Pressure Cooker Vs Slow Cooker: Differences And Similarities

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It is important to understand the difference and similarity between a pressure cooker and a slow cooker, this will allow you to make a proper choice, pressure cooker works effectively well by expelling air from the vessel and then trapping the steam produced from the boiling liquid inside while a slow cooker which can also be referred to as crockpot is a countertop electrical cooking appliance used to simmer at a lower temperature than other cooking methods, anyhow there are obvious reasons for choosing any of this appliance, both has its benefits and uses.

A pressure cooker and a slow cooker can both take up heavy-duty jobs of braising meat, stewing, cooking grains, desserts, beans and any other food with ease.

A slow cooker requires being extremely organised as meals can be prepared before you get back from work which means hours of slow cooking while a pressure cooker can get your meals ready in minutes rather than hours.

Pressure cooker and slow cooker both offer a cook a conventional way of making meals without fuss and anyone who spends lot’s of time in the kitchen can say pressure cooker cooks food quickly while slow cookers cook food slowly as expected prior to its name.

Slow Cooker Vs Pressure Cooker

Pressure cookers are built just like ordinary pots and pans and the difference is that their lids are fashioned to clamp tightly in place creating a seal that traps steam inside the pot, pressure cooker uses steam to quickly cook food, the steam is unable to escape and build pressure which raises the temperature inside and causes food to cook about 70% faster than on your stove pot.

The pressure from this also helps keep food moist.

The pressure cooker can help reduce cooking time especially when used for dried beans and it is easy to make the magnitude of dishes like dulce de leche by pressure cooking condensed milk, roasting garlic and also homemade bread never tastes more delicious with a pressure cooker.

A slow cooker is quite the opposite of a pressure cooker, they cook food gently for anywhere from 4 to 10 hours because they use lower temperatures and longer cooking times to slowly cook food such as meats and stew.

Slow cookers are never used on the stovetop, all you need is have them plugged in once you have loaded in your ingredients, you can safely leave a slow cooker unattended while you food cooks overnight or you go to work and ca come back home to a healthy tasty meal.

Another convenient use of slow cooker is the ability to safely and easily transport food, slow cooking yields tender soft meats which makes it perfect for tough types of meat.

Is a slow cooker healthier than a pressure cooker?

Although there are some similarities between a pressure cooker and a slow cooker both have different health benefits, a pressure cooker uses hot steam and pressure to quickly cook food such as dried beans, meats and stews and this faster than other conventional cooking method and a slow cooker uses a lower temperature and longer cooking times to slowly cook food, this low temperature may help preserve nutrients that can be lost when food is cooked rapidly at high heat.

Can you substitute one for the other?

You can easily substitute an electric pressure cooker for a slow cooker but pressure cookers cost almost twice as much as a quality slow cooker and if you plan to serve foods directly on a buffet then the taller sides of a pressure cooker are not as good as that of a slow cooker.

Recipes made in a slow cooker and pressure cooker taste almost the same hence each can easily be substituted for each other and both will still give you a flavourful meal.

Which one should I buy? Pressure cooker or slow cooker

Pressure cookers are best used for cooking vegetables, beans, pulses and stews while a slow cooker is best suited for meat and stews however you can cook practically anything in a pressure cooker as high-pressure cooking easily breaks down vegetables, meat and beans, you can do a pulled pork, roast chicken or bean stew in a fraction of time which makes it suitable if you want fast cooking and you can get the slow-cooked flavour without having to plan your meal in advance.

A slow cooker is also a handy kitchen tool that cooks at a very low temperature, you can also cook anything with a slow cooker from stews, soups, beans ane cuts of meats to make pulled pork or braised beef, anything you plan to cook for hours is perfect for a slow cooker and also the best recipe to make in a slow cooker are the ones you throw the ingredients in at once, close the lid, set it on low and forget it.

A slow cooker requires lot’s of planning in advance which means a slow cooker is fitting for long hours of cooking while pressure is not.

What they can cook

It is best to choose any of these appliances based on what you want to cook with it, both can be used to cook practically anything, a pressure cooker makes meal quickly which means there are some meals which it’s well suited for and this also applies to a slow cooker.

What Slow cookers are preferred for:

Here’s a quick list of the best foods to cook in a slow cooker aka crockpot:

Soups
Stews
Meats
Fish
Vegetables
Beans
Desserts

What Pressure cookers are preferred for:

Here’s a quick list of foods you can cook in a pressure cooker effectively:

Rice
Vegetables
Meat
Fish
Dried beans
Grains
Soup
Stew
Desserts

Final Thoughts

The pressure cooker is almost the opposite of a slow cooker, both can cook everything you want giving you the flavour you want in your meals however the major difference is that a pressure cooker uses hot steam and pressure to quickly cook food while a slow cooker uses lower temperatures and longer cooking times to slowly cook food.

Both slow cooker and pressure cooker are amazing kitchen tools for cooking, they are also great for convenient hands-off cooking and still produces the kind of cooking that tastes as it has been diligently prepared.