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Best Electric Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot For RV Camping

Cooking A Camping Dinner With An Electric Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot Is So Easy

Finding the best electric pressure cookers for RV Living or camping might be hard because it’s such a specific area, but I am here to help you do just that.

It’s what the Camping Nerd is all about!

Related Product: We use the Instant Vortex 2 Quart Mini Air Fryer (click to view on Amazon) in our RV to replace the difficult to use camper oven.

The pressure cooker is not a new invention.

It goes back to the year 1679 when the French physicist Denis Papin was trying to invent a way to reduce the time it took to cook food.

He succeeded. He figured out that the water’s boiling point (100 °C, 212 °F at standard pressure) increases as pressure rises.

Under standard pressure, boiling water turns into steam, but when you stop that steam from escaping, it will push down into the liquid and create more pressure.

The boiling point of water can then reach a temperature of 121 °C (250 °F), which will cook food faster.

It’s an interesting read on the history and the theory of pressure cookers on Wikipedia.

old pressure cooker on a stove
Pressure cookers have come a long way from stovetop pots to electric Instant Pots that can be used in RVs.

So how far have pressure cookers come, almost 340 years since Papin’s discovery?

During the 20th century, generations of pressure cookers have come and gone.

The most popular one being used today is the electric pressure cooker. Often called Instant Pot, because they make the most popular brand of pressure cookers.

All the products I will review today and discuss with you are electric pressure cookers that can make wonderful dinners in a short time.

Check out this post here to see generators that can run electric pressure cookers and instant pots.

I love to cook, and I love electronics, but when you want to cook in nature with anything that uses electricity, you need to know how many watts it uses and for how long.

Will you only be able to use your pressure cooker on a sunny day when your batteries can be quickly replenished?

I will do my best to give you the info on pressure cookers, and then it will, of course, depend on your setup.

Feel free to leave a comment with any questions you might have.

The most general questions will be answered at the bottom in the Frequently Asked Questions, where I also discuss some power usage info.

Summary (Links to Amazon)

Preview
Low Power Usage
Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Mini Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Rice...
Best Mid Range
COSORI Electric Pressure Cooker 6 Quart, 9-in-1 Instant Multi Cooker,...
Most Programs
Mueller 6 Quart Pressure Cooker 10 in 1, Cook 2 Dishes at Once,...
Most Advanced
Ninja OL500 Foodi 6.5 Qt. 14-in-1 Pressure Cooker Steam Fryer with...
Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice...
Highest Capacity
Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice...
Quarts
3 Quarts
6 Quarts
6 Quarts
6.5 Quarts
6 Quarts
8 Quarts
Smart Programs
13
13
15
12
14
14
Cooking Functions
7
9
10
14
7
7
Watts
700 W
1100 W
1000 W
1460 W
1000 W
1200 W
Size (LxWxH)
11.50 x 10.51 x 10.51 Inches
12.6 x 13.4 x 12.5 Inches
13.4 x 13 x 12.8 inches
14.2 x 15.4 x 13 Inches
13.39 × 12.21 × 12.48 Inches
14.80 × 13.19 × 14.02 Inches
Weight
8.49 Lbs
12 Lbs
16.4 lbs
24 Lbs
11.8 Lbs
15.79 Lbs

Low Power Usage

Preview
Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Mini Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Rice...
Quarts
3 Quarts
Smart Programs
13
Cooking Functions
7
Watts
700 W
Size (LxWxH)
11.50 x 10.51 x 10.51 Inches
Weight
8.49 Lbs

Best Mid Range

Preview
COSORI Electric Pressure Cooker 6 Quart, 9-in-1 Instant Multi Cooker,...
Quarts
6 Quarts
Smart Programs
13
Cooking Functions
9
Watts
1100 W
Size (LxWxH)
12.6 x 13.4 x 12.5 Inches
Weight
12 Lbs

Most Programs

Preview
Mueller 6 Quart Pressure Cooker 10 in 1, Cook 2 Dishes at Once,...
Quarts
6 Quarts
Smart Programs
15
Cooking Functions
10
Watts
1000 W
Size (LxWxH)
13.4 x 13 x 12.8 inches
Weight
16.4 lbs

