The 7 Best Pressure Cookers of 2023

Our top pick is the Instant Pot Pro 10-in-1 Pressure Cooker . This electric device is easy for newbies to acclimate themselves to the world of pressure cooking and has plenty of programs for experienced at-home chefs to level up their recipes. We also love that it can work as a slow cooker, rice cooker, and even a sauté pan.

“Pressure cookers do what slow cookers do in under an hour,” says Vocino. “It’s great for tough-to-cook roasts, which would take hours in the oven.”

To find the best pressure cookers on the market, we compared various models based on factors like size, presets, price, and performance. We also spoke with Anna Vocino , founder of Eat Happy Kitchen and author of two cookbooks, for expert tips on selecting and using a pressure cooker.

Pressure cookers can make delicious meals much faster than traditional cooking methods, so they’re great for meal prep and easy weeknight dinners alike. Their airtight chambers hold onto steam to create high cooking temperatures, and they don’t allow for evaporation so your recipes come out flavorful and rich.

Best Overall Pressure Cooker

Instant Pot Pro 10-in-1 6-Quart Pressure Cooker

4.9

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Who it’s for: People who want a versatile pressure cooker with a bevy of presets. 

Who it isn’t for: People who want a stovetop pressure cooker. 

The Instant Pot has become synonymous with pressure cooking, but this 10-in-1 device can do much more. It works as a slow cooker, rice cooker, sous vide, steamer, and sauté pan, but it also makes yogurt, bakes cakes, warms food, and sterilizes bottles, jars, and utensils. Considering all that it does, it’s an incredible value for the price.

If you’re a pressure cooker newbie, the Instant Pot has built-in safety features like overheat protection, a locking lid, a release switch, and a diffusing cover that prevents splashing. You can also take out the inner pot and bring it to the stovetop for even more versatility.

It’s available in six- and eight-quart capacities, both of which are ideal for cooking for your whole crew. This pressure cooker also features a whopping 28 one-touch cooking presets, plus five buttons that allow you to program your favorite settings. In short, you can cook everything from brown rice to chicken to cheesecake in this Instant Pot. 

Price at time of publish: $170

Product Details:

• Capacity: 6 quarts and 8 quarts
• Number of Presets: 28
• Dimensions: 13 x 12.7 x 12.8 inches (for 6-quart model)

Best Budget Pressure Cooker

Presto 8-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker

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Who it’s for: People who want an affordable, high-capacity pressure cooker. 

Who it isn’t for: People who want a programmable electric pressure cooker. 

Though stovetop pressure cookers don’t have the programming capability of their electric counterparts, they are still a valuable tool to add to your kitchen arsenal. For starters, this stovetop model from Presto is the most affordable one on our list, making it a great way for newbies to enter the world of pressure cooking. 

This pressure cooker works on electric, smooth-top, and gas ranges. For safety, the lid will automatically lock when there’s pressure inside. 

The eight-quart capacity of this aluminum pressure cooker makes it one of the larger ones on our list, so you can increase the amount of meat, poultry, fish, and veggies you can make at once. It also comes with a cooking rack, which allows you to cook more than one food at a time. This pick is also dishwasher safe, so no matter what you cook in it—even short ribs and chicken cacciatore—cleanup will be super easy. Plus, you can leave off the lid to have it double as a heavy-duty pot. 

Price at time of publish: $60

Product Details:

• Capacity: 8 quart
• Number of Presets: None
• Dimensions: 8.56 x 11.25 x 18.87 inches

Best Splurge Pressure Cooker

Breville Fast Slow Pro Cooker

4.5

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Who it’s for: People who are willing to spend more on a high-quality appliance. 

Who it isn’t for: People who already have a slow cooker at home.

Whether you are ready to improve your cooking efficiency or want to go all in on a multipurpose device, we think the Breville Fast Slow Pro is worth the splurge. This appliance features 11 programmable settings, including options for veggies, rice, soup, and bone-in meat—it can even make risotto and stews. We like that it has a detailed display complete with a countdown timer, pressure and temperature indicators, and a color-changing background based on the stage of the cooking process (pressurizing, cooking, or releasing steam).

Once your food is finished, the pressure cooker will automatically choose one of three steam release settings. The quick method will help prevent overcooking, the pulse method releases short bursts of steam, and the natural method allows the steam to subside slowly.

With a six-quart capacity, this electric pressure cooker is big enough to cook meals for most households. It comes with a steamer basket and a rack that may come in handy for specific recipes. Even though the lid is dishwasher safe, the cooking pot isn’t: It’s made of ceramic, so you’ll have to wash it by hand. 

