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While the Instant Pot may seem like a very modern phenomenon, the underlying technology of the pressure cooker is not. French physicist Denis Papin changed the world by inventing the “steam digester” in 1679. This beta model exploded a year later. Papin eventually got it right, and his device, built to extract fat and gelatin from bones, was perfected over the years to become the modern pressure cooker. But which pressure cooker is the best of them all? That brand we already mentioned is so ubiquitous that the name has become synonymous with the cooking style, but it’s not the only option. And while the market is saturated with less-than-perfect models, we’ve compiled the best pressure cookers available that will not only make dinner but make it quicker than ever.
- Best overall: CHEF IQ
- Best for longevity: Mueller UltraPot, 6-Quart
- Best for versatility: Ninja Foodi XL 14-in-1, 8-Quart
- Best design: Cuckoo Premium 5-Quart Electric Cooker
- Best budget: Instant Pot Duo Mini, 3-Quart
How we chose the best pressure cookers
Pressure cookers truly only need to do one thing: cook things fast. The science of pressure cooking can be boiled down pretty easily. These machines expel air from a cooking vessel while trapping the steam produced by the food cooking. By doing this, the pressure cooker raises its internal pressure, which unlocks higher cooking temperatures, which means faster cooking. However, a good pressure cooker should be able to do more than simply make a batch of bone broth. Here are some things to consider when weighing your options:
Countertop vs. stovetop: Some eschew electric pressure cookers, but it’s hard to fathom why. Stovetop models leave a lot of guesswork regarding internal pressure and only do one thing. Would you keep any vessel in your kitchen that did one thing and one thing only? Countertop electric models don’t require a heating surface, are virtually foolproof, and have enough settings to do everything from cooking rice to making yogurt. Because they’re electric and come with their own handles, they’re perfect for small kitchens, RVs, and even college dorms. Every single model we feature here will be a countertop electric model.
Customs and presets: On the front of any pressure cooker control panel, there are typically a bunch of buttons that unlock presets to cook beans, rice, eggs, meat, veggies, and other pressure cooker-friendly foods. Better models will let you cook on the lower end of the heat spectrum, too, to make your pressure cooker double as a Crockpot (the Instant Pot of its time). A steamer basket is also a nice out-of-the-box accompaniment. But so is a built-in “sear” or “saute” mode for browning meat or making stir-frys. Some machines offer even more versatility and double as air fryers. Regardless of what any given pressure cooker can do, it must, first and foremost, be a pressure cooker. Using preset modes shouldn’t be more difficult than simply turning the machine on.
Size and footprint: One could argue that there’s no wrong way to design a pressure cooker, and it would be easy to agree. After all, food comes in all shapes and sizes. Cooking a whole chicken can be done in most models, but will it come out in one piece? Some models seem to be built around cooking specific foods, and, depending on your weeknight meal lifestyle, it might make sense to buy a weirdly-shaped machine. The most important thing to consider about size and shape is where you will keep your machine. Some machines are too large for smaller cabinets. Most of the time, machines park nicely on top of a fridge. Or, if you go for a more premium model, you can show it off by parking it on a countertop.
The best pressure cookers: Reviews & Recommendations
A pressure cooker is one of those devices you may not think you need, but one day it will seem not only a welcome addition to your kitchen but a necessary one. There are countless recipes online for easy and affordable weeknight dinners to whip up in less time than it takes to order Postmates. There are also less obvious features that I’m a fan of. Here’s our list of the best pressure cookers so you can discover their joys for yourself.
Best overall: CHEF IQ
Best overall
Chef IQ
Pros
- LCD Screen with presets for countless cooking styles
- Built-in scale for precision cooking
- Companion app syncs up to phone for a user-friendly experience
Cons
- Pricey
Why it made the cut: This pressure cooker isn’t just sleek; it’s space-age, with a built-in LCD monitor that takes the guesswork out of dinner planning.
Specs
- Dimensions: 13 inches L x 13 inches W x 13 inches H
- Weight: 10.4 pounds
- Presets: Over 1,000
The CHEF IQ dubs itself a “smart cooker.” As dubious as it sounds, it couldn’t be a more fitting moniker for this pressure cooker. Don’t look for a cheap plastic control panel here. There’s a full-blown LCD touchscreen to select modes to cook everything from pot roast to quinoa.
