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Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Believe it or not, the pressure cooker dates back to 1679: the French invention used high-temperature steam to achieve similar results as lower-temp methods in much less time. But it was the Instant Pot that revolutionized pressure cooking, streamlining and safety-proofing the process, making it easier and less stressful. Unlike old-fashioned stovetop pressure cookers, an Instant Pot is ultra-functional, poses no potential for catastrophe, and sits neatly on a countertop. Plus, Instant Pot meals take a fraction of the effort thanks to the appliance's smart settings.
With a range of Instant Pots on the market, you're probably wondering how to choose one. We started with 13 of the most popular models to test how well each did with everyday cooking tasks. We also graded them for design, user-friendliness, versatility, and value. As we've narrowed our list to the very best, your choice can come down to size and settings. Here's what we liked about these five Instant Pots.
Easy to clean and super straightforward, this appliance is suitable for beginners and pros.
At 8 quarts, it might be too big for singles.
The Instant Pot Duo Plus 8-Quart Multi-Use Pressure Cooker, V4 had a nearly perfect score for easy use, and it didn’t falter in any other category, either. The control panel was straightforward, with the preset buttons and status updates making it simple to get the cook we needed with the pot’s guidance. Everything we tested was cooked perfectly, and this model exemplified what it means to have an even cooking surface, steady heat, and consistent pressure.
We also found this Instant Pot to be a piece of cake to clean. Speaking of, did we mention that it has a cake setting? This appliance has a very high return on investment, so we feel it’s a fantastic value. This Instant Pot would be right at home in your kitchen, but it would also make a wonderful gift for the avid home cook in your life.
Capacity: 8 quarts | Functions: Pressure cook, slow cook, rice, steam, saute, yogurt, sous vide, cake, and keep warm (higher and lower pressure options for all)
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
The Instant Pot Duo is a big pot with even bigger value.
This slightly older model has a lower price, but newer presets aren’t available.
Appliances can be a big commitment and an even bigger expenditure. Our pick for Best Value is the Instant Pot Duo 8-Quart Multi-Use Pressure Cooker, V5. Having performed better overall than many of the other models we tested, this is a low risk for a high reward, Instant Pot-wise. The 8-quart size makes it perfect for hosting family and friends, cooking dinner ahead of time, and batch cooking.
While it lacks a few of the newer presets (this model is slightly older) like sous vide, we felt it did so well in our tests that it was worth its price anyway. We think this would be perfect for cooks with any level of familiarity with the Instant Pot, from beginner to expert.
Capacity: 8 quarts | Functions: Pressure cook, slow cook, rice, steam, saute, yogurt, and warm (higher and lower pressure options for all)
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
A combination Instant Pot and air fryer, this appliance is ideal for those looking to limit countertop clutter.
The complexity of the Pro Crisp means it isn’t ideal for beginners.
When looking for appliances with several functions, ensuring that none lack quality is critical; we were pleasantly surprised by the consistency of the Instant Pot Pro Crisp & Air Fryer 8-Quart Multi-Use Pressure Cooker and Air Fryer. Air fryers alone can be challenging to shop for, so combining that with another tool like an Instant Pot or toaster oven can be tricky. This one held up under pressure, turning out beautiful food during each of our tests.
This model makes things simplistic, with an easy-to-read display showing status updates and several steam release options. It has one of the widest ranges of cooking options of the pots we tested, including dehydrate, sous vide, and broil settings. This Instant Pot might be best for an intermediate cook rather than someone looking for a beginner option. Its versatility makes it a powerful gadget for your kitchen, but the size and price make it better geared toward a cook seeking longevity and variety.
Capacity: 8 quarts | Functions: Pressure cook, slow cook, roast air fry, saute, sous vide, bake, broil. dehydrate, steam, and warm (higher and lower pressure options for all)
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
If you want to control all the variables, this Instant Pot uses an app.
Connecting appliances to WiFi isn’t for everyone.
Instant Pots are already designed to be intuitive devices. In addition to an easy-to-use screen and function buttons, the Instant Pot Pro Plus Wi-Fi Smart 10-in-1 6-Quart Pressure Cooker touts WiFi compatibility, where you can connect to the appliance via the Instant Brands Connect App. There are over 1,000 recipes on the app, but programming and operating the Instant Pot from your smartphone is simple.