Price at time of publish: $280

Product Details:

• Capacity: 6 quarts
• Number of Presets: 11
• Dimensions: 12.5 x 13.5 x 14 inches

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Best Stovetop Pressure Cooker

T-Fal Stovetop Pressure Cooker

4.3

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Who it’s for: People who prefer to use their stovetop for cooking.

Who it isn’t for: People who don’t mind paying more for an electric pressure cooker with presets. 

While electric pressure cookers are simple to use because of their programmable settings, stovetop models are capable of higher pressures and cooking temperatures, meaning your food is ready even faster. This stovetop pressure cooker from T-fal has two settings—10 and 15 PS—that you can toggle between depending on what you’re making. It’s suitable for use on all cooktops, even induction. The lid locks securely so that you don’t have to worry about accidentally opening it too early. 

The 6.3-quart capacity makes it easy to cook up large meals, making it a good option for those who like to host dinner parties or meal prep for the week ahead. It’s made with heavy-duty stainless steel that lasts long, making this a valuable investment for your kitchen. Plus, you can simply remove the lid when you’re done cooking and pop the base in the dishwasher for quick and easy cleanup.

Price at time of publish: $109

Product Details:

• Capacity: 6.3 quarts
• Number of Presets: None, but 2 pressure settings
• Dimensions: 11.5 x 18.1 x 10.5 inches

Best Small Pressure Cooker

Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker

4.6

Amazon

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Who it’s for: People cooking for themselves or who have limited space. 

Who it isn’t for: People who cook for large families. 

If you assume that pressure cookers are always huge appliances, think again. This petite three-quart Instant Pot takes up less than a square foot of space, making it ideal for small kitchens. But just because it’s small doesn’t mean it lacks capability, though. This appliance takes the place of seven different devices: pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, sauté pan, steamer, and food warmer. Plus, there are 13 presets that make it easy to cook everything from poultry to soups to desserts. 

According to the manufacturer, the Instant Pot Duo cooks 70 percent faster than its large-capacity counterparts. This pick has 10 safety features, including overheating protection and a secure lid. The lid and inner pot are also dishwasher safe, so you won’t spend more time cleaning it than cooking in it. 

Price at time of publish: $80

Product Details:

• Capacity: 3 quarts
• Number of Presets: 13
• Dimensions: 11.2 x 11.4 x 10 inches

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Best Large Pressure Cooker

Presto 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker

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Who it’s for: People who need a high-capacity pressure cooker for canning and cooking a lot of food.

Who it isn’t for: People with limited kitchen storage space. 

Whether you need a large pressure cooker for canning or simply cooking a lot of food at once, this 23-quart model from Presto has got you covered. 

Its large size is big enough to feed a crowd, making it ideal for family dinners and holiday cooking. And if you like to can foods at home, this pressure cooker can be used to preserve jars of seasonal produce such as tomatoes, strawberries, jams, and more. 

The Presto pressure cooker is made of heavy-gauge aluminum that heats up fast and evenly. You can use it on smooth cooktops as well as those with grates. A pressure dial gauge allows you to choose exactly the pressure you need, which is important if you live in a high-altitude region. 

Price at time of publish: $148

Product Details:

• Capacity: 23 quarts
• Number of Presets: None
• Dimensions: 15.1 x 15.4 x 14.8 inches

Most Versatile Pressure Cooker

Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 Pro Pressure Cooker & Air Fryer

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Who it’s for: People who want a pressure cooker that also works as an air fryer and more. 

Who it isn’t for: People who aren’t interested in experimenting with multiple cooking modes. 

Like many other Ninja products, the 11-in-1 Pro Pressure Cooker & Air Fryer can tackle various cooking tasks. In addition to pressure cooking, this model can also steam, slow cook, sear, sauté, bake, roast, broil, sous vide, warm, and dehydrate. Plus, it has a 6.5-quart pot that can easily fit a chicken or roast. 

There’s a broil rack nested in the device so you can steam or broil food. You can even switch to the crisper plate and use this multicooker as an air fryer. And if you ever run out of recipe ideas, the appliance comes with a cookbook and cooking charts to give you some mouthwatering ideas for your next meal. 

Price at time of publish: $200

Product Details:

• Capacity: 6.5 quarts
• Number of Presets: 11
• Dimensions: 16.18 x 13.98 x 13.23 inches