The Best Electric Pressure Cookers for 2026: The Instant Pot Models to Buy
By Claire Whitmore. Last updated October 2026.
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An electric pressure cooker, more accurately a multicooker, can turn dried beans, tough cuts of meat and risotto into weeknight food. You add ingredients, lock the lid and walk away, and dinner is usually ready in under an hour. Most models also slow cook, sauté, steam, cook rice and make yogurt. They’re not instant, though: preheating and natural pressure release can each take a while.
Our picks come from Wirecutter’s February 2026 update to its electric pressure cooker guide, which has tested models since 2016, cooking beans, rice, brisket, risotto, butter chicken, whole chickens and even cake, and consulted pressure-cooking authors Lorna Sass and Mike Vrobel. We haven’t tested these ourselves, and prices change often.
Quick answer: the Instant Pot Rio 6-quart is the electric pressure cooker most people should buy. Step up to the Instant Pot Pro 6-quart for a stove- and oven-safe inner pot with handles, more sauté control and a gentler steam release. Get the Instant Pot Rio Wide Plus 7.5-quart if you cook big roasts or whole chickens.
Our picks at a glance
| Pick | Best for | Inner pot | Key extras | Approx. price* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instant Pot Rio 6-quart | Best overall | Stainless, not stove-safe | Start button, progress bar, three sauté levels | About $160 |
| Instant Pot Pro 6-quart | Upgrade pick | Stainless with handles; stove and oven safe to 450 °F | LCD screen, five sauté levels, steam diffuser, extra ring | About $170 to $210 |
| Instant Pot Rio Wide Plus 7.5-quart | Large cuts of meat | Wide, shallow stainless | Faster preheating in testing | Similar to the Pro |
| Instant Pot Duo 6-quart | Low-pressure option | Stainless | Low and high pressure, air-fryer lid compatible | Often about $10 less than the Rio |
*Prices from Wirecutter’s buying links at the time of writing.
The best electric pressure cookers
1. Instant Pot Rio 6-quart: best overall
Best for: most households that want an easy, versatile multicooker.
The Rio is the latest evolution of the Instant Pot Duo, Wirecutter’s top pick since 2016. It performs core functions, including pressure cooking, sautéing and steaming, as well as pricier Instant Pots and better than other brands. Wirecutter was cooking beans minutes after skimming the instructions.
Upgrades over the Duo include a Start button, dedicated time and temperature controls, a progress bar showing preheat, cook and warm stages, rubber stoppers that keep the pot from spinning, three sauté heat levels and the option to silence non-safety beeps. Like all Instant Pots, it has an uncoated stainless inner pot that will likely outlast the appliance, an auto-sealing lid and a steam-release switch that keeps your hand away from the valve.
Its flaws are modest: many buttons, a heavy lid that gets hot, crevices around the rim that trap crumbs, lackluster searing (true of all electric cookers) and only a high-pressure setting, which Wirecutter found most recipes use anyway. It has a one-year warranty, and replacement parts are easy to find.
Pros
- Simple, intuitive controls
- Durable stainless inner pot
- Safer steam-release switch
- Good value
Cons
- Lots of buttons
- Weak searing
- High pressure only
- Hard-to-clean rim
2. Instant Pot Pro 6-quart: best upgrade
Best for: frequent users who want more control and convenience.
The Pro’s best feature is its inner pot: it has stay-cool silicone handles that lock it in place while you stir and make it easy to lift out, and it’s safe on the stove, including induction, and in the oven up to 450 °F. That means you can sear properly on a burner or finish a dish under the broiler. Other Instant Pot inserts can warp on a stove, which voids the warranty.
It also has a large, bright LCD with a detailed progress bar, a dial instead of rows of buttons, five sauté temperatures, five savable presets, a steam diffuser that makes quick release gentler and quieter, release reminders and an extra sealing ring. It works with Instant Pot’s QuickCool Tray (sold separately), which cut up to 15 minutes off natural release in testing. Its bake and sous vide modes were disappointing, and despite claims, it didn’t preheat noticeably faster. An 8-quart version is available.
Pros
- Stove- and oven-safe pot with handles
- Clear LCD and dial
- Quieter steam release
- Extra sealing ring
Cons
- Bake and sous vide modes underwhelm
- No real preheat speed advantage
- One-year warranty
3. Instant Pot Rio Wide Plus 7.5-quart: best for large cuts
Best for: cooks who braise big roasts or whole birds.
This squat, wide model is shaped more like a Dutch oven. Wirecutter fit a nearly 5-pound untrussed chicken with room to spare. The wide surface also helps evaporation when sautéing, and it preheated a pot of beans in about 11 minutes 46 seconds, noticeably faster than other models tested.
It takes a lot of counter space and lacks the Pro’s stove-safe pot with handles. Unless you specifically want the wide shape, Wirecutter thinks the 8-quart Pro serves most people better.
Pros
- Fits large cuts and whole chickens
- Wide surface for browning
- Faster preheating
Cons
- Very big
- No stove-safe insert
4. Instant Pot Duo 6-quart: best if you want low pressure
Best for: longtime fans and anyone who wants an air-fryer lid option.
The former top pick is still sold, often about $10 less than the Rio. It lacks the Rio’s start button and progress bar, but it offers both low- and high-pressure cooking and works with an optional air-fryer lid. Wirecutter staffers report using their Duos for years.
Pros
- Low and high pressure
- Air-fryer lid compatible
- Proven durability
Cons
- Older, less intuitive interface
Multicookers we’d skip
- Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid: expensive, mediocre as an air fryer, with a hinged lid and non-removable sealing ring.
- Ninja Foodi pressure cooker and air fryer: works well but is huge and pricey.
- Breville Fast Slow Pro: a nice interface and altitude adjustment, but about twice the price of the Instant Pot Pro with a nonstick pot and no handles.
- Instant Pot Max: reaches higher pressure and has a canning setting, but takes longer to pressurize and lacks the steam switch and pot handles.
- Zavor Lux LCD: its loose inner pot spun every time Wirecutter stirred.
How to choose
Size. Six quarts is right for most households. Choose 8 quarts if you cook for a crowd or make stock, or the Rio Wide Plus for big cuts.
Inner pot. Insist on uncoated stainless steel. Nonstick inserts brown less well and wear out in a few years.
Ease of use. Clear displays, a start button, an automatic seal and a steam-release switch make a big difference for new users.
Parts. Sealing rings and valve parts need replacing every one to three years. Instant Pot sells them, and Wirecutter suggests buying from Instant Pot’s site to avoid fakes.
Care and maintenance
Clean the lid after every use, removing the valve parts and silicone ring, because trapped food can harbor bacteria and stop the pot sealing. The lid is dishwasher-safe. To remove smells from a clean ring, bake it alone at 250 °F for 20 to 30 minutes, or keep separate rings for savory and sweet foods. If the pot takes noticeably longer to reach pressure, the ring may need replacing.
FAQ
Is an Instant Pot really instant?
No. Preheating took Wirecutter about 14 to 16 minutes for a pot of beans, and natural release can take up to 30 minutes. It saves hands-on time more than total time.
Can I sear in an Instant Pot?
You can brown, but electric elements don’t sear as well as a stovetop. Sear in a cast-iron skillet, deglaze and add everything to the pot, or use the Pro’s stove-safe insert.
Does the Instant Pot company still exist?
Instant Brands filed for bankruptcy in June 2023 but secured funding and did not liquidate, and Wirecutter hasn’t seen availability problems.
Do I need low pressure?
Rarely. Wirecutter staffers who cook weekly couldn’t recall using it; most recipes use high pressure.
The bottom line
The Instant Pot Rio 6-quart is the electric pressure cooker we’d buy: easy, versatile and built around a durable stainless pot. The Instant Pot Pro is worth the small step up if you’ll use it often, mainly for its stove- and oven-safe pot with handles. Get the Rio Wide Plus for large cuts of meat.