While all Instant Pot models are designed to be versatile, this one, in particular, had one of the best ranges of operation, according to our tests. The 6-quart size is perfect for the average family or batch cooking things like rice and stews. It also features settings that allow yogurt-making, canning, and “NutriBoost,” which is self-stirring. A kitchen chameleon, this Instant Pot is modern and multipurpose.
Capacity: 6 quarts | Functions: Pressure cook, slow cook, rice, steam, saute, yogurt, warm, can, sous vide, and NutriBoost (higher and lower pressure options for all)
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Holding only 3 quarts, this pint-sized Instant Pot is ideal for singles and small kitchens.
With an Instant Pot's usefulness, you may quickly wish you’d made space for a larger model.
Only some people have the counter space for a 10-quart cooker, even if it serves multiple functions. Whether your kitchen is already full of essential gadgets, you’re squeezing into your first apartment, or you are buying exclusively for a purpose like making yogurt; a small Instant Pot can be your best friend. The Instant Pot Duo Mini 3-Quart Multi-Use Pressure Cooker, V5 maintains all of the multipurpose features of larger Instant Pot models in a smaller package.
The twist-lock lid and lid handle design were possibly more functional than some of the newer, larger models. In addition, it did the best of the pots with searing to the point caramelization in our pork tests. All in all, we recommend it as a hardworking, space-saving kitchen tool, and it's a great addition if you're the type of person who is always looking for kitchen products for small portions.
Capacity: 3 quarts | Functions: Pressure cook, slow cook, rice, steam, saute, yogurt, and warm (higher and lower pressure options for all)
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Our Favorite Instant Pot
The Instant Pot Duo Plus 8-Quart Multi-Use Pressure Cooker was immediately our favorite out of all the models we tested. Conquering our cooking tests with ease and precision, this model is functional and affordable. We were impressed by how many purposes it serves and how easy it was to use and clean it. We recommend it to anyone looking to jump into the Instant Pot game.
How We Tested Instant Pots
We tested 13 branded Instant Pots, ranging in size from 3-quart to 8-quart, evaluating their design, ease of use, performance, ease of cleaning, versatility, and value. In addition to practical performance, our tests also included recording general specs about the display panels, durability, and inner pot cooking options.
Our first cooking test was a black bean and rice dish, which we used to evaluate how well you could cook an entire meal inside the pot and during a quick pressure cook. The second test was a barbecue pork shoulder recipe to determine how each pot handled more significant cuts of meat (whether it dried out, toughened up, or turned to mush). Both recipes put the pots through their paces, evaluating how they handled various cooking techniques.
![Four slow cookers on a table including Instant Pot 6-Quart Max 9-in-1 Pressure Cooker](https://www.foodandwine.com/thmb/FBnkhW2zyWbSb_PXALlVUnqTD7A=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/faw-instant-pots-test-max-9-1-6qt-electric-cooker-rkilgore-9-70-7caac13d27ed4b83bb466e7141d0112f.jpg)
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Factors to Consider
Pot Size
Touting the availability of 3-, 6-, 8-, and 10-quart models, the Instant Pot offers a range of sizes to consider when shopping. The smallest, at 3 quarts, is ideal for saving counter space in smaller kitchens and homes or making smaller portions, like for 1- or 2-person households. It’s also useful if you’re looking for an Instant Pot to serve a specific, lower-volume purpose — it’s perfect for making yogurt or oatmeal. The Instant Pot is also a useful kitchen tool for winter recipes in particular (all those soups and stews!), so consider how you cook from season to season to determine what size you need. Pro tip: Most Instant Pot cookbooks and recipes will indicate the size they recommend right in the recipe itself.
The 6-quart option is Instant Pot’s most popular size, as it does the job for most home cooks. It’s versatile and not too big, making it the correct size when cooking for three to five people. An 8-quart pot offers enough capacity for larger families or anyone needing a good meal prep tool or who anticipates having leftovers, while the 10-quart is large enough to fit a whole chicken.
Control Panel and Extra Functions
While all Instant Pots have multiple functions, each one has a unique set of options. All of the buttons on the control panel are adjustable when it comes to pressure or cooking time, giving the user autonomy when cooking even though the device accomplishes most of the work on its own. When it comes to more specialized cooking projects, it might be best to evaluate what you plan to use yours for. For example, some have a yogurt-making setting, but is this make-or-break for the appliance you need? Others offer smart capabilities that can be controlled through an app, but if you plan to always be near your Instant Pot, this may not be worth the extra spend either.
