Instant Pot Pro Plus Multi-Cooker review: our honest verdict

Price on writing: £200 | Buy now from Amazon or Instant Brands

Instant Pot Pro Plus Multi-Cooker: our verdict

Part slow cooker, part pressure cooker, and with heaps of other impressive features, I was blown away by this high-tech gadget. While it took a bit of time to work through the online instructions and get to grips with the different settings, once I'd mastered it, it was very easy and intuitive to use. The results were delicious too – think crowd-pleasing, hearty dishes ideal for autumn.

Getting it connected to my phone via Wi-Fi was simple and only took a few minutes, and while I've found smart connectivity a bit of a gimmick with some devices I've tested for Mumsnet, it was genuinely useful here. I loved being able to check how long my meal had left to cook from upstairs and even turn it on or off.

My biggest gripe with this gadget was that it didn't include an air fryer, which a lot of multi-cookers at this price point do, hence why I've knocked off a mark in the value for money scoring. That said, I found it was an excellent gadget that offered plenty of variety, and I enjoyed the ability to sauté meat in the pot before slow or pressure cooking. All in all, I think it's a great buy for families looking for a convenient device that delivers quality results.

Instant Pot Pro Plus Multi-Cooker: design and style

Unboxing the Instant Pot Pro Plus, the first thing I noticed was its large size. As with a lot of multi-cookers and Instant Pot models, it's quite bulky and has a large footprint. However, as it does the job of multiple gadgets in one nifty device, it might actually save on cupboard or counter space in the long run. Its hefty size also means it has a decent 5.7-litre capacity too, which I found had plenty of room to cook up to six portions.

I really liked the style of this Instant Pot; it has a large digital control panel, which is easy to read and looks modern, and the glossy black exterior gives it a sleek aesthetic. The aluminium pot fits neatly into the multi-cooker and the lid is easy to attach – you simply need to place it on top, and twist it to the left. There's a useful little jingle that plays when it's locked in place too, so you can be sure it's secured.

It's worth noting that when the pot is in the multi-cooker base, it is quite a heavy device to manoeuvre around. However, the pot alone is pleasingly lightweight and includes two stay-cool handles, so it's easy to remove from the base when your food is ready.

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Cooking in the Instant Pot Pro Plus Multi-Cooker: how easy is it to use?

As with any gadget with multiple functions, the Instant Pot Pro took me some time to learn how to use it. The instructions are found via scanning a QR code, and then a handy series of step-by-step videos can be found online, which show you how to set up the device and also how to operate each function.

Before using the device for the first time, I had to perform a pressure cook test, which involved filling the cooking pot with water, selecting the right setting, and leaving it for five minutes. This was easy to do following the guided video, and also allowed me to get to grips with using the pressure cook function before preparing any food.

The Wi-Fi connectivity was super easy to set up once I'd downloaded the app – it gives clear instructions on what to do and only took about five minutes to set up. While some may find this a bit gimmicky and unnecessary, it was surprisingly useful, and it allowed me to check on the progress of my dishes or change the cooking time from a different room (particularly helpful on those extra lazy days).

There's plenty of variety when it comes to cooking functions – you can choose between slow cook, pressure cook, rice, steam, sauté, yogurt, canning, sous vide, and keep warm. Then, either using the app or the intuitive touchscreen, you simply select the temperature, time, and steam release setting, before selecting 'start'.

A lot of cookbook recipes require you to brown meat or soften veggies on the hob before slow or pressure cooking, so I found the sauté setting a particularly useful feature. It meant I could sauté food in the same pot without having to use a separate saucepan, saving not only on time, but also on washing up – something I'm always grateful to cut back on.

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Instant Pot Pro Plus Multi-Cooker: what are the results like?

In a word: great. I was super impressed with the results from the Instant Pot Pro Plus. It particularly excelled at making a creamy, indulgent chicken, chorizo and sun-dried tomato orzo dish from Bored of Lunch (for more tasty dishes from this Mumsnetter-approved book, do be sure to visit our slow cooker recipes page).

The sauce wasn't watery at all, as is sometimes the case with some slow-cooked dishes, and the meat was pleasingly tender and packed plenty of flavour. It was a crowd-pleaser too, and thanks to the large capacity, I even had enough left over to take to the office in my lunchbox the next day (where I had a few comments about how tasty my lunch looked!)

The keep warm function is handy too – it meant that my dishes were always warm and ready to tuck into without the risk of overcooking.

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How easy is the Instant Pot Pro Plus Multi-Cooker to clean?

Very easy. While the pot and lid are both dishwasher safe, I opted to wash them by hand due to their large size. The pot was simple to clean with washing up liquid and a sponge, and it didn't require too much scrubbing to lift the food residue. The lid was also quick to clean with a wipe before being left to dry on my dish rack.

There's a condenser catcher at the back (pictured above), which is easy to remove, empty and reattach after you've cooked your meal.

Key specs

• Capacity: 5.7 litres

• Size: 33.5D x 33.1W x 32.3H centimetres

• Weight: 7.05 kilograms

• Settings: 10- including pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté pan, yogurt maker, canning, sous vide, and food warmer

• Pot: Aluminium

• Dishwasher safe: Yes, pot

• Power: 1,500W

How we tested the Instant Pot Pro Plus Multi-Cooker

I tested the Instant Pot Pro Plus Multi-Cooker in my north London kitchen, using a range of its functions to cook up different dishes.

During testing, I carefully rated it on its features, ease of use, ease of cleaning, design, value for money, and the results it produced, evaluating how it performed in a real-life kitchen setting in comparison to other models I've recently tested, including the Russell Hobbs Good-to-Go Multicooker, Crockpot Lift and Serve Digital Slow Cooker, the Swan Retro Slow Cooker, and the Tower Cavaletto Slow Cooker.

Through testing a variety of different slow cookers and multi-cookers, this allowed me to cross-compare the Instant Pot Pro Plus Multi-Cooker with different models to assess its performance and offer a balanced view to help Mumsnetters choose the right multi-cooker for their needs.

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About the author

Natasha Gregson is an Affiliate Content Editor at Mumsnet, with an expertise in home and kitchen product reviews and round-ups. With several years of editorial experience under her belt, she also has had work featured in national publications including The i Paper and Stylist Magazine.

A keen foodie, she's always whipping up new creations and experimenting in the kitchen. Over the past few months, she's been on a quest to find and try the top slow cookers and multi-cookers for Mumsnet and, with the help of the best slow cooker recipe books, has become somewhat of an expert in this area; she knows exactly what makes a standout kitchen gadget and brings this know-how to every review she writes.

About Mumsnet Reviews

All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real people after extensive research and testing. We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. However, we never allow this to influence our coverage.

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