The Best Electric Pressure Cooker Is an Instant Pot

The Instant Pot is probably the most well-known electric pressure cooker—more accurately called a multi-cooker because it can also slow cook, sauté, and more—but many brands make this handy type of appliance. A good electric pressure cooker can help get dinner on the table quickly and easily even when you’re swamped. Of the 18 models we’ve tested from a variety of brands since 2016, the Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart is still our favorite. It offers great performance at a reasonable price, and its tried-and-true design makes it easier to use than other multi-cookers or gimmicky smart cookers.

Looking for things to make in your Instant Pot? Try these recipes for bone broth, corned beef and cabbage, salsa verde chicken, and classic beef chili from NYT Cooking.

In 2021, Instant Pot narrowed down its lineup to five main electric pressure cooker models. We believe that the Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart remains the best choice for the price. (Instant Pot continues to change its lineup even now; you can find the most recent models on its site.) The Duo is super simple to use and performs all the core functions, including pressure cooking, sautéing, and steaming, as effectively as (or better than) competitive models. Like all Instant Pots, it comes with a stainless steel pot, which is more durable than the nonstick inserts in tested cookers from many other brands. The Duo has been our top pick since 2016, and we think it’s an even better value now since it has been updated in 2021 with a few features—such as an auto-sealing ring and an easy steam-release switch—that you used to get only with pricier models. After many years of testing and personal use, we also know that the Duo is a reliable, straightforward machine that will crank out meal upon meal. Although you miss out on some of Instant Pot’s newer, more advanced features, such as an LCD screen and an anti-spin design, the Duo is typically the most affordable model that has all the settings we think most home cooks need.

The Instant Pot Pro 6-Quart, one of Instant Pot’s new models in 2021, comes with a number of small but impressive upgrades that make it more enjoyable to use. Its inner pot has handles, a convenience that not only allows you to lift the pot out easily but also keeps the pot from whirling around inside the cooker as you sauté and stir. The Pro also has a bright LCD screen that’s intuitive to use, and it includes a few extra functions that the Duo lacks, such as a sous vide program, five customizable and savable cooking presets, and a quieter steam release (though you’ll still hear and see the steam—it’s gotta go somewhere). The Pro also offers more fine-tuned cooking control for sautéing, with five cooking levels in contrast to three on the Duo. Another perk of the Pro is that it comes with an extra sealing ring for the lid. This model is also one of the few machines that are compatible with the QuickCool Tray (sold separately on Instant Pot’s site and on Amazon), which can cut down the depressurization time when you’re using a natural (but not quick) release. In the fall of 2021, Instant Pot introduced a smart version of the Pro, the Pro Plus Smart Multi-Cooker, which shares many of the Pro’s features and adds a few more, including app-based wireless operation and a canning setting. But it costs $40 more, and after years of testing multi-cookers, we don’t think smart cookers are worth the upgrade for most people. We may consider the Pro Plus for future updates.