Cooker Showdown: Instant Pot vs Crock Pot vs Dutch Oven
Cooking is an art, and the right tools can make all the difference. When it comes to slow cooking, there are three main contenders: the Instant Pot, the Crock Pot, and the Dutch oven. Each of these appliances has its own unique advantages and disadvantages, so it can be difficult to decide which one is right for you. In this article, we’ll take a look at the pros and cons of each cooker and help you decide which one is best for your needs.
Instant Pot
The Instant Pot is a multi-cooker that can do everything from pressure cooking to slow cooking. It’s a great choice for busy cooks who need to get dinner on the table quickly. The Instant Pot is also very versatile, as it can be used to make a variety of dishes, from soups and stews to rice and beans.
The biggest advantage of the Instant Pot is its speed. It can cook food in a fraction of the time it would take to cook it in a traditional slow cooker. It also has a variety of settings that allow you to customize the cooking process.
The downside of the Instant Pot is that it can be a bit intimidating to use. It has a lot of buttons and settings, and it can take some time to get used to them. Additionally, the Instant Pot is not as good at slow cooking as a traditional slow cooker.
Crock Pot
The Crock Pot is the classic slow cooker. It’s a great choice for cooks who want to set it and forget it. The Crock Pot is also very easy to use, as it only has a few settings.
The biggest advantage of the Crock Pot is that it’s great at slow cooking. It can cook food for hours without burning or drying it out. Additionally, the Crock Pot is very affordable and can be found in most stores.
The downside of the Crock Pot is that it’s not as versatile as the Instant Pot. It can only be used for slow cooking, so it’s not a good choice for cooks who want to make a variety of dishes. Additionally, the Crock Pot can take a long time to cook food, so it’s not a good choice for busy cooks.
Dutch Oven
The Dutch oven is a classic cooking tool that has been around for centuries. It’s a great choice for cooks who want to make a variety of dishes, from soups and stews to roasts and casseroles.
The biggest advantage of the Dutch oven is its versatility. It can be used for a variety of cooking methods, from slow cooking to baking. Additionally, the Dutch oven is very durable and can last for years.
The downside of the Dutch oven is that it can be a bit intimidating to use. It has a lot of settings and can take some time to get used to them. Additionally, the Dutch oven is not as good at slow cooking as a traditional slow cooker.
FAQs
Which cooker is best for slow cooking?
The Crock Pot is the best choice for slow cooking. It’s very easy to use and can cook food for hours without burning or drying it out.
Which cooker is best for busy cooks?
The Instant Pot is the best choice for busy cooks. It can cook food in a fraction of the time it would take to cook it in a traditional slow cooker.
Which cooker is best for making a variety of dishes?
The Dutch oven is the best choice for making a variety of dishes. It can be used for a variety of cooking methods, from slow cooking to baking.
bugger..first time using a crok pot.. will be last.. 6 hrs,,hungry now.. aaaagggghh..
Slow cooking can be heather than pressure cooking. High temperatures can destroy more nutrients and create cancer causing reactions
To get a true taste test one needs to have all the tasting bowls all on the table at the same time. That you had time in between each taste test, your hunger reduced the flavors as each was tested, therefore your taste buds were numbed. The reason people stop eating is because their body is satisfied and no longer gives them flavor sensations.
I can kill my own appetite if I nibble on the veggies before a soup or meal is done. By the time it's all done, I can no longer taste the food. It all tastes blah.
Nobody will taste those stews? Please tell me you're not going to throw away enough good food to feed 15 people.
Today people are buying electric multi function cookers to reduce their electricity bills – which includes not using a conventional oven.
slow cooker is not for beef stew. try cooking chinese black chicken soup with exotic herbal.
All about the details but the information is lost.
Transcript says 300° oven for Dutch oven going to check in an hour and a half then you state three to four hours cook time.
Web link provided Is stated Dutch oven @ 225°
So specifically what exactly is it?