Most Advanced

Preview
Ninja OL500 Foodi 6.5 Qt. 14-in-1 Pressure Cooker Steam Fryer with...
Quarts
6.5 Quarts
Smart Programs
12
Cooking Functions
14
Watts
1460 W
Size (LxWxH)
14.2 x 15.4 x 13 Inches
Weight
24 Lbs
Preview
Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice...
Quarts
6 Quarts
Smart Programs
14
Cooking Functions
7
Watts
1000 W
Size (LxWxH)
13.39 × 12.21 × 12.48 Inches
Weight
11.8 Lbs

Highest Capacity

Preview
Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice...
Quarts
8 Quarts
Smart Programs
14
Cooking Functions
7
Watts
1200 W
Size (LxWxH)
14.80 × 13.19 × 14.02 Inches
Weight
15.79 Lbs

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Best Pressure Cooker & Instant Pots Reviews & Info

1. Instant Pot Duo Mini 3 Qt 7-in-1

Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Mini Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Rice...

Check Price at Amazon

The most portable, low wattage, and lightweight electric pressure cooker in this review is the Duo Mini from Instant Pot.

It’s the only one that weighs less than 10 lbs and is rated at 700 watts.

The downside is that this one is 3 quarts smaller than the next size in the comparison.

You’ll most likely not be able to cook a meal for more than four people with it.

But for couples and small families, this light and efficient pressure cooker is fantastic for bringing along in the RV.

We do a lot of boondocking, and being able to cook a nice dinner without having to do a lot of cleanup afterward has been awesome.

See Also: Best Unbreakable Dinnerware Sets For Camping, RV, Boats

So what does it mean that it’s a 7-in-1 pressure cooker?

It means it can not only pressure cook, but also slow cook, cook rice, saute, steam, yogurt, and warm food.

Depending on what you’re preparing, you’ll also have ten built-in programs to choose from on the front of the cooker.

Other features include a 24 hours delay start, three temperatures to choose from when sauteing or slow cooking, and up to 240 minutes of pressure-cooking at once.

240 minutes is a long time to be pressure cooking anything. I have never set mine to more than 60 minutes, and I cook all kinds of foods, even from frozen.

The Instant Pot 3 Quart Duo is a versatile choice that is small enough to fit in an RV or boat kitchen.

It could also work in a van since it’s so compact.

PROS

  • Best Small Family Option
  • 13 Cooking Programs
  • Lots of Accessories
  • 10 Safety Mechanisms
  • 3-ply Bottom Cooking Pot
  • Lowest Watt Usage
  • Most Lightweight

CONS

  • Short Power Cord
  • No Glass Lid
  • Small

2. COSORI 6 Qt 9-in-1

COSORI Electric Pressure Cooker 6 Quart, 9-in-1 Instant Multi Cooker,...

Check Price at Amazon

Cosori is a company that you might have heard of before if you like kitchen accessories.

Their 6 quart 9-in-1 pressure cooker is the perfect size for an RV, and it has enough features to cook pretty much anything.

Like most electric pressure cookers, it doesn’t just pressure cook. There are 9 features in total.

It’s a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, saute pan, sous vide, steamer, yogurt maker, sterilizer, and food warmer.

Some of those features don’t actually cook food, and I’ve never seen anyone use the Sous Vide method while camping, but hey, you could if you wanted to.

Most of the features on the Cosori are fantastic for camping though.

The saute pan is a nice touch as well because a lot of slow cooker meals require sauteed ingredients.

See Also: 50 Must-Have RV Kitchen Accessories For Full Time RV Living

There are 13 presets for cooking with different styles and for common foods. Some of the presets for food include rice, oatmeal, stew, beans, and meat/poultry.

There’s a cooking progress bar and indicators for preheating and warming mode.

The cooking pot is made of aluminum and coated with a ceramic non-stick coating that’s BPA, PTFE, and PFOA free.

The COSORI 6 Qt has a lot of functions, which makes it perfect for camp cooking.

You can easily make one pot meals with this pressure cooker. It’s also going to be very easy to clean because of the ceramic coating that’s free from harmful material.

