Best Electric Pressure Cookers for Beans (2026)

The Top 3 Pressure Cookers

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases made through links on this page.

Prices come from Amazon and were right at the time shown. They can change; the price on Amazon at checkout is the one you pay.

Best overall

Instant Pot Pro 8 Qt

8 qt · 1,400 W · stainless pot

$199.99

Check price →

Best value

Cosori 6-Quart Pressure Cooker (CMC-CO601-SUS)

6 qt · 1,100 W · ceramic nonstick pot

$80.98

Check price →

Easiest to use

Instant Pot Duo Plus 6 Qt with WhisperQuiet

6 qt · 1,000 W · stainless pot

$89.99

Check price →

All 6 Pressure Cookers, Side by Side

#	Pick	Key specs
1	Instant Pot Pro 8 Qt Best overall	8 qt · 1,400 W · stainless pot ATK’s winner; GH’s pick for advanced cooks	$199.99Check price
2	Cosori 6-Quart Pressure Cooker (CMC-CO601-SUS) Best value	6 qt · 1,100 W · ceramic nonstick pot ATK’s Best Buy	$80.98Check price
3	Instant Pot Duo Plus 6 Qt with WhisperQuiet Easiest to use	6 qt · 1,000 W · stainless pot Good Housekeeping’s top Instant Pot	$89.99Check price
4	Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1, 6 Qt Best classic	6 qt · 13 programs · stainless pot GH’s best-value Instant Pot	$83.47Check price
5	Breville Fast Slow Pro (BPR700) Best splurge	6 qt · 1,100 W · auto steam release ATK: recommended with reservations	$329.95Check price
6	Instant Pot Duo Mini 3 Qt Best small-space	3 qt · 700 W · stainless pot Small size of GH’s best-value Duo	$89.99Check price

How We Picked

We started with America’s Test Kitchen’s 2025 multicooker test and Good Housekeeping’s 2026 Instant Pot testing, then checked Everyday Health’s 2026 hands-on round and Consumer Reports’ ratings as reported by The Takeout.
Beans and grains come first here, so we weighted pressure-cooking results, bean results where reported, and how safely each one vents steam.
Every pick is sold on Amazon by Amazon itself, checked by exact ASIN.
We checked CPSC and Health Canada recalls for every model and left out recalled lines like the Ninja Foodi OP300 series.
We never claim hands-on testing. The findings belong to the outlets we link.

The Reviews

Ranked, roasted, and recommended.

Best overall

America’s Test Kitchen named it the best multicooker: pressure cooking, rice, sautéing, and steaming were all excellent, the flat-bottomed pot sears evenly, and a release switch keeps your hand away from the steam. Good Housekeeping clocked the Pro at 27 minutes to reach pressure and just over four minutes to quick-release. Eight quarts matters for beans, which should only fill a pressure cooker halfway.

8-quart stainless pot
28 one-touch programs
steam-release switch
pot handles

Why it made the list

Excellent pressure cooking, rice, sauté and steam in ATK’s test
Release switch keeps fingers clear of the vent
Dishwasher-safe pot and lid

Watch out for

ATK found it a weak slow cooker
GH found its natural release lagged rivals
Eight quarts needs real cabinet space; ATK also highly rates the 6-quart Pro

Capacity: 8 qt
Power: 1,400 W
Programs: 28
Inner pot: stainless steel, with handles

Sources: America’s Test Kitchen review · Good Housekeeping test (via Yahoo)

Check price on Amazon →$199.99 as of Nov 5, 9:13 PM ET

Best value

Cosori 6-Quart Pressure Cooker (CMC-CO601-SUS)

The bean hero of ATK’s test: it excelled at both pressure and slow cooking, with perfectly cooked beans, and took the Best Buy title. Orange marks on the lid and base make locking foolproof, and the Seal/Vent button sits away from the steam. Everyday Health’s testers made it their budget pick too; it handled soups and beans well, though fully soft legumes needed longer cook times.

6-quart ceramic-coated pot
13 presets
vent button away from the valve
1,100 W

Why it made the list

Perfectly cooked beans in ATK’s test
A real slow cooker too, unlike most Instant Pots
Easy lid alignment and a safe manual release

Watch out for

Nonstick coating won’t last forever (ATK)
Dark pot makes browning hard to judge
Narrow cooking surface; Everyday Health noticed a plastic smell at first

Capacity: 6 qt
Power: 1,100 W
Inner pot: ceramic nonstick coating
Presets: 13

Sources: America’s Test Kitchen review · Everyday Health test (via Yahoo)

Check price on Amazon →$80.98 as of Nov 5, 9:13 PM ET

Easiest to use

Instant Pot Duo Plus 6 Qt with WhisperQuiet

Good Housekeeping’s Kitchen & Cooking Lab named the Duo Plus its best overall Instant Pot. Testers liked the larger, brighter display, the 25 presets, and being able to change cook time and pressure mid-program, which is handy when your chickpeas turn out older than you thought. The stainless anti-spin pot stays put while you sauté onions for chili.

6-quart stainless pot
25 presets
quieter steam release
edit settings mid-cook

Why it made the list

GH’s top Instant Pot in its 2026 testing
Clear display; adjust time and pressure mid-cook
Stainless pot with a tri-ply bottom

Watch out for

GH published no timing data for it
Not in ATK’s latest lineup
Six quarts means modest bean batches under the half-full rule

Capacity: 6 qt
Power: 1,000 W
Presets: 25
Inner pot: stainless, tri-ply bottom

Sources: Good Housekeeping test (via Yahoo) · Instant Pot: Duo Plus 6-quart with Whisper-Quiet Steam Release

Check price on Amazon →$89.99 as of Nov 5, 9:13 PM ET

Best classic

Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1, 6 Qt

The one your aunt, your roommate, and half the internet already own. Good Housekeeping named it the best value and found it one of the few models that made rice well-cooked and tender. ATK found it pressure-cooked and seared well but struggled as a slow cooker. For beans, lentils, and grains under pressure, it does the job without frills.

