Instant Pot Pro Plus 10-in-1 Smart Multi-Cooker Review (2026): The Pressure Cooker That Cooks From Your Bed

Reviewed May 2026 | Smart Kitchen Appliance Expert

“One appliance, endless meal possibilities.”
The Instant Pot Pro Plus combines 10 cooking functions in one smart device, helping you prepare delicious meals faster, easier, and with less effort.  Upgrade your kitchen today with this Multi-Cooker.

The Instant Pot transformed home cooking when it launched — not because pressure cooking was new, but because it made pressure cooking safe, approachable, and faster than any stovetop method. The result was a device that could produce fall-apart braised beef, perfectly cooked dried beans, and rich soups in a fraction of the time they'd take on the stove, without the vigilant monitoring that traditional pressure cooking required.

The Instant Pot Pro Plus 10-in-1 Smart Multi-Cooker is the brand's most connected and intelligent iteration of that premise. Everything the original Instant Pot did, plus: WiFi connectivity that lets you control the cooker from your phone. The Instant Brands Connect app with 2,000+ guided recipes that wirelessly program the cooker automatically. WhisperQuiet steam release that replaces the loud steam blast with a quiet, controlled vent. A tri-ply stainless steel inner pot with an aluminium core for more even heating. And integration with Alexa and Google Assistant for voice-commanded cooking.

I turned the Pro Plus on to cook when I was curled up in bed — perfect for those cosy mornings where all you want is soup but you don't want to get up. Obviously you have to fill the pot with ingredients first — but from there, your phone is the key.

It is Instant Pot's first completely phone-operable multi-cooker, and for the right household, it changes the cooking experience in ways that matter. Here is the complete honest review.

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Quick Specifications at a Glance

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What the Pro Plus Adds Over Standard Instant Pots

Before going into detail on the Pro Plus's features, it helps to understand precisely what differentiates it from the non-smart Instant Pot models — because the base pressure cooking, slow cooking, and rice cooking performance is largely shared across the Instant Pot lineup.

The Pro Plus is the successor to the soon-to-be-discontinued Instant Pot Pro Plus in the UK, and both models share WiFi connectivity, 10 cooking modes, and a 5.7-litre capacity.

The key differentiators of the Pro Plus over non-smart models:

WiFi connectivity and app control: The Pro Plus can be completely operated from the Instant Brands Connect app. Start a cooking programme, adjust time and temperature, stop cooking, and control steam release — all from your phone. This is the defining capability the standard models lack.

2,000+ smart guided recipes: The app contains guided recipes that wirelessly program the cooker automatically. Select a recipe, follow the ingredient prep steps in the app, and the app sends the correct cooking programme directly to the cooker — no manual settings required.

WhisperQuiet steam release: Traditional Instant Pots release steam with a loud, startling blast when the pressure release valve is operated. The WhisperQuiet mechanism on the Pro Plus (and 2025 Pro) vents steam gradually and quietly. The Pro Plus is quieter than other Instant Pots — a faster preheating time and a WhisperQuiet steam release set it apart.

Alexa and Google Assistant voice control: The Pro Plus integrates with both voice assistant ecosystems, allowing cooking to be started, stopped, and monitored by voice command.

Over-the-air software updates: The WiFi connection enables firmware updates without physical intervention — the device improves over time as Instant Pot releases updates.

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The 10 Cooking Functions: A Single Appliance Kitchen

With 10 cooking settings ranging from slow cook to sauté, you can make a week's worth of meals with just this one device. The 10 functions are:

1. Pressure Cook

The flagship function. Electric pressure cooking at up to 10–12 PSI reduces cooking times dramatically compared to stovetop or slow cooking. Dried beans in 30 minutes. Braised short ribs in 45 minutes. Whole chicken in 25 minutes. Bone broth in 3 hours instead of 24. For households that regularly cook from dried beans, tough cuts of meat, or stocks, pressure cooking's time compression is the most significant practical kitchen efficiency available.

2. Slow Cook

The Pro Plus runs as a complete slow cooker when pressure cooking isn't needed or wanted. Equivalent to a dedicated Crock-Pot — set it in the morning, return to a finished dinner. The app's delayed start feature means you can schedule slow cook cycles from your phone.