PROS

  • 13 Smart Programs
  • 9 Functions
  • 12 safety mechanisms
  • Easy to Clean
  • Large Inner Pot
  • Lightweight for Size

CONS

  • Short Power Cord
  • High Watts Usage
  • No Glass Lid

3. MUELLER 6 Qt 10-in-1 Pro Series

Mueller 6 Quart Pressure Cooker 10 in 1, Cook 2 Dishes at Once,...

Check Price at Amazon

This Germany-based company Mueller delivers the most versatile pressure cooking in this review. Which makes it very RV friendly.

This 10-in-1, 6 Quarts, with 15 programs can cook two dishes at once with the included bonus steel rack.

The steel rack trick is also possible with the other pressure cookers but not advertised as much, and most don’t include the rack with purchase.

I have answered a question down in the FAQ below about whether it matters how many pre-programmed programs your pressure cooker has.

Cook oatmeal, broth/soup, poultry, yogurt, egg, beans/chili, rice, meat/stew, cake, or even can foods.

With this many programs, it can quickly become your most used RV kitchen appliance.

See Also: Best Folding Camping Tables (All Types Reviewed)

The interior is made out of a non-stick ceramic, and plastic free from PTFE and PFOA.

Its cooking pot is stainless steel (18/10) and has no chemical coating.

The bottom of it is 3-ply for even heat distribution.

I like that Mueller includes a glass lid for when you want to slow cook food and want to see how the food is doing without removing the lid.

The MUELLER 6 Qt 10-in-1 Pro Series has the most features and is a fantastic appliance for small kitchens, but it’s also the heaviest pressure cooker in this review.

It’s heavy and not super portable, but if you have a large RV there should still be space for it.

It has a fairly low watt usage, which means it’s going to work well with most generators and large portable power stations.

PROS

  • 15 Smart Programs
  • 9 Safety Mechanisms
  • Glass Lid
  • Extra Accessories Included
  • Large Inner Pot
  • 10 Functions

CONS

  • Heavy for Size

4. Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker

Ninja OL500 Foodi 6.5 Qt. 14-in-1 Pressure Cooker Steam Fryer with...

Check Price at Amazon

You can’t have a pressure cooker review without including at least one Ninja product.

Ninja is one of those companies that goes the extra mile to make its products as versatile and functional as possible.

The Ninja Foodi is a combination of a pressure cooker and an air fryer. The air fryer is in the lid and the pressure cooker in the base.

This 6.5 quart model is the smallest Foodi available. When compared to the pressure cookers in this review, it’s huge.

Weighing 24 lbs and measuring 14.2 inches deep, 15.4 inches wide, and 13 inches tall. It’s really big for the pan capacity.

So why even choose the extra heavy Ninja Foodie for RV camping?

Because of the air fryer feature, the Foodie can be used to cook basically anything, and it’s really good at cooking two kinds of foods at the same time.

See Also: Review Of The Jackery Explorer 1500 Power Station/Solar Generator

There are 14 cooking functions in total. It can pressure cook, steam, crisp, bake, air fry, broil, roast, dehydrate, saute, Sous Vide, slow cook, make yogurt, and keep food warm.

If you don’t like how soggy pressure cooked and steamed food is, the Foodie has the perfect fix for that.

Cook your food like normal, then turn on the air fryer function for the last few minutes to get it crispy.

There are so many cool things about the Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker. It’s the perfect appliance for RV kitchens since it can do pretty much anything.

We’ve always camped with both an air fryer and a pressure cooker. The Foodie replaces both of those appliances.

It does use the most power in this review, 1,460 watts. But that’s mostly when you use the air fryer.

If you mostly stay in RV parks or campgrounds with hookups and you have the space for it, this pressure cooker is one of the best options out there.

PROS

    • Air Fryer & Pressure Cooker
    • 14 Cooking Functions
    • 12 Smart Programs
    • 2 Layer Cooking
    • Best for Baking
    • 2 Appliances in One

CONS

    • No Glass Lid
    • Heavy
    • High Power Usage
    • Large for Pan Capacity

5. Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1

Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice...

Check Price at Amazon

The DUO60 from Instant Pot is their 6 Qt model for families with 4-6 people.

It’s a 7-in-1 pressure cooker with 14 smart programs.

Pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté, yogurt maker and warmer are the functions.

Just like the much smaller 3 quart Instant Pot, you can set a 24 hours delay start.

Up to 120 minutes of cook time on manual settings, and 3 temperatures to choose from on saute and slow cook.

See Also: Best Propane Camping Stoves – From Small To Large

10 safety mechanisms will make sure that you’ll cook your food fast and safe.

Besides the safety mechanisms, the DUO60 is UL and ULC certified.

The stainless steel inner cooking pot has a 3-ply bottom for great heat distribution.

Included with the Instant Pot DUO60 is a steam rack, rice paddle, soup spoon, measuring cup, condensation collector and a recipe booklet.

I recommend Googling your favorite dish and add “instant pot” in the end.

There are tons of recipes out there for meals that you might never think about cooking in a pressure cooker.

PROS

  • 14 Smart Programs
  • 10 Safety Mechanisms
  • Detachable Power Cord
  • Lightest 6 Quart Option
  • Lots of Accessories
  • 3-ply Cooking Pot

CONS

  • Less Cooking Functions
  • No Glass Lid

6. Instant Pot DUO80 8 Qt 7-in-1

Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice...

Check Price at Amazon

The biggest pressure cooker in this review is an Instant Pot.

It’s made for large families. 8 Quarts should be enough to cook meals for 6 or more people, or leave a lot of leftovers for two.

It’s a 7-in-1 cooker with 14 smart programs.

As far as settings and functions go, it doesn’t differ much from the other Instant Pots. It’s just bigger.

It uses 200 Watts more than it’s little brother which makes it the most power-hungry Instant Pot.

It’s still not as bad as the Ninja Foodie with its air fryer feature.

Unfortunately, the power cord on this big model is not detachable.

See Also: Best Folding Portable High Chairs For Travel & Camping

Included with the DUO80 are a steam rack, rice paddle, soup spoon, measuring cup, condensation collector and a recipe booklet.

The Instant Pot DUO80 is the largest electric pressure cooker I am reviewing today.

It’s the best pick for a large family or someone that does a lot of meal prepping.

Even though it takes up more space than a smaller Instant Pot, you can cook more food, which can mean spending less time cooking food since you can eat leftovers for days.

PROS

  • Big 8 Quart Capacity
  • 14 Smart Programs
  • 10 Safety Mechanisms
  • Lots of Accessories
  • 3-ply Cooking Pot

CONS

  • Heavy
  • Short Power Cord
  • No Glass Lid
  • High Power Usage

Electric Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot Recommendations For RVers

I hope I have helped you find your way through the electric pressure cooker-jungle to find the perfect RV pressure cooker.

When deciding what electric pressure cooker to buy, the most critical factor to consider is how many people you are planning to feed.

Also power usage if you are planning on using a generator or portable power station as a power source.

One benefit to the larger modes, even though they use more electricity is, more food means more meals and left-overs.

Starting up the pressure cooker every day might not be sustainable if all the electricity you get is from solar, there will be cloudy days.

If you have never tried meal prepping, do it!

Before you decide, it’s a good idea to think about what meals you will be cooking in your RV.

More features don’t automatically mean a better product for everybody.

It depends on the user, and it can be worth it to save on space, weight, and money by getting a cheaper one with fewer programs if you won’t use most of them.

Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Mini Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Rice...

Lowest Power Usage – Instant Pot Duo Mini

If you have a generator or power station that outputs less than 1000 watts, the Instant Pot Duo Mini is the lowest watt pressure cooker in this review.

It’s small, but it still has enough space to cook meals for couples and small families.

When you’re boondocking there isn’t always a ton of options. If your power set up can only handle 700 to 1,000 watts, this is the best option.

Ninja OL500 Foodi 6.5 Qt. 14-in-1 Pressure Cooker Steam Fryer with...

Most Advanced – Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker

Air fryers are also a fantastic RV kitchen appliance. Since RV ovens are hard to use, an air fryer is a fantastic replacement.

We never use the oven in our RV, just the air fryer, even when baking.

The Ninja Foodi is heavy and big for its 6.5 quart capacity, but if you have a big cupboard it can fit in, it’s one of the best choices.

