Ten functions in one pot is the Instant Pot Pro's pitch: pressure cook, slow cook, saute, steam, sous vide, yogurt, sterilise, bake, rice and keep warm, driven by 28 preset programs from a dial and a digital display. The stainless inner pot is dishwasher safe and the lid seals itself. Slow cooking is the weak function, the interface takes a week to learn, and the lid is awkward to put down. It earns its counter space in a household that pressure cooks most weeks.
Full review
Ten functions, 28 presets, one dial
The control surface is a digital display and a knob, which is the right choice for an appliance with this many modes: 28 presets cover ribs, soups, beans, rice and poultry, and a handful of slots hold whichever settings get used most. Everything is reachable without a phone. The trade is a first week of reading, because the difference between natural and quick pressure release changes the texture of what comes out, and the machine will not tell you which one a recipe assumed.
A tri-ply stainless pot that browns properly
The inner pot is stainless steel with a flat tri-ply base and grip handles, which is the detail that makes the saute function usable rather than nominal; a thin pot scorches in a ring around the element and this one does not. It is dishwasher safe, as is the lid, so cleanup after a braise means loading two items. Nothing is non-stick, which means browned fond lifts with deglazing instead of being scrubbed off.
Slow cooking is the function to skip
A multicooker slow cooks by holding heat at the base rather than surrounding the pot, and the result is uneven: the bottom runs hotter than the top, and long recipes need stirring in a way a dedicated slow cooker does not. Sous vide has the same shape of problem, holding a temperature without circulating the water, so precision is approximate and thick cuts cook unevenly. Both functions exist and both work; neither replaces the appliance it imitates.
Sizes, wattage and the lid problem
The pot comes in 6- and 8-quart capacities drawing 1200 to 1400 watts, and the footprint is roughly 13 inches deep by 12.7 wide and 12.8 tall. It weighs about 6 kg, enough that it wants a permanent spot rather than a cupboard shelf. The lid is the awkward part of living with it: there is no dock, so between the pot and the sink it ends up on the worktop dripping condensate.
No air fryer lid in the box
Air frying is not included and cannot be added without buying the separate crisping lid, so a household that wants both jobs from one appliance is looking at the wrong model. There is no app either, and everything happens at the dial. Safety cover is thorough: overheat protection, an auto-sealing lid lock and grip handles on the inner pot, which is the part that matters most on an appliance that holds pressure.
Strengths
- +10 cooking functions replace multiple appliances including pressure cook, slow cook, sauté, and yogurt making
- +20% faster preheating and up to 70% quicker cooking times than traditional methods
- +28 smart programs ensure consistent results for everything from soups to cheesecakes
- +Dishwasher-safe stainless steel inner pot and lid for easy cleanup
Watch-outs
- −Slow cooking runs hot at the base and needs stirring on long recipes
- −Sous vide holds temperature without circulating the water, so precision is approximate
- −No air-fry lid included and no app control
- −Bulky lid with nowhere to rest it between steps
- −Pressure-release behaviour takes a week of cooking before results are predictable
How it compares
The standard 10-in-1 model offers the most cooking programs and fastest cooking times compared to the Vortex Plus and RIO Wide, but lacks the smart features of the Pro Plus and the air frying capability of the Vortex Plus. It's more affordable than the Pro Plus but heavier than the Duo Plus and RIO Wide. While it provides 28 smart programs, it doesn't match the RIO's wider cooking surface or the Vortex Plus's specialized functions, making it a solid choice for those who want maximum functionality without extra features.
Rating sources
Our 4.6 score is the average of these published ratings. More about methodology.
