Best Instant Pots
You love to cook, but between rice steamers, crock-pots, and yogurt makers, you’re running out of counterspace. Am I right? And in spite of the cluttered tangle of cords, you hate to give up any of them. Well, fear not, because you don’t need to let a lack of kitchen storage curb your culinary talents. You just need to work smarter. Why not swap out those bulky countertop appliances for just one – a multicooker. They take up minimal space, are lightweight, and they’re a breeze to clean after each use. They can even replace 6 (or more) of those dated cooking appliances. For us, the best of the multicookers is the Instant Pot. Developed in 2009, its quickly gained a following and has inspired countless recipe books and on-line forums. Best of all, there’s a model to suit every cook’s needs.
Our Top Picks for Instant Pots
Instant Pot Max, 6-quart Capacity for Family-Sized Meals
Material: Brushed stainless steel finish
Capacity: 6 quarts
Weight: 13.25 pounds
Height: 13-inches
Warranty: Limited warranty effective 12 months from date of purchase.
Get ready to expand your culinary repertoire with the Instant Pot Max. The large, 6-quart capacity makes this model the ideal choice for family meals. And because it features an easy one-touch control panel, even the kids can help make dinner. In fact, this fully programmable control panel takes all the guesswork out of meal prep. You see, the makers of Instant Pot have pre-programmed cooking instructions for a wide range of food ingredients and gastronomic styles. Just add the ingredients, choose your cooking mode and the Instant Pot does all the work. And you’re not limited for choice. With this one appliance you can make a soup or stew in the crock-pot, steam rice, prepare yogurt, try your hand at Sous Vide, sauté or sear meats or just keep food warm. For home-canners, you’ll love that the Instant Pot’s pressure cooker feature delivers a revolutionary 15 psi which makes it ideal for cooking and sealing canned fruits and vegetables. In fact, it’s one of the most powerful, non-stovetop pressure cookers on the market. And if you’re still not sure what to make first, you can download over 500 chef-inspired recipes and videos via the recipe app.
Pros:
- Does the work of up to 9 countertop appliances
- Easy to read control panel
- Stainless steel inner cook pot and steamer
- Accessories are dishwasher-safe
- Powerful 15 psi pressure cooker feature
Cons:
- 12-month warranty is fairly restrictive and only applicable to the purchaser
If sitting down to a healthy family meal that’s quick and easy to prepare is important to you, then this 6-quart, fully programmable multicooker is the way to go.
Instant Pot Duo Crisp, 8-quart Capacity for Guilt-Free Frying
Material: Brushed stainless steel finish
Capacity: 8 quarts
Weight: 22.7 pounds
Height: 14.17-inches
Warranty: Limited warranty effective 12 months from date of purchase.
If you love fried foods but not the fat and grease, then the Instant Pot Duo Crisp, is the multicooker for you. Super versatile, it offers 11 in 1 functionality which means it can actually replace up to 11 of the kitchen appliances currently cluttering your countertops. A convenient delay start function lets you pre-set the timer so that dinner’s ready when you want it to be. Best of all, it comes with two lids that are total game-changers. Use the pressure cooker lid and you instantly have 6 wet cooking functions that include steam, sauté, slow cook, sous vide, pressure cook and warm. All at the touch of a button that makes this unit ideal for the novice chef. But if you’re in the mood for something with a little bit of crunch, you’re going to want to pop on the Air Fryer lid. It offers 5 crisp cooking functions that can quickly air fry, bake, roast, broil or even dehydrate your foods. And even with little to no oil, this multicooker’s proprietary EvenCrisp technology can still deliver that deep-fried taste and texture we love in our fries, wings, onion rings, battered vegetables and more.
Pros:
- Does the work of up to 11 countertop appliances
- Easy to read control panel
- Uses proprietary EvenCrisp technology for perfect results
- Preset options let you customize your cook duration
- Air fryer features 5 crisp cooking functions
Cons:
- 12-month warranty is only applicable to the purchaser
If you don’t want to sacrifice healthy eating habits in order to enjoy your favorite fried foods, then this 8-quart, multicooker with air fry capabilities is an ideal choice.
