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Finding the right Instant Pot can be incredibly difficult because there are so many different models. There are some Instant Pots that are best for beginners, some Instant Pots that are best for air frying, and some Instant Pots are best for a family of four. Our Instant Pot Ultimate vs Pro review is going to show you which of these is best for your unique needs.
Our Instant Pot Pro vs Ultimate review will compare these based on their functions, Smart Programs, sizes, and any other differences we can find between them.
If you’re looking for a highly versatile and affordable pressure cooker, then Instant Pot Pro is the way to go. If you’re looking for a pressure cooker that can also air fry and has all the functions you would ever need, then the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid is the right one for you.
Instant Pot Ultimate | Instant Pot Pro |
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Is Instant Pot Ultimate Worth It?
Our Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid review found that this is an amazing pressure cooker and air fryer that can cater to all of your needs. It has the most features of any multifunction pressure cooker, and the air frying lid allows you to enjoy crispy food with significantly fewer calories.
Best of all, this air fryer and pressure cooker combo is extremely easy to use. Instant air fryers and pressure cookers have intuitive control panels that anyone can use even after a few minutes. If you like cooking a variety of recipes or just enjoy very crispy food, then the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid is right for you.
Check Price: Instant Pot Ultimate ->
Is Instant Pot Pro Worth It?
In some ways, Instant Pot Pro is a lot like the Ultimate model. It’s also a very versatile machine and includes many different features. While it does lack some cooking methods, mostly those that deal with air frying, it includes just about everything else you would need. This includes cooking methods such as pressure cooking, slow cooking, sauteing, and much more.
This is definitely the best pressure cooker for beginners and advanced users alike because it combines all the features that have been best in previous Instant Pot models. We would definitely call this the main flagship right now of the Instant brand because it’s so easy to use and has all the features that you really need. If you’re not looking to air fry, then this is the model you should consider.
Check Price: Instant Pot Pro ->
Appliances
While you can buy a pressure cooker that does only that and nothing more, every Instant Pot model comes with a variety of appliances. They’re called pressure cookers, but they’re really more electric multi-cookers that have a variety of functions that allow you to cook meals in many different ways.
Which Instant Pot has the most appliances? We’re going to take a look at these two to see which ones not only has the most, but which one is best for you. The different appliances are:
Appliances | Instant Pot Ultimate | Instant Pot Pro |
Pressure Cooker | Yes | Yes |
Steamer | Yes | Yes |
Rice Cooker | No | Yes |
Slow Cooker | Yes | Yes |
Warmer | Yes | Yes |
Yogurt Maker | Yes | Yes |
Saute/Searing | Yes | Yes |
Cake Maker | No | Yes |
Air Fryer | Yes | No |
Sterilizer | No | Yes |
Sous Vide | Yes | Yes |
Roaster | Yes | No |
Baker | Yes | No |
Broil | Yes | No |
Dehydrate | Yes | No |
Bread Proofing | Yes | No |
As you can see, both of these offer many different functions and appliances. It could be very hard to know which one is right for you because they’re both highly versatile and allow you to cook food in nearly any way that you want. There’s actually been many people who stopped using their oven and stove entirely because these pressure cookers are able to do so much.
In general, both can cook meals in a variety of ways. They share many common features such as slow cooking, sauteing, pressure cooking, and more. The major differences include the Instant Pot Duo Crisp Ultimate having air frying, dehydrating, broiling, and bread proofing.
Instant Pot Pro on the other hand offers sterilizing, cake baking, and a rice cooker. The truth is that many of these functions are easy to emulate through manual cooking settings, but we found that both of these are extremely helpful in the kitchen.
If you want to air fry, then we suggest the Ultimate Crisp Lid from Instant Pot. If you want a well-rounded pressure cooker, then Instant Pot Pro might be better for you.
Instant Pot Ultimate | Instant Pot Pro |
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Instant Pot Pro vs Ultimate: Smart Programs
Smart Programs are another big part of buying an Instant Pot. You’ll find that most models come with at least a dozen different Smart Programs, but you might be wondering what these do. These are settings that combine cooking methods with common ingredients such as chicken, rice, bread, and more. The Instant Pot pressure cooker can then change the time and temp as needed to ensure your food is as delicious as possible.
Should you get Instant Pot Ultimate or Pro based on their Smart Programs? We found Pro offers more Smart Programs, but Ultimate has a good number as well and it has the added appliances that we discussed in the previous section.
The Pro Pressure Cooker comes with 28 Smart Programs and each of them are customizable. An added benefit is that you can choose five to be your favorite. This makes them show up on the main screen so they are much easier to find. This is perfect when you have so many because it ensures that these five don’t get buried in the menus.
The Ultimate Duo Crisp pressure cooker has about half as many Smart Programs. Whether you’re a beginner or home cook with lots of experience, you’ll find that this is still easy to use. You just need to use the manual settings a little more with this one.
While both are good in this area, we have to say that Pro is better in terms of smart functions.
Check Price: Instant Pot Pro ->
Instant Pot Ultimate vs Pro: Sizes
What is the best size Instant Pot for your needs? Many models come in at least two or more sizes to ensure that you can get the right one for yourself, your family, and anyone else that you cook for. That being said, you need to really determine which one is right for you and ensure that you get that correct size.
What sizes does Instant Pot Pro come in? You can get Instant Pot Pro 6-quart and Instant Pot Pro 8-quart. The 6 quart is definitely the most popular size because this can feed a couple that likes meal prepping, an entire family, and even small parties. The 8-quart is good for larger families and those that host parties.
Unlike most of their models, the Ultimate only comes in one size, but it’s actually a very popular and useful size. Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5 quart is the only size currently available. As we said before with the 6-quart pressure cooker, this is good for families, couples that like meal prepping, and those that like cooking for multiple people. However, even an individual can use this pressure cooker and it’s ideal for making food throughout the entire week.
While Pro does offer one extra size, both of these come in the popular 6 and 6.5 quart sizes. Because of this we have to say the Pro technically wins, but you can choose the most popular size with either model.
Check Price: Instant Pot Ultimate ->
What is the Difference Between Instant Pot Ultimate and Pro?
Curious about what is the difference between Instant Pot Pro and Ultimate? We found that there are a good number of similarities, but also some very significant differences. It’s hard to outright say which one is better because it really depends on what cooking methods you want to use and how beginner-friendly you need the pressure cooker to be.
In terms of similarities, they both offer a variety of appliances, Smart Program, are the ideal size for most people, and are very easy to use.
In terms of differences, the Duo Crisp Ultimate offers some extra appliances in terms of air frying, dehydrating, and more. At the same time, Pro multi cooker offers a more well-rounded profile of appliances that’ll be good for everyday chefs, but it does lack air frying. Pro wins in terms of Smart Programs and sizes, but Ultimate does come in the most popular size and has many smart Programs that are highly useful.
Instant Pot Ultimate | Instant Pot Pro |
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Final Thoughts
Should you buy Instant Pot Pro or Ultimate? If you want an Instant Pot that air fries and does everything else you would ever need, then we would suggest Instant Pot Duo Crisp With Ultimate Lid. If you want to save a little bit of money and would prefer sterilizing, cake baking, and some other exclusive features, then Instant Pot Pro is a powerful flagship pressure cooker that is ideal for most home cooks. It really comes down to air frying and the other associated features.