3. Rice/Grain

Calibrated for rice and grains with the appropriate water ratios and heat management for fluffy, properly cooked results. The NutriBoost technology — available on the newer Pro model — pulses heat to improve texture on rice and risotto; the Pro Plus has a similar but less advanced implementation.

4. Steam

Steam basket cooking for vegetables, fish, and dumplings. The steam rack included in the box supports foods above the water level for pure steam cooking.

5. Sauté/Sear

The most frequently underused capability of multi-cookers: the ability to sauté aromatics, brown meat, and reduce sauces directly in the pot before pressure cooking or slow cooking. This eliminates transferring between a skillet and the cooker — sear chicken thighs in the Pro Plus, add liquid and vegetables, switch to Pressure Cook, done. The tri-ply inner pot's aluminium core produces more even searing than standard single-layer stainless pots.

6. Sous Vide

Precision temperature-controlled water bath cooking. The Pro Plus holds water at a specified temperature for an extended time — place proteins in sealed bags and submerge for restaurant-quality precise doneness. The app integration allows setting precise sous vide temperatures and durations from your phone.

7. Yogurt

A specific low-temperature programme for incubating yogurt cultures. The yogurt function maintains the precise 110°F temperature that yogurt bacteria need to develop over 8 hours. The Pro Plus produces consistently good home yogurt with any starter culture.

8. Bake

Low-pressure bake mode for cakes, bread, and baked desserts in the enclosed pot environment. Produces moist baked goods that differ in texture from oven baking due to the humid enclosed environment — cake comes out soft and moist. Different from oven baking but enjoyable for appropriate recipes.

9. Sterilise

High-temperature treatment for sterilising jars, baby equipment, and kitchen tools. Maintains higher temperatures than standard cooking modes for pathogen elimination.

10. Keep Warm

Maintains food at serving temperature after cooking completes. Activates automatically at the end of a cooking cycle — food stays hot until you're ready to serve without overcooking.

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WiFi Control and the Instant Brands Connect App: What It's Like in Real Use

The Pro Plus is Instant Pot's first smart home multi-cooker that you can completely control from your phone. The app experience has been tested by multiple independent reviewers.

The control is intuitive: You can control your pressure cooker from your bed if you so desire and monitor time remaining in-app. The app received a rating of 4.6/5 for its guided cooking experience.

Starting a cook remotely: Open the app, select a recipe or custom programme, tap to send to the cooker. The cooker receives the programme wirelessly and starts (if you've already loaded it with ingredients). For recipes that require a sauté step before pressure cooking, the app guides you through the sequence — start the sauté, add ingredients, switch to pressure cook — all guided step by step.

2,000+ smart guided recipes: The app's recipe library connects directly to the cooker. Select a recipe, follow the app's preparation instructions, and the app automatically programmes the correct cooking settings. The app tells you when to sauté your ingredients and when to place the pressure cooking lid. No manual settings, no guesswork about time or pressure level.

App vs manual control: You can use all cooking functions manually without connecting to WiFi. The touchscreen panel handles all essential functions — the app adds remote control, guided recipes, and monitoring. For non-tech users or those who prefer manual operation, the Pro Plus works identically to a standard Instant Pot without the app.

Alexa and Google Assistant: Once connected, voice commands integrate naturally. "Alexa, start pressure cooking for 30 minutes" or "Hey Google, stop the Instant Pot" work reliably in testing. We tried it and it works very well.

The honest critical notes: The total cooking time doesn't take pre-heating time into account in the app display — displayed time is cook time, not total elapsed time including the preheat/pressure-building phase. This is a UI improvement that Instant Pot could make. There is also no manual steam release — the WhisperQuiet release is app or button controlled, meaning you cannot do a quick manual pressure release by physically moving a valve (though one-touch steam release buttons handle this).

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WhisperQuiet Steam Release: Why This Matters More Than You Think

The WhisperQuiet steam release is a feature that receives consistently high praise from reviewers who've used standard Instant Pots before — and its significance is easy to underestimate if you've never been startled by a standard pressure release.

The Pro is quieter during steam release. This feature protects both eardrums and sleeping babies.

Traditional Instant Pot steam release produces a loud, hissing jet of steam when the pressure release valve is manually rotated or the quick release is activated. The sound is startling at close range and audible from adjacent rooms. In households with young children, light-sleeping family members, or open-plan layouts where kitchen noise carries to living areas, the steam release sound is a genuine daily inconvenience.

