The 5 Best Multicookers and Instant Pots, Including One That Can Really Slow Cook

Five multicookers worth buying, picked from America's Test Kitchen's multicooker testing, Tom's Guide's lab tests and CNN Underscored's picks: the best overall, a $90 value pick that actually slow cooks, a smart model, an air fryer combo and the popular Rio.

By Tyler RamirezUpdated November 10, 2026How we pick products

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The setting most people expect to use on a multicooker, slow cooking, is the one most of them are worst at. America’s Test Kitchen found some machines never got hot enough on low and took up to two hours longer than the best ones to finish the same beef stew. Pressure cooking, on the other hand, almost never let them down.

That’s why our top pick is a great pressure cooker first, and why our value pick is worth a look if you really do want to slow cook. I went through America’s Test Kitchen’s multicooker testing, Tom’s Guide’s lab tests of the Instant Pot lineup, CNN Underscored’s pressure cooker picks and every maker’s spec sheet to get to these five.

Quick comparison

Test results are from America's Test Kitchen, Tom's Guide and CNN Underscored. Prices are typical November 2026 prices.

1. Instant Pot Pro 8-Quart: Best overall

Best for: Most homes, and anyone who mostly pressure cooks.

This is America’s Test Kitchen’s winner. The inner pot has a flat bottom, so it sears evenly, and its handles stay cool, so you can lift the pot out while it’s hot. Steam release is a switch that keeps your hand away from the steam. You can turn off keep warm so food doesn’t keep cooking after it’s done, and it can remind you when 5 or 10 minutes of natural release are up. Pressure cooking, rice, sautéing, yogurt and steaming were all excellent in their testing.

Eight quarts is also the size America’s Test Kitchen recommends for most home cooks, since it handles both small and big meals.

What bugs us: It couldn’t slow cook large cuts of meat well, and the bake setting uses steam, so it’s great for cheesecake and not much else.

Skip it if: slow cooking is the main thing you want. The COSORI is better at it.

2. COSORI 6-Quart Pressure Cooker: Best value

Best for: People who want real slow cooking without spending much.

America’s Test Kitchen made it their Best Buy. It’s one of the few multicookers that did well at both pressure cooking and slow cooking, with perfectly cooked beans, meat and vegetables. The orange marks on the lid and base make it easy to line up and lock, and the preset buttons are simple.

What bugs us: The pot is nonstick, which won’t last forever. It’s also dark, so it’s hard to see how your browning is going, and the cooking surface is only about 7 inches across. There’s no automatic quick-release button either, though the manual release was safe and worked well.

Skip it if: you want a stainless pot that will last for years. The Instant Pot Pro is the better long-term buy.

3. Instant Pot Pro Plus 6-Quart: Best smart multicooker

Best for: People who like starting dinner from their phone.

CNN Underscored picked it as their best pressure cooker overall, for the app control, the simple screen and the progress bars. Tom’s Guide found it heats fast: the beef was evenly browned before the preheat had finished, it made tender stew in 45 minutes, and its basmati rice was as good as a rice cooker’s. The steam release is whisper quiet too.

What bugs us: It only comes in 6 quarts, and setting up the app is a bit tedious the first time.

Skip it if: you’d never use the app. The Instant Pot Pro does the same cooking for less, in a bigger size.

4. Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid: With an air fryer

Best for: Small kitchens that want one appliance instead of two.

One lid pressure cooks and air fries, so there’s no second lid to store. America’s Test Kitchen recommended it. It made great rice, and in air fryer mode it turned out juicy, golden chicken cutlets.

What bugs us: It’s a little fussy. In America’s Test Kitchen’s test it threw a C7 error on beef stew until they added more liquid, the touch buttons sometimes needed a second press, and the fries came out unevenly cooked.

Skip it if: you already own an air fryer you like.

5. Instant Pot Rio 6-Quart: Popular pick

Best for: Pressure cooking on a budget.

A lot of lists put this one on top. Tom’s Guide named it their best Instant Pot overall, and CNN Underscored called it the best budget pressure cooker. It does seven jobs, including pressure cooking, slow cooking, rice, steaming and yogurt, and the steam release is hands-free.

What bugs us: America’s Test Kitchen wasn’t as kind. Its sauté setting felt underpowered for browning, it didn’t slow cook well, and the inner pot has no handles. The buttons are icons, not words, so keep the manual handy at first.

Skip it if: you want to sear a lot of meat before pressure cooking. The Pro’s pot browns better.

Our research

We relied on America’s Test Kitchen’s multicooker testing (pressure cooking, slow cooking, sautéing, rice and more, plus temperature tracking on the slow cook setting), Tom’s Guide’s lab tests of the Instant Pot lineup and CNN Underscored’s pressure cooker picks. We focused on:

• Pressure cooking, since most owners use a multicooker mainly for that
• Slow cooking, where most machines fall short
• Searing and sautéing in the inner pot
• Safe, easy steam release and pot handles you can actually hold

We haven’t tested these ourselves. Prices are typical November 2026 prices and change often. Read more about how we pick products.

How to stop the BURN message

The BURN (or “Food Burn”) message means the pot’s bottom got too hot, usually because something is stuck to it or there isn’t enough thin liquid to make steam. Three habits stop most of them:

1. Deglaze after you sauté. Pour in a splash of water or broth and scrape up the browned bits stuck to the bottom before you lock the lid.
2. Use enough thin liquid. Water or broth, usually about a cup. Check your manual for your pot’s minimum, since it differs by model and size.
3. Put thick sauces on top. Add tomato sauce, paste or other thick sauces last, and don’t stir them in before you pressure cook.

Short answers

What size multicooker should I get? America’s Test Kitchen recommends 8 quarts for most home cooks. A 6-quart model is fine for smaller households or tight storage.

Can a multicooker replace a slow cooker? Only some can. Many multicookers run too cool on their slow cook setting. The COSORI was one of the few that slow cooked well in America’s Test Kitchen’s testing.

Is a stainless or nonstick pot better? Stainless lasts longer and makes browning easier to see. Nonstick is easier to clean at first, but the coating wears out.