Mealthy MultiPot and Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Comparison

People have been wanting to know the differences between Mealthy MultiPot and Instant Pot Multi-Cooker. As someone very experienced with using different models of Instant Pot for seven years, Mealthy asked me to compare the products to clear up any confusion. This post is brought to you in partnership with .

There has been a resurgence and new excitement in the last 15 years surrounding electric pressure cookers. But, here is the catch.

They now often come in the form of multi-cookers, with pressure cooking being their most talked about and used function.

Sure, multi-cookers double as slow cookers and you can make yogurt, but mostly the other functions are there to enhance your pressure cooking experience.

No longer do you have to dirty a skillet and sauté your meat on the stove and then add it to the pressure cooker. Multi-cookers are a one-stop cooking machine.

Over the last five years, the Instant Pot Multi-Cooker name has become a household name and has developed a cult-like following. With good reason. People who were not anxious to cook and/or didn’t cook, are now enjoying cooking again.

Many more companies are following suit and there are more multi-cooker options. A new multi-cooker on the market is the Mealthy MultiPot.

It’s design and functions seem to be a combination of the Instant Pot DUO Plus, and the more expensive (just under $180) Instant Pot Ultra thrown in.

In this article I will be comparing the Instant Pot DUO Plus 6 quart which is under $130.00 at their website and Mealthy MultiPot 6 quart which is priced at $99.95 at their website.

 

Here is a comparison chart from Mealthy, showing the Instant Pot DUO, Instant Pot DUO Plus and Mealthy MultiPot.

Mealthy MultiPot has all the bells and whistles of the Instant Pot DUO Plus, plus cool extra features and accessories.

Mealthy’s extra accessories are shown on the bottom right of the chart.

 

People have been wanting to know the differences between Mealthy MultiPot and Instant Pot DUO Plus. I’ve been a lover of the Instant Pot and user since 2011, so Mealthy asked me to compare the products to clear up any confusion.

Before we start, I want to make sure you understand that Mealthy and Instant Pot are brand names for their multi-cooker products.

Both brands have pressure cooker options. Both brands have slow cooker options.

In fact, both brands have SIX separate functions and 10 preset buttons! This means, one multi-cooker, will take the place of six appliances.

You will sometimes see recipe titles using the brand name, rather than the actual cooking feature being used. It may be confusing to some. For instance, if chili is cooked using the pressure cooker function, a good title would be “Pressure Cooker Chili.” If it were made using the slow cooker function, then the name might be called “Slow Cooker Chili.” Both cooking methods and recipes can be cooked in multi-cookers.

As a result of using a brand name in recipe titles, owners with different brands of multi-cookers and pressure cookers question if they can use a branded named recipe their particular brand of pressure cooker or multi-cooker.

 

Meet Mealthy MultiPot.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Yes, yes, Mealthy looks like a cousin to the Instant Pot DUO Plus and the Instant Pot Ultra.

The name Instant Pot is the most recognized brand of multi-cooker on the market today. The company maintains a very active Facebook group, where you can ask questions and get answers any time of the day or night.

They say that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” I don’t know if that is always the case, or if I believe that, as I am a person of ethics, but, the purpose of this article is simply to compare the two multi-pots and not state my opinion. However, that being said, companies are always taking best features from each other and trying to make their products better and better. Has the Instant Pot met its match with the Mealthy MultiPot?

For purposes of this article, this comparison is between Mealthy’s MultiPot and Instant Pot’s DUO Plus, as they are the most similar, although the Instant Pot Ultra will also be included, where necessary.

Mealthy MultiPot and Instant Pot Multi-Cooker Comparison.

Let’s take a look.

 

Are the Buttons Different on Mealthy MultiPot and Instant Pot DUO Plus?

Both the Mealthy MultiPot and Instant Pot DUO Plus have 20 buttons, of which 19 are the same.

Mealthy MultiPot has a Poultry button, while the Instant Pot DUO Plus, dropped the Poultry button and replaced it with the Sanitize button.

I like to think they did that because of my Instant Pot Greek Yogurt recipe. The first step (which is optional) is to sanitize the pot. This step has caught on and you will now find that first step option in many on-line recipes.

Frankly, in my option the button discrepancy is neither a benefit or a detriment.

The steam button works in the same manner.

Both Mealthy MultiPot and Instant Pot advertise that their “9-in-1 Programmable Multi-Use Pressure Cooker” will replace nine kitchen appliances. The nine appliances are pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, sauté, steamer, egg maker, cake maker, yogurt maker and food warmer.

Let’s get real, most people don’t use (or own) a stand alone egg maker, cake maker, electric burner (for sautéing), steamer or food warmer.

But, they may own a stand alone pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker and yogurt maker. And it doesn’t hurt that you can use the Mealthy MultiPot and Instant Pot as an extra electric burner.

So, by my reasoning, even though multi-cookers replace just four separate appliances, they make Hard Boiled Eggs incredibly fast and easy to peel. Cakes cooked under pressure are fabulous. Wait until you try this Pressure Cooker New York Cheesecake! Who needs an oven?

