Top 10 Multi-Cookers in 2027 — Best Overall + Best Value

Direct Answer

The Instant Pot Pro Plus 6Qt WiFi ($169) is our 🏆 Best Overall multi-cooker for 2027 — its 28 smart programs, Bluetooth + WiFi app control, stainless-steel inner pot, and NutriBoost stir-and-release mode deliver the most refined pressure cooking on the market without crossing into Ninja's louder, plasticky territory.

The Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 6Qt ($129) takes 💎 Best Value for being the same brand DNA, 15 smart programs, sous vide, and yogurt mode at roughly 76% of the Pro's price. This guide ranks the top 10 multi-cookers in 2027 — from 8-quart family beasts to 3-quart studio-apartment minis — for home cooks who want one appliance to replace five.

How We Ranked the Top 10 Multi-Cookers in 2027

We weighted pressure performance (PSI / kPa sealing, pre-heat speed, vent quietness), functional breadth (pressure / slow / rice / yogurt / sauté / steam / sous vide / air fry), inner-pot material (stainless wins over nonstick for longevity), app and voice control, preset count, build quality, and real-world reliability drawn from Wirecutter's 10-year database, Serious Eats lab tests, America's Test Kitchen, Cook's Illustrated, NYT Cooking equipment reviews, The Spruce Eats, and community sentiment from r/InstantPot's 1.4M members.

• Pressure cooking quality: 30%
• Function count + usefulness: 20%
• Inner-pot material + build: 15%
• Smart app / WiFi / Alexa: 10%
• Preset library: 10%
• Price-to-value: 15%

1. Instant Pot Pro Plus 6Qt WiFi 🏆 BEST OVERALL

Price: $169 | Best for: Serious home cooks who want the most refined Instant Pot ever built.

The Pro Plus 6Qt is the flagship Instant Pot and the one Wirecutter calls "the best for most people." It runs 28 customizable smart programs, hits 11.6 PSI (80 kPa) at high pressure, and adds the new NutriBoost stir-and-release mode that breaks up steam pockets for thicker soups and chilis.

The food-grade 304 stainless steel inner pot is dishwasher-safe and will outlast any nonstick coating by 5-10 years. Connect via the Instant Brands app over WiFi + Bluetooth for remote start, recipe push, and firmware updates — voice control routes through Alexa. Pre-heat is 30% faster than the Duo line, and the diffusing steam release is genuinely quieter — Serious Eats measured 20 dB lower than the Duo Crisp.

Includes silicone sealing ring (2 colors), steam rack, and rice paddle. Delay start up to 24 hours, keep warm up to 10 hours.

• Pros: Stainless inner pot, quietest release, real app that actually works, 5 customizable presets.
• Con: No air-fry lid — pick #3 if you want crisping.

2. Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 SmartLid 8Qt OL701

Price: $249 | Best for: Big-family meal-preppers who want pressure cook AND air fry in one lid.

The Ninja Foodi OL701 is the only multi-cooker with a true single-lid SmartLid that swaps between PressureCook, SteamCrisp, and Air Fry without a second attachment to store. It runs 14 cooking functions in an 8-quart pot — the largest in this guide — and hits 15 PSI, the highest in the round-up.

The SteamCrisp Technology combines steam and convection to keep proteins juicy while crisping the exterior — America's Test Kitchen rated it best for whole 6lb chickens and pork shoulder. Inner pot is ceramic-coated nonstick (the only weak spot — replace every 3-4 years).

Includes 5.5qt Cook & Crisp basket, deluxe reversible rack, and silicone mitts. No WiFi, no app, but the interface dial is intuitive. Keep warm 12 hours, delay start 12 hours.

• Pros: Single-lid air fry, biggest capacity (8qt), hottest sear in sauté mode.
• Con: Loud venting and the ceramic coating shows wear at year 3.

3. Instant Pot Duo Crisp 11-in-1 Air Fryer 8Qt

Price: $199 | Best for: Instant Pot loyalists who want air fry without ditching the Duo workflow.

