We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Product Reviews and Buying Guides Appliance Reviews A Great Pressure Cooker Is Still the Secret to Quick Weeknight Dinners Mine has saved me so much time, over and over again. By Siobhan Wallace Siobhan Wallace Siobhan Wallace is a senior editor at Allrecipes. She covers the roundups and reviews of our favorite kitchen products. Prior to joining Allrecipes, she was an editor at Simply Recipes and The Spruce Eats. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Published on February 29, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Our Top Picks Reviews How We Tested Our Takeaway How to Pick the Right One Others We Tested Common Questions Why Take Our Word For It? Photo: Allrecipes / Alli Waataja I love freshly made black beans, beef stew, and curry, but they’re some of the most time-consuming recipes. Except if I do it in a pressure cooker. The airtight cooker's trapped steam and high temperature cook food faster than simmering on my stove. This means having a pot roast or carnitas when the mood strikes, not waiting until the weekend. Luckily for us, pressure cookers have more safety features than ever before, and electric ones are easier to use. How We Tested In her home kitchen, Allstar Faith Nettles tested stovetop and electric pressure cookers by making black beans and other pressure-cooker recipes. She analyzed each on performance, ease of use, safety features, and the final cleanup. She reported back to us on whether it cooked evenly, how difficult (or easy!) it was to set up, and finally, whether it was worth the investment. Our Top Picks Our Top Pick: SALE Instant Pot Pro 6-Quart Pressure Cooker at Amazon $170 $99 Jump to Review Best Stovetop: T-Fal Pressure Cooker at Amazon $100 Jump to Review Most Versatile: Breville Fast Slow Pro at Amazon $300 Jump to Review Best Budget: Imusa 7.2-quart Stovetop Aluminum Pressure Cooker at Amazon $63 Jump to Review Our Top Pick Instant Pot Pro 6-Quart Pressure Cooker PHOTO: Amazon $170 $99 at Amazon $18 at Walmart $150 at Wayfair Why It’s Great: 28 cooking programs; able to customize cooking; sleek design; silicone handles on the inner potGrain of Salt: No alert when it can't reach pressure Instant Pot is what brought pressure cooking to the masses and it’s still the best out there. Even though I’ve had my Instant Pot Pro since 2021, I’m still impressed by how easy it is to pressure cook with it. I love that it’s a cinch to set up, with five customizable programs I’ve set to my regular times and pressure levels. I continue to get a kick out of the covered steam valve—the cover allows the steam to release gently—and love that the steam release switch is designed to avoid any steam burns. Most importantly, the safety features work! I’ve tried to open the lid too soon more than once, and it’s never allowed me to. There’s also an overheating safety feature that I’ve, thankfully, never tested. Since it’s a multicooker, you can use the Pro for slow cooking, sous vide, making rice, or any of the other 20+ cooking programs. I’ve used all of them, and all have been simple to use and yielded great results. I will warn you that your recipes need to have at least a cup of water to create enough steam. If enough pressure isn’t created, the steam valve won’t seal, the Pro won’t alert you, and your food will begin to burn on the bottom of the pot. The Details: 6-quart and 8-quart; stainless steel inner pot; 3 x 12.7 x 12.8 inches and 14.37 x 13.9 x 14.17 inches PHOTO: Allrecipes / Siobhan Wallace PHOTO: Allrecipes / Siobhan Wallace PHOTO: Allrecipes / Siobhan Wallace PHOTO: Allrecipes / Siobhan Wallace PHOTO: Allrecipes / Siobhan Wallace PHOTO: Allrecipes / Siobhan Wallace PHOTO: Allrecipes / Siobhan Wallace Best Stovetop T-Fal Pressure Cooker PHOTO: Amazon $100 at Amazon $114 at Target $18 at Walmart Why It’s Great: Even cooking; lid fits on securely; easy to cleanGrain of Salt: Not the easiest for beginners Many prefer pressure cooking on the stove since stovetop models are often less bulky, more durable, can reach higher pressure levels, and you can use it as a stockpot when needed. You’ll want to make sure your stovetop model can reach 15 pounds per square inch (psi), and allow the steam to fully release before taking off the lid. The controlled steam release on the T-Fal Clipso is one reason we love it. It has an easy locking mechanism for safety, and the dishwasher-safe stainless steel build means it’ll last you a lifetime. Though Faith wished there were more instructions for beginners, she found that the assembly was easy, and the lid was snug and secure. And best of all, it cooked evenly. “The beans were cooked properly,” she says. “None were mushy or hard. They had a really good texture as well.” The Details: 6.3-quart and 8-quart; stainless steel; 14.5 x 10.4 x 11.4 inches Most Versatile Breville Fast Slow Pro PHOTO: Amazon $300 at Amazon $300 at Sur La Table View on Breville.com Why It’s Great: Lots of customization options; easy for a beginner; great cooking performanceGrain of Salt: Expensive; might be overwhelming Any multicooker is going to be versatile in the kitchen, but one that has 11 pressure cooking programs, plus other