6 best pressure cookers for speedy suppers 2024
PRESSURE cooking is a great way to get a flavoursome meal on the table quickly.
Pressure cookers speed up cooking times by turning liquid to steam, allowing higher temperatures to be reached.
In a similar way to slow cooking, pressure cooking tenderises meat and is a great way of turning a cheaper cut into a delicious meal.
It’s also a healthy means of preparation that retains vitamins and minerals and does not require added fat or oil.
Despite having a reputation for being tricky, pressure cooking is a really easy way to prepare a dish. Simply add your ingredients, cover with stock or another liquid, seal the lid and let the pressure cooker do the hard work.
Pressure cookers can be stove top or electric and come in various sizes and with different controls.
I tested some of the best on the market. Read on for the results.
Best pressure cookers at a glance
- Best overall pressure cooker: Sage the Fast Slow GO
- Best pressure cooker for versatility: Instant Pot 60 Duo
- Best premium pressure cooker: Ninja Foodi MAX
- Best stove top pressure cooker: Lakeland
- Best for small households: Instant Pot Duo 3
- Best for first-time users: Ninja Foodi OP100UK
Sage the Fast Slow GO
Sage the Fast Slow GO, £169.95
Pros: Versatile, intuitive control panel
Cons: Nothing major
Rating: 5/5
Sage’s Fast Slow GO is an all-in-one multi-cooker with an in-built pressure cooker lid. It’s really versatile and has useful picture icons to help you get acquainted with its capabilities.
While the control panel is well designed and fairly easy to navigate, I did find myself referring to the instruction manual several times as I seared chicken and softened onions before adding stock, spices and rice to pressure cook.
It’s really simple to switch between modes and once pressure is reached, the Fast Slow GO will begin your timer, meaning there’s no need to stay in the kitchen monitoring steam signals.
One of my favourite things about the Sage pressure cooker was the pressure release button on the front console, negating the need to manually open a valve.
These controls are what really sets the Fast Slow GO apart from its rivals. You can also set it to pressure cook with a delayed start if you need to pop out and it will automatically click to the keep-warm function at the end of the cooking time.
The 6-litre capacity is generous, the appliance itself is really nicely designed and not as cumbersome as others.
The cooking pot is easy to remove and clean and even the lid is dishwasher safe!
Capacity: 6l; Material: brushed stainless steel; Size: 31.3 x 34.7 x 33.3 cm
Instant Pot 60 Duo 7-in-1 Smart 5.7L Programmable Multi Cooker
Instant Pot 60 Duo 7-in-1 Smart 5.7L Multi-Cooker, £89.99
Pros: Multiple programs, good capacity, lightweight
Cons: Nothing major
Rating: 4.5/5
This Instant Pot 5.7L pressure cooker is a versatile option, with the functionality to de-stress your cooking significantly.
It has 11 one-touch smart programs for hassle-free cooking including soup, stew and rice. It also has delay-start and keep-warm functions.
While the Instant Pot has great functionality, it’s not as intuitive as other models and I turned to an online tutorial to get to grips with using it to pressure cook a small chicken, which was ready in 30 minutes of reaching pressure.
I was impressed when the Instant Pot cooker informed me the grains I had added were beginning to catch on the bottom of the pan because there was not enough liquid.
While the sight of 'food burn' on the LED screen was slightly alarming, it had notified me early enough to top up the liquid and give it a stir before resealing the lid and returning the pot to pressure without the meal being ruined.
Overall I thought the Instant Pot pressure cooker was an impressive option, particularly given the price. And it can also be used to steam, slow cook, fast stew and braise.
Capacity: 5.7l; Weight: 5.4 kg; Size: 37 x 33 x D3cm
Ninja Foodi MAX 15-in-1 SmartLid Multi-Cooker
Ninja Foodi MAX 15-in-1 SmartLid Multi-Cooker, £249.99
Pros: Large capacity, hands-free pressure relief
Cons: Large footprint
Rating: 4.5/5
The functionality of the Ninja Foodi Max 15-in-1 is seriously impressive, allowing you to not just pressure cook but choose from 15 methods of preparation including air-fry, slow cook, grill and combi-steam.
Accordingly it is large and pretty heavy, but unlike the other Ninja tested below it doesn’t require a separate lid for pressure cooking.
The controls are simple to use. A slider seals the lid before you select from three steam release options: quick release, natural release and delayed release. Set your timer and hit start.
The control panel shows a countdown that runs while the machine is reaching pressure before the timer starts ticking down.
