Ninja Foodi vs Instant Pot: Which should you buy?
- jul
- 14
Chuck it in chunin
Ninja Foodi 6.5-quart
Pros
- Air fryer abilities
- Crisping lid
- More capacity
Cons
- Very large
The Ninja pressure cooker can pressure cook, as well as steam, slow cook, sear/saute, air fry, bake, roast, broil, and dehydrate. The air frying abilities are a real selling point as air fryers are a standalone appliance, but with Ninja's TenderCrisp technology, which promises to give your food a "crispy, golden finish," you don't need buy another appliance. It comes complete with a 4-quart "Cook & Crisp" basket.
Not a total crock
Instant Pot Max 6 Quart
Pros
- Smaller footprint
- Even the lid is dishwasher safe
Cons
- No air frying or crisping
From the much loved and respected Instant Pot brand, the Instant Pot Max 6 quart model offers family-friendly dimensions and the ability to do fermentation, sous vide, simmering, boiling, pressure cooking, sauté, and searing. It also works as a rice cooker, a yogurt maker, and a food warmer. Meanwhile, the 15 PSI pressure means you can also use this model to do home pressure canning.
We're passionate about pressure cookers. Here, we're comparing the Ninja Foodi 6.5-Quart against the Instant Pot Max 6 Quart. This is because they offer a similar capacity and are available at the same $199 price point.
A pressure cooker is a fabulous way to get hot food onto the dinner table, especially with our hectic modern lifestyles. However, the choice of which one to buy can be quite bewildering. We're taking a look at two of the most popular models to try and help you narrow down which would be the best choice for you.
Size wise
As far as the tale of the tape goes, the Instant Pot measures in at 13.8 x 13.8 x 13, while the Ninja Foodi is larger at 14.25 x 16.75 x 13.1. The larger size is reflected in the capacity too -- the Foodi offers half a quart more space than its rival. There's a difference in wattage also -- the Ninja is 1,400 watts while the Instant Pot is a less powerful 1,100.
Pressure cookers can be dangerous if not operated correctly. Steam escaping at pressure is no laughing matter. These models are completely safe if used as per the instructions -- the Ninja Foodi and the Instant Pot Max both have UL-Certified safety mechanisms.
Nice rack and custom controls
While both multi-cookers come with a steel rack, the Ninja Foodi's is a sturdy reversible version that means you can steam or pressure cook vegetables and potatoes in the lower position, or flip it to cook meat in a higher position.
The Ninja Foodi boasts dual pressure levels -- high and low -- five stovetop temperature settings and customizable programming. It also offers the ability for your food to stay warm up to 12 hours automatically. The Instant Pot Max has a touchscreen control panel from which you can set time, temperature, pressure level, delay start, and warm. The Instant Pot beats the Ninja Foodi with three pressure levels -- low, high and max.
| Ninja Foodi | Instant Pot Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 6.5 quart | 6 quart |
| Wattage | 1,400 | 1,100 |
| Color | Black | Brushed stainless steel |
| Safety | UL-Certified | UL-Certified |
| Pressure levels | 2 | 3 |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year |
Good clean fun
If you love cooking but hate the cleaning up part, it's worth considering how easy to clean these products are. The Ninja Foodi offers a ceramic-coated non-stick inner cooking pot which can go in the dishwasher, as can the basket and rack. As far as the Instant Pot goes, the stainless steel inner pot, steam rack, and lid (even with electronics in) are all dishwasher safe. Happy days.
Both the Instant Pot Max and the Ninja Foodi offer very competent, family-size pressure and slow cooking abilities, but you could argue that the air frying and crisping functionalities offered by the Ninja Foodi do set it apart from the competition.
Crispy
Ninja Foodi 6.5-quart
Make space on your worktop
This clever kitchen gadget more than justifies the whopping amount of space it'll take up on your counter.
Classic
Instant Pot Max 6 Quart
The Canadian family fave
A totally capable and competent pressure cooker for anyone not crazy about air frying.