Steaming food in a multi-cooker is super handy and you don’t have to stand over a hot stove or keep an eye on the water to make sure it is not boiling over. The Mealthy MultiPot and Instant Pot are both great for keeping food warm. Either brand of multi-cooker may replace four common household appliances so both multi-cookers really are 9 appliances in one!

 

Instant Pot’s interface is soft brushed stainless steel with a large blue LCD display.

The functions on the LCD are clear and easy to read.

Instant Pot’s interface is a sleek, sophisticated and streamlined high tech design with button names spread out a bit more, making them easy to identify.

So, let’s talk placement of buttons.

Mealthy designed their MultiPot to have the four function buttons, at the top, right in a row.

Instant Pot divided up the four function buttons by placing them on the bottom, two on the left and two on the right.

Those four buttons seem to be the most used buttons on multi-cookers.

The buttons on the Mealthy MultiPot are raised slightly, which make them very easy to identify and push.

Instant Pot’s buttons are almost flush to the console.

Mealthy has six raised buttons under the large LCD screen, while the Instant Pot DUO Plus has four colored outlined buttons and then the more flush, “-” and “+” buttons. While I like the colored outline on the Instant Pot DUO Plus, the placement of buttons on the Mealthy make more sense.

Where in the cooking stage am I? When oh when is my pot going to be at pressure? How long does it take to build pressure? Are you one to want to know all the stuff going on in your pot? Do you stare at your screen and say, how much longer will it take before the pot comes up to pressure? If you love geeky stuff, like me, you are going to love this next section.

Mealthy MultiPot v. Instant Pot LCD Panels?

Instant Pot Ultra

The top of the line Instant Pot Ultra is a 10-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Cooker and features a large screen with a visual Cooking Progress Indicator. This indicator is in graph form and shows the three-step cooking process. Preheat (building pressure), Cooking (under pressure) and Keep Warm (pressure release). As the pressure begins to build, the indicator begins to climb. Once the pot is at full pressure, the graph will show the highest level and then fluctuate, as the PSI changes. Once pressure cooking is complete, the graph begins to descend, as pressure is slowly releasing and then shows “Keep Warm.”

The Instant Pot Ultra offers complete custom programming for both pressure and non-pressure cooking. It uses a central dial, which easily turns and is adjusted to add additional precision in program adjustments. The user can set exact parameters for all features. The automatic altitude adjustment takes the guess work out of recipe conversions for users at higher altitudes.

Only Instant Pot Ultra allows the user to make program adjustments after the cooking progress has started. Instant Pot Ultra includes a Quick Release Button, which eliminates the need for the user to manually release pressure after cooking is completed. If left in the venting position, the button will resets itself when the lid is opened or closed.

Instant Pot DUO Plus

The Instant Pot DUO Plus does not have the Cooking Progress Indicator. The Instant Pot DUO Plus has four “Status Icons.” They indicate when the pot is heating, cooking, whether “Keep Warm” is selected and whether the beeping sound is turned on or off.

Mealthy MultiPot

Mealthy MultiPot‘s LED screen combines both the Instant Pot DUO Plus and the Instant Pot Ultra and functions most similarly to the Instant Pot DUO Plus. Mealthy combined the Cooking Progress Indicator from the Instant Pot Ultra and the Status Icons from the Instant Pot DUO Plus. This makes it very easy for the user to follow the cooking progress. Action photos of the Mealthy MultiPot are below.

All three multi-cookers have large, easy to read LCD Panels. The balance of this comparison will be just about Mealthy MultiPot and Instant Pot DUO Plus. Whether you watch the Cooking Progress Indicator or watch out for the Status Icons, they are all very easy to understand and you will know where in the three step cooking process you are, at a glance.

 

For pressure cooking (which is the function most used), when first setting the cook time, the LCD screen will indicate pressure chosen; High or Low and the cook time in minutes.

Both the Mealthy MultiPot and the Instant Pot DUO Plus, default to “Keep Warm,” which is indicated by the yellow light below the Keep Warm button. If the user decides not to use the warming feature, a simple push of the Keep Warm button, will turn off the feature.

The screen then quickly changes from cook time amount to “ON.” The thermometer icon lights up and on both the Instant Pot Ultra and Mealthy MultiPot and the Cooking Progress Indicator shows “Preheating,” which means the pressure will begin to build.

The Instant Pot DUO Plus and the Mealthy MultiPot show the status by the lighting of the icons.

Once the pot has reached full pressure, the red and white float valve on the Mealthy MultiPot pops up about half an inch, making it very easy to see, even from across the room! The float valve on the Instant Pot DUO Plus raises up only slightly above the lid, which makes it a bit harder to see at a glance.

The last photo in the above collage shows that the pressure is naturally releasing and that that the pot has switched to the Keep Warm mode.

Safety Ratings for Instant Pot and Mealthy.

All Instant Pots are UL/ULC Certified. Underwriters Laboratory (“UL”) listed means that the UL has tested representative samples of a product and determined that it meets UL’s requirements. These requirements are often based on UL’s published and nationally recognized Standards for Safety.