Of course, Dutch Oven is the best. There is no cutting corners in cooking. Something gotta gives if you speed up the process by 50 percent and it will be very obvious if you compare the two meals side by side. Chicken stews will require 1h30 to 2hrs. Beef stews will require 3hrs. This is not a long time. 3 hours is not such a long time that you should sacrifice so much of the quality and enjoyment of a meal. And, moreover, meat is expensive nowadays. That 20 bucks slab of meat deserves the extra colossal effort of simply watching another episode of whatever Netflix Series you like while your Dutch Oven slowly cooks your stew to perfection for an additional hour or so.
Dutch ovens are glazed with what? Obviously chemicals involved to achieve that glaze. I read an article examining the cargocins in those those dutch ovens..in the dye of the colours.
'Otherwise you food ends up tasting boozy'…. And the downside to that is? 😇
In my experience a Dutch oven produces concentrated, rich flavor and tender protein making your house smell yummy. My Rival slow cooker circa 1970’s was perfect for cooking Chinese herbs.
I’m here because I bought an instant pot but am too afraid to start using it after watching a video that showed photos of someone who was burned from an instant pot accident. I want to explore other options since I think cooking should be fun – not fatal.
why would you not brown the beef on the oven and boil the wine then add to slow cooker
WTF dude?! You should have done a blind taste test. Seriously, WT Actual F?!
Pretty much this isn’t a comparison of these devices….it’s just something anyone would have already knew…beef stew should be done in the oven or on the stove. Reduction is the only way to go. So….zero information gained here at all comparing the different devices.
Whoa that little bonus at the end…sheesh didnt know that was possible haha. Thanks for all your hard work. God bless🙏
So why didn't he brown the meat then put in a slow cooker bad video
if you do the right prep, sear the meat, glaze the veggies and wine and then put it in the slow-cooker you can go tp work and come home to a hot dinner. for the others you basicaly have to be around for the complete cooking time.
The crock pot would have worked great if you had used a recipe appropriate. When I make my pot roast in the crock pot it always comes out outstanding and I've never had any complaints. I use two envelopes of beefy onion soup mix, a very large can or two of crushed petite tomatoes, a little worcester sauce. After it has been cooking for about 5 to 6 hours, before it's done I will often add cold water in a cup and add some cornstarch and Stir It Up and then pour it into the crock pot and stir it again and that thickens it up so there's a nice gravy consistency.
I should also mention that cooking in the oven creates a lot of excess heat and is not so good in the summer, but can be beneficial in heating your home in the winter. Along with that washed heat is the higher power outlet that it's plugged into. Both of these waste more energy than an countertop pressure cooker appliance.
I really like how fair and honest this review is. I'll definitely subscribe for more.
I don't use my Dutchy in the oven, it's faster on a low flame or induction, however, my induction doesn't like the weight and gets all screwed up.
Pressuring is fastest but not the most flavorful; Dutch oven is half of the slow cooker; slow cooker is slowest and irritating to smell for hours on end. Dutchy wins.
Couldn't one sear the meat in a skillet and add it to the crockpot?
Thanks, man.
Sticking with my cast-iron casserole, then. It’s worth the time and the love.
There are so many inconsistencies in this that it is difficult to accept the results as meaningful. Also who the hell puts soy and fish sauce in a beef stew? It should stand on its own with the flavour of the beef, the vegetables, home made stock and some dried herbs. You have to adapt the recipe for the type of equipment you are using so putting so much wine into a slow cooker was always going to lead to a runny stew. I would give this a 4 out of 10 as a meaningful comparison
Is it safe to let food cook covered for so many hours? Won't bacteria develop?
My slow cooker has the ability to brown meat and I can also pressure cook in it! You took the time to seat the meat in the other vessels, but not the crockpot. That was an automatic fail. You should have done your searing and liquid reduction before throwing everything into the slow cooker. Then it would have turned out fine.
Been searing my meat and veggies in a Lodge pan and tossing everything in a $25 slow cooker since 2004. Best damn way to make chili too
invaluable! great presentation. thank you.
Flavour: MIA xD
Sometimes old school is the best school.