Instant Pot Lux, 6-quart Capacity for Breakfast Lovers
Material: Brushed Stainless Steel
Capacity: Available in 3, 6 or 8 quarts
Weight: 11.53 pounds
Height: 12.5-inches
Warranty: Limited warranty effective 12 months from date of purchase.
Think you have no time for the most important meal of the day? Think again, because with the 6-quart Instant Pot Lux, you can set the timer at night and wake to the smell of your favorite breakfast foods in the morning. The 24-hour delay start timer means you can schedule perfectly cooked eggs, healthy oatmeal or delicious pancakes to be ready and waiting for when you get up. And if you choose to sleep in, no problem because the Keep Warm function holds the temperature until you’re ready to eat. This 6 in 1 multicooker can replace up to 6 of your current counter top appliances including pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, sauté pan, steamer, and warmer. Better still, you have 12 smart built-in programs that make preparing healthy, delicious dishes up to 70% faster than traditional methods and as simple as touching a button. Select the Egg Program and choose soft, medium or hard-boiled eggs. Choose the Cake setting for fluffy pancakes, or use the pressure cooker option and enjoy perfectly cooked oatmeal porridge. This is the ideal multicooker for preparing, quick and healthy foods for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Pros:
- Does the work of up to 6 countertop appliances
- Available in 3- and 8-quart sizes
- Egg Program perfectly prepares soft, medium or hard-boiled eggs
- Available in brushed stainless steel, black, red, blue, plus two floral patterns
- 10+ built-in safety features including Overheat Protection™
Cons:
- Some options only available on 6- and 8-quart size
- 12-month warranty is only applicable to the purchaser
If you want to start your busy day with a deliciously nutritious breakfast that’s both quick and easy to prepare, then this 6-quart, multicooker is the perfect pick.
Instant Pot Smart WiFi, 6-quart Capacity for the Tech-Savvy Cook
Material: Brushed Stainless Steel
Capacity: 6 quarts
Weight: 12.2 pounds
Height: 12.5-inches
Warranty: Limited warranty effective 12 months from date of purchase.
So, your busy life takes you away from the house most of the day, right? But let me guess… you still want to sit down to a healthy, home-cooked meal at night. Well, if your world is organized around apps and devices, you’re going to love the Instant Pot Smart WiFi. Consider it command central for your kitchen because this 8 in 1 multicooker not only replaces up to 8 of the functions performed by your outdated appliances, it does so remotely. Just add ingredients in the morning or night before, then use any of your mobile device (for phones, Android 5.0 and iOS 9.0 or later) to schedule and activate the cook feature, adjust timing, and even monitor progress throughout the day via notifications. And not only does it feature 13 pre-set programs to take the guesswork out of cooking it gives you pressure cooker, slow cooker rice/porridge cooker, yogurt maker, cake maker, sauté /searing, steamer and even warmer capabilities. It also includes over 10 safety features including Overheat Protection so you never have to worry. If you love trying new recipes, be sure to download the Instant Pot app and check out the hundreds of recipes and tips.
Pros:
- Schedule and monitor meal progress through your mobile device
- Does the work of up to 8 countertop appliances
- Accessories are dishwasher safe for easy clean up
- 10+ built-in safety features including Overheat Protection™
Cons:
- Only compatible with Android 5.0 or later and iOS 9.0 or later
- 12-month warranty is only applicable to the purchaser
If you love the idea of cooking healthy, delicious meals for your family but find you’re stretched for time, boy, are you going to love this app-activated multicooker.
Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus, 8-quart Capacity for the Budding Gourmand
Overview:
Material: Brushed stainless steel finish
Capacity: 8 quarts
Weight: 15.82 pounds
Height: 14.2-inches
Warranty: Limited warranty effective 12 months from date of purchase.
