Best Pressure Cooker (2026): Why the Test-Kitchen Winner Can't Slow-Cook

This is the ninth stop in our countertop-appliance series, after the countertop convection oven, the countertop microwave, the deep fryer, the bread maker, the waffle maker, the electric griddle, the electric skillet and the espresso machine. This category's decoder is a brand name, not a spec: "Instant Pot" has become as generic a stand-in for "electric pressure cooker" as Kleenex is for tissue — but Consumer Reports currently tests 18 brands spanning roughly $70 to over $600, and in America's Test Kitchen's own head-to-head, Instant Pot's top model didn't win every category.

Here's the actual finding. ATK named the Instant Pot Pro 8Qt its overall winner for pressure-cooking, rice, sauteing, yogurt-making and steaming. But its Best Buy pick — the much cheaper Cosori 6-Quart — was the one that "excelled in both pressure and slow cooking tests, producing perfectly cooked beans, meat, and vegetables," a task where the pricier Instant Pot Pro reportedly came up short. The lesson: "best pressure cooker" depends on whether pressure-cooking is the only job you need done, or one of several.

Quick Comparison: Best Pressure Cookers of 2026

The 6 Best Pressure Cookers

1. Instant Pot Pro 8Qt — Best Overall

America's Test Kitchen's current top pick is a 10-in-1 multicooker — pressure cook, slow cook, sous vide, saute, sterilize, yogurt, rice, bake, steam or keep warm — with 28 one-touch programs plus 5 programmable slots. ATK called the interface "easy to navigate" and rated its pressure-cooking, rice, sauteing, yogurt and steaming results excellent. Instant Pot's own spec sheet lists it at 1,400 watts, UL & ULC Listed, with "easy grip inner pot handles, overheat protection, an auto-sealing safety lid lock." List price is $149.99. The one place it reportedly comes up short in ATK's testing: slow-cooking.

Capacity: 8 qt · Functions: 10-in-1, 28 programs · Safety: UL & ULC Listed, auto-sealing lid lock
Best For: Anyone whose main job is pressure-cooking, rice or yogurt, not slow-cooking

Check Instant Pot Pro Price on Amazon →

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2. Cosori 6-Quart (CMC-CO601-SUS) — Best Value / Best All-Rounder

ATK's Best Buy pick costs roughly $65 less than the Instant Pot Pro at $84.99 (as tested) and, according to ATK, is the model that actually nails both halves of the "pressure or slow" question — producing "perfectly cooked beans, meat, and vegetables" in both modes. If you want one multicooker that genuinely does both jobs well rather than favoring one, this is ATK's answer, not the pricier flagship.

Capacity: 6 qt · Price: $84.99 at testing (confirm current listing)
Best For: Buyers who want both pressure-cooking and slow-cooking done well, without paying flagship price

Check Cosori 6-Quart Price →

3. Instant Pot Duo Crisp 8Qt — Best Air-Fryer Crossover

The Duo Crisp ships with two interchangeable lids — a pressure-cooking lid and a second lid with a heating element and fan for air-frying — across 11 total functions (air fry, roast, bake, dehydrate, pressure cook, slow cook, saute, steam, sterilize, warm, rice). Instant Pot's EvenCrisp technology is marketed at up to 95% less oil than deep-frying for the air-fry side. Consumer Reports called the 8-quart version "one of the largest pressure cookers we've tested" and a top performer. List price runs around $199, though it's frequently discounted well below that — confirm the current listing before buying.

Capacity: 8 qt · Lids: 2 (pressure + air fry) · Pot: 18/8 stainless, tri-ply bottom
Best For: Replacing both a pressure cooker and an air fryer with one appliance

Check Instant Pot Duo Crisp Price →

4. Zavor LUX LCD (ZSELL02) — Best Pure Pressure-Cooking

Consumer Reports' highest-rated multicooker overall in its latest 18-brand test earned "perfect scores in our tests for pressure-cooking succulent, fall-off-the-bone ribs" and a stainless-steel insert CR flagged for durability over the nonstick-coated inserts common on cheaper models. It's a 6-quart unit with a straightforward LCD control panel rather than app connectivity — a pick for buyers who want the pressure-cooking result itself to be as good as possible, without extra features layered on top.

