The invention discloses a decocting machine. The machine comprises a base, a double-layer decocting pot, a medicinal material inputting mechanism, a pot scorching preventing mechanism, and a controlling box body, wherein an electric heating device is arranged on the part, corresponding to a lower decocting pot, of the interior of the base, the double-layer decocting pot is composed of an upper layer decocting pot and a lower layer decocting pot and arranged on the base, the bottom of the upper layer decocting pot is provided with a medicinal material inputting opening, the upper layer decocting pot is communicated with the lower decocting pot through the medicinal material inputting opening, the medicinal material inputting mechanism is arranged in the upper layer decocting pot, the upperend of a decocting pot rotary shaft of the medicinal inputting mechanism is connected with a rotary motor which is embedded in one side part of the pot cover through a rapid joint, the pot scorching preventing mechanism is arranged in the lower layer decocting pot, the controlling box body is arranged on the based and internally provided with a reciprocating driving mechanism, the reciprocating driving mechanism is connected with a pot cover through a pot cover connecting shaft, and the reciprocating driving mechanism can drive the pot cover to move up and down through the pot cover connectingshaft. The decocting machine has the advantages that automatic traditional Chinese medicine decocting can be achieved, traditional Chinese medicine decocting characteristics can be met, and the machine is convenient and practical. The invention further discloses a decocting method.