There’s a reason Instant Pot has become synonymous with “Pressure Cooker.” In our testing, we discovered that this brand is durable, easy to use and produces some of the best meals while still being affordable. It is the only pressure cooker we tested that has four dishwasher safe accessories. The easy-cleaning, durable stainless steel pot also makes it easier to clean. This 6-quart device makes food for up to roughly six people, which makes it perfect for a busy family. It’s a good choice for anyone who wants to get a good pressure cooker without spending too much.
In our testing, the 6 Quart Duo took the third longest time to cook rice, but the grains were thoroughly cooked and didn’t stick much to the inner pot. The pot roast test was completed equally well with the roast being cooked through and especially tender. Many of our taste testers specifically stated that the beef fell apart and melted in their mouths. This was also one of the more stick-resistant pots out of all the ones we tested, so cleaning up was easy.
The Instant Pot 7-in-1 Duo comes in both a 6-quart and an 8-quart size. The company also offers smaller pressure cooker models that come in 3-quart and 5-quart capacities if you plan to cook for a smaller group. Unfortunately, this brand does not offer any larger sizes. This model features eight preset food buttons, including the most common ones: soup/broth, meat/stew, bean/chili, poultry, rice, multigrain, porridge and yogurt. It also gives you the option of using the sauté, pressure cook, slow cook or steam cooking methods, which opens up many cooking possibilities and makes this device one of the most versatile.
If you’re the kind of person that likes to plan your meals in advance, this is a good pressure cooker to use. This machine features a delay start button which means that you can place food inside and set the Instant Pot to cook your food up to 24 hours later. If your food finishes cooking but you aren’t ready to eat yet, the keep warm button can maintain a warm temperature without cooking your food further.
This electric multi-cooker remains relatively cool to the touch on all main areas but, like other devices, can get hot near the lid, release valve and condensation cup. Instant Pot was the only brand in our review to feature its own app so you can keep track of pressure cooker recipes or rate and share recipes with others.
The recipe book was one of the most colorful and helpful ones we saw. It even has a thorough cooking times chart that covers foods that don’t have preset food buttons, so you won’t have to jump on the internet every time you need food instruction. This is the only device to have dishwasher safe utensils. The measuring cup, steamer rack, ladle and rice spoon are all dishwasher safe so you can drop them in the top rack and let your machine take care of the cleaning. And since the pot is made of stainless steel, it is more durable than many other products in our comparison. We found it easy to clean and it didn’t get scratched or tarnished while we used it.
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The Instant Pot is covered by a one-year warranty, which is average. If you would prefer a longer warranty, you might be interested in Black + Decker. To keep you and your loved ones safe, this Instant Pot device only operates when the lid is correctly installed, and it remains locked until all pressure has been released from inside. As an added measure of safety, a special fuse inside the machine automatically turns the device off if the temperature or electricity levels get out of hand.