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Best Instant Pot 2021: ranking the top multi-cookers that we’ve tested

These are the best Instant Pots and multi-cookers we've teste

The best Instant Pot offers a multitude of cooking methods in one appliance, which can help ensure your kitchen countertop isn’t cluttered with cooking appliances. As well as being a versatile appliance, the best Instant Pot can also speed up the time it takes to prepare an array of different dishes.  

Instant Pots, along with other models of multi-cooker on the market, utilize steam during cooking, so it takes far less time than when using traditional methods of cooking. So you can wow your friends and family without spending hours slaving over a hot stove. 

An Instant Pot is a pressure cooker, but it can also be used to slow cook, saute, cook rice, and even make yogurt. Some models even offer the ability to air fry, roast, and grill thanks to an additional lid, so you may not need to invest in one of the best air fryers to enjoy crunchy, crisp fries. 

Instant pot can be used to prepare a wide range of dishes from stews, curries, and chilies to vegetables and rice. You can even cook hard-boiled eggs in an Instant Pot. It’s also important to know how to clean an Instant Pot to ensure it’s as efficient and fast as possible during cooking. 

The best Instant Pot and multi-cooker of 2021 we've tested

(Image credit: Instant Pot)

1. Instant Pot Pro

The best Instant Pot you can buy

SPECIFICATIONS

Capacity: 6-quart/ 6-liter or 8-quart/ 8-liter

Cooking modes: pressure cook, slow cook, rice cooker, steam, sauté, sous vide, reheat, yogurt maker, sterilizer, cake maker

Number of presets: 28

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REASONS TO BUY

+Five one-touch favorite settings+Wide array of cooking methods+Inner pot can be heated on all hob types 

REASONS TO AVOID

-No recipe book or cooking charts included-Steam rack unsuitable for vegetables

The Instant Pot Pro is the best Instant Pot you can buy right now. It sets out to replace ten kitchen appliances including a pressure cooker, slow cooker, saute pan, rice cooker, steamer, yogurt maker, and warmer, and has 28 cooking modes for preparing different dishes. There's also a version that can air fry too, known as the Instant Pot Pro Crisp.

We were impressed the Instant Pot Pro also has five buttons that allow you to store your favorite settings for recipes you make regularly, giving you the convenience of the one-touch programs but for your own custom recipes. 

The inner pot can be used on the hob to sear food before cooking, too, and has handles, so you can take the pot straight to the table. On top of that, the steam release switch is one of the easiest and safest steam release methods we’ve seen on a multi-cooker and the steam valve has a cover to reduce splashes and noise too. 

However there’s no recipe book or cooking charts included, which means using the Instant Pot does require some experimentation and we steaming broccoli, the florets fell through the taps in the steaming rack. 

Read our full review: Instant Pot Pro  

(Image credit: Instant Pot)

2. Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus

The best instant pot for presets

SPECIFICATIONS

Capacity: 6 quarts / 5.7 liters and 8 quarts / 8 liters

Cooking modes: pressure cook, slow cook, steam, sous vide, sauté, bake, reheat, yogurt maker

Number of presets: 48

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REASONS TO BUY

+48 presets+Inner pot can be heated on all hob types +Wide array of cooking methods

REASONS TO AVOID

-Recipe app can be difficult to use-Steam rack unsuitable for vegetables

If you’re looking for an Instant Pot that comes with a wide array of presets, the Instant Pot Evo Duo Plus has an impressive 48 - the most of any Instant Pot we’ve tested. Just like the Instant Pot Pro (above), the Duo Evo Plus offers ten cooking methods and the inner pot can be used on the hob too, but it’s slightly more affordable as it lacks the favorite recipe button and also the steam release switch. 

Simple to use, the Instant Pot speeded up cooking times and ensured we were able to create a range of dishes from slow-cooked chillis to ribs. It was quiet in use too. However, we found the recipe app fiddly to use - we'd have preferred a thick booklet containing meal inspiration. We also when struggled when steaming vegetables as the broccoli florist fell through the gaps on the steaming rack. 

Read our full review: Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus 

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(Image credit: Instant Pot)

3. Instant Pot Duo V2 7-in-1 

        Electric Pressure Cooker

The best affordable Instant Pot

SPECIFICATIONS

Capacity: 3 quarts / 3 liters, 6 quarts / 5.7 liters, 8 quarts / 8 liters

Cooking modes: pressure cook, slow cook, steam, sauté, reheat, yogurt maker

Number of presets: 11

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REASONS TO BUY

+Good range of cooking methods+Compact and lightweight+Presets can be easily activated

REASONS TO AVOID

-Inner pot can't be used on the hob-Not as fast as other Instant Pots

The predecessor to the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus is just as effective when pressure cooking, slow cooking, steaming and making yogurt, but with a more affordable price, it's the best Instant Pot for those on a budget.