custom options, will take the crown. In addition to the presets, the Breville Fast Slow Pro allows you to choose eight different pressure levels, from 1.5 psi to 12 psi. There’s an easy-to-set 3-point safety system before you start cooking, and it’s so advanced that even the pressure release can be automated. Of the pressure cookers Faith tested, this was far and away the easiest to use despite all the bells and whistles. “The control panel is very well laid out,” she says. “Everything you need is listed on it, and the presets were an additional bonus I really liked.” Assembly and the final cleanup of the ceramic inner pot are effortless. The Details: 6-quart; ceramic-coated inner pot; 13.5 x 12.5 x 14 inches Best Budget Imusa 7.2-quart Stovetop Aluminum Pressure Cooker PHOTO: Amazon $63 at Amazon Why It’s Great: Large enough to use as a stockpot; stay-cool handle; lightweight; durableGrain of Salt: Can’t be used on induction; aluminum might react to acidic ingredients This stovetop pressure cooker from Imusa proves that you don’t need any additional features to create a fantastic, and quick, meal. It comes with the essentials: a locking lid and a pressure regulator, which allows extra steam to release during cooking. I personally love the size. The 7.2-quart aluminum pot will allow you to cook up a feast and seems pretty handy as a stockpot when not pressure cooking. And the stay-cool handle is perfect for working over heat. Being made of uncoated aluminum does mean that the surface might react to acidic ingredients, and it doesn’t have the magnetism necessary for induction cooking. If you’re willing to overlook those downsides, it’s a great affordable stovetop pressure cooker. The Details: 7-quart and 7.2-quart; aluminum; 16.93 x 10.24 x 9.45 inches and 11 x 8 x 11.25 inches Our Takeaway Most households would enjoy our top pick, the Instant Pot Pro 10-in-1 6-Quart Pressure Cooker. It’s versatile and easy to use, all at a great price. Those going the stovetop pressure cooker route will like the T-fal Clipso 6.3-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker. How to Pick the Right Pressure Cooker Type There are two main types of pressure cookers: electric and stovetop. Stovetop cookers allow you to determine the heat level, and they typically heat up faster than electric models. If you're a beginner, you may want to invest in an electric model because they boast programmable settings for different cooking times and functions, so you can whip up a dish with one push of a button. Plus, most electric pressure cookers double as yogurt makers and rice cookers, meaning you get more bang for your buck. Size Pressure cookers vary in size. While most standard ones range from six to 10 quarts, some can be as small as 1.5 quarts, making them a great option for cooking small batches. Eight-quart cookers and larger ones are great when cooking for a group or prefer to prep your meals in advance. Or if you want to use a pressure cooker for preserving purposes, there are oversized options specifically designed for canning. Maintenance Like any cookware, pressure cookers need to be cleaned after every use and regularly maintained. Most stainless steel pots will be dishwasher safe, with some other pieces allowed on the top rack. On electric models, you should replace the silicone ring about every two years as it can wear and stop creating an airtight seal. Steam valves and regulators should also be cleaned to avoid any buildup. If any piece breaks, don’t continue using the pressure cooker as it can create an unsafe situation. The Leftovers: Other Pressure Cookers We Tested At first glance, the Presto 01362 6-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker seemed flimsy to Faith, but it provided a decent amount of instructions and the lid was tight and secure during cooking. Once she opened the lid though, the performance was underwhelming and uneven. Common Questions What is a pressure cooker? A pressure cooker is simply a sealed vessel that uses higher than normal pressure, along with high temperatures, to cook your meals. The sealed-in steam raises the boiling point of the water in your recipe, while also creating more pressure, which forces the liquid into your food. Both of these processes contribute to your food cooking faster. When your recipe is done, you'll need to let the steam release first to avoid any safety issues, before opening the pot. What are the benefits of a pressure cooker? The main draw of pressure cooking is the speed of cooking. It can make any low-and-slow recipe, the kind that regularly takes all day, and speeds it up. This way, you can roast and braise meats within an hour, or take beans from dry to plump in minutes. There are a few pressure cooking tips to follow, but once you have the basics down, your weeknight dinners will never be the same. Why Take Our Word For It? Rebecca Carhart originally wrote this list. She was the Senior E-commerce Reviews Writer and Strategist. Siobhan Wallace is the senior commerce editor for Allrecipes. Her Instant Pot Pro is used for everything from quick dinners to making batches of rice. She updated our recommendations based on our Allstar testing and her love for her IP Pro.