Mealthy is ETL listed. ETL stands for Extract-Transform-Load and it is a process of how data is loaded from the source system to the data warehouse. This means that UL develops the testing standards and tests to them. ETL tests to UL standards.

Mealthy MultiPot and Instant Pot DUO Plus both have 10 Safety Mechanisms.

What’s the difference between UL listing and ETL listing?

“UL and ETL are both what are called Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (NRTL). NRTLs are in place to provide independent safety and quality certifications on products. Electrical appliances typically require their certification (especially 240V appliances). Some charging station manufacturers do sell unlisted products; it is very important to check for the UL or ETL mark before purchasing.

UL develops the testing standards and tests to them. ETL tests to UL standards. In order for an inspector to sign off on a permitted installation for an EVSE, the National Electric Code requires the EVSE be NRTL listed.”1

Basically UL writes the rules and ETL tests to UL standards.

 

The Instant Pot DUO Plus has a housing in brushed silver.

The large control panel is very easy to read.

Both units have lid holders on either side, so that the lid can be removed and placed, standing into either the left or the right side.

The cooking pot in the Instant Pot is made from 304 food-grade (18/8) stainless steel with no chemical coating.

The colors around the buttons, make the center buttons easy to recognize.

 

The Mealthy MultiPot has a housing in black matte.

The large control panel is very easy to read.

Both units have a cut out place for the rice paddle and soup spoon.

Mealthy MultiPot is made from 100% 304 food-grade (18/10) stainless steel with a 3-ply base for even heating.

What about Instant Pot and Mealthy MultiPot Accessories?

All models of Instant Pot and the Mealthy MultiPot come with a food grade Stainless Steel Cooking Pot, Rice Cup, Rice Paddle, Soup Spoon and a Trivet with Handles.

Mealthy really thought about consumer need when they put together their accessories package. Mealthy MultiPot package includes everything that is included with the Instant Pot DUO Plus, plus several more very nice accessories. The additional accessories that come with Mealthy MultiPot are a stainless steel steamer basket with handles, an extra silicone gasket and silicone mitts. The steamer basket is large and its circumference uses all the space it can.

The included Trivet offers longer legs than the Instant Pot Trivet to help with Pot in Pot cooking. While this is more functional than Instant Pot’s trivet, I’d like to see another inch tacked on to the legs. For larger recipes, a taller Trivet would be better.

 

The stainless steel cooking pot gets very hot during pressure cooking. Red silicone gloves come standard with every Mealthy MultiPot.

Have you ever made a Pressure Cooker Cheesecake and looked forward to your dessert? You cut yourself a piece and take a bit. Bam, right in your face, last night’s dinner all over again. The Mealthy MultiPot package comes with an extra silicone gasket in a bright red color to match the red silicone mitts.

While silicone gaskets are not expensive, the extra silicone gasket included with the Ninja Foodi is a very nice incentive. One gasket for sweets and one for savory food.

 

The Mealthy MultiPot large steamer basket is ideal for pot in pot cooking, steaming vegetables, making meatloaf while the potatoes cook underneath and more.

Instant Pot has a website which is filled with helpful videos and recipes.

Mealthy’s website also is filled with helpful videos and recipes.

 

Both the Mealthy MultiPot and the Instant Pot DUO Plus come with information and guidance of how to use your multi-cooker. Both companies have recipe apps and websites with lots of recipes and other information. For the cooking charts, proceed with caution. Because of such variation in recipes, cooking charts are often very misleading, inaccurate and often have a longer than needed cook time.

So, what is left?

What are the Prices for a Mealthy MultiPot or the Instant Pot DUO Plus?

This of course is a great question.

I’m sure you have been wondering all long about the price of each multi-cooker.

An Instant Pot DUO Plus is under $130.00. However, the Instant Pot Company runs sales on certain units throughout the year.

The every day price of Mealthy MultiPot (which comes with the large steamer basket, extra sealing ring and silicone mitts) on Amazon is under $100 for this huge package. You can also head over to Mealthy.com and get the same package for under $95.00 with two day free shipping!!!!

The extra accessories included in the Mealthy MultiPot box is a sweet deal.

Does the Mealthy MultiPot Perform as Well as Instant Pot DUO Plus?

From all my testings, the short term long term, the short answer is yes.

In this instance, there really is not a long answer, as both multi-cookers perform the way they are supposed to perform. However, as the Mealthy MultiPot is still new, I cannot yet speak to longevity. [Edited 5-25-2019, it has been almost a year and the Mealthy MultiPot is still going strong]

The safety features on both units will keep you and your family safe, provided you don’t try to pry open the lid, while the pot is under pressure.

From my testing, the Mealthy MultiPot and Instant Pot DUO Plus perform similarly and the variation was too insignificant to mention any kind of difference.

Mealthy and Instant Pot are manufactured by different factories. While they both have the same outside appearance, the components used for each multi-cooker are different.

In summary, Instant Pot has a fierce contender in the Mealthy MultiPot and I suspect we will be seeing more coming from both companies.

 

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