The popular kitchen trend of using multifunctional pressure cookers introduced millions worldwide to the advantages of pressure cooking. Choosing the best pressure cooker to use in your kitchen doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult but you do have a lot of options. You have to choose between the primary function, your preference of electric pressure cookers or multi-cookers, the size, and of course the cost. You also have pressure canners, and even microwave pressure cookers. Here are our top picks for pressure cookers and why we chose them.
Instant Pot Duo Plus
Best pressure cooker overall
Why we picked the Instant Pot Duo Plus:
Many have tried, but few can compete with the Instant Pot. The best words to describe this cooker are “user friendly.” The features make it difficult to mess up your pressure cooked meals. You have low and high pressure options to help you control the amount of pressure without much guesswork. The lid has an alert, which lets you know it is in the correct position. The steam handle is designed in such a way that it won’t allow you to put it on incorrectly — you can only put it in a vent or seal position. The cone inside the steam pressure release handle is made of silicone instead of metal, so steam doesn’t leak out like it does in some other models. The pot comes with a rack, which has long handles and lets you easily remove things like cheesecake after cooking.
In addition to all of the user-friendly pressure cooking features, this pot also provides you with options. Using the sauté feature, you can brown your meat in the Instant Pot before or after pressure cooking. In addition to the regular Instant Pot Duo’s sauté, pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, warmer, and yogurt functions, the Duo Plus also has cake, egg, and sterilize programs. You can make almost anything in the Instant Pot Plus.
While this Instant Pot multi-cooker is an outstanding small appliance, it certainly isn’t perfect. The inner pot (especially on the 6-quart and smaller versions) is a bit narrow, which can create a challenge when you’re cooking things like roasts or a whole chicken. Foods like rice and potatoes also tend to stick to the bottom and lower sides of this pot more than with other pressure cookers that have a non-stick coating. All in all, the Instant Pot Plus appears to be a pressure cooker first and foremost, and the other functions (slow cook, etc.) are secondary. The features will do their job, but don’t expect the same exact times and features as you would get with a gadget that’s meant only for slow cooking. However, it does do an excellent job sterilizing things like baby bottles and sippy cups.
Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker, Steamer, and Air Fryer
Best multicooker
Why we picked the Ninja Foodi:
The Foodi is a solid pressure cooking device that can cook up a great pot roast, rotisserie-style chicken, or even a cheesecake. The cooking rack is ideal for steaming veggies, and the accessories are well-made.
The Foodi is more than just a pressure cooker and steamer though. It has two separate lids — one for pressure cooking and one for air frying. You get a 4-quart capacity air frying basket that can hold up to three pounds of french fries. Want to crisp your chicken skin after you pressure cook? No problem. Instead of moving your chicken from a pressure cooker into the oven, you can do it all in the Foodi. Just pressure cook, empty the excess liquid, and then air fry for chicken that falls apart on the inside, but has perfectly crispy skin. You can even bake or broil your foods in the Foodi, and some of the other models (like the OP 302) include a dehydrate function.
What’s not to love? The Foodi is a bit heavy and cumbersome, and the air frying lid isn’t removable, so the Foodi can be tough to tuck away in a cabinet. But if you have somewhere to put it or if you’re OK with leaving it on your counter, the Foodi will be a great addition to your kitchen.
Instant Pot Duo Crisp 8 Quart 11-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker with Air Fryer
Best functionality for large families
Why we picked the Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cooker with Air Fryer
Multi Cookers that can combine multiple appliances in one are always great for a kitchen that has limited space. The Instant Pot Duo Crisp combines pressure cooking and air frying in one which is why it’s a great contender for someone looking to buy a pressure cooker. And if you’re cooking for the family or plan to gift this pressure cooker to a foodie it’s perfect for larger meals and gatherings.
One major drawback of the Instant Pot Duo Crisp is that while it features incredible range of uses you will need to adjust cook times or temperatures manually. While you lose some of the set-it-and-forget-it ability you can program the temperatures to your liking.
Fissler 8.5 Quart Vitaquick Pressure Cooker
Best steel pressure cooker
Why we picked the Fissler 8.5 quart Vitaquick:
This stovetop pressure cooker is incredibly durable, made of 18/10 stainless steel. It’s very difficult to dent, knick, or damage this pot, and when you pick it up, you can feel the quality of the material. When it comes to pressure cookers, size matters. Both the 8.5-quart and 10.6-quart models give you plenty of room to cook large foods, like roasts. If you want a smaller model, the cooker comes in 2.7-quart , 4.8-quart, and 6.4-quart sizes as well.
It has an easy-to-open-and-close lid, a safe lock mechanism, gentle and speed settings, and quick depressurizing. It also comes apart for easy cleaning. When you compare the Fissler Vitaquick to some other stovetop pressure cookers, this cooker can be pricey. It’s built to last, and you pay for that quality. Therefore, for those who only use a pressure cooker periodically, or those who just want to experiment with pressure cooking, you can get away with buying a cheaper model.
How we test pressure cookers
We cooked the same two recipes — gluten-free cheesecake and a whole rotisserie chicken — in each of the multi-cookers and stovetop pressure cookers. We compared the taste of each recipe, how quickly the device reached full pressure, ease of use, ease of cleanup, ease of setup, and manual instructions (how easy the user manual is to understand and follow) to determine which device performed the “best.” We also consider other factors like durability and price vs. value.