At the end of your cooking time the hands-free steam release will automatically kick in, negating the need to manually operate the valve.
I used the Foodi Max 15-in-1 to prepare a large joint of pulled pork, which was deliciously succulent, in just one hour.
If you’re looking to invest in one appliance that can meet all your culinary needs, this is a really impressive option.
Capacity: 7.5l; Weight: 11.7kg; Size: 36 x 35 x 36cm
Lakeland 5.5l pressure cooker
Lakeland 5.5l pressure cooker, £109.99
Pros: Large capacity, simple to use, doubles as a stock pot
Cons: Not dishwasher safe
Rating:4/5
Lakeland’s 5.5L pressure cooker is a great stove top option.
Made from stainless steel it has side handles and a simple one touch locking system.
It’s very simple to use. Just throw in your ingredients, set the pressure to slow or fast and wait for the steam to start your timer.
I tested this product cooking beef short ribs which were beautifully tender after just 45 minutes.
The instruction manual is really easy to follow, with pictures to guide beginners through the process. It also includes recipes to help familiarise you with the cooking method.
The 5.5L option is great for cooking a large joint of meat, a meal for a big family or a stock. It also has a trivet included, allowing you to set your meat over the liquid if needed.
Lakeland’s pressure cooker comes with an additional glass lid allowing it to be used without pressure as a stock pot.
Capacity: 5.5l; Size: 33 x 21.5 x 25cm
Read More
- Best multi cookers
- Our Place Always pan review
- Char-Broil Gas2Coal 2.0 review
- Best dehumidifiers
- Best meal delivery services
Ninja Foodi OP100UK 4.7l Multi Cooker
Ninja Foodi OP100UK 4.7 Litre Multi Cooker, £179
Pros: Multiple functions, LED screen, dishwasher safe components
Cons: Manual pressure release, requires separate lid for pressure cooking
Rating: 4/5
The Ninja Foodi 4.7L multi cooker has six cooking functions and comes with a separate lid for pressure cooking.
With a 4.7L capacity it’s not the largest pressure cooker on the market, but it was easily large enough for a 1kg piece of pork that served six.
The instructions are easy to follow: just add ingredients to the cooking pot, lock the lid in place, set pressure to high or low and adjust timer. The multi cooker also has a sear function if you need to seal or brown your meat before cooking.
If you’re new to pressure cooking, having an LED screen is great. The Ninja multi-cooker has a countdown that runs while the machine is reaching pressure before the timer starts ticking down, helping you to plan your dinner preparations.
Once the timer is complete it’s a simple case of carefully turning the pressure release valve to release the steam.
This is a great choice of pressure cooker if the idea of a multi-cooker appeals to you and it can also be used to air fry, slow cook, bake/roast, sear/sauté and steam.
Ninja recommends combining this functionality, for example by pressure cooking chicken before crisping the skin using the air crisp function, which gave great results.
Capacity: 4.7l, Size: 32 x 35 x 38cm
Instant Pot Duo 3 Mini 3L Multi Pressure Cooker
Instant Pot Duo 3 Mini 3L Multi Pressure Cooker, £75
Pros: Compact, lightweight, smart programs
Cons: Limited capacity
Rating: 3.5/5
This mini pressure cooker from Instant Pot is a good space-saving option, that can be used to prepare a variety of dishes, despite being limited by its 3l capacity.
This isn’t the best option if you’re looking to pressure cook large cuts of meat, but for cooking meals for one or two, or accompaniments for a family dinner, it’s a great choice.
It has impressive functionality with 13 programs for hassle-free cooking and the pressure cooking mode is fairly easy to get to grips with.
I used the pressure cooker to make a dish of quinoa with sweet potato and butternut squash. It was simply a case of adding my grains, vegetables and stock and setting it to reach pressure.
Once I had hit the start button a delicious meal was ready to be served within half an hour of it reaching pressure.
The Instant Pot also gives you the option to set a timer for cooking and it has delay and keep warm settings.
As an added bonus the pot is also dishwasher safe.
Functions: Pressure cook, saute, steam, slow cook, rice cook, warmer, and yoghurt maker; Capacity: 3l; Weight: 3.9 kg; Size: 28.5 x 25.5 x 29cm
How we tested these products
I used all pressure cookers to make a meal. I considered the cooking of the dish, ease of use, capacity, size and design as well as general functionality.
Where to buy these items
There are a number of pressure cookers on the market and many multi-cookers, which include a pressure cooking function.
With so many options we'd first recommend reading our review above, where we've put several to the test.
If you're keen to shop now we'd recommend the following: