There’s a good chance an Instant Pot is sitting in a cabinet somewhere, barely touched since the pandemic wore off. The story most people remember is that it flamed out fast, another kitchen gadget that had its moment and faded. Turns out that’s not actually the whole story.
Back in 2023, Instant Brands filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Rising interest rates had crushed the company’s debt load, and it dragged down Pyrex and CorningWare too. The company split apart and sold off its appliance business.
A new owner picked it up and renamed it Instant Pot Brands. Most people never heard what happened next.
Here’s the part that got buried. Instant Pot Brands now calls itself the top-selling multicooker in the U.S. That’s a bold claim to make two years after a bankruptcy filing, so it’s worth checking against what else is happening in kitchens right now.
2 brands are still betting big on multicookers
Instant Pot backed up that claim with action. It launched a whole new Mini Line of compact appliances, including a mini multicooker built for smaller households. Companies quietly fading out don’t usually launch new product lines around their main product.
SharkNinja agrees there’s still money in multicookers. The brand is releasing a 12-in-1 multicooker called the MultiPot XL this September, complete with dual pots for cooking two dishes at once. That’s an unusual bet to make if the category were actually on its way out.
SharkNinja’s new multicooker still answers to a slow cooker
Here’s where it gets interesting. SharkNinja tested its new multicooker against a basic Crock-Pot slow cooker, not an Instant Pot. So even SharkNinja’s own brand-new multicooker got measured against the humble slow cooker sitting in a cabinet somewhere, not the appliance it’s supposedly replacing.
Meanwhile, the appliance actually leading kitchen sales growth right now isn’t either one. Kitchen electrics grew 4% in 2025, led by air fryers, espresso makers and stand mixers. Multicookers and slow cookers barely moved the needle either way.
So the real story isn’t a rivalry with one clear winner. It’s a slower, quieter kind of comeback, one where an old favorite never actually left the kitchen at all. If yours is still in the cabinet, maybe it’s time to dig it back out.
Mandy writes about food, home and the kind of everyday life that feels anything but ordinary. She has traveled extensively, and those experiences have shaped everything, from comforting meals to small lifestyle upgrades that make a big difference. You’ll find all her favorite recipes over at Hungry Cooks Kitchen.