If you put the IP on sear mode for 10 or less minutes, after cooking, the stock will thicken.
"Smash the meat in my mouth to pieces" (coughs) That's what she said.
I'm surprised you didn't sear the meat on the stove before putting it in the slow cooker. Is there a reason you skipped that step?
Who doesn't Brown there meat before adding to slow cooker this video is not a fair test
Crockpot is perfect but need to use much less wine, I sear it in a pan before hand, make sure to give it the full window I leave it in 7 hours minimum. Also, I do not use fish oil or Soy. One great option is to make it North African style with herbs and spices and give it a real kick, I also add hardboiled eggs in the shell and peal it on the side when eating, messy but it goes so well together.
#1 dutch oven. #2 SEAR THE MEAT then crockpot. Pressure cookers & instapot loses flavor
I know this is a year late but I never liked the crock pot stew cause it just wasn’t impressive at all. I used my pressure cookers as well Good sometimes, sometimes the meat was dry. I cooked in my first Dutch oven and it was the most amazing chuck roast stew of my life. I am hooked on the Dutch oven and invested in a beautiful STAUB. I use my brand new instant pot pro to make boiled eggs that peel with ease, and perhaps make yogurt. The crock pot got donated.
this is like the best vid on youtube explaining the difference with great demo.
Other reviews rate the slow cooker ( after also 1st searing) far above the pressure cooker especially for meats like beef pot roast, stew etc.
To compare apples to apples you need to 1st sear the meat in a pan for the slow cooker unless it also has a searing feature – some do.
By you not also searing for the slow cooker invalidates your supposed "unbiased" comparison of the slow cooker compared to the other cookers.
My stew from my Crock Pot looks more like yours from the Dutch oven because I sear the meat and the sautee the veggies with tomato paste in a wok prior to putting it all in the Crock Pot. I also have an Instant Pot and the stew made using the same prep of searing and sautee of the veggies beforehand just makes a much less flavorful stew. Ditto for soups, it just makes a less flavorful end product, HOWEVER it is by far the fastest which is sometimes more important. You can reduce the sauce in the Instant Pot by shortening the initial pressure cook time, then cook for an additional amount of time with the lid cracked or off to reduce the liquid. You still save a lot of time but yield a better end product. The same can be done with a Crock Pot but it takes much longer.
I'm not convinced ^^ also I just bought a slow cooker haha which makes me the owner of all those methods of cooking which I love because different dishes work best with different methods, so rice or soy beans (for making tempeh) will do directly in the instant pot, no brainer! Anything else will make me want to kill myself :)) loooove the dutch oven, I'm Romanian and not dutch and this original crockpot is a staple of all good European foods, especially the Eastern ones ! Best still would be cooking in a "dutch" oven over hot coal for 8hrs, you wouldn't believe the flavours ! But mind you even then, much like yourself, you'd prepare everything separately ! in pans… not even the dutch oven itself, and I did the same with the slow cooker, because I don't mind the extra steps, why should I? It's like saying you should eat everything with a fork, sure.. but why ? so the water issue, I don't think this comparison is far unless you use those like you did which you know is at the beginning but eventually (hopefully) you'd learn to adjust to what is needed, so with a slow cooker, why put half a liter of wine in there ? when you know it won't evaporate ? XD))) Just reduce the amound of liquid by enough, apparently at least 1/3 to get the same results you would in a dutch oven and sure it's not as brown as the other one, but the point here is to get the most health benefits, which you didn't talk about AT ALL ! It's about conserving all the nutrients which in my book is a very important thing ! Which is why I still love my slow cooker, in spite of this video, or perhaps because of it, because you didn't give all the methods their deserved shot ! I personally don't like the instant pot so much because it doesn't help with flavours at all ! everything is cooked through but half the flavour is gone and very little is mixed in which is the whole point of stwes. So I made a hungarian gulash which I absolutely love and know exactly how it's supposed to taste cuz my grampa was hungarian! and the instant pot just does not do it justice by a loooooong shot !
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