The Crock-Pot Express cooks up a fight with Instant Pot
Crock-Pot's Express cooker turns up the heat on countertop rivals.
The Crock Multicooker can cook fast, slow, and sear.
Look out Instant Pot -- Crock-Pot's new $80 Express Crock Multicooker claims it can cook up a storm too.
This countertop gadget is the first Crock-Pot product to boast a pressure-cooking function. The Multicooker can sear at high temperatures or gently cook low and slow. The machine steams ingredients as well, and comes with eight preset modes to tackle meat, stews, poultry and the like automatically.
The Crock Multicooker's debut is certainly no coincidence. With a growing number of multicooker appliances for sale, competition for your counter space has never been hotter. The Instant Pot caused a buzz with its sophisticated, $290 smart pressure cooker back in 2014.
The company has since dropped the cost of entry for its smart and app-connected cooker, the $160 Instant Pot Smart 60. Instant Pot also offers a range of basic models too, without smarts. The most affordable is the $80 Lux V3 6-In-1. A 6-quart machine as well, it goes toe-to-toe with the Crock Multicooker. The Lux V3 boasts 10 presets and a timer, not to mention specialized modes for eggs and rice.
Crock-Pot Express Crock Multicooker at a glance
- Costs $80
- 6-quart, nonstick pot
- Eight presets: meats and stews, beans and chili, rice and risotto, poultry, dessert, soups, yogurts, multigrains
- Airtight lid
- Onboard timer with delayRecipe book
- Steaming rack