The Duo Crisp 8Qt ships with two separate lids — the standard pressure lid and a 1500-watt air-fry lid — for 11 total functions including roast, bake, dehydrate, and broil up to 400°F. 8-quart stainless inner pot is roomy enough for a 6lb whole chicken plus root vegetables.

Pre-set library covers soup, stew, beans, rice, multigrain, porridge, poultry, meat/stew, and yogurt. The air-fry basket and dehydrating tray are included; The Spruce Eats rated it the best dual-lid hybrid in its 2026 round-up. No WiFi, but the digital display is sharp.

Delay start 24 hours, keep warm 10 hours. The two-lid storage problem is real — budget a kitchen drawer.

• Pros: Stainless inner pot (rare for air-fry combos), 8qt family-size, true 400°F crisping.
• Con: Storing two lids is annoying in small kitchens.

4. Breville Fast Slow Pro

Price: $249 | Best for: Slow-cooking purists who want pressure as the backup, not the headline.

The Breville Fast Slow Pro BPR700BSS is the only multi-cooker with 11 variable pressure settings (low 1.5 PSI through high 12 PSI), which Cook's Illustrated singled out for delicate fish, custards, and rice puddings that the Instant Pot's binary low/high crushes. The dual sensor system monitors temperature at the lid AND base, so slow-cook results genuinely compete with a standalone Crock-Pot — something no other multi-cooker on this list can claim.

6-quart hard-anodized aluminum inner pot with nonstick coating, automatic steam release with 3 modes (Auto Quick, Auto Pulse, Auto Natural) so you walk away. No WiFi, no app. Includes trivet and silicone seal.

Build quality is noticeably more premium than every Instant Pot in this guide.

• Pros: Best slow-cook performance, variable pressure, hands-off auto release.
• Con: Premium price for only 11 functions versus Ninja's 14.

5. Cuisinart CPC-600 Pressure Cooker

Price: $129 | Best for: Cooks who want a simple, no-app, single-purpose electric pressure cooker.

The Cuisinart CPC-600 is the anti-Instant Pot — 6 modes (high pressure, low pressure, simmer, sauté, browning, keep warm), no smart presets, no app, no air fry. The brushed-stainless exterior wins on counter aesthetics, and NYT Wirecutter noted its 15 PSI is hotter than most Instant Pots.

The nonstick aluminum inner pot is removable and dishwasher-safe. Functions are accessed via 6 buttons + a single time dial — no menu diving. Includes trivet and measuring cup.

Delay start 8 hours, keep warm 12 hours. For a cook who just wants fast beans, fast stock, and fast risotto without 28 presets, this is the cleanest interface in the category.

• Pros: Simplest interface, 15 PSI max, handsome stainless exterior.
• Con: No yogurt, no sous vide, no air fry — only the basics.

6. Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 6Qt 💎 BEST VALUE

Price: $129 | Best for: First-time multi-cooker buyers who want the proven Instant Pot recipe.

The Duo Plus 6Qt is the best-value pick of 2027 — same stainless-steel inner pot as the Pro Plus, 15 smart programs, sous vide mode (yes, in a $129 cooker), sterilize mode for baby bottles and canning jars, and the famously reliable Instant Pot pressure system at 11.6 PSI.

Wirecutter has recommended a version of the Duo since 2017 — over a decade of community-vetted reliability. Reddit's r/InstantPot consistently calls it the "buy this one" pick for newcomers. Includes steam rack with handles, rice paddle, soup spoon, and measuring cup.

No WiFi, but you don't need it for soup, beans, rice, yogurt, eggs, and pot roast. Delay start 24 hours, keep warm 10 hours. Verdict: best price-to-performance in the category — exactly why it gets the 💎 pill.

• Pros: Stainless inner pot at $129, proven 10-year reliability, sous vide included.
• Con: No app, no WiFi — pick the Pro Plus if you want remote start.

7. Mealthy MultiPot 9-in-1

Price: $99 | Best for: Bargain hunters who want more accessories in the box than Instant Pot ships.