Capacity: 6 qt · Inner pot: Stainless steel
Best For: Buyers who want CR's single highest-scoring pressure-cooking result, no app required

Check Zavor LUX LCD Price →

5. Breville Fast Slow Pro (BPR700BSS) — Best If Slow-Cooking Is the Priority

Consumer Reports' #2-rated model is a 1,100-watt multicooker with a ceramic nonstick insert that CR singled out for excelling at slow-cooking and for steaming vegetables without overcooking them — the inverse profile of a pressure-cooking specialist. It typically runs around $300, the priciest model on this list. Worth knowing before you buy: Breville's original Fast Slow Cooker (model BPR600XL, sold 2012–2015) was recalled by the CPSC in December 2015 after its lid gasket could be inserted upside-down, causing 5 burn injuries among 5 reports. The current Fast Slow Pro (BPR700BSS) recommended here is a different, later model and has not been subject to that or any other recall — but if you see a used BPR600XL for sale, that's the one to avoid.

Capacity: 6 qt · Insert: Ceramic nonstick
Best For: Buyers who slow-cook more often than they pressure-cook

Check Breville Fast Slow Pro Price →

6. Chef iQ Smart Cooker — Best Smart/App-Connected

A 6-quart, 1,000-watt multicooker built around WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity to the Chef iQ app, which offers 600+ guided recipes with step-by-step video instructions and precise cooking parameters, plus a built-in scale that lets you cook by weight instead of measuring cups. Street pricing has run roughly $120 to $200 depending on retailer and sale timing — it's frequently discounted, so treat any single number as a snapshot rather than a fixed price.

Capacity: 6 qt · Connectivity: WiFi + Bluetooth, built-in scale
Best For: Buyers who want guided, weight-based recipes rather than memorizing settings

Check Chef iQ Smart Cooker Price →

The Lid Lock Is the Whole Safety Story — and Four Real Recalls

Every hazard below traces back to the same single point of failure: a lid that can open, or a seal that can fail, while the pot is still pressurized. UL 1026, the safety standard covering household electric cooking appliances, includes a "cover opening test" specifically designed to confirm a pressure cooker's lid cannot be forced open under pressure — and the CPSC has pushed UL for higher required test forces on that exact check. All six models above are UL or ETL listed. Here's what happens when that mechanism fails in the field:

• Tempo USA / Ambiano (sold at ALDI), October 2025: ~46,660 units recalled (models 93550/KY-318B, 96775/KY-318A, 98527/6L-PC) after the lid could be opened before pressure fully released — 11 incidents, 8 resulting in severe burns. Sold 2016–2019 for about $40.
• Crock-Pot 6-Quart Express Crock (SCCPPC600-V1), 2020: ~914,430 US units plus 28,330 in Canada after the lid could detach while the unit was pressurizing — 119 reports, 99 resulting in burns from first- to third-degree. Sold 2017–2020, $70–$100.
• Breville Fast Slow Cooker (BPR600XL), December 2015: ~35,600 units after a lid gasket could be inserted upside-down, allowing unexpected pressure release — 5 burn reports. This is the older, discontinued model, distinct from the current Fast Slow Pro recommended above.
• Instant Pot Gem 65, March 2018: ~104,000 units, sold exclusively at Walmart, after a manufacturing defect caused overheating and melting on the unit's underside — 107 reports, 5 resulting in property damage, no injuries reported.

None of the six models recommended in this guide are subject to an active recall. If you own an older or secondhand multicooker, check the model number against the CPSC's recall database before you rely on it.

How to Choose (4 Steps)

1. Decide which job matters more: pressure or slow. If pressure-cooking speed is the point, the Instant Pot Pro is ATK's winner. If you want both done well, ATK's own data favors the Cosori. If slow-cooking is actually your priority, the Breville Fast Slow Pro is built around that strength.

2. Decide if you want a second appliance replaced. The Instant Pot Duo Crisp's second air-fry lid is a genuine two-appliance swap, not a marketing gimmick — but it's bulkier and needs storage space for the extra lid.

3. Weigh app control against simplicity. The Chef iQ's WiFi app and built-in scale suit cooks who want guided, weight-based recipes. The Zavor LUX LCD skips all of that for a simpler panel and CR's best raw pressure-cooking scores.