Cooking Pot Material
Some Instant Pots, like the Instant Pot Pro 8-Quart Multi-Use Pressure Cooker that made our Strong Contenders category, feature an extra-thick aluminum layer on the interior. This makes heating faster than a standard model and assists with searing.
![Person scraping ingredients with a utensil from a container into the Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, 6 Quart](https://www.foodandwine.com/thmb/2adU6IJiJbLTxYTJLyxu_DHiDbQ=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/faw-instant-pots-test-duo-8qt-multi-use-pressure-cooker-v5-rkilgore-3-04-d07b990bbbbd49cdbd7ae30a8f8c07ae.jpg)
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Frequently Asked Questions
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How do Instant Pots work?
Instant Pots are electric pressure cookers. The appliance heats the internal liquid to boiling, producing a large amount of steam. The atmospheric pressure inside is raised to a temperature higher than the boiling point, where the steam is slowly released, and the food inside is cooked quickly and consistently. A large variety of settings allows the user to try out an infinite variety of recipes with a small margin of error.
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What’s the best size Instant Pot?
This depends on how many people you plan on regularly serving. Instant Pots come in 3-, 6-, 8-, and 10-quart sizes. 3-quart Instant Pots work best for singles or couples, the 5-quart serves three to five people, and the 8-quart will easily cook for six or more. The 10-quart can take on tasks like batch cooking or even a whole ham, so there’s plenty of literal room to experiment.
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How do you clean an Instant Pot?
The electric cooker base must be cleaned gently with a damp cloth on the exterior. The interior can be wiped down, but it’s essential to keep it dry. According to Instant Pot's website, the removable inner pot is dishwasher safe. Hand washing, dish soap, and gentle scrubbing should take care of any residue.
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Are there any disadvantages to an Instant Pot?
With the element of time removed from the cooking process, foods cooked in Instant Pots can suffer from poor flavor development. For example, if you wanted to make a stew, you might be looking at cooking the meat separately to create browning and a fond, which would lengthen the process.
Other Instant Pots We Tested
Strong Contenders
Instant Pot Ultra 10-in-1 6-Quart Electric Pressure Cooker ($150 at Amazon)
The 6-quart Ultra performed well in our cooking tests. However, while it offers 10 presets, the size made it less versatile; we would recommend an 8-quart model for large cuts of meat like roast. Not to mention, it's currently more expensive than our Best Overall, which we'd recommend over the Ultra.
Instant Pot Pro 8-Quart Multi-Use Pressure Cooker ($190 Amazon)
We liked the design of this Instant Pot, including its steam shield and its insert, which (unlike others we tested) has handles. It also came to pressure about a minute or two faster than most. But we thought it could have been hotter when in sauté mode, and it doesn't include an air fryer. So, again, we consider our Best Overall pick a better value.
Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer 8-Quart Multi-Use Pressure Cooker ($200 at Amazon)
The Duo Crisp + Air Fryer scores high for versatility. Its presets include dehydrating and sous vide, and you can even use it to proof doughs. We liked that we could control the time and temperature with it, though the steam release took getting used to. Also, as basic as it sounds, we like that it has a "start" button, which makes it more straightforward than most Instant Pots, which begin cooking automatically.
What Didn't Make the List
As we've established, not all Instant Pots are the same. While most met our expectations, there are a few we wouldn't recommend. We didn't like the lid design on the Instant Pot Duo Crisp 6.5-Quart, and we could see how someone might leave it unlocked without realizing it. That said, it displays a "do not open lid" message for caution. We also didn't like the manual release of the pressure valve on the Instant Pot Max 9-in-1 6-Quart Electric Pressure Cooker, and we wouldn't recommend it to those who haven't pressure cooked before. It also took a while to come to pressure.
Our Expertise
- Christa Glennie has been a freelance writer and food editor for nearly 20 years. She is also the author of two cookbooks and specializes in food and drink trends, agriculture, the regional foodways of Western New York, and the restaurant business. Her respect for simplicity and uncluttered counters in the kitchen ultimately fuels a desire to find and own well-designed, multi-purpose, best-in-class kitchen tools.
- For this piece, she analyzed insights and data from our in-house Instant Pot tests, also drawing from her own experience and expertise to curate this list.