Slow Cooker Vs. Pressure Cooker: What Is The Difference?

Both the slow cooker and pressure cooker are fantastic tools for convenient cooking. Despite the fact that they can cook the same types of foods, how they cook them is completely different. You should weigh their pros and cons before buying, so you can choose one that suits your needs. 

What is the difference between a slow cooker and pressure cooker?

The main difference between a slow cooker and a pressure cooker is that a pressure cooker uses steam and pressure to cook food quickly, while a slow cooker uses low temperatures and longer cooking time to prepare food slowly. Slow cookers and pressure cookers can produce similar results, but they are very different methods for cooking food. 

Have you ever wondered how a pressure cooker is different from a slow cooker? Continue reading to learn about which one is better. Moreover, you will find out why we use a slow cooker when we can cook in a pressure cooker instead and whether a pressure cooker can replace a slow cooker.  

Check out the best pressure cookers and best slow cookers on Amazon.

If you’re looking to buy the best cookware products, be sure to visit my Recommended Products Page (click to see my page), Which includes all of my top picks by category.

How Is A Pressure Cooker Different From A Slow Cooker?

The speed is the main feature that sets apart a pressure cooker from a slow cooker. Here are some additional differences between a slow cooker and a pressure cooker. 

Pressure Cooker	Slow Cooker
The science behind a pressure cooker is that it uses steam and pressure for boiling or steaming food in a short time while retaining its nutrients.	A slow cooker uses low and slow heat to simmer food for several hours or even for a whole day.
A pressure cooker is a bit expensive, especially an electric pressure cooker.	A slow cooker is cheap as they are simple and has no advanced engineering involved.
To leave a pressure cooker unattended can be dangerous.	A slow cooker is an ideal option if you want to cook food unattended.
You can literally cook almost everything in a pressure cooker.	The slow cooker is associated with cooking soups and stews, but you can be creative and cook meat and even desserts and bread in the slow cooker.
A pressure cooker can cook an entire meal at once, which means no extra dishes.	Slow cooking may need sauteing food separately before cooking it in a slow cooker which means more dishes, more mess, and more cleaning.

Read Also: Stainless Steel Vs Aluminum Pressure Cooker

Can You Use A Pressure Cooker Instead Of A Slow Cooker?

You have to adjust many factors such as temperature, liquid, and cooking time; if you want to use a pressure cooker instead of a slow cooker. But it is not recommended because it is difficult to directly convert a recipe for a slow cooker into a pressure cooker and vice versa.

In addition, they both cook food at very different speeds, and the resulting recipe would be different in each case. A pressure cooker can be called a fast cooker in contrast to a slow cooker. 

Check out this Electric Pressure Cooker on Amazon.

Why Do Slow Cook If You Can Pressure Cook?

Slow cooking is the most convenient technique of cooking because you can dump your ingredient in the slow cooker and literally forget about it for hours, and your meal will be ready with just a little planning and effort. Slow cooking imparts a depth of flavor to food that is not possible with pressure cooking. 

Slow cooking is budget-friendly, does not need stirring, no extra attention, and uses less energy, while pressure cooking needs extra caution, experience, supervision, and is a bit expensive. While pressure cooking, you may need extra seasoning to enhance the flavor. Additionally, slow cooking is best for beginners and inexperienced people. 

Check out this best-rated Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker on Amazon.

Is A Pressure Cooker Better Than A Slow Cooker?

Both slow cooker and pressure cooker have their own advantages. However, we discussed some points in the following table that shows a pressure cooker can be a better choice than a crockpot, especially if you want to buy only one of them. 

	Pressure Cooker	Slow Cooker
Cooking in a pressure cooker does not need a lot of planning.	With a pressure cooker, you do not have to worry about your meal in the morning or one day before. You can come late and still have delicious food. It works best for busy people who do not want to waste time cooking food.	It works best for busy people who do not want to worry about their meals after a long day. They can cook a meal by adding all the ingredients to the slow cooker in the morning and setting it on low, and their food will be ready when they come home.
A pressure cooker deals with food much better than a slow cooker.	A pressure cooker cooks food quickly while retaining its texture, taste, and nutrients.	Slow cookers cook food at low speed and can ruin the texture of foods by turning them into mush or splitting it.
A pressure cooker is a multi-purpose device.	A fast cooker cooks food quickly, and you can also brown and saute your food in it. Without a lid, a pressure cooker works like a big pot.	A slow cooker works only for slow cooking.
Using a pressure cooker, you can preserve food.	A pressure cooker is best to heat the canned vegetables and fruits. In addition, the efficiency and safety of a pressure cooker make it easy to make and store canned beans, canned tomatoes, canned strawberry jam, etc.	You can not use a crockpot to preserve or can the food.
A pressure cooker comes in handy for people living at high altitudes.	When you go up high, the boiling temperature of the water goes down. Therefore, the high pressure of the pressure cooker can be a big help.	Slow may not cook properly at high altitudes.

Make sure you also check out our guide use of a pressure cooker without a lid.

Conclusion 

Pressure cookers and slow cookers are both excellent pieces of kitchenware that can simplify cooking. In theory, you can have both a slow cooker and pressure cooker, depending on your needs. Nevertheless, if you want to own one, get a pressure cooker because it cooks food quickly while preserving its nutrition, taste, and texture. 

If you’re looking to buy the best cookware products, be sure to visit my Recommended Products Page (click to see my page), Which includes all of my top picks by category.