Dry goods cook especially well here because there’s also a built-in scale. It not only weighs the dry ingredients but the amount of water to put in so that rice, pasta, and beans cook precisely. Aside from that, the user experience makes this fun enough to play around with even when you’re not making dinner. On nights when the eternal question comes up (what the hell do I make for dinner?), scrolling through the CHEF IQ companion app will inspire and educate with completely guided recipes that include video demonstrations. It’s difficult to fathom where pressure cooker technology goes from here.
Best for durability: Mueller UltraPot, 6-Quart
Best for durability
Mueller UltraPot, 6-Quart
Pros
- Great build quality with an attractive display
- Easy rubber gasket maintenance
- Built to last
Cons
- Runs a little hot, even on low settings
Why it made the cut: The Mueller UltraPot is engineered to be easy to use and, more importantly, easy to maintain.
Specs
- Dimensions: 16.14 inches L x 13.07 inches W x 13.07 inches H
- Weight: 16.11 pounds
- Presets: 15
Pressure cookers can last for years and years, so long as you regularly maintain them. It doesn’t require deep mechanical knowledge, but the upkeep can be cumbersome on many models, except the Mueller UltraPot.
Electric pressure cookers get their tight seals using rubber gaskets. These gaskets, as well as the area on the lid where these gaskets lock into, require regular cleaning. Mueller takes the guesswork out of this arduous task by letting you remove the gasket system whenever it needs to be cleaned or replaced. Aside from speedy maintenance, the device comes with all the presets one wants in a pressure cooker. There’s a caveat here that’s a bug or a feature, depending on your cooking styles. Slow cook settings run a little hot, but some cooks (myself included) prefer a pressure cooker to run a little hotter than colder.
Best for versatility: Ninja Foodi XL 14-in-1, 8-Quart
Best for versatility
Ninja Foodi XL 14-in-1, 8-Quart
Pros
- A pressure cooker that also “frys”
- Large cooking capacity
- All inner components are dishwasher safe
Cons
- Massive, and quite heavy
Why it made the cut: Ninja’s popular entry in the pressure cooking market doubles as a pretty solid air-fryer.
Specs
- Dimensions: 15.39 inches L x 14.21 inches W x 14.25 inches H
- Weight: 25.1 pounds
- Presets: 14
Pressure-cooked food, especially meat, is often moist and delicious but occasionally comes out looking a little pallid. Most pressure cookers can cook a whole chicken in half an hour, but only Ninja Foodi XL 14-in-1 can make one that actually looks appetizing.
The Ninja’s patented “Steam Crisp” technology cooks food fast while accomplishing something few pressure cookers can do: browning. We eat with our eyes first, after all. This doesn’t end with caramelizing meat. Ninja Foodie XL doubles as an air fryer. It even comes with a dedicated air-frying basket and a multi-tiered insert to cook up to three layers of food at once. If you have to feed a bunch of people at once, this is a godsend feature. Just make sure you check the measurements of your kitchen before buying it. It takes up quite a bit of space and clocks in at just over 25 pounds, so moving it regularly could become a chore.
Best design: Cuckoo Premium 5-Quart Electric Cooker
Best design
Cuckoo Premium 5-Quart Electric Cooker
Pros
- Gorgeous, futuristic look
- Safe and quiet steam release
- Musical touchscreen interface
Cons
- Less efficient use of space
Why it made the cut: This attractive pressure cooker comes with all the functions you want and a few you didn’t know you needed.
Specs
- Dimensions: 15 inches D x 12 inches W x 11 inches H
- Weight: 16.5 pounds
- Presets: 8
Most pressure cookers, even on the higher end of things, tend to all run together, design-wise. The Cuckoo Premium multi-cooker is a clear outlier.
This popular Korean brand doesn’t just look like a “Star Trek” prop, it’s got some space-age features as well. The LED screen operates by touch and lets you customize speed, cook time, and even the amount of pressure. The inner pot is stainless steel, so for efficient heating and cooking. Cuckoo gets hot and stays hot until dinner is ready. And while it’s a good bit clunkier than other models, it’s attractive enough to live on your countertop. It’s an appliance you can use to wow friends and dazzle enemies. Plus, it even responds to voice commands and has a self-cleaning mode. Let’s see an Instant Pot do that.