More compact and lightweight than other Instant Pots, the Duo V2 7-in-1 electric pressure cooker has 14 cooking modes, and true to its name, the Instant Pot speeds up lengthy cooking times, although not quite as quickly as its older sibling. The hotter or higher pressure you cook food at, the longer you'll need to wait for the pressure to reduce in the pan. In our review, we found in some cases this meant an extra 20 minutes of waiting until the pressure valve popped down - but as this is a safety mechanism, we’re not going to penalize Instant Pot for it. 

The inner pot can't be used on the hob, so you will need to sear meat and vegetables in another pan before cooking meals, but its one-touch buttons make it extremely easy to use. 

Read the full review: Instant Pot Duo V2 7-in-1Electric Pressure Cooker  

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(Image credit: Ninja)

4. Ninja Foodi Max

The best Instant Pot alternative for large families

SPECIFICATIONS

Capacity: 8 quarts / 7.5 liter

Cooking modes: Pressure cook, air fry, slow cook, steam, bake/roast, sear/sauté, grill, yoghurt and dehydrate

Number of presets: 9

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REASONS TO BUY

+Ideal for large families+Wide range of cooking techniques+Excelled at roasting chicken

REASONS TO AVOID

-Bulky on the countertop-Struggled to make crisp, crunchy fries

The 8-quart / 7.5-liter Ninja Foodi Max adds air frying, grilling, and dehydrating to the long list of cooking methods offered by the best Instant Pots, making it ideal for large families.  

On test, while the Ninja Foodi Max excelled at pressure cooking and slow cooking, when it came to air-frying some foods were cooked more effectively than others. For example, roasting a whole chicken in the Ninja Foodi Max Multi-Cooker resulted in tender meat that was still moist but had a crisp golden skin, but chips weren’t as successful as they weren’t cooked through - if fries are your thing the Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air fryer would be a better purchase.  

The Ninja Foodi Max is bulky and isn’t the kind of appliance that will blend into the background in a kitchen but for those with plenty of mouths to feed, it could be a worthy investment.  

Read our full review: Ninja Foodi Max Multi-Cooker

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(Image credit: Instant Pot)

5. Instant Pot Duo Nova

The best instant pot for pressure release

SPECIFICATIONS

Capacity: 3-quart / 2.8-liter, 6-quart/ 5.7-liter, 8-quart / 7.6-liter

Cooking modes: pressure cook, slow cook, rice cooker, steam, sauté, reheat, yogurt maker

Number of presets: 15

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REASONS TO BUY

+Good range of cooking methods+Dishwasher safe lid and pot+Lid automatically seals for pressure cooking

REASONS TO AVOID

-Cooking pot doesn’t have handles-Steam rack not ideal for most vegetables

If you’re looking for an Instant Pot that makes releasing the pressure at the end of cooking as easy and as safe as possible, then the Instant Pot Duo Nova is worth considering. It has a quick steam release switch, which is separate from the steam valve, and ensures you can force the pressure to be released in a safer way. On top of that, the steam release valve automatically closes when you secure the lid, making it one of the easiest Instant Pots to use.

With seven different cooking methods and 14 programs offering pre-definied times, it’s very similar to the Instant Pot Duo (above) and while it speeds up lengthy cooking times, it’s not quite as quick as the Instant Pot Pro or the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus. However the pot and lid are dishwasher safe, and it even comes with an additional sealing ring too. 

We did notice the stainless-steel cooking pot doesn’t have handles, which makes it fiddly to lift in and out of the main body, and when steaming vegetables we found the florets of broccoli tended to slip through the gaps in the steaming rack, meaning they ended up soggy. 

Read our full review: Instant Pot Duo Nova  

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(Image credit: Breville)

6. Breville the Fast Slow Pro

The most stylish Instant Pot alternative

SPECIFICATIONS

Capacity: 6-quart / 6-liter

Cooking modes: Pressure cook, slow cook, reduce, sear, sauté, and steam

Number of presets: 6

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REASONS TO BUY

+Stylish design+Simple to use+Six cooking functions

REASONS TO AVOID

-Can’t cook small quantities-Hinged lid requires screwdriver for removal

Most Instant Pots and multi-cooker don't chart high in the style stakes but with a brushed stainless steel finish and a neat and streamlined design, the Breville the Fast Slow Pro is certainly one of the better-looking multi-cookers we've tested. 

Simple to use, it offers six cooking functions and you can either choose from a range of presets for dishes including stew, risotto, and rice or manually adjust the time and temperature to ensure the meal is cooked to perfection. 

On test, we found the Breville the Fast Slow Pro cooked meat so it was tender and succulents while vegetables and rice were cooked through but not soggy or mushy. However,  you’ll need a screwdriver to remove the hinged lid if you want to clean it, and it has a minimum 1-quart/ 1-liter capacity, meaning it struggled to cook smaller quantities.

Read our full review: Breville the Fast Slow Pro