Best Pressure Cookers in 2021 – Buyer’s Guide & Reviews

If you’re craving a healthy diet in no time at all, then you definitely need to check out our extensive list of the best pressure cookers for your kitchen.

Pressure cookers are designed to ensure you get faster cook times and consistent results without heating up your kitchen. Equipped with innovative features, these versatile tools can shorten your cooking time by up to 70%. This makes it a lot easier for busy people to quickly get a tasty meal on the table.

Foods will typically retain more nutrients when they are exposed to heat for a shorter amount of time. That's where a reliable pressure cooker comes in handy. Indeed it is one of the best cooking methods to give you the greatest possible intake of nutrients. 

Additionally, by creating an environment allowing water to boil at higher than 212°F, pressure cooking can effectively eliminate harmful microorganisms. Yet another way to help you create a sustainable shift toward healthier eating.

Gone are the days when pressure cookers could explode, leading to injuries or property damage. Today’s pressure cookers come equipped with an extensive list of safety features, such as the automatic steam venting and visible pressure indicators. Thus, they’re perfectly safe to use, especially when the instructions are followed carefully. 

How to Choose the Best Pressure Cooker

To make sure you end up with the best possible product, we strongly recommend you consider each of the key factors below while browsing your options.

1. Type

There are 2 types of pressure cooker: stovetop pressure cooker and electric pressure cooker. Both serve the same function and aim to give you the best cooking experience. But they also have unique features that add to their performance.

Electric Pressure Cooker

Generally, electric pressure cookers are more versatile compared to their counterparts. You can use your multi-cooker to do things like slow cook, make yogurt, steam veggies, and cook grains, quickly and safely. Developed with more capabilities, they offer greater convenience than stovetop models. Some of the other features available include a barometer, thermometer, timer, and a wide range of cooking options. Many affordable pressure cookers even have an auto shut-off function to give you greater peace of mind.

Due to the housing around the cooking pot, electric pressure cookers are usually a bit bulkier than stovetop models. If you're planning on finding a permanent spot for your device on the counter, make sure you have enough room. 

If extra space is not a commodity your kitchen offers, and you think an electric pressure cooker will clutter the area, or you will find all the extra features unnecessary, go for a stovetop model. It’s definitely not as versatile, but does come with its own benefits.

Stovetop Pressure Cooker

Stovetop pressure cookers are generally as large as stockpots, depending on the size. With a relatively small footprint, they’re easier to clean, store, and retrieve than their counterparts. You can store your stovetop pressure cooker in the bottom cabinet, with the rest of your cookware. Or keep it on the countertop if you’re going to use it frequently. 

Stovetop models also get higher pressures than electric ones. This significantly reduces the time it takes to cook things. While most electric pressure cookers can reach a maximum pressure of about 11-12psi, stovetop pressure cookers can get up to 17psi. It may not sound like a big difference.

But to illustrate: if you're adjusting an Instant Pot recipe for a stovetop pressure cooker, you can subtract about 25% of the cooking time needed. So if a dish requires 60 minutes in an Instant Pot, it will only need 45 minutes in a stovetop pressure cooker. 

Compared with electric pressure cookers, these portable models offer more browning power. Even the highest wattage multi-functional pressure cooker will not reach a high enough temperature to brown food like a stovetop pressure cooker. For this reason, meat can be seared in a stovetop pressure cooker significantly better than in any electric models. 

Apart from working faster, searing better, and offering more capacity for the size, a stovetop pressure cooker is also much more durable than its peer. It’s built to stand the test of time. And because a stovetop pressure cooker is just a saucepan with a sealed lid, it has much fewer parts that will fail than any multi cooker— which is full of electronic components. Even when one of its parts has issues, it’s not too expensive to repair or replace. 

The downside is that, because the cooker has no scheduling feature, programmable cooking function, and indicator light or alarm, you have to babysit it on the stove for great results. Besides requiring a bit more attention while cooking, it also produces more noise than an electric pressure cooker. 

2. Size

To cover a wide variety of needs, pressure cookers come in various sizes. This ranges from as small as 3 quarts to as large as 8 quarts. Choosing the right size will depend largely on the requirements of your home. Or the size of the meals you plan to prepare.

Overall, a 3-quart pressure cooker will be an ideal option for singles, couples, or 2-person families. If you are looking for something that is large enough to do some batch cooking for a medium-sized family, a machine with larger capacity (6 or 8 quarts) shouldn’t let you down.

