Rice Cooker vs Insta Pot

Probably the biggest difference between a rice cooker and an Insta Pot is their versatility. The rice cooker is more like a food steamer, meaning it's great for rice and a few other things. Because the appliance doesn't maintain pressure while cooking and regulates its temperature, this means that temperatures don't get much hotter than the boiling point of water since the water then turns to steam which is then reabsorbed back into the rice. This also means that for cooking rice, the ratio is about 1:2 (1-part rice to 2-parts water) since the water is steadily evaporating while cooking. It can be used to cook things other rice but is mainly limited to steam-based recipes.

The Insta Pot, on the other hand, is more like a small pressure cooker. This means that as the pressure inside builds, so does the boiling point which allows food to cook faster and at higher temperatures. Due to this, the ratio for making rice in Insta Pot is about 1:1 (1-part rice to 1-part water) as opposed to the rice cooker's 1:2 ratio. Being able to increase the temperature during cooking also allows for more versatility in the types of recipes you can use with this appliance. 

Regardless of how well or how many different things you can cook in either appliance, how easy the inner pot is to clean may be even more important. It can be a piece of equipment or your favorite sweater, but if it's a pain to clean regularly, you'll be less likely to want to use it. Not all rice cookers are nonstick so this is an important detail to look for when purchasing one as it will make cleaning the inside easier. They also, for the most part, do not have detachable inner pots. In contrast, the majority of Insta Pots are nonstick and do have detachable inner pots. Some models also have parts that are dishwasher safe. Both rice cookers and Insta Pots also come with auto-sterilize settings that aid in maintaining your appliance. 

Despite all other considerations when choosing a new piece of equipment, for some, everything comes down to price. How much does it cost? Is it a good price for the quality? Is it a good deal for what you get? This can be understandable as purchasing kitchen equipment can be expensive and is typically not something the average person does more than once every ten or twenty years. Rice cookers typically are less expensive while Insta Pots are more expensive. This makes sense however, when taking into consideration just what each one can do and how many functions each one has. A rice cooker typically only has an on/off switch though most do have built-in programs for different types of rice. Most Insta Pot models, on the other hand, have at least 12 different built-in programs for different types of food or methods of cooking. Appearance can also vary. The vast majority of Insta Pot models look alike while some rice cookers can vary wildly in appearance based on model or brand.

Rice cookers and Insta Pots each have their pros and cons but choosing the right one for you mostly comes down to two questions: What is your eating lifestyle and how much are you willing to spend?