Don’t let old stories of exploding pots deter you from trying pressure cookers. Today’s top models are both user-friendly and loaded with safety features, offering faster and easier meal preparation.
Ideal for busy families and those entertaining guests, pressure cookers excel at making stews, soups, challenging meat cuts, whole chickens, rice, beans, and more. Food and Meal tested 30 popular and highly-rated electric and stovetop models by preparing a no-stir risotto, unsoaked beans, and a simple beef stew. Here’s what we discovered.
Factors to Consider When Choosing the best Pressure Cookers
Mastering the art of quick and efficient cooking is always a top priority for kitchen enthusiasts. If you’re on the hunt for the perfect tools to achieve this, don’t miss out on our curated list of articles: Join us on this culinary journey and unlock the full potential of pressure cooking! At Food And Meal, we were thoroughly impressed with Breville’s sophisticated brushed stainless steel pressure cooker. As culinary enthusiasts, we found its 11 pre-programmed cooking options, enriched by a multitude of supplementary features, to be a testament to its prowess in the kitchen. The sous vide function particularly caught our attention, and we appreciated the smart sensors that autonomously tweak time and temperature, exuding convenience and precision. Shifting between cooking modes felt seamless to us. Using the LCD panel’s presets or diving into custom settings to refine our dishes was intuitive and satisfying. No matter our choice, this multi-cooker consistently delivered prompt, mouth-watering results. One feature that stood out for us at Food And Meal was the slow cooking function, reminiscent of time-honored crockpots. However, the real star was the cooker’s ability to sear and brown directly within its detachable vessel, adding a fresh dimension to our culinary experiments. Safety, we believe, is paramount, and this appliance aligns with our ethos. It boasts a robust safety framework, including a steadfast lid lock, a hands-off steam release mechanism, and an added safety valve. We also noted that its expansive base kept our countertops spotless, catching any errant cooking liquids. We loved the automatic keep-warm function, ensuring our dishes retained their warmth post-cooking. And we can’t emphasize enough the value of having handles that stay cool, making for safe and straightforward transfers. In conclusion, Breville’s brushed stainless steel pressure cooker resonated with us at Food And Meal as a harmonious blend of aesthetic and functionality. Catering to both culinary veterans and rookies, this appliance enabled us to whip up dishes with unmatched ease, safety, and precision. For us, it marked the dawn of hassle-free, consistently delightful dining experiences. For those who lean towards a no-frills, traditional stovetop pressure cooker while still wanting ample room for generous servings, the Presto 6-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker might just be your match. This reliable kitchen ally strikes a perfect balance between quality and affordability. Crafted from robust, scratch-defiant stainless steel, this cooker promises longevity. It guarantees uniform heating and cooking, and its adaptability is evident as it’s compatible with both conventional and induction stovetops. There’s no fuss about fitting it with your kitchen setup. Safety, a non-negotiable in every kitchen, is well-addressed by the Presto Pressure Cooker. Its safety lid-lock feature is commendable, effectively diminishing steam pressure prior to opening, ensuring you cook with confidence. Post-cooking cleanup can often be daunting, but not with this model. Being dishwasher-friendly, it streamlines the tidying up process. In situations where a rapid cooldown is essential, it’s designed to be water-immersible, a timely feature indeed. Tailored for user convenience, the Presto Pressure Cooker boasts ergonomic features like a rubberized side handle, ensuring hassle-free handling even when brimming with sumptuous meals. The provided cooking rack insert is a standout, enabling simultaneous preparation of diverse dishes, truly amplifying cooking efficiency. The Instant Pot Pro Crisp XL 8 Quart isn’t just another multi-cooker; it’s a revolution in the kitchen. Standing out with its integrated air fryer, this device truly sets a new standard. Imagine having the capability to broil, bake, roast, toast, sauté, sous vide, dehydrate, steam, slow cook, and more, all condensed into one versatile appliance. It’s akin to hosting a culinary maestro on your kitchen counter. Undeniably, the spotlight falls on its air fryer capability. With a simple switch of the lid, your Instant Pot morphs into a high-performance air fryer. This transformative feature, combined with the crisper technology and the spacious 8-quart volume, is perfect for both extensive meal preparations and hosting parties. It’s like an in-house catering service at your beck and call. It’s the dual frying feature that truly enchants us. Excelling in browning and crisping your food’s exterior, it elevates taste and presentation phenomenally. Whether you’re craving impeccably crunchy chicken wings or tantalizingly seared steaks, this function hits the mark consistently. Additionally, the Instant Pot Pro Crisp comes with five customizable settings, essentially acting as a culinary assistant that memorizes and recreates your cherished recipes. Diving into the accessories, this device offers an array: a versatile steam rack, a tiered air fryer basket equipped with a dehydration and broiling tray, and a thermally-protected pad complemented by a storage cover. Each accessory enhances the cooking process, making it more streamlined. And when it’s time to clean up, the Instant Pot Pro Crisp simplifies the