3. Price

Pressure cookers are also available in different price ranges to suit everyone’s pocket. There is a huge price range to choose from, starting around $100 and going up to several thousand. In general, high-quality models are pricier and provide much more cooking options. This means that the more you spend, the more features you will have.

So, before you buy, make a list of the desired features you would like to have. You’ll be surprised by how much you can save just by thinking ahead a little.

Top-rated Pressure Cookers Comparison Chart

Reviews of the Best Pressure Cookers 2021

Through our own experience and extensive online research, we have come up with the 7 best pressure cookers available right now.

1. Instant Pot Smart Wifi: Best To Buy In 2021
2. Mealthy MultiPot: Best Electric Pressure Cooker
3. All American 910: Best Stovetop Pressure Cooker
4. Presto 01781: Best Pressure Cooker for Canning 
5. Yedi Houseware: Best Programmable Pressure Cooker
6. MUELLER: Best Budget Pressure Cooker
7. Ninja Foodi: Best Luxury Pressure Cooker

Here’s our picks for the Best Pressure Cookers.

1. Instant Pot Smart Wifi - Best To Buy In 2021

The Instant Pot Smart Wifi is a stylish, Wi-Fi-connected electric pressure cooker, with 6-quart capacity and excellent energy efficiency. The cooker is exceptional in its ability to speed up cooking by 2 to 6 times while consuming up to 70% less energy, compared with most cheaper models.

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• Large, easy to use control panel

• UL and ULC certified for safety

• Durable material and body frame

• Great performance on every single function

• The lid’s silicone gasket requires replacement within 6-12 months

The Best All-In-One Appliance

The Instant Pot Smart WiFi is a well-priced, 8-in-1 appliance which serves as a steamer, pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice/porridge cooker, cake maker, yogurt maker, sauté/searing pot, and warmer. Unlike conventional pressure cookers, this programmable multi cooker can be controlled remotely from your smartphone. This means you can schedule, adjust, monitor, and get notifications of the progress of your meals while away from home or at the other end of the house.

To pair your smartphone to the pressure cooker, you need to use the “Remote Control for Smart Wifi” app. Besides allowing you to monitor and control your cooker from any distance (as long as you have Internet access), this app also gives you access to over 800 pre-programmed recipes. 

Not only that, the app comes in handy for when you want to store, share, and create grocery lists based on recipe ingredients. You can also use it to rate, make notes, and comment on any recipes you’re interested in.  

Amazon Alexa Compatible Pressure Cooker

Not only smartphone compatible, the Instant Pot Smart WiFi also comes with Amazon Alexa support. This means you can simply tell your device to do its job with a straightforward voice command. For many users Alexa compatibility is especially helpful. As you can ask her to do something like pressure cook the oatmeal you put into the inner pot last night, without needing a smartphone nearby. 

Keep in mind that steam, saute, and multigrain functions cannot be voice-controlled through Alexa.

Other Features 

The stainless steel inner cooking pot is another trait that puts this electric cooker well above its non-stick rivals. With no dangerous coating or chipping, no matter what has been cooked in it, this part is always easy to clean. I especially love it for cooking frozen meat, as there’s no need to defrost the meat first. It cooks and defrosts all at once, saving you time and hassle.

In terms of safety, this unit is UL and ULC certified with ten different safety elements. Built according to North American Electrical Standards, it’s kitchen-friendly! Even when cooking, the external environment undergoes no temperature change. This means accidental touches won’t result in injury, and explosions never happen at random. No more worries about your family’s safety. Just remember to follow the directions and never put your hand or face over when venting.

Drawback

We’ve not had issues with ours yet. But we have seen a number of reviews complaining that the lid’s silicone gasket will wear out over time, causing your cooker to take longer to build pressure. Also, after 6-12 months of daily use, even with thorough washing, the gasket will begin to carry a funky smell. This will then definitely affect the quality of your meals.

If you usually cook savory dishes like chicken, beef, or bacon, you might be faced with this problem much sooner than you would expect. When the lid’s silicone gasket is likely to fail, you will eventually need to buy another silicone ring to replace the old one.

If you cook something more neutral, like pasta or rice in between smellier things, such as legumes, it helps to reduce the smell.

