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The Best Instant Pots

Updated April 2026·Experts: Good Housekeeping, CNET, seriouseats, Tom's Guide

Best Overall

Instant Pot Duo Plus 6-Quart

$107-$140
$107-$140 at Amazon→

If you're buying your first Instant Pot or replacing an old one, get the Duo Plus. It does everything the bestselling Duo does but lets you tweak settings mid-cook, a small thing that makes a huge difference when you're learning.

What holds up

  • Adds cake, egg, and sterilize settings over the base Duo model
  • Larger, brighter LED display is easier to read than competitors
  • Can edit cooking time and pressure level while machine is running
  • 25 customizable smart programs with step-by-step instructions for beginners
  • Anti-spin inner pot design prevents rocking during sauté

What to know

  • More expensive than the base Instant Pot Duo
  • WhisperQuiet steam release still makes some noise in real-world use
  • Natural pressure release takes longer than some competing models
Expert verdict
It offers everything that the best-selling Duo does, and then some, without much additional cost.
Good HousekeepingView source
Expert verdict
The Duo Plus also lets you edit the cooking time and pressure level while the machine is in use (versus the Duo, which forces you to cancel the cooking program to change settings).
Good Housekeeping InstituteView source
Get it for $107-$140
Read the full breakdown →
Best Budget

Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart

$80-$110
$80-$110 at Amazon→

The Duo is the Instant Pot that made the category famous, and it's still the one to buy if you just want to cook great food without overthinking it. The price is hard to argue with.

What holds up

  • Amazon's #1 bestselling pressure cooker with 4.7-star average from 100,000+ reviews
  • Seven cooking functions: pressure cook, slow cook, rice, steam, sauté, yogurt, keep warm
  • Available in 3-, 6-, and 8-quart sizes to fit any household
  • Detachable cord makes cabinet storage much easier
  • Top performer in Good Housekeeping's rice test, evenly cooked, not mushy

What to know

  • Cannot adjust settings mid-cook, must cancel and restart to change time or pressure
  • Took longer than other models to release pressure naturally in testing
  • Missing cake, sterilize, and egg settings found on the Duo Plus
Expert verdict
This Instant Pot, the #1 Best Seller on Amazon, has a serious following with an average 4.7-star rating from over 100,000 reviews. In our tests, it earned high scores in nearly every test, and it was one of the few we tested that made evenly-cooked rice.
Good HousekeepingView source
Expert verdict
The Instant Pot Duo is the company's most popular series and for good reason. It's super simple to operate and offers seven versatile cooking functions: pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté, yogurt maker and warmer.
CNETView source
Get it for $80-$110
Read the full breakdown →
Best for Serious Cooks

Instant Pot Pro 10-in-1 6-Quart

$120-$170
$120-$170 at Amazon→

The Pro is the Instant Pot I'd buy if I were starting over. It pressurizes fastest, sears without the inner pot spinning around, and the silicone handles mean you can actually grab it when it's hot. The sous vide function is gimmicky, but everything else is genuinely better.

What holds up

  • Pressurized faster than all 15 models tested by Serious Eats
  • Stainless steel inner pot with silicone handles, safe to grab when hot
  • 28 pre-programmed settings including sous vide, sterilize, and cake
  • Five programmable custom presets for your own recipes
  • WhisperQuiet steam release with diffusing cover for safe venting

What to know

  • Natural pressure release is slower than some competing models
  • Sous vide function is not as reliable as a dedicated immersion circulator
  • More expensive than the Duo and Duo Plus
Expert verdict
We've recommended the Instant Pot Pro for years because it sears better than most electric multicookers and is easy to use.
Serious EatsView source
Expert verdict
The advanced features make the Instant Pot Pro even more convenient than other models. This model can slow cook, steam, sous vide, and more, it also has five programmable presets for your own recipes.
Good HousekeepingView source
Get it for $120-$170
Read the full breakdown →
Best 2-in-1 with Air Fryer

Instant Pot Duo Crisp 6-Quart

$160-$230
$160-$230 at Amazon→

If counter space is tight and you want both an Instant Pot and an air fryer, the Duo Crisp is the obvious answer. The air frying lid is genuinely good, not a compromise, and the pressure cooking side is solid.

What holds up

  • Separate air fryer lid delivers superconvection results that rival standalone air fryers per CNET testing
  • 11 cooking functions including pressure cook, air fry, roast, bake, broil, and dehydrate
  • Sturdy stainless steel inner cooking pot
  • Available in 6- or 8-quart capacity
  • Replaces two appliances for less than buying both separately

What to know

  • Two separate lids to store and manage
  • Missing canning, sterilize, poultry, and egg settings
  • More expensive than standard Instant Pot models
Expert verdict
The big draw for this Instant Pot is that it doubles as an air fryer, and a good one at that. We've made several air-fried recipes in this versatile multicooker and the results rival even some of our favorite standalone air fryers.
CNETView source
Expert verdict
While it's one of the most expensive models we tested, it's also the most versatile, and likely still cheaper than buying two separate appliances.
Good HousekeepingView source
Get it for $160-$230
Read the full breakdown →
Best Large Capacity

Instant Pot RIO Wide 7.5-Quart

$100-$140
$100-$140 at Amazon→

The RIO Wide is the Instant Pot for people who cook in volume. The wide, flat base means you can actually brown a large piece of meat properly, and the 7.5-quart capacity means you're not cooking in shifts. It's the one I'd buy for a family of four or more.

What holds up

  • 16+ inch wide cooking surface fits a whole chicken and sears large cuts without batching
  • Status light shows exactly where the cooker is in its cooking process
  • Anti-spin inner pot stays anchored during sauté
  • Easy-Release steam valve vents hot air quickly and safely, good for pressure cooking beginners
  • Stainless steel inner pot and steam rack are dishwasher-safe

What to know

  • Inner cooking pot has no handles, must wait for it to cool before removing
  • May take up too much counter space in smaller kitchens at 17.9 pounds
  • Only 7 cooking functions vs. 10 on the Pro models
Expert verdict
Measuring over 16 inches wide, it can sear without forcing you to cook in batches and the anti-spin inner pot stayed anchored.
Serious EatsView source
Expert verdict
It made a great stew in our Lab tests: tender meat and very flavorful broth. We like the pot's surface area, the brand claims it has more cooking area than a 12-inch skillet, allowing you to brown and cook larger cuts of meat.
Good HousekeepingView source
Get it for $100-$140
Read the full breakdown →