pressure Cooker XL for you. It is manufactured in 6 quart, 8 quart, and 10 quart sizes. No longer will you have to worry about not making enough food for the potluck.
Speaking of potlucks, this pressure cooker is a dream come true to any potluck regular. You can pretty much make anything in it, and it even doubles as a slow cooker. So at every potluck you can show up and wow them with a totally different dish each time.
The Power Pressure Cooker XL is designed to replace your need for a slow cooker, rice cooker, pressure cooker, steamer, and canner.
Disadvantages
One of the main differences we found was that the Power Pressure Cooker XL has a shorter warranty when compared to the instant pot. The difference is 60 days compared to one year which is quite a bit shorter.
Instant Pot Pros and Cons
The wildly popular, 7-in-1 kitchen appliance seems to be able to do everything. Which is why it is worth considering before you make a final decision. The Instant Pot may very well be exactly what you are looking for.
Similar to the Power Pressure Cooker XL - the Instant Pot comes with some different settings - although they are designed to do the same thing at the end of the day. Again, it does have a longer warranty though, an important consideration to make along with price.
What We Love
- User friendly
- Easy to Clean Dishwasher Safe Parts
- Versatile - lots of different functions designed to make cooking easier
- 24 hour delayed start
- Various sizes
- One year warranty
Breakdown
Instant Pot is one of those appliances that you don't have to be a master chef to know how to use. For almost everything, it is really as easy as just throwing in all the ingredients and turning it on. Depending on what you make, you don't even have to worry about what cook settings to use. With 14 preset smart programs, and 7 temperature settings, it is easy to get just what you need from the Instant Pot.
Instead of scraping food morsels, and scrubbing until your knuckles are white, you can just throw the inner pot right into the dishwasher and wash it that way. However, even if you do wash it by hand, the non stick, 3 ply bottom of of the stainless steel pot can be washed in just just a few seconds.
The 14 preset programs should be an indication of how much the Instant cooker can cook. I would bet that most of the meals you eat, you could make in the Instant Pot.
Obviously, you wouldn't make a salad or anything like, but any of your hot meals could probably be made in here. That's pretty awesome, because it means your meals can be easy to make, all the time. Instead of just having a few meal options, there are seemingly endless options, even soy yogurt, and it's easy to keep it healthy as well.
One of the best, and most unique features, is the 24 hour hour delay start option. This is exactly what it sounds like, you can set the Instant Pot to turn on, by itself, at anytime in the next 24 hours.
So instead of leaving leaving it leaving it on all day while you are at work, or having to rush to cook when you get home, you can set it to turn on by itself and by the time you're home, you will have dinner already made.
If you live by yourself, there's an Instant Pot for you. On the other end of the spectrum, there is also an Instant Pot that can feed large families. The Instant Pot is manufactured in 3 sizes; 3 quart, 6 quart, and 8 quart. So, no matter how many mouths you have to feed, the Instant Pot is a good choice of cookware.
On top of everything else, you also get a few goodies with the Instant Pot, such as:
- Rice paddle
- Soup spoon
- Measuring cup
- Condensation collector
- Steam rack with handles
Disadvantages
If the Instant Pot has a flaw, it has not yet been found. The Instant Pot works as promised and even has a 1 year manufacturer's warranty. So, if your Instant Pot with some manufacturing flaw, you can easily have it replaced.
Which One is the Winner?
You are, well sort of. When it comes to Power Pressure Cooker XL versus the Instant Pot, there is no clear cut winner. They each have unique features and tons of practical applications. They can both be used by people of any skill level and they are a great way to feed your family healthy, home cooked meals. But you will feel like you have won regardless of which one you choose, because they both have the ability to make your your life much easier, especially when dinner time rolls around.