5 Best Air Fryer Rice Cooker Combos 2026

The Instant Pot Pro Crisp isn’t just another combo appliance—it’s a kitchen revolution packed into a sleek 8-quart powerhouse. With 11-in-1 functionality, including pressure cooking, air frying, dehydrating, and even sous vide, it tackles nearly every cooking task with confidence. The standout? EvenCrisp Technology delivers golden, crispy results using 95% less oil, making it a game-changer for health-conscious families craving fried textures without the guilt.

In real-world testing, the dual-lid system shines—switching between pressure cooking and air frying is seamless, letting you pressure-cook ribs and finish them under the broil lid for that smoky crisp. The 1500-watt motor heats quickly and maintains consistent airflow during air frying, producing evenly browned fries and juicy roasted chicken. However, the air fryer basket can feel cramped when cooking large batches, and the top heating element doesn’t cover the full surface, leading to minor browning inconsistencies on wide pans.

Compared to the Ninja Combi, the Pro Crisp trades some speed for versatility—it doesn’t match Ninja’s 15-minute complete meals, but it offers more precision in pressure cooking and better integration with recipe apps (800+ free options). It’s ideal for home chefs who want one appliance to replace seven, especially those already in the Instant Pot ecosystem. While the Ninja excels in speed, the Pro Crisp wins on overall cooking depth, safety features, and app support, making it the best all-around performer despite a slightly bulkier footprint.

The Ninja Combi is a speed demon in the kitchen, engineered for families who need complete meals in 15 minutes without sacrificing flavor or texture. Its HyperSteam + Air Fry technology is the real magic—super-heated steam locks in moisture while cyclonic air crisps exteriors, so you get juicy chicken thighs with crackling skin, all from frozen, in under 30 minutes. With 14 cooking functions, from Proof to Pizza, it’s the most versatile all-in-one on the list, especially for those tired of juggling multiple appliances.

During testing, the Combi Cooker Pan proved indispensable—layer proteins on the bottom, veggies on top, and grains in the basket, then let the system cook everything simultaneously. It handled a full 6-lb roast chicken with ease and crisped a 10-inch frozen pizza to perfection. The 300°F to 500°F range gives excellent control, but the steam function can fog up the display, and the bake tray lacks a non-stick coating, making cleanup harder than expected. Still, for large families or entertainers, the 8-serving capacity and ability to cook frozen foods without defrosting are massive wins.

Against the Instant Pot Pro Crisp, the Ninja Combi prioritizes speed and convenience over precision cooking. It doesn’t offer sous vide or sterilize functions, but it cooks full meals 30% faster thanks to integrated steam and air flow. It’s perfect for busy parents, meal preppers, or anyone who hates waiting. While the Instant Pot offers more specialty functions, the Ninja delivers better real-world efficiency and larger batch cooking, making it the superior pick for those who value time over niche features.

Don’t let the 6-quart size fool you—the Instant Pot Duo Crisp packs a full-flavor punch in a compact body, making it the smartest budget buy for small to mid-sized households. It brings the same EvenCrisp Technology and 11-in-1 versatility as its bigger siblings, delivering crispy wings and tender pulled pork with 95% less oil and 70% faster cooking times than traditional methods. The dual-lid design ensures you can pressure cook dinner and finish with air frying—no extra appliances, no clutter.

In daily use, the 1500-watt system heats fast and maintains temperature well, though the smaller basket limits batch sizes—ideal for 1–4 people, but tight for larger groups. The air fry results are consistently golden, and the pressure cooking function handles beans, rice, and stews with reliability. However, the app integration lacks advanced customization, and the dehydrate function takes longer than standalone units. Still, for beginners or those tight on counter space, it’s a no-fail starter combo that rarely underperforms.

Compared to the 8-quart Pro Crisp, this model sacrifices capacity and some premium features (like the stainless-steel tri-ply pot) but keeps the core functionality intact at nearly half the cost. It’s not as powerful as the Ninja for large families, but it’s more intuitive and safer for first-time users. If you want Instant Pot reliability without the bulk, this is the best entry point—offering more features per dollar than any other in the lineup.

The 6QT Air Fryer & Multi-Cooker Combo is a hidden gem for budget cooks who want maximum versatility without the brand markup. With 12-in-1 functions, it goes beyond air frying to handle hot pot, congee, noodles, and stews—making it a true Asian cuisine all-rounder. The 1800W power outpaces most rivals, bringing water to a boil faster and crisping food more efficiently, while the removable air fry basket and deep soup pot let you switch from frying to boiling in seconds.

In real use, the non-stick 6L pot excels at simmering soups and cooking rice, and the air fry basket delivers solid crispness on wings and fries, though not quite as uniformly as Instant Pot or Ninja. The touch panel with presets like Grilled Fish and Boil Congee is intuitive, especially for less tech-savvy users. But the lack of temperature precision and no dual-lid system means you can’t pressure cook and air fry in sequence—limiting advanced meal layering. It’s best for simple, everyday meals rather than complex, multi-stage cooking.

Against the Instant Pot Duo Crisp, this model trades brand polish and app support for higher wattage and lower price, making it ideal for students, small households, or anyone who cooks rice-heavy or soup-based meals. It doesn’t offer pressure cooking, so it can’t match the speed of Instant Pot, but it handles wet cooking tasks better and is easier to clean. For those who prioritize boiling and steaming over sous vide or dehydrating, this combo offers unbeatable value and function density at the lowest price point.

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp 8QT is the sweet spot between power, size, and value—a true upgrade for families who want restaurant-quality results without the kitchen clutter. It brings the full 11-in-1 arsenal, from pressure cooking to dehydrating, plus a customizable air fry range from 70°F to 450°F, giving chefs precise control over browning and crisping. The pro-grade 18/8 stainless-steel pot is a standout—oven-safe and stovetop-compatible, so you can sear, deglaze, and finish in one vessel.

In testing, the 8-quart capacity handled family-sized roasts, whole chickens, and 4 cups of dry rice with ease, while the EvenCrisp Technology delivered consistently crispy results across fries, chicken, and fish. The dual lids make transitions seamless, and the app integration offers guided cooking for beginners. However, the preheat time is longer than Ninja, and the air fry basket doesn’t rotate, requiring manual shaking for even cooking. Still, for meal preppers and home chefs, the build quality and safety features (over 10 built-in protections) inspire confidence.

Compared to the 6-quart Duo Crisp, this model offers larger capacity and a sturdier pot, making it worth the upgrade for growing families. Against the Pro Crisp, it lacks some smart features like status lights but includes more accessories (protective pad, storage cover). It doesn’t match Ninja’s speed, but it excels in pressure cooking precision and durability, offering better long-term value for those who cook daily. If you want professional-grade performance without Pro-level complexity, this is the ideal balance of power, size, and reliability.