12 best pressure cookers 2023 | top-rated kitchen appliances
Pressure cookers take the lengthy time and guesswork out of the most complex meals – and they’re more than worthy of a spot on your countertop.
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You may only know them as the appliance that has struck fear in the hearts of many a MasterChef contestant over the years, but pressure cookers have come a long way in recent times — and they’re quickly making a name for themself as a must-have appliance for home cooks.
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No longer limited to pro chefs, pressure cookers are more accessible than ever thanks to the wide range of safety and cooking features models now boast. They’re super practical for everyday use, thanks to their ability to speed up cooking times by as much as 70 per cent — no more slaving over a hot stove for hours on end! Plus, thanks to their use of high pressure and hot steam, they can actually leave you with food that’s more tender, flavourful, vibrant in colour and rich in nutrients.
To recap, a pressure cooker can give you tastier and healthier food in a fraction of the time — so what are you waiting for?
BEST PRESSURE COOKERS
From the traditional stovetop designs to the modern multi-cookers that offer a variety of cooking styles in the one smart machine, here’s our shortlist of the pressure cookers that deserve a spot in your kitchen:
EDITOR’S PICK: BEST PRESSURE COOKER
Instant Pot Duo Nova Multi Use Pressure Cooker 8L, Amazon Australia, on sale $188 (down from $299)
The best kitchen appliance offers versatility and value for money – and that’s why this cult favourite Instant Pot Duo Nova takes out the top spot of this roundup. It offers seven-in-one functionality, allowing you to use it as a pressure cooker, saute pan, steamer, slow cooker, rice cooker, food warmer and yoghurt maker. You can buy it in three sizes: a 3L model to serve up to three people; 5.7L to serve up to six; or 8L to serve up to eight. Each one includes a wide range of one-touch smart auto cook programs that take the work out of your meal prep, and a clear and bright LCD display that makes it easy to keep track of your progress and settings.
The Duo Nova boasts hundreds of glowing reviews on Amazon, where it maintains a 4.7 out of five star rating.
BEST DIGITAL PRESSURE COOKERS
Philips All-In-One Cooker, $179, The Good Guys
Another all-in-one design that we love for its multipurpose uses, the Philips All-In-One Cooker has a six litre capacity making it ideal for large families or just for meal prep enthusiasts. The sleek silver finish will look professional on your benchtop, and the ProCeramic coating on the cooker pot makes it super durable and a breeze to clean. There are slow cook, warming, saute, and simmer functions in addition to the pressure cooking option, and preset automatic cooking times take the guesswork out of cooking staples like rice, veggies, soups and risottos.
A happy reviewer left five stars and simply stated, “Easy to use. Got rid of two appliances out of my cupboard. Gorgeous recipe book. Game changer with dinners”. Well, we’re convinced.
Breville Fast Slow Pro Multicooker, The Good Guys, $369
The six-litre Breville Fast Slow Pro might be one of the nicest-looking pressure cookers on the market, with a sleek stainless steel design that you won’t mind keeping out on your kitchen bench. One press functionality allows the dual sensors to monitor and control the temperature and pressure automatically. There are 11 pressure cook and slow cook settings, and you can easily reduce, saute, sear to retain and intensify flavours, slow cook, pressure cook steam to lock in nutrients or keep warm. The auto steam release setting eliminates overcooking and keeps hands out of harms way, and the full feedback LCD display tells you what’s going on inside the pot. The hinged lid is removable and dishwasher safe too.
A thrilled reviewer awarded it five out of five stars, commenting, “We absolutely love this product! From slow cooking, to pressure cooking, searing to steaming, this appliance has so many functions that are perfect for us as a busy young family. It has changed our lives and saved so much time in the kitchen as we can prepare dinner at any time of the day and it is cooked perfectly!!”
Crock Pot Express Crock Multi-Cooker, The Good Guys, $179
The Crock Pot Multi Cooker is designed to replace a huge range of your kitchen appliances. We’re talking a pressure cooker, slow cooker, steamer, frying pan, rice cooker and more.
The 5.7 litre capacity offers a serving of four to six people.
It’s racked up an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 from over 200 reviews on The Good Guys website. We also love that you can pick from a few preset meal options, because it takes the guesswork out of cooking.
BEST AIR FRYER PRESSURE COOKER
Ninja Foodi, $299, Amazon Australia
There are a few multi cookers on this list, but only the 6L Ninja Foodi can boast an air frying feature in addition to its pressure cooking functionalities. Touted as “the pressure cooker that crisps”, the Foodi’s TenderCrisp Technology allows you to achieve the quick cooking and tenderising benefits of pressure cookers while also letting you air fry, bake, roast, and broil, so that even the most tentative cook can create perfect textures and mouth-watering meals.
A reviewer gave it five stars and wrote, “Great value for money. We use all the functions and keep finding new ways to use it”. Another called it a “game changer” and the “most amazing product in the kitchen. Will be buying one for wedding gifts, when our boys move out of our home, will always be our go to “essential” kitchen item”.
BEST LUXURY PRESSURE COOKER
Tefal Cook4me Touch Multicooker, Myer, $559.20 (down from $699)
If you’re willing to spend the cash, the Tefal Cook4me multicooker is going to take over your kitchen. The high price tag is there for a reason, because you can scroll through the LED screen and choose the meal you want to make, from over 250 recipes. It will take you through it all step-by-step, perfect for those lazy cooks.
The appliance itself offers fast cooking, and you can control it all from an app on your smartphone while you relax.
