Checklist · 13 picks · 5 categories
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A pressure cooker turns long-simmer food into weeknight food, and it's way less scary than the old jokes suggest.
Start with the cooker. America's Test Kitchen's winning multicooker is the Instant Pot Pro, and its Best Buy from Cosori is great at both pressure and slow cooking. Prefer the stove? ATK's stovetop winner from Fissler is an investment, while its Best Buy from Presto costs less but feels flimsier. Then add a steamer basket for veggies and eggs. BestReviews picked the baskets, egg racks and bakeware sling, and Food Network's accessory list covers egg bite molds and spare rings. Most add-ons are sold for Instant Pot sizes, so check the fit first. Each card shows the drawback the outlet called out, like a handle that pops off or a pot that can't slow-cook.
Who this is not for. Skip this if you want set-it-and-leave-it dinners; the Slow Cooker Starter list is built for that.
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Estimates based on typical prices, checked Nov 2, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cosori 6-Quart Pressure Cooker | budget | $50-100 | soups, beans and shredded chicken | 1 outlet |
| Instant Pot Pro 8-Quart Multicooker | mid | $150-200 | big batches for a family | 1 outlet |
| Instant Pot Pro 6-Quart Multicooker | mid | $150-200 | smaller kitchens that want the Pro | 1 outlet |
budget pick · 6 qt
Best for soups, beans and shredded chicken
Dump-and-go meals for the week. America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy multicooker: great at pressure and slow cooking, with simple presets.
Heads up. The dark pot makes browning hard to see, and there's no automatic quick-release button
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy multicooker.
$50-100
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mid pick · 8 qt
Best for big batches for a family
America's Test Kitchen's winning multicooker: easy to use, with a flat pot that sears evenly and a release switch away from the steam.
Heads up. Struggles to slow-cook large cuts of meat
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning multicooker.
$150-200
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mid pick · 6 qt
Best for smaller kitchens that want the Pro
Highly recommended by America's Test Kitchen: the smaller sibling of its winner, and a stellar pressure cooker with a stainless steel pot.
Heads up. Didn't perform well as a slow cooker
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen highly recommended multicooker.
$150-200
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budget pick · 8 qt
Best for trying stovetop pressure cooking for less
America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy stovetop pressure cooker: a low, wide shape for browning and stirring that cooked meats and beans well.
Heads up. Flimsier, with a hard-to-monitor pressure indicator, sides that encourage scorching and no low-pressure setting for grains
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy stovetop pressure cooker.
$50-100
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splurge pick · 8.5 qt
Best for serious stovetop cooks
America's Test Kitchen's winning stovetop pressure cooker: solidly built, with a low, wide profile that made browning easy.
Heads up. At its price, ATK calls it an investment
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning stovetop pressure cooker.
$200-300
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budget pick · Several sizes
Best for steaming veggies on a budget
BestReviews' Best Bang for the Buck steamer basket: tall, sturdy sides keep food in the basket and out of the steaming water.
Heads up. The removable handle sometimes detaches unexpectedly
1 outlet. BestReviews best Bang for the Buck Instant Pot steamer basket.
$15-25
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mid pick · 6 and 8 qt
Best for doubling as a strainer
BestReviews' Best of the Best steamer basket: a durable, well-made basket with raised legs that keep food above the water.
Heads up. Doesn't use the full cooking space in an 8-quart pot
1 outlet. BestReviews best of the Best Instant Pot steamer basket.
$15-25
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instant Pot Official Silicone Egg Bites Pan with Lid | budget | under $15 | meal-prep egg bites | Limited evidence |
| Genuine Instant Pot Sealing Ring 2-Pack | budget | under $15 | keeping a spare ring in the drawer | Limited evidence |
| Instant Pot Wire Egg Racks | mid | $15-25 | batches of hard-boiled eggs | 1 outlet |
| Instant Pot Silicone Bakeware Sling | mid | $25-50 | lifting hot pans out of a deep pot | 1 outlet |
budget pick · Fits the pot
Best for meal-prep egg bites
First on Food Network's list of Instant Pot accessories: a non-stick silicone pan for eggs, muffins and more, with a lid for storing.
Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.
under $15
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budget pick · 2 rings
Best for keeping a spare ring in the drawer
On Food Network's list of Instant Pot accessories: silicone rings for an airtight seal, especially in pressure cook mode.
Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.
under $15
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mid pick · 7 eggs per rack
Best for batches of hard-boiled eggs
BestReviews' Best of the Best Instant Pot accessory: official racks for hard- and soft-boiled eggs, whether for breakfast prep or a crowd.
Heads up. Doesn't fit some models, such as the Duo Crisp
1 outlet. BestReviews best of the Best Instant Pot accessory.
$15-25
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mid pick · Fits the pot
Best for lifting hot pans out of a deep pot
BestReviews' Best Bang for the Buck Instant Pot accessory: slides under a pan before cooking so you can lift it straight out when the timer ends.
Heads up. Can hold onto odors after cooking
1 outlet. BestReviews best Bang for the Buck Instant Pot accessory.
$25-50
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budget pick · Compact
Best for checking steaks and burgers for doneness
America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy: a no-frills model that's quick, accurate and dead simple to use, a bargain for the price.
Heads up. Handle could be a tad larger, and the long probe doesn't fold out
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy instant-read thermometer.
$25-50
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mid pick · Compact
Best for reading temps from any angle
America's Test Kitchen's best midprice instant-read thermometer: the big, clear display rotates two ways, and the long probe worked great at various angles.
Heads up. A tad slower and a tiny bit less accurate than America's Test Kitchen's top choice
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Midprice instant-read thermometer.
$50-100
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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Spot a mistake? A broken link, a wrong price range or an outdated pick: tell me at hello@allsetlist.com and I'll fix it.
Electric multicookers add modes like slow cooking and searing, depending on the model. Stovetop models sit on your burner, and America's Test Kitchen says its Fissler winner was the only model in its stovetop lineup to reach 250 degrees at high pressure. The Presto Best Buy got close at 249 degrees, but ATK warns it's flimsier and has a hard-to-monitor indicator.
America's Test Kitchen's winner is the 8-quart Instant Pot Pro, and it also highly recommends the 6-quart version. Think about your batch size and your counter. Accessories matter too: BestReviews says the official mesh basket fits both sizes but doesn't use the full cooking space in the 8-quart.
It depends on the model. America's Test Kitchen says the Cosori excelled at both pressure and slow cooking, but both Instant Pot Pro sizes struggled as slow cookers. If slow cooking is your main thing, check our Slow Cooker Starter list.