Best budget: Instant Pot Duo Mini, 3-Quart
Best budget
Instant Pot Duo Mini, 3-Quart
Pros
- Attractive blue LCD display
- Presets are customizable
- Compatible with plenty of Instant Pot accessories
Cons
- Takes extra steps to use than other Instant Pot models
Why it made the cut: The most popular electric pressure cooker brand has countless makes and models, but the Duo Mini is one of its best offerings—at a budget-friendly price.
Specs
- Dimensions: 11.8 inches L x 10.5 inches W x 10.9 inches H
- Weight: 8.65 pounds
- Presets: 7
There is perhaps no brand more associated with pressure cookers than Instant Pot. And while the brand has expanded its product line to include everything from dutch ovens to air purifiers, it still makes some solid pressure cookers, like the Instant Pot Duo Mini.
This model lies somewhere near the top of the Instant Pot pressure cooker line. Fancier models claim to do sous vide, but the results are dubious at best. With the Ultra, you can rely on every single one of the ten cooking presets, whether you’re sterilizing jars for preserves or making a week’s worth of Greek yogurt. All the presets allow you to customize time and pressure levels, which works using a handy dial. The LCD screen is an attractive addition and offers far more information for the cook to monitor before, during, and after cooking, including temperature fluctuations.
Things to consider before buying a pressure cooker
Size
Pressure cookers come in a myriad of styles, but they also come in different sizes. They come as small as three quarts and as big as 12 quarts. However, both ends of the size spectrum are a little unwieldy. Larger models tend to cook food less efficiently. After all, when you set your pressure cooker to cook food, it has to build up pressure. If there’s more space between the top of the food in the pot and the lid, expect your food to take longer than usual. Besides, a six-quart model still makes enough chow to feed an army. To that end, it’s difficult to recommend a three-quart model, even if you’re cooking for a smaller family. If you must have a smaller model, the Instant Pot Duo Mini is a good standby. You can’t make bone broth or fit a whole chicken in a smaller pot, so it’s way less versatile. As someone who lives in a two-person household, a six-quart model is a weeknight workhorse.
Price
The great thing about pressure cookers is they are incredibly popular. This is a double-edged sword because the market is flush with many shoddy products that aren’t worth the small amount of money invested in them. Price points are difficult to stick to as far as recommendations go because they’re always fluctuating with pressure cookers. However, if the device in question costs less than $70, you should probably stay away—that’s retail price, of course. If there’s a discount available at a lower price (and there often is), feel free to jump on it.
Functionality
My CHEF IQ cooks rice better than any rice cooker I’ve ever owned. It’s also a great way to cook a lot of food fast, like chickpeas or oatmeal, which makes it one of the best meal-prep tools around. It’s great for buffet-style parties and potlucks, too, as various “Keep Warm” settings help make these devices makeshift chafing dishes. Forget the potato salad. Show up to your next shindig with an Instant Pot full of nacho cheese and then sit back and let the praise roll in.
FAQs
Best, when it comes to pressure cookers, is a relative term. The CHEF IQ has plenty of smart features to make it an excellent value, but the Mueller UltraPot is far more affordable.
An electric pressure cooker isn’t recommended for canning as they don’t allow enough space for glass jars. A dedicated pressure canner may be a smarter buy.
The best air fryer pressure cooker is the Ninja Foodi XL. If you already own a pressure cooker, you may be able to buy a special attachment lid to make it into an air fryer.
Final thoughts on the best pressure cookers
- Best overall: CHEF IQ
- Best for longevity: Mueller UltraPot, 6-Quart
- Best for versatility: Ninja Foodi XL 14-in-1, 8-Quart
- Best design: Cuckoo Premium 5-Quart Electric Cooker
- Best budget: Instant Pot Duo Mini, 3-Quart
If you don’t own a pressure cooker: How? Why? These countertop marvels dish out some of the most impressive feats in the kitchen quickly and efficiently. The absolute top-of-the-line pressure cooker is the CHEF IQ, which isn’t just sleek; it’s smart, with a gorgeous LCD screen and companion app. If you absolutely must have a smaller model, the Instant Pot Duo Mini packs a lot of power into its three-quart model. Those looking to save on countertop space should seek out the Ninja Foodi XL, which is a pressure cooker that doubles as a pretty reliable air fryer.
