Buying guide for Best Instant Pots

The Instant Pot is a cleverly named culinary tool that can perform an impressive variety of cooking tasks. Whether you want to make yogurt, cook rice, sauté vegetables, slow cook a roast, or even bake, this handy device can do it all. In a home where space is a concern, this may quickly become your favorite appliance.

Choosing the right size Instant Pot that will meet the needs of your household is the most important decision you will make. After that, it is a matter of determining how many functions you'd like your Instant Pot to perform and how much programming control you want. We've found it's better to get the bells and whistles than to regret not having what you need with this device.

When you're ready to purchase, check out our recommendations for a sampling of Instant Pots that we've chosen as the best. If you want a little more in-depth knowledge of how this appliance works and all the many things it can do, just continue reading.

There are five Instant Pot models: Lux, Duo, Duo Plus, Smart, and Ultra. We look at the cooking functions offered by each to determine who would benefit most from each model.

We look at Instant Pots of various sizes to get a feel for what’s available. You can find Instant Pots with 3-quart, 6-quart, and 8-quart capacities. The most popular size holds 6 quarts.

Instant Pots offer a lot of great functions, but potential buyers want to know if these machines are easy to use. In our testing, we find out what kind of learning curve comes with each model.

An Instant Pot is suitable for any household, but the number of people to be served may affect which model is best. We look for Instant Pots models that would suit both smaller and larger households.

When testing an Instant Pot, we find out how long the machine takes to prepare different types of food and compare its efficiency to that of competitors.

Some Instant Pot models have an air fryer function. When this is offered, we explore how well it fries and how long it takes to prepare air fried food.

Before recommending an Instant Pot model, we find out how easy it is to remove the cooking pot and whether it can safely go in the dishwasher.

We evaluate how many functions and programs an Instant Pot offers to determine how many different types of food it can prepare. Some models have up to 14 programs.

When testing an Instant Pot, we explore all the settings to make sure each works as it is meant to work.

When testing an Instant Pot, we explore all safety measures it offers, such as overheat protection and a locking lid.

Instant Pot models

You'll find five different models of Instant Pot on the market, each with slight variations in functions and features. All are fairly simple to set up and use, so let's examine all five to help you decide which one best fits your needs.

Lux

The Instant Pot Lux is the most basic Instant Pot on the market, but that doesn't mean it's not good at what it does. It's an excellent, affordable option if you mainly use it for basic kitchen tasks; pressure cooking, slow cooking and steaming. It has ten built-in smart programs, or you can set it manually.

It's a 6-in-1 model with the following functions:

• Pressure cook

• Slow cook

• Cook rice

• Saute

• Steam

• Warm

Duo

With one additional cooking function, the Duo is a slight step up from the Lux. It also offers the ability to cook on either high pressure or low pressure. This is the most popular model Instant Pot. According to owner reviews, the Duo does everything they need it to, and more. It has 14 smart programs, plus the option to manually set the cooking time for pressure cooking.

The Duo is a 7-in-1 model with the following functions:

• Pressure cook

• Slow cook

• Make yogurt

• Cook rice

• Saute

• Steam

• Warm

Duo Plus

The Instant Pot Duo Plus boasts everything the Duo offers, plus a bit extra. The added sterilization function makes it perfect for anyone who wants to use their Instant Pot to sterilize baby bottles.

It's a 9-in-1 model with the following functions:

• Pressure cook

• Slow cook

• Make yogurt

• Cook rice

• Cook eggs

• Saute

• Steam

• Warm

• Sterilize

Smart

The Instant Pot Smart is a real step up in terms of programmability. The unit’s main body is much like the Duo, and it has all the same functions. The big difference is that you can control it with an app, which connects from your phone or tablet using Bluetooth.

The Smart model comes with 14 built-in programs, and the app allows you to download and use many more. The app also gives you tremendous control over the cooking temperature and lets you create your own programs for precise results, just the way you want them.

Ultra

If you'd like to customize each program and create your own detailed programs without the use of an app, the Instant Pot Ultra is the model for you. The addition of a twist dial lets you set the cooking at one-degree increments, rather than selecting from a number of preset temperatures. It also allows you to make detailed custom programs, selecting the cook time, pressure level, exact temperature (anywhere from 104 to 208°F), length of the delay timer, and whether or not to switch to "keep warm" at the end of the cooking cycle.

This is a 10-in-1 model with the following functions:

• Pressure cook

• Slow cook

• Make yogurt

• Cook rice

• Make cakes

• Cook eggs

• Saute

• Steam

• Warm

• Sterilize

Instant Pot versions

Every model of Instant Pot has different versions that feature minor tweaks and improvements. The various versions generally aren't available alongside one another — once an old version has sold out, only the newer version will be found on retail shelves.

When you purchase a new Instant Pot, unless stated otherwise you’ll receive the newest version. This should be the best iteration currently available. However, if you're buying a second-hand model, you should check the version and make sure there aren't any significant flaws with the version you're buying.

That said, the variations between versions are usually only minor and shouldn't make a huge amount of difference to overall performance.

What size Instant Pot is best for you?

Instant Pots can be found with 3-quart, 6-quart and 8-quart capacities, but not every model comes in every size.

• A 3-quart Instant Pot is suited to cooking meals for one or two people, as long as you aren't interested in batch cooking. The Lux, Duo, Duo Plus, and Ultra come in 3-quart sizes.

• A 6-quart Instant Pot cooks for smaller households of up to four, or for one or two people who like to batch cook. Every Instant Pot model — Lux, Duo, Duo Plus, Smart and Ultra — comes in a 6-quart size.

• An 8-quart Instant Pot is large enough for individual meals for a family of five or more, or smaller families who want to batch cook. The Duo, Lux, Duo Plus, and Ultra come in an 8-quart size.

Instant Pot tips

These tips will help you get started with your new appliance in an instant.

• When using your Instant Pot as a pressure cooker, you need at least 1/2 to 1 cup of liquid in your recipe, otherwise the unit won't fully pressurize.

• Increase or decrease the temperature when slow cooking or sautéing by pressing the "adjust" button.

• There's no need to defrost first when using frozen ingredients in your Instant Pot, just increase the cooking time slightly.

• You can pop popcorn in an Instant Pot, using the sauté function.

• When cooking in pressure-cooker mode, there's no need to soak or pre-cook dried beans. Just throw them in with the other ingredients.

Instant Pot prices

The price of an Instant Pot depends mainly on the model. Since all Instant Pots come in 6-quart sizes (but not all come in 3- or 8-quart sizes), we'll use this size for comparison.

• A 6-quart Instant Pot Lux costs around $80.

• A 6-quart Instant Pot Duo costs around $100.

• A 6-quart Instant Pot Duo Plus costs around $120.

• A 6-quart Instant Pot Ultra costs around $150.

• A 6-quart Instant Pot Smart costs around $160.

It's worth paying a little extra for a model with added features or functions, especially if you might regret not having them later and ultimately purchase an upgraded model anyway.

FAQ

Q. Why choose an Instant Pot over another multi cooker?

A. One of the common reasons people choose the Instant Pot is that the cooking pot is 100% stainless steel. This is rare among multi cookers — most have aluminum or nonstick pots — and is an attractive feature. Stainless steel is long-lasting. There's no controversy over potential health danger, as there is with aluminum and nonstick coatings. Additionally, Instant Pots are known to be quality multi cookers that are easy to use, durable and produce good results.

Q. At what pressure does an Instant Pot cook?

A. When on the high pressure setting, an Instant Pot cooks at roughly 11 psi. An average stovetop pressure cooker, on the other hand, cooks at 15 psi. When using a regular pressure cooker recipe, you'll need to increase the cook time by 7% to 15% to accommodate the pressure difference.

Q. Is an Instant Pot easy to clean?

A. The Instant Pot’s stainless steel cooking pot is fully removable and dishwasher safe, meaning it's a breeze to clean.

WATCH: 5 best Instant Pots on YouTube

5 course Instant Pot barbecue

1. Use large, tough cuts of meat for your Instant Pot. Pork shoulder is a great pick for pulled pork sandwiches.

2. Add some nutrition to your barbecue with some tender, steamed artichokes.

3. Side dishes like corn on the cob can be made in the Instant Pot while you man the grill.

4. For mac and cheese or pasta salad, make the noodles in the Instant Cooker first, then add the cheese.

5. Whip up a dessert in your Instant Pot the night before, from cheesecake to cobbler.

You can use large, tough cuts of meat for your Instant Pot. Pork shoulder is a great pick for pulled pork sandwiches.

Baking in your Instant Pot is a breeze, as long as you have the proper pans that will fit inside.

Add some nutrition to your barbecue with some tender, steamed artichokes.

For your next barbecue, side dishes like corn on the cob can be made in the Instant Pot while you man the grill.

For your mac and cheese, make the noodles in the Instant Cooker first then add the cheese.

Save time and headaches by using your pressure cooker for almost anything. Bon appetit!