Should I Get a Pressure Cooker, a Slow Cooker, or a Rice Cooker?

Updated Dec 10, 2022

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We’ve spent more than 200 hours researching and testing these cookers—going through hundreds of pounds of rice, beans, meat, and stock—as well as testing them over the long term in our own homes. This guide will help you figure out which type of cooker is best for your needs, whether that’s cooking fast or slow, braising hearty pot roasts and stews, or making rice and steamed veggies.

Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart

The best electric pressure cooker

One of the most affordable electric pressure cookers we’ve tried allows easier, more hands-off cooking than stovetop models, and its standout features include a slow-cooker mode.

Fissler Vitaquick 8.5-Quart Pressure Cooker

The best stovetop pressure cooker

This user-friendly pot offers the best pressure-cooking experience for everyone from novices to experienced cooks.

Hamilton Beach Set & Forget 6 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker

Best slow cooker

It’s not fancy, but we like this slow cooker’s intuitive interface, locking lid, and modest price. And it’s the only slow cooker with a heat probe to monitor the doneness of roasts.

Hamilton Beach Temp Tracker 6 Quart Slow Cooker

For longer cook times

For longer cook times or more precise temperature control, we like the Hamilton Beach Temp Tracker.

Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy NS-ZCC10

The best rice cooker

The Neuro Fuzzy makes sublime Japanese rice and is great at other varieties, even if you mess up the ratios. Although it’s a little slow, it’s the most all-around excellent and foolproof cooker we tested.

Cuckoo CRP-G1015F

Great for frequent cooking and brown rice

Pressurized cooking, substantial construction, and lightning-fast delicious results make this the right cooker for the demanding cook and the serious rice eater.