The Mealthy MultiPot 9-in-1 is the best sub-$100 multi-cooker and the only one that ships with a tempered-glass lid for slow cooking, a steamer basket, an extra silicone sealing ring, AND a trivet — accessories that cost $40+ separately for an Instant Pot.

9 functions (pressure, slow, rice, yogurt, sauté, steam, porridge, soup, multigrain), 15 PSI max, stainless steel inner pot (rare at this price), and 14 smart programs. The Mealthy Recipe App has 300+ recipes and is genuinely well-maintained — The Spruce Eats scored its app higher than Instant Brands'.

Delay start 24 hours, keep warm 10 hours.

• Pros: Best accessory bundle, stainless pot under $100, legitimately good recipe app.
• Con: Brand uncertainty — Mealthy has a smaller US service network than Instant Brands.

8. Crock-Pot Express Crock Multi-Cooker 6Qt

Price: $89 | Best for: Slow-cook diehards who want pressure as a bonus, not the main event.

The Crock-Pot Express 6Qt plays to its parent brand's slow-cooking heritage — slow cook is the best-tuned function on the device, with low (200°F) and high (300°F) settings that Cook's Illustrated calls "indistinguishable from a classic Crock-Pot." Layered on top: 8 one-touch presets, pressure cook at 12 PSI, steam, sauté, brown, yogurt, and rice.

Nonstick aluminum inner pot (not stainless — the trade-off at this price). Includes trivet and condensation collector. Delay start 8 hours, keep warm 4 hours (shortest in this guide — a weak spot).

For under $90 you're getting genuine slow-cook DNA plus the pressure capability — a fair trade.

• Pros: Best slow cook under $100, legitimate Crock-Pot tuning, 8-preset simplicity.
• Con: Nonstick coating wears by year 3, 4-hour keep-warm cap.

9. Instant Pot Duo Mini 3Qt

Price: $79 | Best for: Studio apartments, single cooks, and dorm rooms.

The Duo Mini 3Qt is the best small-footprint multi-cooker — it weighs 8.6 lbs, fits on a 12-inch counter square, and cooks 2-4 servings without the awkward half-empty 6Qt experience. 7 functions (pressure, slow, rice, sauté, steam, yogurt, keep warm), 11.6 PSI, stainless steel inner pot, 13 smart programs, and the same trusted Instant Pot pressure system.

Includes steam rack and rice paddle. Delay start 24 hours, keep warm 10 hours. NYT Cooking specifically recommends it for single-portion oatmeal, soft-boiled eggs (6 minutes flat), and small batches of dal.

The 3Qt size also means faster pre-heat (2-3 minutes versus 8-10 for a 6Qt).

• Pros: Tiny footprint, stainless pot, fast pre-heat.
• Con: Too small for whole chickens or family roasts — strictly 1-2 person territory.

10. GoWise USA 8-in-1

Price: $79 | Best for: Budget shoppers who want 8 functions for under $80, period.

The GoWise USA 8-in-1 6Qt is the cheapest fully-featured multi-cooker worth buying — 8 functions (pressure, slow, rice, yogurt, sauté, steam, porridge, soup), 12 PSI, 15 smart programs, delay start 24 hours, keep warm 6 hours. The nonstick aluminum inner pot is the weak spot (replace at year 2-3), but the build is otherwise solid and The Spruce Eats called it "shockingly competent" in its budget round-up.

Includes steam rack, soup spoon, measuring cup, rice paddle, and a printed recipe book (the only one in this guide that still ships paper). No app, no WiFi.

• Pros: Cheapest credible multi-cooker, 8 functions, paper recipe book.
• Con: Nonstick wear at year 2-3, no stainless option.