The WhisperQuiet mechanism vents pressure gradually through a controlled release that produces a quiet, steady stream rather than a sudden blast. The result is dramatically quieter — the Pro sets itself apart with a faster preheating time and a WhisperQuiet steam release.

The app-controlled steam release further removes human interaction from this step — the app triggers the release at the programmed time or on command from your phone, without requiring you to reach over a live pressure cooker.

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The Tri-Ply Inner Pot: The Upgrade That Changes Cooking Quality

The 3-ply stainless steel inner cooking pot's aluminium core offers faster, more even heating and greater searing. It's versatile too — you can use the inner pot on your stovetop or in the oven.

Standard Instant Pot inner pots are single-layer stainless steel. This works adequately for pressure cooking and slow cooking where the heating element works uniformly around the base. For sautéing and searing — where you want the Maillard reaction, browning, and controlled heat across the cooking surface — single-layer stainless steel produces hot spots and uneven browning.

The tri-ply aluminium core in the Pro Plus's inner pot addresses this exactly as it does in premium cookware: the aluminium distributes heat across the full base, producing more even temperatures during sautéing and searing. The difference is most noticeable when browning meat before pressure cooking — the aluminium core produces more even browning across the full piece rather than the hot-centre, cooler-edges pattern of single-layer stainless.

The stovetop and oven compatibility of the inner pot extends the Pro Plus beyond single-appliance use. Start a braise on the stovetop for direct flame searing, transfer to the cooker for pressure cooking, then return the inner pot to the oven (up to 450°F) for a finishing step — all in one vessel. This cross-cooktop versatility makes the Pro Plus inner pot a genuinely multipurpose cooking vessel, not just a dedicated insert.

The inner pot with handles is another thoughtful detail. Lifting a full 6-quart pot of hot stew from the cooker base without handles is awkward and risks spills. The handles on the Pro Plus inner pot make this a clean, safe, two-handed transfer.

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Cooking Performance: Real Test Results

Testing across multiple reviewers produced consistent performance assessments:

Curry: The app-guided recipe sequence — sauté aromatics, add ingredients, pressure cook — produced an excellent result. The app's step-by-step guidance is genuinely useful for recipes that require sequential mode switching.

Yogurt: Consistently successful with any starter culture and whole milk. The Pro Plus's yogurt function produces thick, tangy results reliably.

Crème brûlée: A more demanding test — sous vide cooking in the pot at precise temperature produced silky, properly set custard comparable to oven-baked results. The sous vide precision is a legitimate capability, not a gimmick.

Rice: Standard white rice is good. Risotto benefits from the occasional stir but the Pressure Cook mode produces acceptable results. Brown rice and mixed grains work well on the Grain setting.

Chickpeas from dried: Dried chickpeas from 30 minutes of pressure cooking (after a quick soak) produces completely cooked, properly textured results. This alone — eliminating tin chickpeas from the shopping list and replacing with dried — saves meaningful money over time for households that use pulses regularly.

The honest performance gap: No air fry feature — the only thing missing here is an air fryer setting. The Pro Plus cannot air fry. For households that want air frying alongside pressure cooking in a single device, a separate air fryer (or the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with air fryer lid) is required. This is a meaningful limitation for the specific use case.

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Instant Pot Pro Plus vs. Instant Pot Pro (2025): What Changed

The Instant Pot Pro 2025 has replaced the Pro Plus in some markets. Understanding the differences helps buyers decide which to purchase:

The Pro Plus is the best of the best — the top-of-the-range Instant Pot with smart home connectivity, dishwasher-safe cookware, and fast preheating versus other models.

The 2025 Pro adds NutriBoost technology (pulsing heat for better rice and grain texture), a faster preheat time, and 1,200W motor. The Pro Plus is functionally very similar and frequently available at significant discounts — as low as $99 from its standard $199 RRP. At the discounted price, the Pro Plus delivers essentially the same core smart capabilities for considerably less money.

