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People are busy and don’t have the time to spend all day in the kitchen cooking. The greatest invention for dynamic people who are juggling work, childcare, and other responsibilities are cooking appliances that can work cooking magic. Those are appliances that can help you prepare food very fast, or in cases where you can set the machine to cook something, forget it until completion until your meal is ready. Even those who don’t have families but still don’t have time to spend all day in the kitchen love these appliances.
That is why there is a lot of popularity for these kitchen gadgets, including the Instant Pot and rice cookers. Wait, aren’t they the same thing? Not at all. Each unique kitchen appliance has its function, and that goes for the Instant Pot and rice cookers. Let’s compare them both and talk about their differences.
What Is The Difference Between The Instant Pot And Rice Cooker?
There is one significant difference between the [EXT]Instant Pot[LINK](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_Pot) and rice cooker, and that the Instant Pot is a multi-cooker with various functions. The rice cooker only cooks rice. Can the Instant Pot cook rice? Yes, it sure can, as the device can cook and prepare food in various ways. You may wonder if there is a point in investing in a rice cooker since the Instant Pot can take care of preparing rice too. However, before you toss away the idea of investing in a rice cooker, you will want to read more about it further down in the post. Let’s go over the characteristics of the Instant Pot before getting to that point.
The Overview Of The Instant Pot
The Instant Pot, as you know, is a multi-cooker that features functions of a slow cooker, electric pressure cooker, yogurt maker, rice cooker, warming pot, streamer, and saute pan. That is a lot of functions that you can expect from one appliance. You can also set and forget the Instant Pot if you prepare your meal early in the day. That is because the device features pre-programmed functions. For instance, you have an Instant Pot recipe you want to try. You toss the ingredients into it one morning before you are heading to work. Then you set it to the proper cooking setting, and you can head to work while the appliance works its magic. And when you get back home from work, voila! The Instant Pot cooked your meal to perfection, and you can begin to serve and enjoy.
The other great thing about the Instant Pot is that you can cook your food automatically as it will retain the flavor and aroma as it would if a pressure cooker cooked it. That is because the lid contains steam. You cannot go wrong with the Instant Pot. Not only does it quickly and automatically cook your meals, but you can allow cooking without your presence, and the cooker makers taste phenomenal.
The Instant Pot works as several kitchen cooking appliances in one, and the high heat from cooking also kills microorganisms. You also do not need to use too much seasoning in meals cooked by Instant Pots because of how the steam can maintain excellent flavor.
However, there are things to keep in mind when it comes to the Instant Pot. As you would expect them, they are expensive, considering they are a multi-cooker. You also have to clean the sealing ring and gasket thoroughly, which can become exhausting. Bear in mind, too; the Instant Pot is heavy and not portable. If you don’t use the machine correctly, there are safety concerns. Now that you have a firm overview of the Instant Pot, what about the rice cooker? Let’s talk about that.
The Overview Of The Rice Cooker
The rice cooker’s role is self-explanatory. The appliance cooks rice by steaming and boiling it, and it features a thermostat, cooking bowl, and a gas or electric heat source. The machine is safe to use as it features a shut-off function, and there are various functions too, as you can cook rice in a pressure cooker setting or slow cook it. You can keep the rice cooked in it warm as the machine enables you to do that.
This appliance cooks various types of rice efficiently, but it can also cook other rice-like grains such as oatmeal. Even though this machine only cooks rice and anything related to rice, you can expect excellent results, and you can expect to eat rice with fantastic flavors, aromas, and textures. The rice cooker is also inexpensive, as it is much cheaper than the Instant Pot, and it is also straightforward to clean. These cookers have control panels that feature settings to cook brown rice, white rice, sticky or sweet rice, porridge, or sushi.
However, it can take longer to cook rice than the Instant Pot, and unlike the Instant Pot, it has limitations as it only cooks rice or anything rice-like. That is also because this machine only reaches the boiling point, which makes it limiting as well.
Conclusion
The new kitchen appliances‘ allow you to cook conveniently and quickly makes your job in the kitchen easier. That is if you are busy juggling duties involving childcare, work, and other responsibilities. Even if you don’t have those duties to juggle, you may not want to spend all day in the kitchen preparing dinner. Who can blame you. That is why so many appliances make the job easier for you, such as the Instant Pot and ricer cooker.
Both appliances are different. If you are looking for a multi-purpose cooker but don’t mind spending extra money, you will want to get the Instant Pot. However, if you are on a budget and make simple dishes, but eat plenty of rice, then the rice cooker is the best option. It boils down to personal choice and lifestyle, so to speak. You can always choose to get the instant Pot at a future time if you feel you need it then after having experience with the pressure cooker.
