(checked 2026-10-10)The listing pools the 6-qt and 4-qt (Rio Mini) sizes; about 6,960 ratings.
Wirecutter's and Tom's Guide's top pick: a simple, affordable Instant Pot with a durable stainless pot. The trade-offs are no pot handles, a lot of buttons, and some owners reporting slow pressurizing or units failing after about 18 months.
Top complaints
- Slow to pressurize, and some units fail
Amazon's review summary calls heating speed and durability mixed: some owners say it takes over an hour to come up to pressure, and some say it broke after about 18 months. Wirecutter timed about 14.5 minutes to pressurize a pot of beans, and Tom's Guide lists the preheat time not counting toward the cook time as a con.
- No handles on the inner pot
Tom's Guide and Serious Eats both note that the inner pot has no handles, so you have to wait for it to cool before lifting it out. Wirecutter says the rubber stoppers hold the pot still less well than the Pro's handles.
- Busy panel, heavy hot lid, weak searing
Wirecutter calls the array of buttons visually overwhelming and says the nearly 2.5-lb metal lid gets hot. Like all electric cookers it can't sear as well as a stovetop. Tom's Guide found the icon-only labels hard to decipher at first.
Source: Wirecutter (NYT), Tom's Guide
What owners love
- Core functions done well
Wirecutter says it pressure cooks, sautés and steams as well as or better than competing models. Tom's Guide steamed vegetables, cooked rice and soup, and boiled eggs with ease.
Source: Wirecutter (NYT), Tom's Guide - Safer, simpler steam release
The lid auto-seals and has a quick-release switch. Wirecutter also likes the start button, progress bar and three sauté levels.
Source: Wirecutter (NYT) - Durable stainless pot and spare parts
The uncoated stainless steel pot should outlast nonstick inserts, and replacement parts are readily available (Wirecutter). Amazon owners say it cleans up easily.
- You want a pot with handles or a stovetop-safe insert
- You need a low-pressure setting
- You want an air-fryer lid later
- First-time pressure cooker owners
- Families of 3-5
- Beans, stews and rice on weeknights
Scores (tap for why)
What experts say
- Wirecutter (NYT): Top pick (updated Feb 2026): the best performance for the price and easy to use and clean. Its flaws are hard-to-clean crevices, lots of buttons, a heavy hot lid, weak searing and high pressure only.
- Tom's Guide: Best overall Instant Pot (May 2026): affordable, versatile and easy to clean; cons are preheat time not counted in the cook time and no pot handles.
- Serious Eats (Instant Pots): Prefers the 7.5-qt Rio Wide as its budget pick and says the 6-qt Rio offered less versatility and value.