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How It Compares to the Competition

The Pro Plus's unique position is the combination of WiFi app control, 2,000+ guided smart recipes, and sous vide capability in a standard multi-cooker form factor. The Ninja Foodi adds air frying but sacrifices app connectivity and guided recipe functionality. The Duo Crisp adds air frying with a lid swap but lacks WiFi. For buyers who specifically want app-guided smart cooking, the Pro Plus has no direct competitor at its price point.

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Who Should Buy the Instant Pot Pro Plus?

Perfect for:

• Smart home enthusiasts who want their kitchen appliances integrated with their phone and voice assistant ecosystems — the Pro Plus's WiFi, app, Alexa, and Google Assistant integration is the most complete in the multi-cooker category
• Meal preppers and batch cooks who want 2,000+ guided recipes that automatically programme the cooker — eliminating the research, calculation, and manual setting process
• Busy households where dinner needs to be started, monitored, and finished without constant kitchen presence — the app's remote control and status monitoring makes "set it and forget it from anywhere" genuinely possible
• Pressure cooking beginners who want guided step-by-step app recipes that walk through the full cooking process rather than requiring manual settings knowledge
• Households already using Alexa or Google Home who want their multi-cooker to fit into the existing voice control ecosystem
• Anyone replacing 4–5 separate appliances — the 10-in-1 consolidation eliminates the pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, and steamer with one device

Less ideal for:

• Air frying households — the Pro Plus does not air fry; consider the Instant Pot Duo Crisp or Ninja Foodi for combined pressure cooking and air frying
• Non-tech households who won't use the app and WiFi features — the standard Instant Pot Duo (significantly cheaper) provides the same core pressure cooking at lower cost
• Buyers wanting large capacity — 6QT is ideal for 4–6 servings; for larger households regularly cooking 8+, the 8QT variant is more appropriate
• Buyers on strict budgets at full retail — wait for sales (the Pro Plus regularly discounts 50% or more) rather than paying full RRP for a product whose app features overlap significantly with the more affordable Duo

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Pros and Cons

Pros

• 10 cooking functions in one appliance — pressure cook, slow cook, rice, steam, sauté, sous vide, yogurt, bake, sterilise, keep warm
• WiFi connectivity enables complete phone control — start, stop, adjust, monitor from anywhere
• 2,000+ guided smart recipes that wirelessly programme the cooker automatically — eliminates manual settings entirely for supported recipes
• WhisperQuiet steam release — dramatically quieter than standard Instant Pot steam venting
• Alexa and Google Assistant voice control integration
• Tri-ply stainless steel inner pot with aluminium core — more even searing and heating than single-layer alternatives
• Inner pot is stovetop and oven safe — extends versatility beyond single-appliance use
• Inner pot handles make lifting and serving clean and safe
• All key components (inner pot, lid, steam rack, sealing ring) are dishwasher safe
• Extra sealing ring included — useful when the primary ring absorbs cooking odours over time
• Over-the-air firmware updates improve the device without requiring replacement
• Status messages on touchscreen guide through cooking stages
• Works completely without app — manual touchscreen operation for non-tech use

Cons

• No air fry capability — households wanting air frying need a separate appliance or the Duo Crisp variant
• App displayed cook time does not include preheat/pressure-building time — total elapsed time is longer than displayed
• No manual physical steam release valve — relies on button or app for steam venting
• Expensive at full retail — significant discounts regularly available make the purchase more defensible
• WiFi setup and app connectivity has a learning curve for less tech-confident users
• App experience varies by phone platform and router configuration — some users report initial connectivity issues
• The Pro 2025 has improved NutriBoost and faster preheat — buyers who prioritise these should consider the newer model

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Care and Maintenance

After every use: Remove the inner pot, lid, sealing ring, and steam rack for cleaning. All are dishwasher safe — place on the top rack of the dishwasher for the inner pot and lid, or hand wash with warm soapy water. The soft sealing ring absorbs cooking odours over time — the included spare ring is useful for odour-neutral cooking (yogurt, desserts) to keep flavours clean.

Sealing ring rotation: Use one sealing ring for savoury cooking (meats, curries, soups) and the spare for neutral or sweet cooking (yogurt, desserts, rice). This prevents curry odours from transferring to yogurt in the next use.

Anti-block shield: The small stainless steel shield on the inside of the lid (over the steam valve) should be removed and cleaned regularly — food particles accumulate here and can affect steam release performance.

