10 Best Instant Pots

The Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Multi-Cooker offers a versatile cooking experience with its 5.7-litre capacity, making it a practical choice for families or those who enjoy batch cooking. It combines seven appliances in one: a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, sauté pan, yoghurt maker, food steamer, and warmer. This versatility caters well to diverse culinary needs, allowing users to explore a variety of cooking methods with 13 pre-set programs for dishes like soup, stew, and yoghurt.

Its brushed stainless-steel build ensures durability and adds an attractive, modern touch to any kitchen. The fingerprint-resistant finish is a thoughtful addition for maintaining a clean appearance. The control panel is user-friendly, utilizing a touch method that simplifies the cooking process.

A significant advantage of this multi-cooker is its energy efficiency, promising up to 80% savings compared to traditional electric ovens. This aspect, coupled with the ability to reduce cooking time by up to 70% with pressure cooking, makes it quite appealing for those looking to save both time and money in the kitchen.

However, the lack of auto shutoff might be a concern for safety-conscious users, as it requires more attention during cooking. Additionally, while the 'set it & forget it' feature remembers favorite cooking styles, it may not be as intuitive for those unfamiliar with programmable kitchen appliances.

The Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 is suitable for users seeking a multifunctional kitchen appliance to streamline cooking tasks while being mindful of energy consumption. It is best suited for individuals or families who value convenience and versatility in their cooking routines.

The Instant Pot XL 7.1L is a versatile 7-in-1 multicooker, combining pressure cooking, slow cooking, sautéing, steaming, yogurt making, egg cooking, and food warming in one device. Its large 7.1-litre capacity makes it suitable for families or meal prepping, comfortably handling up to eight portions. The touch control panel is straightforward, featuring four customisable preset buttons that let you save your favourite recipes for easy access. Safety is well covered with an easy seal locking lid and a steam release switch designed to prevent accidents, so you can cook with peace of mind.

The build quality feels solid, with a stainless steel inner pot that is dishwasher safe, making cleanup hassle-free. Additionally, the wider base offers a larger sauté surface, helping ingredients cook evenly and making stirring easier compared to some other models. On the downside, while it covers many cooking methods, it might be heavier and bulkier to handle or store due to its size and weight (around 7.9 kg). Also, being an automatic cooker, some beginners might need time to get familiar with the settings, despite the simple interface.

This Instant Pot model is well suited for anyone looking to replace multiple kitchen appliances with one reliable, energy-saving device that saves time and makes cooking less stressful.

The Instant Pot 80 Duo 8L is a versatile and spacious multi-cooker ideal for larger households or those who like to meal prep. With an 8-litre capacity, it easily handles bigger portions, making it a good fit if you often cook for several people or want to batch cook. It offers 13 one-touch smart programmes including options like soup, meat, rice, and yogurt, which simplifies cooking by adjusting pressure, temperature, and time automatically.

The touch control panel is intuitive and allows for easy navigation, plus the cooker remembers your favourite settings for convenience. Built from stainless steel with a solid chrome finish, it feels durable and robust, promising reliability over time. It also includes essential safety features such as an auto shutoff, giving peace of mind during cooking. On the downside, its size and weight (7.2 kg) mean it's less portable and may take up considerable space in the kitchen. While it comes with dishwasher-safe parts, it does not include many additional accessories, which might be a limitation if you want extras like steaming racks or recipe books included.

This Instant Pot model serves as a dependable, multifunctional cooker with plenty of capacity and easy-to-use features, though its bulk and fewer accessories might not suit everyone.