Aroma Professional Vs Instant Pot: What's The Real Difference?

The Aroma Professional is a range of pressure cookers by the Aroma Houseware Company, a proud American manufacturer of kitchen appliances. The Instant Pot is a multi-functional pressure cooker that has become extremely popular. Both appliances are similar in that they cook food using steam, but the Instant Pot has a pressure sensor and a lid that can be sealed to increase and maintain pressure inside the pot. This allows the Instant Pot to cook food faster than the Aroma Professional, which does not have a pressure-building function. The Instant Pot also has more cooking functions than the Aroma Professional, which is more limited in its capabilities.

Price

The Aroma Professional is available in a 12-cup size, which is priced at $99.48. The standard 5L model is also available for the same price.

The Instant Pot, on the other hand, has three basic sizes: 3-quart, 6-quart, and 8-quart. The 6-quart model is available for $119.95, while the 3-quart model is on sale for $50.

The Aroma Professional is considered highly affordable at $99.48 for the 5L model, while the Instant Pot is generally more expensive, with baseline models starting at $65 and higher-priced models retailing for close to $200.

Both the Aroma Professional and the Instant Pot offer excellent value for money, with the Aroma Professional being the more affordable option. However, the Instant Pot's additional features, such as its dedicated rice button, multiple cooking functions, and faster cooking time, may justify its higher price for some consumers.

It is worth noting that prices for both products may vary depending on sales, promotions, and the retailer. Additionally, the cost of optional extras and accessories should be considered when making a purchase decision.

Design

The Aroma Professional is a retro-looking appliance with a beige stainless steel exterior. It is built to last, with fixtures like the base and handles being firmly attached. The Aroma Professional is a multicooker with a host of easy-to-use settings, including Slow Cook, Stew, Steam, Saute-then-Simmer STS, and Keep Warm. The multicooker can prepare anything you can cook in a traditional pressure cooker but faster. It also has preprogrammed one-touch pressure cooking that provides settings for Soup, Poultry, Porridge, Meat, Fish, Cake, Brown Rice, and White Rice.

The Instant Pot, on the other hand, has a modern, polished stainless steel exterior with secure, rugged housing, handles, and an attractive, intelligent control panel. The exterior is made of unmarred, shiny silver stainless steel, while the housing, handles, and control panel feature rugged black plastic construction. The Instant Pot is a pressure cooker with low-pressure and high-pressure cooking modes, a slow cooker, a searing mode, and a built-in timer. It also has a sterilize function, which can be used to sterilize cans, glass bottles, and baby bottles.

Functions

The Aroma Professional is a multi-cooker with a retro design and a stainless steel exterior. It has a range of easy-to-use settings, including Slow Cook, Stew, Steam, Saute-then-Simmer STS, and Keep Warm. The Aroma Professional also has four basic cooking modes with quick access: Soup, Poultry, Porridge, Meat, Fish, Cake, Brown Rice, and White Rice.

The Instant Pot is a multi-functional pressure cooker with a modern design and a stainless steel exterior. It has a range of cooking programs, including Bean/Chili, Meat/Stew, Soup/Broth, Sauté, Poultry, Steam, Congee, Multigrain, Rice, Pressure Cook, Keep Warm, and Slow Cook. Higher-tier models have even more functions, such as sous vide, dessert, or air fry.

Both appliances have similar functions, but the Instant Pot offers more variety and can cook a wider range of recipes. The Instant Pot also has the added benefit of being a pressure cooker, which allows it to cook food faster and at higher temperatures than the Aroma Professional.

Ease of use

When it comes to ease of use, the Aroma Pressure Cooker and the Instant Pot both have their advantages. The Aroma Pressure Cooker has a retro design with a stainless steel exterior and a beige colour, while the Instant Pot has a more modern look with shiny stainless steel and black plastic construction.

The Aroma Pressure Cooker offers a host of easy-to-use settings, including Slow Cook, Stew, Steam, Saute-then-Simmer STS, and Keep Warm. It also has preprogrammed one-touch pressure cooking options for Soup, Poultry, Porridge, Meat, Fish, Cake, Brown Rice, and White Rice. The Instant Pot, on the other hand, has high-pressure and low-pressure cooking modes, a slow cooker function, and a Sear mode. It also has a built-in timer, which the Aroma Pressure Cooker lacks.

Both appliances have their pros and cons when it comes to cooking rice. The Aroma Pressure Cooker is known for producing rice with a perfect texture, flavour, and aroma. It also has automatic shut-off and keep-warm functions. However, it may not be as fast as the Instant Pot in cooking rice. The Instant Pot, being a pressure cooker, can cook rice faster and at higher temperatures. It also requires less water and can retain food flavours more effectively due to its sealed cooking pot.

In terms of versatility, the Instant Pot has a wider range of functions and can be used for pressure cooking, slow cooking, yogurt making, rice cooking, air frying, Sous Vide cooking, sautéing, steaming, sterilizing, and warming. The Aroma Pressure Cooker, while offering multiple functions, is primarily designed for cooking rice and a limited number of related dishes. However, it can also be used for slow cooking and steaming.

Both the Aroma Pressure Cooker and the Instant Pot have their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to ease of use. The Aroma Pressure Cooker offers straightforward settings and produces high-quality rice, but may not be as versatile as the Instant Pot. The Instant Pot, on the other hand, has a wider range of functions and can cook rice faster, but may be slightly more complex to operate due to its additional features. Ultimately, the decision between the two depends on the user's specific needs and preferences.

Performance

Instant Pots are generally faster at cooking rice and require less liquid than rice cookers. They typically have more cooking functions than rice cookers, and you can cook more recipes in an Instant Pot than in a rice cooker. Instant Pots are sealed with a rubber ring, while rice cookers are not necessarily sealed. Instant Pots can sterilize, while most rice cookers can’t.

Aroma Pressure Cookers have a retro design with cutting-edge technology and intelligent placement of controls. The stainless steel exterior is built to last, with fixtures like the base and handles being firmly attached. However, the beige colouring may deter certain buyers.

Each Aroma Digital Pressure Cooker offers a host of easy-to-use settings, including Slow Cook, Stew, Steam, Saute-then-Simmer STS, and Keep Warm. The Aroma Multicooker can prepare anything you can cook in a traditional pressure cooker but faster. Preprogrammed one-touch pressure cooking provides Soup, Poultry, Porridge, Meat, Fish, Cake, Brown Rice, and White Rice settings.

Instant Pots are multi-functional pressure cookers, while rice cookers are more like food steamers. Instant Pots have a dedicated rice button (but it is designed specifically for long-grain white rice). Instant Pots are generally faster at cooking rice and can cook more recipes than rice cookers.

Frequently asked questions