6-quart stainless pot
13 smart programs
tri-ply bottom
also in 3 and 8 qt

Why it made the list

Tender rice in GH’s test
Pressure-cooks and sears well (ATK)
Instant Pot app with 800+ recipes

Watch out for

Slow natural pressure release (GH)
Poor slow cooker in ATK’s test
ATK found the stainless pot harder to clean

Capacity: 6 qt
Programs: 13
Functions: 7
Inner pot: stainless, tri-ply bottom

Sources: Good Housekeeping test (via Yahoo) · America’s Test Kitchen review

Check price on Amazon →$83.47 as of Nov 5, 9:13 PM ET

Best splurge

Breville Fast Slow Pro (BPR700)

The only cooker here that vents itself: it picks quick, pulse, or natural release and does it hands-free. ATK found it made good rice and pressure- and slow-cooked stew and beans well, and its ceramic pot seared nicely, if slowly. The Takeout reports it ranked second in Consumer Reports’ multicooker ratings. The reservations are real: ATK disliked the attached lid, and bumping it shut the cooker off.

hands-free steam release
8 pressure levels
ceramic-coated pot
LCD display

Why it made the list

Automatic, hands-free steam release
Good beans and rice in ATK’s test
Slow-cooks properly too

Watch out for

The most expensive pick here, with a 1-year warranty
ATK disliked the hinged lid, which stands upright when open
Its predecessor, the BPR600XL, was recalled in 2015; this BPR700 is not part of that recall

Capacity: 6 qt
Power: 1,100 W
Pressure: 8 levels, 1.5 to 12 psi
Warranty: 1 year

Sources: America’s Test Kitchen review · Consumer Reports ranking (The Takeout, via Yahoo) · CPSC: 2015 BPR600XL recall

Check price on Amazon →$329.95 as of Nov 5, 9:13 PM ET

Best small-space

Instant Pot Duo Mini 3 Qt

Cooking for one or two in a shoebox kitchen? This is the Duo, Good Housekeeping’s best-value pick, shrunk to 3 quarts: same stainless pot with a tri-ply bottom, 11 one-touch programs, and plenty of room for a pot of lentils or a batch of rice. Just remember the half-full rule for beans. Small pot, small batches.

3-quart stainless pot
11 programs
700 W
small footprint

Why it made the list

Takes little counter or cabinet space
Same stainless-pot Duo design
Enough for one or two people

Watch out for

No outlet we rely on tested this exact size
Half-full limit keeps bean batches small
Lower 700 W power

Capacity: 3 qt
Power: 700 W
Programs: 11
Inner pot: stainless, tri-ply bottom

Sources: Good Housekeeping test (via Yahoo)

Check price on Amazon →$89.99 as of Nov 5, 9:13 PM ET

What Actually Matters

Pressure first. Nearly every machine in ATK’s test pressure-cooked well; slow cooking is where most Instant Pots fell down. Want one box that does both? The Cosori and the Breville did both in ATK’s test.

Half full for beans. Beans, grains, and lentils foam and expand, so cookbook author Coco Morante tells The Takeout to fill a pressure cooker only halfway for them, and two-thirds for soups and stews. That’s why an 8-quart pot is more useful than it sounds.

Pot material. Stainless steel lasts and browns well. Nonstick and ceramic coatings release food easily but wear out, as ATK notes for the Cosori.

Steam release. A switch or button that sits away from the valve keeps your fingers out of the blast. ATK praised the Instant Pot Pro and the Cosori here; the Breville does it for you.

Recalls. SharkNinja recalled about 1.8 million Foodi OP300-series pressure cookers in 2025 for a burn hazard (free replacement lid), and Sunbeam recalled about 914,000 Crock-Pot 6-Quart Express multicookers in 2020 for the same reason. Buying secondhand? Check the model first.

Beans Are Protein. So Is Powder.

Beans and lentils are the original vegan protein, and a pressure cooker turns a dry bag into dinner on a weeknight. Curious how a bowl of beans stacks up against a scoop? We ran the numbers in vegan protein powder vs. beans.

Quick Questions

Do I have to soak beans before pressure-cooking them?

No. Good Housekeeping notes that a pressure cooker can cook dried beans without soaking. Soaked beans cook faster, so use the time your recipe gives for soaked or unsoaked.

What size pressure cooker should I get?

Six quarts suits most homes; Instant Pot rates its 6-quart for up to six servings and its 8-quart for up to eight. If you batch beans for the week, the half-full rule makes 8 quarts worth it. The 3-quart suits one or two people.

Is Instant Pot still the best brand?

It wins a lot: ATK’s overall winner is an Instant Pot. But ATK’s Best Buy is a Cosori that beat the Instant Pots at slow cooking, so the brand isn’t the only safe bet.

Stainless or nonstick inner pot?

Stainless if you want a pot that lasts and browns onions well. Nonstick or ceramic if easy release matters more, knowing the coating wears over time.

Are electric pressure cookers safe?

The models here have locking lids and several built-in safety systems, per their makers. The real risks are overfilling, forcing the lid, and recalled models, so follow the fill lines and check the CPSC recall list.

Now Feed It Something Good

Great gear can’t save a bad powder. Grab a winner from our top 10 vegan protein powders, then put it to work in our high-protein vegan recipes.

Keep Reading

Sources

Specs and models change: check the Amazon listing before you buy.