What Are the Instant Pot Sizes? (with Drawings)

Instant Pots have revolutionized the way we cook, making meal preparation easier, faster, and more convenient. With various sizes available, it’s essential to choose the right Instant Pot size for your cooking needs and kitchen space. The perfect size can make all the difference in your cooking experience, helping you create delicious meals with ease.

The Instant Pot comes in the following sizes—

3-quart—Perfect for small kitchens, singles, or couples
6-quart—ideal for families, batch cooking, and potlucks.
6.5-quart—A slightly larger capacity for those who need a bit more room for their cooking creations.
8-quart—Excellent for large families or entertaining a crowd.

This article will guide you through the different Instant Pot sizes and their features, as well as provide tips on recipe adaptation, and accessories.

Instant Pot Size Options

Choosing the right Instant Pot size is important for your cooking needs. Each size has its own benefits and is suited for different situations. In this section, we will explore the four main sizes of Instant Pots—3-quart, 6-quart, 6.5-quart, and 8-quart. We will discuss the ideal users and kitchen sizes for each, along with their cooking capacity.

3-Quart Instant Pot—The Compact Choice

The 3-quart Instant Pot is the smallest size available. It’s perfect for people living alone or couples who don’t need to cook large meals. If you have a small kitchen with limited counter space, this size will fit nicely. It can comfortably cook meals for 2-3 people. This compact Instant Pot is great for making side dishes, sauces, and small one-pot meals.

3-quart Instant Pot models include:

Duo V3
Duo V5
Duo Plus.

6-Quart Instant Pot—The Versatile Option

The 6-quart Instant Pot is the most popular size because it’s versatile and works well for most families. It’s great for those who want to cook larger meals or do meal prep for the week. This size can handle cooking for 4-6 people and is suitable for medium-sized kitchens. The 6-quart Instant Pot is perfect for cooking a variety of dishes, including soups, stews, and even whole chickens.

6-quart Instant Pot models include:

Duo Plus V3
Duo Plus V4
Duo V5
Duo Crisp
Pro
Pro Plus
RIO

6.5-Quart Instant Pot—The Slightly Larger Choice

The 6.5-quart Instant Pot is a slightly larger option for those who need a bit more cooking capacity. This size is still manageable for most kitchens and is ideal for families of 4-6 people. With the extra space, you can easily prepare larger meals or cook multiple dishes at once. The 6.5-quart size is excellent for cooking larger cuts of meat, big batches of soup, or even baking desserts.

The only 6.5-quart Instant Pot model is the Duo Crisp.

8-Quart Instant Pot—The Big Batch Cooker

The 8-quart Instant Pot is the largest standard size available. It’s perfect for big families or people who like to entertain guests. This size can handle cooking for 6-8 people or more, depending on the dish.

This Instant Pot size is great for preparing big batches of food for parties or freezing leftovers for future meals. If you have a larger kitchen with ample counter space, this size will be a valuable addition to your cooking arsenal.

8-quart Instant Pot models include:

Duo Crisp
Duo V5
Duo Plus V4
Pro Crisp & Air Fryer
Pro Pressure Cooker

Instant Pot Size and Recipe Adaptation

Cooking with an Instant Pot is easy and convenient, but sometimes you might need to adapt a recipe to fit the size of your Instant Pot. In this section, we will cover cooking time adjustments, ingredient ratios, and liquid considerations for the different Instant Pot sizes.

Adapting Recipes for Different Instant Pot Sizes

When you find a recipe you want to try, it may be written for a different Instant Pot size than the one you have. To adapt the recipe, you can follow these simple steps:

Check the recipe’s original size and compare it to your Instant Pot size.
Adjust the ingredient amounts proportionally. For example, if the recipe is for a 6-quart Instant Pot and you have a 3-quart model, you can cut the ingredients in half.
Make sure not to overfill your Instant Pot, as this can cause safety issues. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for maximum fill levels.

Cooking Time Adjustments for Various Sizes

Cooking times may vary depending on the size of your Instant Pot. As a general rule, smaller Instant Pots might cook faster, while larger ones may take a bit more time. However, the difference in cooking times is usually minimal. To ensure your food is cooked perfectly, you can:

Check the food for doneness a few minutes earlier than the recipe suggests.
If the food isn’t cooked through, close the lid and continue cooking for a few more minutes.

Liquid and Ingredient Ratio Considerations

The amount of liquid you use in your Instant Pot is important for successful cooking. Different sizes may require different liquid amounts to work properly. To make sure you’re using the right amount of liquid:

Check the minimum liquid requirement for your Instant Pot size in the user manual.
When adapting a recipe, make sure to adjust the liquid amount to meet your Instant Pot’s requirements, even if the other ingredients are reduced.
Keep in mind that some ingredients, like rice and pasta, absorb liquid, so you may need to add more liquid to ensure they cook properly.

Accessories for Different Instant Pot Sizes

Accessories can help you cook a wider variety of dishes and make the most of your Instant Pot. Choosing the right accessories for your Instant Pot can make your cooking experience even better.

Must-Have Accessories for Every Size

There are some accessories that are useful for all Instant Pot sizes. These accessories can enhance your cooking experience and help you get the most out of your Instant Pot:

Steamer basket—Great for steaming vegetables, fish, and even dumplings.
Silicone trivet—Protects your countertop from heat and makes lifting hot items out of the Instant Pot easy.
Extra sealing rings—Having a few extra sealing rings on hand can prevent odors from transferring between dishes.
Glass lid—Useful for slow cooking or when using the Instant Pot as a serving dish.

Size-Specific Accessories and Recommendations

Certain accessories are designed to fit specific Instant Pot sizes. When purchasing accessories, make sure to choose the right size for your Instant Pot:

3-quart Instant Pot accessories:

Mini cake pan—Perfect for baking small cakes or cheesecakes.
Mini loaf pan—Ideal for making bread or meatloaf in smaller portions.

6-quart and 6.5-quart Instant Pot accessories:

Springform pan—Great for making cheesecakes or other round desserts.
Egg bite mold—Make perfect egg bites, muffins, or mini quiches.
Stackable steamer insert pans—Cook multiple dishes at once by stacking the pans inside the Instant Pot.

8-quart Instant Pot accessories:

Large steamer basket—Allows you to steam a larger amount of food at once.
Silicone roasting rack—Helps keep large cuts of meat elevated while cooking, promoting even cooking and easy removal.

Instant Pot Size Recommendations for Special Diets

When following a special diet, choosing the right Instant Pot size can make meal preparation easier and more enjoyable.

Vegetarian Diets

For vegetarians, a 3-quart or 6-quart Instant Pot is usually sufficient. These sizes are perfect for cooking smaller batches of grains, beans, and vegetables, which are staples in vegetarian meals.

Keto Diets

Those following a keto diet often prepare larger portions of meat and low-carb vegetables. A 6-quart, 6.5-quart, or 8-quart Instant Pot is ideal for cooking larger cuts of meat and preparing big batches of food.

Meal Prep Diets

If meal prep is a significant part of your diet plan, a larger Instant Pot, like the 6-quart, 6.5-quart, or 8-quart, is recommended. These sizes allow you to cook multiple meals at once, making it easier to prepare food for the week ahead.