BEST STOVE TOP PRESSURE COOKERS
Baccarat Rapid Pro Pressure Cooker 6L, on sale $129.99, House
Before the age of the digital multi cooker, there were simply stovetop pressure cookers like this one from Baccarat – and they still hold up as a great option for home cooks. The Baccarat Rapid Pro Pressure Cooker is constructed from high-quality 18/10 stainless steel, with ergonomic stay-cool handles for safety. A steamer basket is included for cooking delicious, flavoursome veggies, and the control knob on the handle allows you to easily and safely release pressure.
Reviewers were all in agreeance when it came to the quality of the cooker, with one commenting, “I love this cooker, I cooked 6 lamb shanks in it and only took 50mins for the meat to be falling off the bone” and another saying, “wonderful addition to my Kitchen. Easy, quick and delicious food”.
Presto 8-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker, Amazon Australia, $157.77
With more than 4,600 five star reviews on Amazon, the Presto Pressure Cooker is an easy-to-use appliance that you can simply place on your electric stovetop and cook your midweek dinner.
Five-star reviewers have described it as being “so easy to use … every kitchen needs one” and “amazing”. The pressure cooker save you time, energy and money and the aluminium allows for even heating and easy cleaning.
Amazon is offering free international delivery on this one, so you’re going to want to snap it up now while you still can.
Hawkins Contura Pressure Cooker 2L, Amazon Australia, $88
Available in six sizes from 1.5L (suitable for one to two people) to 6.5L (suitable for up to nine people), this traditional stovetop pressure cooker is a great one for cooks on a budget. The adorable retro design is also designed with functionality in mind: the rounded sides allow for easier stirring, better visibility and easy removal of food; the durable black finish absorbs heat faster to increase energy efficiency; and the food-grade stainless steel lid ensures the highest levels of hygiene and durability. Safety is also taken into consideration in the design, with stay-cool handles that are comfortable to hold during cooking, an automatic safety valve, superior pressure regulation, and a locked safety lid that cannot be opened until pressure has fallen to a safe level.
Reviewers said it “looks splendid and works efficiently”, and noted that “before, dinner used to take one and a half hours to prepare and cook. Now it takes minutes. Beautiful flavours, meat falls off the bone, so tender”.
Tefal Clipsomminut Easy 7.5L, on sale, $215, Amazon Australia
Built to last in durable and stylish stainless steel, the Clipso Minut Easy has a simple and practical design that’s easily opened and closed with a single hand and 30 per cent lighter than a conventional pressure cooker. It comes with a steamer basket and a 7.5-litre capacity for big meal preppers.
“Great product. Easy to use and cuts down cook time, spend less time in the kitchen and more with the family. It even comes with a little cookbook with great recipes. I truly recommend,” wrote one eager reviewer.
Scanpan Pressure Cooker 24cm/8L, $199, Catch
With a lid and body made from high quality stainless steel, this Scanpan Pressure Cooker is as durable and sturdy as the rest of the iconic brand’s cookware. The cooker’s pressure levels are controlled by an operating valve which prevents an unsafe or excessive build-up of pressure – so that you can simply focus on creating delicious meal after meal with ease.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A PRESSURE COOKER?
Think of a pressure cooker as the antithesis of a slow cooker: where the slow cooker uses lower temperatures and longer cooking times to slowly cook meals; a pressure cooker uses hot steam and high pressures to drastically speed up the cooking process while retaining tenderness, colour, flavour, nutrients and vitamins. Other advantages include the one-pot design that allows you to prep and cook in the same pot, thus reducing mess; as well as potentially saving on energy costs as the cook time is reduced and you’re not forced to use multiple burners for the one meal.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MULTI COOKER AND A PRESSURE COOKER?
To put it simply, a multi cooker can usually pressure cook as well as provide other functions from slow cooking to air frying, depending on the model – but a pressure cooker can only be used for pressure cooking.
A multi-cooker is a modernised, digital take on the traditional stovetop pressure cooker that incorporates a wider variety of cooking capabilities in the one appliance. If you’re tossing up between the two, there’s pros and cons to both. A multi-cooker is ideal if you want to eliminate the need for multiple appliances, saving you storage space and cash. They’re also great for beginners or those who aren’t confident in the kitchen, as they come with plenty of preset automatic functions that take the guesswork out of cooking.
Meanwhile, a traditional pressure cooker is perfect if you don’t have benchtop space for another digital appliance and if you only really want to take advantage of pressure cooking capabilities. They’re also handy for confident cooks who don’t want to be restricted by automated settings.
HOW DO I CHOOSE A PRESSURE COOKER?
There are a few factors to take into consideration when selecting the best pressure cooker to suit your cooking needs:
• Size: In this list alone, you can find pressure cookers with capacities ranging from 1.5L to 8L, capable of feeding anywhere between one and nine people. If you’re someone who has a large family or who loves to meal prep, a larger unit will serve you well; or alternatively, if you’re short on storage space or don’t have many mouths to feed, a smaller model will be able to meet your needs.
• Type: As mentioned, traditional stovetop or digital pressure cookers are on offer. A stovetop model is great if you want more freedom in your cooking, whereas a digital model is good for newbies and the kitchen-averse.
• Functions: Some pressure cookers only offer pressure cooking capabilities, where other multi cookers offer a whole host of functions from slow cooking to baking. Depending on what you like to cook and which other appliances you already have, you may prefer a multi cooker or a bog-standard pressure cooker.
Looking for more gadgets to add to your kitchen? Read up on the best air fryers to buy to make fried food that little bit healthier; the rice cookers that deserve a spot on your kitchen bench; and the top pasta machines for authentic at-home Italian.
Then check out our reviews of the affordable at-home coffee machine that delivers barista-quality results, and the premium air fryer that exceeds expectations.
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