The other problem is that it requires an extra effort to clean the outer ring where the cooker lid sits. Most of the time nothing gets into this part. But it can be a pain if you have an accidental spill.

Verdict

Indeed, the Instant Pot Smart WiFi offers all the conveniences of modern living and will help you on your way to becoming a professional home cook.  If you love cooking but hate the hours spent by the stovetop when you need to do other things, no doubt about it, you will immediately fall in love with this model.

2. Mealthy MultiPot - Best Electric Pressure Cooker

The Mealthy MultiPot delivers on its promises for a very reasonable price tag and is certainly worth the space on your counter. If you’re seeking a multifunctional pressure cooker that efficiently performs a variety of cooking tasks, go for this model.

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• User friendly

• Useful accessories

• Versatile

• Safe and Durable

• The inner pot is not non-stick

A Budget-Friendly Pressure Cooker 

Mealthy gives you a powerful and unique pressure cooker at a less expensive price, compared to our top pick —the Instant Pot Smart Wifi. Yet, this appliance features many of the same core attributes, like the variety of cooking programs, a stainless-steel inner pot, and an easy-touch LCD panel. Some claim that this feature set works even better than that of its counterpart.

Useful Accessories 

There is a steam basket for preparing two dishes at once, pot holders for picking the inner pot out of the cooker, a 1.6 inches raised trivet for keeping food out of liquid, and silicone mitts for safer inner pot removal and transport.

All these accessories are super durable, easy to hand wash, and dishwasher safe too. No more messy scrubbing or struggling with a bunch of parts in the sink. Just throw them into the dishwasher, and let it do the rest.

Drawback

It would be a perfect appliance if the inner pot had a smooth, non-stick surface to make it easier for instant serving and fast cleaning. Also, while there are the Mealthy site and mobile app for IOS and Android where you can gain access to thousands of tasty recipes, almost none of them can be used for the MultiPot. Instead, they are written particularly for the Instant Pot. For some users, however, this is not a huge problem, as it doesn’t seem to affect the machine’s overall performance.

Verdict 

This 9-in-1 electric pressure cooker cooks food as quickly and evenly as the Instant Pot. So with the MultiPot, users can not only get delicious, evenly cooked dishes, but they can do so in less than half the time of regular cookers, saving you a lot of time, and money spent on utility bills.

3. All American 910 - Best Stovetop Pressure Cooker

The All-American pressure cooker guarantees to give you complete peace of mind in knowing that your cooking process is entirely secure. You’ll also appreciate that it can be done ahead of time.

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• Professional quality

• Heavy-duty

• Sturdy construction

• Safe > Durable

• Not compatible with glass top or flat ranges

The biggest selling point, perhaps, is the exclusive “metal to metal” sealing system that enables a steam tight seal. Unlike other pressure canners that employ a rubber gasket in the lid to form the airtight seal, this machine requires no gasket. As a result, opening and closing the lid is also much easier.

Safety Feature 

We know some people who distance themselves from using the stovetop pressure cookers due to safety issues. This is because there used to be more frequent explosions and/or fire damage caused by user negligence. It’s just something that happened in the past, though. 

Modern pressure cookers, including the All-American stovetop pressure cooker, address those issues. With the metal-to-metal seal, two automatic venting features, and over pressure plug, you are completely protected from any product defect.

In addition to 3 different pressure settings: 5 psi, 10 psi, and 15 psi, bringing a lot of flexibility, it also has an easy to read geared steam gauge and comes in various size options, so you will have a wide variety to choose from. Thanks to that, you won’t ever have to worry that your family gatherings will be anything but fun, with ample tasty food.

Drawback

The All American 910 canner pressure cooker is appropriate for-home use only. We advise against using it for commercial purposes. Also, try to avoid using it on glass top or flat ranges daily. Since its relatively heavy weight may cause the glass or ceramic to break.

Verdict

Made of durable, hand-cast aluminum with an attractive, easy to clean satin finish, the All American 910 is a well-built machine, making a cool replacement for our grandmother’s stovetop pressure cookers. It’s perfect in so many ways: size, price, and quality. You really can’t go wrong with this purchase.

4. Presto 01781 - Best Pressure Cooker for Canning

The machine is constructed of warp-resistant heavy-gauge aluminum metal that is widely known for heating up faster. Capable of canning large quantities of food in a very short amount of time, the Presto 01781 will serve you well and cover all your canning needs. At the cheap price point, this wonderful kitchen appliance is absolutely a no-brainer. 

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• Cheap price

• Lightweight

• Large capacity

• Faster heating

• Sturdy

• Limited pressure setting

Special Feature

Unlike the All-American, the Presto 01781 is acceptable for use on glass top stoves regularly (according to the description). It’s also exceptional in its ability to double as a water bath canner for preserving fruits, jams, jellies, pickles, and salsas. There’s no doubt this device will help enhance your canning experience as well as make it easier for you to achieve the best possible results.

Its unique features also include the air vent/cover lock that only allows pressure to accumulate when the lid is closed properly, and an automatic light that comes on to help you easily keep track of your cooking process when it’s darker. On top of that, despite the large size and solid construction, it’s incredibly lightweight, easy to carry, and doesn’t take up much room in your kitchen cabinet.

Drawback

Although it’s equipped with many special attributes, it only has one pressure setting, which makes it less competitive than it needs to be. But overall, its performance is top-notch, especially for the price tag.

Verdict 

We highly recommend this model for those searching for a pressure canner. It’s perfect for almost every canning task and can last for years to come without requiring any special storage methods.

5. Yedi Houseware - Best Programmable Pressure Cooker

When it comes to programmable pressure cookers packed with all kinds of goodies, we think no one does it better than the Yedi manufacturers. Whether you’re new to pressure cooking or have a lot of experience already, this unit is a must-buy.

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• Adjustable cooking programs

• Even heat distribution

• Detailed instruction manual

• Extra attachments

• Non-stick, dishwasher-safe inner pot

• Recipe book needs updating

Deluxe Accessory Kit

As a pretty popular all-in-one electric appliance, it stands out from the crowd by offering users up to 15 easy-touch cooking programs, as well as allowing them to manually input cooking times and set different pressure levels as desired.

Not only that, in mere minutes, you’re able to complete two dishes at once thanks to the help of the included stainless-steel steamer basket, which is very easy to clean and totally dishwasher safe.

Plus, its food grade, stainless steel inner pot featuring a 3-ply bottom for even heat distribution is spacious enough to make food for a whole family of 4. This part requires no chemical coating to make it non-stick so you don’t have to worry about anything leaching into your food.

More impressively, there is no need to buy extra accessories to fully utilize this appliance, as everything comes in one box and all works very well. And, in the event you don’t know what to do with these attachments, it also comes with a detailed instruction manual and a recipe book, giving inspiration for your daily meals.

Drawback

It’s generally agreed that the Yedi Houseware Appliances website and mobile app for iOS and Android is not really helpful regarding recipes that almost always relate to the Instant Pot models.  We think it would be wiser if the Yedi manufacturers had their own, unique food preparation methods so as to make their product much more competitive.

Verdict 

The Yedi Houseware is unbeatable in terms of versatility and convenience. Given its low price point and the included baking items, the cooker offers more than just value for money. It might just be exactly what you need for your cooking enjoyment. 

6. MUELLER UltraPot 6Q - Best Budget Pressure Cooker

If you are looking to save money and reduce electricity consumption, then look no further than our pick of the best pressure cooker under $100 – the MUELLER 10-in-1.

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• Non-stick interior

• Delay timer

• Useful extra attachments

• Budget friendly

• Lack of instruction manual

Inexpensive Yet Versatile 

The MUELLER is loaded with up to 19 smart programs and an extra stainless steel rack which enable you to comfortably prepare 2 dishes at once. So all you have to do is press a button and let it do the rest of the work for you. There’s no need to figure out how to perfectly cook your favorite dishes by yourself. With the Mueller, you and your family can enjoy the benefits of better, faster, and healthier cooking every time without spending a lot.

Made with German-engineered rubber seals, strong reliable heat resistant handles, and internal electronics for durable and long-term use, the machine guarantees you many years of trouble-free operation.

Included Accessories 

Aside from the stainless steel inner pot made from food-grade 304 ss, you also get a 24-hour delay timer, which is quite helpful for when you want your food to be cooked and ready on the table by a certain time. Bonuses also include a measuring cup, a steam rack, and a tempered glass lid for non-pressure cooking function or storing the pot for later use,

Drawback 

The one clear drawback to this pressure cooker is the lack of a user’s manual book.

Verdict

The MUELLER electric pressure cooker is made with the highest quality components. It also comes equipped with all the modern safeguards to ensure you a long-standing performance. Don’t let its inexpensive price fool you. It gives more than you may ever expect to receive, satisfying even the toughest requirements of any users.

7. Ninja Foodi - Best Luxury Pressure Cooker

The Ninja Foodi Multi Cooker with TenderCrisp Technology is a very classy but incredibly well-made electric pressure cooker. In general, this tool has done an excellent job in both pressure cooking and air frying. Compared to the reviewed cookers above, it comes with more advancements, but this ups the price.

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• Versatile

• Faster cooking

• User-friendly

• Non-removable air fryer lid

• Bulky size

User-Friendly Design 

It has an easily accessible front control panel with an easy-to-read timer. It’s so simple and straightforward to use that no technical knowledge or learning curve is required. For the most part, it employs a new technology called the TenderCrisp Technology that helps users to quickly get the best possible cooking results.

In regard to safety and quality operation, its 14 levels of safety which already passed rigorous testing to get UL safety certification, have been improving over time and will continue to do so.

Drawback

There is a general consensus that the machine itself is fairly heavy and bulky. This means it can’t work wonders in a limited cooking space. Many users are also quite annoyed with its non-removable air lid, which is obviously not user-friendly for cleaning.

Verdict

The Ninja Foodi is an all-in-one kitchen tool tailored to replace many popularly-used appliances, including a steamer, pressure cooker, and air fryer. Therefore, it can handle several cooking tasks like baking, roasting, broiling, and oilless frying very efficiently. 

Best Pressure Cooker Brands

Here is our list of the best pressure cooker brands in the world, which are popularly known for producing great quality kitchen appliances at a very affordable price. 

Instant Pot 

At the moment, Instant Pot is probably the most well-known brand when it comes to electric pressure cookers. For the past decade they have consistently provided great quality products and top-notch customer service.

Currently, the Instant Pot family consists of 5 members, namely the LUX, the DUO, the DUO PLUS, the SMART, and the ULTRA. All are formed to serve one purpose: taking your cooking game from stressing to blessing.

In addition to the basic function that exists in other traditional pressure cookers, many Instant Pot models come with extra cooking programs, such as soup, stew, cake, egg, sauté, rice, multigrain, steam, porridge, keep warm, and slow cook. Some even can allow users to set time, temperature level, or program and self-control the cooking progress via the Smart Pot App.

There’s no denying that the Instant Pot manufacturers have changed the way we cook and the way we look for inspiration. Even though they might not meet all the requirements of some of you, these amazing items are absolutely a smart upgrade for those wanting to develop healthy eating habits.

Mealthy 

Mealthy is a kitchen appliance and food media company that is quite popular among budget users. Besides multicooker, the company also focuses on producing  air fryers, blenders, ovens, juicers, and slow cookers. 

Being a social community and resource for home cooks, Mealthy has its own media channels, website, and especially an unique app for both Android and iOS— which is particularly designed to simplify cooking for busy people. The app works quite similarly to the “Remote Control for Smart Wifi” app of the Instant Pot pressure cookers, allowing users to access tons of amazing recipes, healthy tips and tricks, and shareable online videos. It also creates a space for you to save and share your favorite recipes. 

With Mealthy’s “intelligent” kitchen appliances, cooking should be easy, fast, and above all, healthy! 

Presto 

Presto is one of the largest manufacturers of housewares and small electric appliances, based in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Some of high-quality Presto’s products are stovetop pressure cookers, coffee makers, deep fryers, indoor smokers, and tea kettles. All are available at a very reasonable price and have been consistently preferred by the customers for their durability and reliability. 

If you buy a decent Presto pressure cooker, you can use it to can meat, fish, poultry and other food items to desired tenderness in a shorter time than many conventional canners. The stovetop pressure cooker is built to last and packed with several safety features to give you complete peace of mind. 

Conclusion 

With many offered benefits, it’s no wonder that pressure cookers are a staple in American cooking, especially when time is more valuable than money. They make it much more convenient for busy people to get nutritious dinners, quickly and effortlessly. Keep in mind that modern pressure cookers are 100% safe to use, since they’re built with many safety measures. So, there is no need to worry about explosions or fire disasters. Safety, speed, convenience, versatility and having an at-home option when you forget to plan ahead make pressure cookers a must-have in any kitchen.