Buyer Decision Tree

What to Look For When Buying a Multi-Cooker

• Capacity matches household. A 6Qt feeds 4-6 comfortably; 8Qt is meal-prep and big-family territory; 3Qt is 1-2 portions. Don't oversize — half-full 8Qts produce watery soups and uneven sears.
• Inner pot material is the long-term decision. Stainless steel lasts 10+ years and is dishwasher-safe. Nonstick aluminum is lighter and cleans faster but wears by year 2-4 and needs replacement. Wirecutter has documented this exact failure pattern.
• PSI matters more than preset count. 15 PSI cooks faster than 11.6 PSI by roughly 20%. Most Instant Pots run 11.6 PSI; Cuisinart, Mealthy, and Ninja push 15 PSI.
• Air-fry combos add complexity. Two lids = two storage problems. A single-lid Ninja Foodi solves it but costs more. If you already own a standalone air fryer, skip the combo.
• WiFi and apps are nice-to-haves, not must-haves. Only the Pro Plus does it well. Skip apps from brands without a 5-year update history.
• Avoid: Off-brand pressure cookers with no UL listing, models lacking a silicone sealing ring in the box (they wear out yearly), and any multi-cooker promising 30+ functions — most are gimmicks.
• Doesn't matter as much as marketing implies: Bluetooth (slower than WiFi), sterilize mode (rarely used), and rice mode (a $20 rice cooker outperforms every multi-cooker's rice setting).

FAQ

Is the Instant Pot Pro Plus worth the extra $40 over the Duo Plus? Yes if you want WiFi remote start, the quieter steam release, and the NutriBoost stir mode. No if you just want to pressure-cook beans and stew — the Duo Plus does that identically.

Which is better for a beginner — Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot? Instant Pot Duo Plus wins for beginners. Ninja's interface is intuitive but its air-fry combo overwhelms first-timers. Start simple, add air fry later if you miss it.

How long does the silicone sealing ring last? 12-18 months with regular use. Replace immediately if you smell yesterday's chili while cooking a cheesecake. Genuine Instant Pot rings are $8-12 on Amazon; aftermarket rings are fine but verify food-grade silicone.

Can I really make yogurt in a multi-cooker? Yes — any model with a yogurt preset (Duo Plus, Pro Plus, Mealthy, GoWise) holds the 110°F incubation temperature for 8 hours with shockingly good results. NYT Cooking has a guide.

Is sous vide in a multi-cooker as good as a dedicated immersion circulator? No, but it's 80% as good for 20% of the cost. The Duo Plus, Pro Plus, and Breville hold temperatures within ±2°F — fine for steaks, eggs, and chicken breasts. Not fine for 48-hour short ribs where precision matters.

Why does my Instant Pot say "Burn"? Liquid evaporated below the sensor or food stuck to the bottom. Always deglaze after sauté, never thicken with cornstarch BEFORE pressure cooking, and ensure at least 1 cup of thin liquid is in the pot.

Bottom Line

The 🏆 Instant Pot Pro Plus 6Qt WiFi ($169) is the best overall multi-cooker of 2027 — stainless inner pot, 28 programs, working app, the quietest release in the category. For 💎 best value, the Instant Pot Duo Plus 6Qt ($129) delivers the same pressure DNA and stainless pot at 76% of the price with a 10-year reliability record.

If you need air fry under one lid, jump to #2 Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 ($249). Match your household size first, then your function priority — the Buyer Decision Tree above gets you to the right pick in 30 seconds.

Sources

• Wirecutter — "The Best Multi-Cookers" (2026 update, NYT)
• Serious Eats — "We Tested 12 Instant Pots and Multi-Cookers" lab review
• America's Test Kitchen — "Best Multi-Cookers" equipment review (2026)
• Cook's Illustrated — "Electric Pressure Cookers" buying guide
• NYT Cooking — Equipment reviews: Instant Pot Duo Mini and yogurt guide
• The Spruce Eats — "Best Multi-Cookers of 2026" round-up + Mealthy MultiPot review
• Reddit r/InstantPot — community sentiment thread "Best Instant Pot in 2026" (1.4M members)
• Reddit r/Cooking — "Multi-cooker recommendation megathread"
• Manufacturer spec sheets — Instant Brands (Pro Plus, Duo Crisp, Duo Plus, Duo Mini), Ninja (Foodi OL701), Breville (BPR700BSS), Cuisinart (CPC-600), Mealthy, Crock-Pot, GoWise USA
• Consumer Reports — "Pressure Cooker Ratings" subscriber database