More features means more options and even less dishes.

For camping, less dishes is what you want.

Frequently Asked Questions About Electric Pressure Cookers

If a pressure cooker is rated at 1000 Watts, will it use 1000 Watts during the whole time it’s cooking?

Short answer, no.

Longer answer: A pressure cooker can cook the food faster by raising the boiling point of water.

When the cooker has reached this point, it’s pretty much done, and now the food just needs to be in there for long enough to get cooked.

What this means in power usage, is that a 1000 Watts cooker will use that much for as long as it’s heating up and building pressure.

When reached, it won’t have to keep heating up so it will start using less power.

A 6 Qt usually only uses around 20-50 watts while the food is cooking.

If you’re cooking for longer, it might have to heat up again, then the power usage will spike, and then go down again.

This is also true if you’re slow cooking.

Depending on your temperature setting (low/high etc.), your pressure cooker will know when it has reached the intended temperature.

It will then fluctuate between heating and not heating, using more and less power.

Will a pressure cooker explode?

No, electric pressure cookers today have lots of safety features to prevent explosions. Read more about these features below.

best pressure cooker for low wattage power use energy efficient rv life
Modern pressure cookers are safe to use even if you don’t know what you’re doing thanks to several safety features.

Are pressure cookers safe?

Some people stay away from pressure cookers because they’ve heard stories about them exploding.

Something great about the modern electric pressure cookers is that they have several safety features. Some common features today are:

  • Doesn’t start pressurizing if the lid isn’t on correctly
  • Locks the lid during cooking
  • Overheat protection
  • Automatic pressure control
  • Automatic temperature control
  • Internal fuses
  • Anti-block shield to prevent food particles from blocking the steam release pipe

I have had my pressure cooker for almost a year now, and we use it every week for different meals.

To be honest, I was worried about safety in the beginning.

It felt scary to have a pressure cooker going in the kitchen. But as with most other things, you get used to it, and you realize that it’s safer than you thought.

With all of these safety features, and so many pressure cookers being sold, there’s a really tiny chance that yours would malfunction and cause any damage.

Follow the instructions that come with your pressure cooker or it will most likely not cook any food for you, simple as that!

Does it really matter how many pre-programmed programs my pressure cooker has?

The so-called smart programs on most electric pressure cookers take care of four parameters: heating intensity, temperature, pressure, and duration.

If you push the rice button, your pressure cooker will know how fast it should heat up, the temperature it should be cooked in, under how much pressure, and for how long. That’s all it does.

Do you have to have a rice program to cook rice in an electric pressure cooker? No. But you will have to figure out the parameters on your own.

A lot of pressure cooker recipes help you with this and tells you what you should set up through manual mode.

Sometimes doing it manually will cook the food better because the program doesn’t know what kind of rice you put in, and how much.

What is so great about pressure cookers?

Pressure cookers will cook the food for you faster while using up to 70% less energy. Modern pressure cookers can also do all kinds of cooking.

Maybe in your kitchen today you have a rice cooker, a slow cooker, a yogurt maker, and a steamer.

What if I told you that one pressure cooker could do all of that?

Okay, now I sound like a salesman, but I have had one for almost a year and I love it. Especially if you live in an RV, and have limited space.

It’s such a great solution with so many choices and since they’re so popular nowadays, there are so many recipes online and books that focus specifically on pressure cooking recipes.

I recommend visiting instantpot.com for more info.

But I don’t cook.

Then make cooking easier for the person that cooks for you!

Have any more questions about electric pressure cookers and Instant Pots for RV use? Leave a comment below.

by Jesse
Jesse has always had an interest in camping, technology, and the outdoors. Who knew that growing up in a small town in Sweden with endless forests and lakes would do that to you?

3 thoughts on “Best Electric Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot For RV Camping”

  1. The Mealthy uses at least twice as much power as my Instant Pot did. Maybe even 3 times. As a boondocker I completely regret buying this for the bells and whistles. I guess you didn’t actually *test* any of these units.

    Reply
    • Sorry to hear that but thanks for letting me know. Hope you can return it.

      Correct, we haven’t tested all of them. Just going off of the information I could find about them.

      Reply

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