Updated 3 Nov 2026
Is the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid worth it?
Yes — a cheaper rival to the Ninja Foodi.
One lid now does pressure cooking and air frying, so there's no second lid to store, and it adds slow cooking, steaming, sautéing, baking, grilling, dehydrating, proofing, yoghurt and sous vide. Its sauté setting is hot enough to sear meat properly, air frying and pressure cooking are both strong, and you can pick from three ways to release the pressure automatically. The parts go in the dishwasher. The 6.5-quart pot isn't non-stick, the steam mode can be too fierce for delicate vegetables, and Instant puts very little guidance in the box, so expect some trial and error.
Good to know
- Very little guidance in the box, so new users face some trial and error.
- The stainless pot isn't non-stick and may need a soak after cooking.
- The steam setting can overcook delicate vegetables.
- One size only, 6.5 quarts.
- Pressure cooks and air fries under one lid
- Strong sauté for searing
- Sous vide built in
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Get it if…
- You want an air fryer and a pressure cooker in one, for less than a Ninja.
- You like to sear meat properly before slow or pressure cooking.
- You'd use sous vide.
Skip it if…
- You're new to multi-cookers and want clear instructions: the Ninja Foodi SmartLid explains more.
- You cook for big groups: it only comes in 6.5 quarts.
More on the Instant Pot Duo Crisp
How we reached this verdict
Expert Reviews found it hard to separate from the Ninja Foodi 11-in-1: excellent air frying, pressure cooking and sautéing, a single lid at last and better value, but with too little guidance for beginners. TechRadar calls it the most versatile Instant Pot, easy to use with text prompts and top-notch results, though its steam mode was too fierce for broccoli and the pot isn't non-stick. We haven't found enough verified owner reviews of this model at the shops we read to give it a score yet.
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: Expert Reviews, TechRadar, Instant (specs), Tom's Guide, Homes & Gardens, manufacturer specifications.
Updated 3 Nov 2026How we decide