4. Check the UL listing and, if buying used, the recall list. Every current model on this list is UL or ETL listed with a functioning lid-lock mechanism. The four recalls above all involved that exact mechanism failing — confirm any secondhand or hand-me-down unit isn't one of them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best pressure cooker in 2026?

America's Test Kitchen's current overall winner is the Instant Pot Pro 8Qt ($149.99, 1,400W), which its testers praised for an easy-to-navigate interface and excellent pressure-cooking, rice, sauteing, yogurt and steaming results. But ATK's own testing also found the Pro lags at slow-cooking — its Best Buy pick, the Cosori 6-Quart (CMC-CO601-SUS, $84.99 at testing), excelled at both pressure-cooking and slow-cooking, producing perfectly cooked beans, meat and vegetables in the same test.

Is "Instant Pot" just another name for a pressure cooker?

No, and the mix-up costs people money. Instant Pot is one brand among at least 18 that Consumer Reports currently tests, priced from about $70 to over $600. Calling every electric multicooker an "Instant Pot" the way people say "Kleenex" for tissues can lead you to skip real contenders like the Cosori, Zavor or Breville models here — some of which beat Instant Pot's own lineup at specific tasks in independent testing.

Have pressure cookers been recalled?

Yes — four separate CPSC recalls are worth knowing. Tempo USA's Ambiano brand (sold at ALDI) recalled about 46,660 units in October 2025 after the lid could open before pressure fully released, causing 8 severe burns among 11 incidents. Crock-Pot recalled about 914,430 6-Quart Express Crock units (model SCCPPC600-V1) in 2020 after lids detached while pressurizing, causing 99 burn injuries among 119 reports. Breville recalled about 35,600 units of its original Fast Slow Cooker (BPR600XL, a different, older model from the current Fast Slow Pro recommended here) in December 2015 after a gasket could be inserted upside-down. And Instant Pot recalled about 104,000 Gem 65 multicookers in 2018 after an overheating defect caused property damage, though no injuries. None of the six models recommended in this guide are subject to an active recall.

What's the difference between a pressure cooker and a multicooker?

In practice, almost none of today's popular models are pure pressure cookers anymore — nearly every one on this list, and nearly every one Consumer Reports and America's Test Kitchen test, is a multicooker that includes pressure-cooking among 8-11 functions like slow-cooking, sauteing, steaming, yogurt-making and rice-cooking. The distinction matters mainly with older or budget stovetop models, which do pressure-cooking only.

Can a pressure cooker also work as an air fryer?

Some can, with a second lid. The Instant Pot Duo Crisp ships with two interchangeable lids — one for pressure-cooking, one with a heating element and fan for air-frying — and Instant Pot's own EvenCrisp technology claims up to 95% less oil than deep-frying for the air-fry lid. It's a genuine two-appliance replacement, not a marketing label, but the combo is bulkier than either single-purpose appliance and the air-fry lid takes up separate storage space.

How do I know a pressure cooker's lid won't open under pressure?

Check for UL listing. UL 1026, the safety standard covering household electric cooking appliances, includes a "cover opening test" specifically meant to confirm a pressure cooker's lid cannot be forced open while the unit is still pressurized, and the CPSC has pushed for higher required test forces on that check. All six models recommended in this guide are UL or ETL listed; the four recalled products above were pulled from sale precisely because their lid-lock mechanisms failed in the field despite passing certification originally.

The Bottom Line

Buy the Instant Pot Pro 8Qt if pressure-cooking, rice or yogurt is the main job, at $149.99. Buy the Cosori 6-Quart if you want one multicooker that genuinely handles both pressure- and slow-cooking well, for roughly $65 less. Buy the Instant Pot Duo Crisp if you want to replace an air fryer and a pressure cooker with a single appliance. Buy the Zavor LUX LCD for the single best raw pressure-cooking result CR has measured, the Breville Fast Slow Pro if slow-cooking is your real priority, or the Chef iQ if you want app-guided, weight-based cooking. Whichever you choose, confirm the UL or ETL listing and the model number against the CPSC's recall list — that lid lock is the one spec that actually matters for safety.