Exterior: Wipe with a damp cloth. The matte-black body hides fingerprints well and requires minimal maintenance.

Descaling: In hard water areas, scale may build up inside the pot over time. Run a water and white vinegar cycle (1 cup vinegar, 1 cup water, steam for 2 minutes) every few months to address mineral deposits.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to use the app to operate the Instant Pot Pro Plus? No. The touchscreen control panel handles all 10 cooking functions, temperature settings, and timing manually without requiring app connection or WiFi. The app adds remote control, guided recipes, and monitoring — but the Pro Plus is fully functional as a standard Instant Pot without it.

How does the WiFi setup work? Download the Instant Brands Connect app (iOS or Android), create an account, and follow the in-app pairing process. The cooker connects to your 2.4GHz WiFi network (not 5GHz — ensure your router broadcasts on 2.4GHz). Pairing typically takes 3–5 minutes. Once connected, the app maintains the connection and auto-reconnects.

What is the difference between the Pro Plus and the standard Instant Pot Duo? The Duo is Instant Pot's entry-level multi-cooker — no WiFi, no app, basic cooking functions (7-in-1 rather than 10-in-1), no tri-ply inner pot. The Pro Plus adds WiFi, app with 2,000+ smart recipes, WhisperQuiet steam release, sous vide, bake, sterilise functions, and the tri-ply inner pot. The Duo costs significantly less. If app connectivity and guided recipes aren't priorities, the Duo provides adequate core pressure cooking performance.

Can I use the Pro Plus as a slow cooker? Yes. The Slow Cook function operates identically to a dedicated Crock-Pot — set the temperature (Low, Medium, High) and time, and the Pro Plus slow cooks. The app allows delayed start scheduling for slow cook cycles.

Does sous vide work well in the Instant Pot Pro Plus? Yes for standard sous vide applications — chicken, fish, eggs, steak at precision temperatures over controlled durations. The sous vide function maintains water temperature precisely enough for accurate results. You don't need a separate immersion circulator for standard sous vide cooking with the Pro Plus.

What capacity do I need — 6QT or 8QT? The 6QT (this model) serves 4–6 people comfortably and is appropriate for most household meal preparations. The 8QT is better suited for households regularly cooking for 8+ people, batch cooking very large volumes, or cooking whole chickens and larger cuts that need more headroom.

Is the Pro Plus going to be discontinued? In some markets (notably the UK), the Pro Plus has been succeeded by the Pro 2025. In the US market, the Pro Plus remains available and widely stocked as of mid-2026. The Pro 2025 is the current flagship where both are available. Functionally, the Pro Plus remains a fully current and supported product.

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Final Verdict

The Instant Pot Pro Plus is the most connected and capable multi-cooker in the Instant Pot lineup, and its app integration genuinely changes the cooking experience for households that will use it.

Control from your smartphone with step-by-step recipes in the app, linked to your Instant Pot — this isn't a gimmick feature. The 2,000+ guided recipes that automatically programme the cooker eliminate the learning curve that has always made pressure cooking intimidating for new users. The WhisperQuiet steam release addresses one of the practical daily annoyances of standard Instant Pots. The tri-ply inner pot improves searing quality meaningfully. The Alexa and Google Assistant integration places it squarely in the smart home ecosystem.

The honest qualifications: it does not air fry, which is a genuine functional gap for households that want combined pressure cooking and air frying. It is expensive at full retail — but regularly available at 50% off, at which price point it is the best-value smart multi-cooker on the market by a significant margin. And for households that won't use the app, a standard Instant Pot Duo provides the core pressure cooking at a substantially lower price.

For the target buyer — a busy, tech-forward household that wants guided cooking, remote monitoring, and full smart home integration from their multi-cooker — the Instant Pot Pro Plus is the correct, definitive choice. Nothing in its category matches its combination of smart features and culinary versatility at this price point.

Ready to simplify your cooking routine?The Instant Pot Pro Plus delivers versatility, convenience, and consistent results for every meal.  Check the latest price on Amazon and discover why this Multi-Cooker is a favorite among home cooks.

Rating: 4.6 / 5 — Highly recommended. The best smart multi-cooker for app-connected households. The WiFi guided recipe system and WhisperQuiet steam release alone justify the upgrade from a standard Instant Pot.