Are you a deep-down foodie that’s just learning about multicookers? Meet your new best friend. With the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus, you’re going to think you have a chef working alongside you. It’s not just that this 10 in 1 multicooker can handily replace up to 10 of those small appliances cluttering your countertop, it’s that it features a whopping 48 pre-set recipes to help get you up and running. Yes, you really can pick your cook style and with the Smart Program feature, you can even tweak it to suit your personal preferences. Better still, you’ll always have your kitchen tool of choice at your fingertips. Literally – because with the one-touch LCD display panel you can move between pressure cooker, to rice cooker, stock pot, slow cooker, yogurt maker, sauté pan, cake maker, or steamer. And if you’re ready to kick it up a notch and tackle restaurant-quality dishes, you’ll love the Sous Vide immersion circulator feature. What’s great about this unit is that it features a stovetop friendly inner pot with easy-grip handles which means you can move quickly and easily between appliances. So, get ready for quick, healthy meals that are gourmet-worthy.
Pros:
- Does the work of up to 10 countertop appliances
- Large, easy-to-follow control panel
- 48 preset recipes
- Available in 6- or 8-quart capacities
- 10+ built-in safety features including Overheat Protection™
Cons:
- 12-month warranty is fairly restrictive and only applicable to the purchaser
If preparing quick and healthy meals that can rival your favorite restaurant is a goal of yours, you’ll definitely want to have this multicooker on your culinary team.
Cooking Like a Pro Doesn’t Mean Breaking the Bank
We’ve all done it. Invested in fancy cookware and multiple kitchen contraptions, then thrown in the towel when we realized it was too complex, messy, and cumbersome to keep lugging out a different appliance for each stage of prep. That’s what makes an Instant Pot so great. Not only does it cover off the times, temperatures and xxx, it’s one pan design and dishwasher-safe accessories makes clean up super easy.
Time Saving Convenience
Life is busy and its hard to find the time or patience to include the entire family in meal prep when you always seem to be running late. What’s great about multicookers is that once you’ve pressed the button, your time is your own. So, why not get the kids involved at the chopping, dicing and measuring stage? Load up your Instant Pot, then gather round for a little family time. Play with the dog, catch up on homework, or just settle in for chit-chat on how everyone’s day went. Let your multicooker do all the work, including letting you know when dinner’s ready.
Using a Multicooker Is Safer and Easier Than You Think
Instant Pot has introduced over 10 safety features to ensure you never have to be concerned about your multicooker overheating, allowing steam to build up, or boiling over when you’re not at home. These safety features include their new pressure cooker lid that automatically seals when in place and releases excess pressure by venting steam through the steam release valve. In fact, the automatic pressure control feature maintains working pressure levels and suspends heating if the pressure exceeds level limits. Likewise, their electrical and thermal fuses cut off power if the electrical or internal temperature exceed safety limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it easy to use?
The Instant Pot’s one-touch control panel is easy to read and follow, so choosing your cooking method is simple.
How big is it?
Smartcookers sit between 12.5-inches and around 15-inches in height, so low enough to slide easily under any kitchen cabinet.
Why is it called a smartcooker?
By pre-programming cooking instructions for various food ingredients and cooking methods, you simply need to touch a button and let the instant pot do all the rest.
Are pressure cookers safe?
The Instant Pot uses three types of pressure relief that allow you to release steam periodically throughout the cook process. So, you never get that sudden burst of steam that can be typical of older pressure cookers.
What about clean up?
All parts and accessories are dishwasher safe for quick and easy cleaning.
Can I use interchange the parts from different Instant Pots?
No, they can’t. Each accessory performs a function specific to the pot it has been designed for. Improper fitting can result in safety issues. Replacement parts are available for each model.
Are there any foods I can’t put in the Instant Pot?
Foods that are high in sugar such as fruit, may trigger the burn warning. And foods such as pasta, oatmeal and other cereals or grains can foam up, so never fill the cook pot more than ½ way.
Conclusion
We all need to multi-task; whether its down to work obligations, family, or all those outside commitments. That’s why we chose to review these five different Instant Pots. We looked for a variety of cook features that would tick the culinary palette of most busy households. Whether you enjoy simple comfort foods, a gourmet-inspired meal, hot breakfast dishes, a good fry-up, or are into canning, you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen or purchase multiple pricey kitchen gadgets. And while we’ve helped you zero in on some of the really cool features of these smartcookers, Instant Pot offers an entire range of options and price points that are sure to meet your culinary needs and budget.