Explainer
Does an Instant Pot use a lot of electricity?
An electric pressure cooker like an Instant Pot does not use a lot of electricity; it draws a fair amount while heating up, then far less while it holds pressure in its insulated pot, and because it cooks quickly it usually uses less energy overall than an oven or stovetop.
By the Lush Editorial Team·Researched & Compared
An electric pressure cooker such as an Instant Pot does not use a lot of electricity, and it is usually one of the more economical ways to cook. It draws a fair amount of power while it heats up and comes to pressure, but once there it needs far less, because its insulated, sealed pot holds the heat and the element only cycles on now and then to maintain it. Combined with the fact that pressure cooking is fast, this means a typical cook uses modest energy, often less than an oven or a long stovetop simmer. The electric pressure cookers in our best pressure cookers guide are efficient for the cooking they do.
How it uses power
An electric pressure cooker works like many heating appliances: it pulls its full power mainly while actively heating. At the start of a cook, the element runs steadily to bring the contents up to pressure, which is the most power hungry phase. Once pressure is reached, the cooker only needs to maintain it, and because the pot is well insulated and sealed, little heat escapes, so the element switches on just briefly now and then to hold the temperature. So the pattern is a higher draw at the start and then short top ups, which averages out to much less than the element’s peak rating suggests over the whole cook.
Insulation and sealing make it efficient
The sealed, insulated design is what keeps the energy use low. Unlike an open pot on the stove, which loses heat and steam constantly and needs continuous heat to keep simmering, a pressure cooker traps the steam and holds the heat inside, so once hot it barely needs more energy to stay there. There is no steam carrying heat away and no hot pot radiating into the kitchen. This efficiency, combined with cooking at a higher temperature so food is done sooner, is why pressure cooking is often cited as an energy saving method compared with boiling, simmering, or oven cooking the same dish.
Speed keeps the total down
The biggest reason the total energy stays modest is speed. Pressure cooking is fast, cooking many dishes in a fraction of the time they would take by boiling, braising, or roasting, and energy use is power multiplied by time, so a short cook uses less total energy even if the appliance draws a decent amount while running. A stew that might simmer for hours on the stove or in the oven can be done far quicker in a pressure cooker, so even though both draw power, the pressure cooker runs for much less time and uses less energy overall for the same result.
How it compares
Against other appliances, an electric pressure cooker generally comes out well. Compared with a conventional oven, which heats a large cavity for a long time, it is far more efficient for a single pot meal. Compared with a long stovetop simmer or braise, it saves energy through speed and insulation. It uses more than a quick microwave reheat, simply because it cooks rather than just warms, but for actually cooking a meal it is among the thriftier options. Keep warm mode, if left on for hours, does add some ongoing draw, so switching it off when the food is done avoids that extra use.
Keeping the cost down
A few habits keep it as efficient as possible. Use only as much liquid as needed, since the cooker must heat whatever is inside, and do not overfill beyond what the recipe requires. Make sure the lid seals properly, since a leaking seal wastes heat and makes the element work harder. Turn off the keep warm function once you are ready to eat rather than leaving it running for hours. And match the cooker size roughly to the amount you cook. None of these is dramatic, because the appliance is already efficient, but together they keep an electric pressure cooker among the cheapest ways to cook a meal.
The short answer
So an Instant Pot or similar electric pressure cooker does not use a lot of electricity. It draws more while heating up and coming to pressure, then far less while its insulated, sealed pot holds pressure with only brief top ups from the element, and because pressure cooking is fast, the total energy for a meal is modest, usually less than an oven or a long stovetop cook. Use sensible liquid, keep the seal good, and switch off keep warm when done, and it remains one of the more economical ways to cook a full meal.
Common questions
Does an Instant Pot use a lot of power?
Not really. An electric pressure cooker draws a fair amount while heating up and coming to pressure, but once there it needs far less, because its insulated, sealed pot holds the heat and the element only cycles on briefly to maintain it. Combined with fast cooking, a typical meal uses modest energy, often less than an oven or a long stovetop simmer, making it one of the more economical ways to cook.
Is an Instant Pot cheaper to run than an oven?
Usually yes for a single pot meal. A conventional oven heats a large cavity for a long time, while an electric pressure cooker heats only its insulated pot and cooks quickly, then just tops up the heat occasionally to hold pressure. So for the same stew or braise, the pressure cooker generally uses less energy. The oven only wins when you are cooking a large batch or several dishes at once that fill it.
How much electricity does an electric pressure cooker use?
A modest amount per meal. It pulls its full power mainly during the initial heat up to pressure, then drops to brief top ups to maintain pressure in the sealed, insulated pot, and because the cook is fast, the total energy is small. The exact cost depends on your electricity rate, the dish, and the cooking time, but pressure cooking is generally among the thriftier ways to cook a full meal.
Why is pressure cooking energy efficient?
Because of insulation, sealing, and speed. The sealed, insulated pot traps steam and holds heat, so once hot it barely needs more energy to stay there, unlike an open pot that loses heat and steam constantly. And pressure cooking is fast, so the appliance runs for much less time. Since energy use is power multiplied by time, a short, well insulated cook uses far less total energy than a long boil, braise, or roast.
Does leaving an Instant Pot on keep warm use much electricity?
It adds a small ongoing draw, since the element cycles on now and then to hold the food warm, so leaving keep warm running for hours uses more than switching off when the food is done. The amount is modest because the pot is insulated, but if you want to minimize energy use, turn it off once you are ready to eat rather than leaving it warming for a long time.