Instant Pot Pro Plus Review: The Best Multi-Cooker?

The Instant Pot Pro Plus is one of the most feature-packed multi-cookers on the market today. With 10 built-in cooking functions, a bright LCD display, and app connectivity, it sits at the top of the Instant Pot lineup. But does more always mean better? We put it through weeks of real-world testing to find out.

What You Get Out of the Box

The Pro Plus ships with the 6-quart stainless steel inner pot, a steam rack with handles, a condensation collector, and the standard sealing ring. The lid now features a steam release valve that you push instead of flip — a welcome safety improvement over older models.

The Instant Pot Pro Plus retails for around $130, which places it firmly in the premium tier of multi-cookers.

10 Functions, Ranked by Usefulness

The Pro Plus handles pressure cooking, slow cooking, sauteing, steaming, sous vide, yogurt making, rice cooking, bean cooking, sterilizing, and warming. In practice, you will use about five of these regularly.

Pressure cooking remains the star. We made beef stew in 35 minutes — meat and all — that would take three hours on the stove. Chicken thighs cooked from frozen to fork-tender in 20 minutes. The pressure control is precise and consistent across batches.

Slow cooking is adequate but not exceptional. It runs slightly cooler than dedicated slow cookers like the Crock-Pot, so plan for an extra 30-60 minutes on recipes. The saute function heats up quickly and actually develops a decent sear, which was a weakness in earlier models.

The sous vide function is a genuine surprise. Water temperature held within 1 degree Fahrenheit over a six-hour cook, rivaling standalone circulators. If you have never tried sous vide but are curious, this alone might justify the upgrade.

Build Quality and Design

The stainless steel exterior feels sturdy without being heavy. At 13 pounds, it is manageable for most people to move around the kitchen. The fingerprint-resistant coating is a nice touch — our test unit still looked clean after three weeks of daily use.

The LCD display is bright and easy to read from across the kitchen. You can monitor time, pressure level, and temperature at a glance. The app connectivity works over WiFi and lets you start or monitor cooks remotely, though we found ourselves using it less than expected.

What We Did Not Love

The sealing ring absorbs odors. After making chicken curry, our next batch of yogurt tasted faintly of turmeric. We recommend buying the Instant Pot Sealing Ring 2-Pack and dedicating one ring to savory dishes and one to neutral or sweet preparations.

The steam release is quieter than previous models but still startles the dog. Quick-release can send a jet of steam two feet upward, so keep it away from low cabinets.

How It Compares to the Duo

The standard Instant Pot Duo costs about $80 and handles pressure cooking, slow cooking, rice, steaming, sauteing, yogurt, and warming. You lose sous vide, app control, and the improved display. For most households, the Duo covers 90% of what you need.

The Pro Plus is the right call if you want sous vide capability without buying a separate device, or if you simply want the best Instant Pot available.

The Verdict

The Instant Pot Pro Plus earns its premium pricing. Pressure cooking performance is excellent, sous vide works better than expected, and the build quality is a clear step up. If you are upgrading from an older model or buying your first multi-cooker and want the top option, this is it.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

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