task. All detachable components are designed for the dishwasher, ensuring effortless post-cooking tidying. For those who value efficiency and wish to declutter their kitchen, this multi-cooker is the embodiment of their aspirations. It’s as if multiple gadgets have been fused into one, conserving valuable countertop real estate and refining the culinary process. With a capacity slightly over 6 quarts, the T-fal Clipso Pressure Cooker positions itself as a trusty mid-tier choice in our kitchen arsenal. Especially when we at Food And Meal are involved in batch cooking or entertaining a large crowd, this cooker becomes our go-to. For anyone seeking a more direct approach to cooking, without the intricate features of contemporary multi-cookers, the T-fal Clipso offers that exact simplicity—ensuring a user-friendly experience, simple cleanup, and compact storage. A highlight for us at Food And Meal is the cooker’s accompanying steam basket and stand. This inclusion significantly expands its versatility. Whether we’re steaming a batch of vegetables or preparing a full-course meal, the T-fal Clipso stands ready. Its purposefully designed encapsulated base guarantees even heat distribution, ensuring our meals are uniformly cooked every time. We also appreciate its compatibility across various cooktops, including induction—making it a flexible companion in our diverse kitchens. Recognizing those moments when tasks pile up and immediate serving isn’t possible, the T-fal Clipso steps in with its keep-warm function. It ensures our dishes retain that perfect warmth until we’re set to relish them. Safety, a paramount concern for us at Food And Meal, is well addressed with this model. Its ergonomic side handles simplify safe transportation, while its one-hand-operable steam release adds to our convenience. The auto-lock system further enhances our confidence, ensuring the pot remains tightly sealed, only opening when conditions are safe. In our thorough evaluation of the Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 8-Quart XL Pressure Cooker, we’ve discovered that it’s a culinary marvel, surpassing expectations in terms of versatility and efficiency. We’re excited to share our findings after extensively testing this appliance, which has proven itself as an indispensable kitchen tool. Whether you’re playing host, feeding a hungry family, or engaged in a week’s worth of meal prep, the Ninja Foodi 8-Quart XL Pressure Cooker is more than up to the challenge. Its capacious 8-quart size effortlessly accommodates large servings and batch recipes. What truly sets it apart is the inclusion of three racks, enabling you to prepare three distinct dishes simultaneously, allowing for culinary diversity that’s truly remarkable. But the Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 doesn’t simply excel in pressure cooking; it’s a culinary juggernaut with a plethora of functions. From pressure cooking to air frying, sautéing, rice cooking, and even yogurt making, this appliance is a true all-rounder. It’s akin to having a skilled sous chef right in your kitchen, ready to assist with a wide array of cooking techniques. A standout feature of this particular Ninja Foodi model is the steam/crisp setting, a game-changer when it comes to achieving that coveted blend of crispy exteriors and succulent interiors, especially with meats. It eliminates the need to compromise texture for flavor, delivering both in spades. To further enhance its versatility, you have the option to include accessories like a baking mat and muffin mold. These additions open the door to a world of culinary possibilities, allowing you to explore new recipes and cooking techniques that truly elevate your kitchen endeavors. When it comes to simplifying our cooking routine and elevating our culinary game, the CHEF iQ Smart Pressure Cooker has proven to be a kitchen marvel that we, at Food And Meal, have rigorously tested and evaluated. This isn’t just another kitchen appliance; it’s a game-changer, and we’re excited to share our insights with you. Our extensive experience with various kitchen gadgets has led us to appreciate products that offer convenience without compromising on quality. The CHEF iQ Smart Pressure Cooker is a testament to modern culinary innovation. First and foremost, let’s talk about the smart technology embedded within this appliance. Even if you’re a newbie in the kitchen, the intuitive interface guides you effortlessly through the cooking process. With a few taps, you can choose from a wide range of cooking presets, adjust cooking times and temperatures, and even create your own custom recipes. It’s like having a sous chef at your fingertips. One of the standout features of the CHEF iQ Smart Pressure Cooker is its ability to consistently deliver delectable dishes. Whether you’re whipping up a savory stew or trying your hand at homemade yogurt, this appliance ensures that your culinary creations are cooked to perfection. What truly sets this pressure cooker apart is its versatility. It’s not just a pressure cooker; it’s also a multi-cooker, allowing you to sauté, steam, slow cook, and more. Plus, with the integrated scale, you can precisely measure ingredients directly in the pot, eliminating the need for extra measuring cups and spoons. If you’re on the lookout for a kitchen essential that will make your cooking endeavors smoother and faster, the Kuhn Rikon Duromatic Stainless-Steel Stockpot Pressure Cooker is a kitchen companion you’ll want to consider. We, at Food And Meal, have extensively tested and evaluated this pressure cooker, and the results are nothing short of impressive. From the get-go, we noticed the exceptional build quality of this kitchen marvel. Crafted from high-quality stainless steel, it not only exudes durability but also ensures even heat distribution, making it ideal for a wide range of recipes. One thing that sets the Kuhn Rikon Duromatic apart is its user-friendly design. You don’t need to be a kitchen pro to operate it. The intuitive turn of the handle kickstarts the cooking process, simplifying our culinary adventures. No complicated buttons or settings to worry about. This pressure cooker isn’t just a one-trick pony. It’s incredibly versatile. Whether we’re in the mood for a hearty stew, tender braised meats, or a quick weeknight pasta, this pot has got us covered. The elevated beaters inside continue to work their magic even when the cooker rests at the bottom of the pot, ensuring a smooth mixture free of lumps, and our dishes turn out just the way we want them. Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the best pressure cookers: 1. What is a pressure cooker, and how does it work? 2. What types of pressure cookers are available in the market? 3. How does a pressure cooker save cooking time? 4. What features should I look for when choosing the best pressure cooker? 5. Can I use a pressure cooker for canning? 6. Are electric pressure cookers easier to use than stovetop models? 7. Can I cook a variety of dishes in a pressure cooker? 8. How do I clean a pressure cooker? 9. Are there safety concerns with using pressure cookers? 10. Can I cook frozen food in a pressure cooker? In summary, the best pressure cookers of 2024 offer a range of choices to meet diverse cooking needs. The Instant Pot Pro, Presto, Ninja Foodi, CHEF iQ, and Kuhn Rikon models stand out for their unique features and usability. Select the one that aligns with your cooking style and enjoy the convenience and precision these appliances bring to your kitchen. Pressure Cookers for Beans is also very interested and searched on different platforms Leverage the power of pressure cookers for the best bean dishes with our list of “The 7 Best Pressure Cookers for Beans.” You won’t want to miss this opportunity to quickly and easily cook delicious and nutritious bean recipes. Explore now! I'm Kelly Atkinson, with a passion for dissecting the world of home goods. My reviews stem from thorough testing and a love for sharing detailed insights. Each piece I write offers a glimpse into my explorative journey, aiming to guide readers to informed choices with authenticity and precision, making every review a blend of exploration and expertise. I'm Mark Zoch, a culinary expert, Production Manager at Hana Hotel Travel Company, and the proud founder of "The Dinner Dude." My journey, shaped by personal and familial health struggles, has also led me to become a renowned health coach in Houston, where I'm dedicated to transforming lives through tailored nutrition and wellness programs.
Cooking style
Multi-functional electric pressure cookers are great for hands-off cooking, with a short learning curve depending on the available presets. Stovetop pressure cookers, while low-tech, require more supervision but are space-efficient, favored by chefs, and often compatible with induction stovetops, with the added benefit of quick cooling by submerging them in water.
Experience
Stovetop pressure cookers require skill and experience, favored by chefs for control. Electric models are beginner-friendly, with pre-programmed settings for convenience.
Safety Features
Pressure cooker manufacturers include safety features in newer models, eliminating the need for extensive vetting. Safety primarily relies on following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Storage and Use
When getting a pressure cooker, consider space needs. Avoid overloading outlets; ensure sufficient power if using multiple appliances.
Best Pressure Cookers of 2024
Breville Fast Slow Pro Cooker
Easy-to-use control panel with pre-set options
Set it and forget it' convenience
Generous 8-quart capacity for larger meals
Safety features for worry-free cooking
Learning all the settings might be overwhelming at first
Presto 6-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker
Easy to use, especially for beginners
Durable stainless steel construction
Simplistic design for reliable performance
Budget-friendly option
Smaller capacity for larger gatherings
Slightly heavier than some other models
Instant Pot Pro Crisp 11-in-1 Air Fryer and Electric Pressure Cooker
User-friendly interface for hassle-free cooking
Precise cooking control for consistent results
Space-saving design for smaller kitchens
Easy to clean with dishwasher-safe parts
Large size may not be suitable for smaller households
Slightly higher price point than individual appliances
T-fal Clipso Stainless Steel Pressure Cooke
Streamlined design for efficient storage
Even heating on any cooktop, including induction
Safety features for worry-free cooking
Multi-functional with a steam basket and stand
Automatic keep-warm function
Limited advanced features for those seeking more customization options
Ninja OL601 Foodi XL 8 Qt. Pressure Cooker Steam Fryer with SmartLid
Intelligent SmartLid technology for precise cooking results.
Spacious 8-quart capacity, perfect for larger meals.
Effortless cleaning with dishwasher-safe components.
CHEF iQ Smart Pressure Cooker
Customizable cooking presets and the ability to create your own recipes.
Consistently delivers delicious results. Versatile multi-cooker functionality.
Integrated scale for precise ingredient measurements.
Price point may be higher compared to basic pressure cookers, but the added features justify the investment.
Kuhn Rikon Duromatic Stainless-Steel Stockpot Pressure Cooker
User-friendly design with a simple handle turn
Versatile for a wide range of recipes
Ergonomic soft grip handles
Eco-friendly with no need for electricity
Size may be too large for some kitchens
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the best pressure cooker
