The short answer: The Instant Pot Pro Plus ($150) earns the top SHE Smart Pressure Cooking Score (8.1/10) — its app-guided recipes and Alexa integration give it the highest ratio of used-features-to-paid-features of any multicooker we evaluated. The Chef iQ Smart Pressure Cooker ($150) scores second (7.9/10) on the strength of its built-in scale and guided cooking engine. Both save an average of 3.4 hours per week over stovetop cooking per CNET's standardized testing (SmartHomeExplorer editorial analysis — methodology below).
We aggregated 12 expert sources including Wirecutter, CNET, Tom's Guide, PCMag, Reviewed, and America's Test Kitchen to build the SHE Smart Pressure Cooking Score — a composite of app reliability, cooking performance, smart feature adoption rate, and connectivity breadth. For context on how pressure cookers compare to slow cookers for time and energy, see our Instant Pot vs. slow cooker guide. If you're building out a connected kitchen alongside a smart toaster oven and a smart display to follow recipes hands-free, these are the pressure cookers worth pairing with them. For the full smart kitchen appliance overview, see our hub guide.
Best Overall: Instant Pot Pro Plus
Instant Pot Pro Plus
(Current Price, subject to change)
The Instant Pot Pro Plus earns the top SHE Smart Pressure Cooking Score (8.1/10) because it has the best ratio of connected features people actually use to features they pay for and ignore. Wirecutter named it their top multicooker pick, and CNET's standardized cooking tests confirmed 3.4 hours saved per week over stovetop cooking. The app-guided recipes aren't a gimmick — they send phone notifications at each cooking stage and let you monitor remaining time from anywhere in the house. If you've got smart plugs tracking your kitchen energy use, the Pro Plus plays nicely — it draws only 1,000W versus 1,800W+ for a conventional oven doing the same job. Wondering which is better for slow-cooked meals? See our Instant Pot vs slow cooker comparison for the full breakdown.
What We Love
- App notifications track every cooking stage — no more hovering over a hot stove
- 800+ guided recipes with built-in time adjustments for altitude and ingredient weight
- Alexa integration lets you check status with your hands full of groceries
- 10-in-1 functions (pressure cook, slow cook, rice, sauté, steam, yogurt, roast, bake, air fry with optional lid, and keep warm)
- Easy-release button vs. the legacy twist valve — genuinely safer for steam burns
What Could Be Better
- Air fry lid sold separately ($60 more) — not included despite being marketed as 10-in-1
- App occasionally loses connection mid-cook and requires a re-pair
- Learning curve for pressure cook beginners — expect at least two overcooked batches before dialing it in
- Footprint is larger than a standard 6-quart Instant Pot
The Verdict
The Instant Pot Pro Plus is the highest-value smart pressure cooker for households that cook 4+ times per week. The connected features actually get used here — app monitoring and Alexa integration solve real problems. If you cook less than twice a week, the standard Duo ($90) saves $60 and loses none of the core performance.
Check Price on Amazon →"The Instant Pot Pro Plus is the most useful smart kitchen gadget we tested — WiFi scheduling alone justifies the price." — Wirecutter
Does the Instant Pot Pro Plus work with Alexa and Google Home?
The Instant Pot Pro Plus supports Alexa for voice cooking commands and status checks. Google Home integration is not officially supported. You can start cook programs, check remaining time, and cancel cooking via Alexa voice commands without touching the unit. The companion app works independently on iOS and Android for households using Google Nest speakers who want screen-free status checks — pair a smart display in your kitchen and you can see progress on the display without needing voice commands at all.
Is the Instant Pot Pro Plus worth it over the standard Duo?
At $150 vs $90, the Pro Plus costs $60 more for WiFi connectivity, the app recipe system (800+ guided recipes), steam release button upgrade, and Alexa integration. CNET found the cooking performance identical — the premium buys connected convenience, not better food. For households where someone is always home during cooking, the standard Duo at $90 delivers the same chicken stew at the same time. The Pro Plus pays off for remote monitoring during longer cooks (stocks, braises, yogurt) and for households invested in Alexa routines.
Best for Guided Cooking: Chef iQ Smart Pressure Cooker
Chef iQ Smart Pressure Cooker
(Current Price, subject to change)
The Chef iQ Smart Pressure Cooker earns its second-place SHE Smart Pressure Cooking Score (7.9/10) on one genuine differentiator: a built-in scale that integrates directly with guided recipes. Other smart pressure cookers tell you to follow a recipe — the Chef iQ knows how much you actually added and adjusts cook time accordingly. America's Test Kitchen flagged this as the only home pressure cooker that removes ingredient measurement guesswork from the equation. Pair it with a smart kitchen scale on your counter and you've got a genuinely data-driven cooking setup. If you're building toward a full connected kitchen, the Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 handles air crisping that the Chef iQ can't match — most serious cooks end up owning both.
What We Love
- Built-in scale adjusts cook time based on actual ingredient weight — eliminates guesswork
- 1,000+ guided recipes with step-by-step phone notifications at each stage
- Works with both Alexa and Google Assistant — broadest voice ecosystem compatibility of any pressure cooker in this guide
- Probe thermometer included for protein temperature-guided cooking
- Dual pressure settings (low and high) for delicate vs. robust ingredients
What Could Be Better
- App is the most complex in this category — requires a full account setup before first use
- Scale accuracy drifts if the unit isn't on a completely level surface
- More expensive than the Instant Pot Pro Plus despite similar core performance
- Scale feature only fully integrated with Chef iQ app recipes — third-party recipes get no adjustment benefit
The Verdict
The Chef iQ Smart Pressure Cooker is the right pick for households where cooking precision and recipe-following matter more than ecosystem simplicity. If you're already using Alexa and Instant Pot recipes, the Pro Plus is simpler. If you want the deepest guided cooking experience available in a countertop pressure cooker, this one is unmatched.
Check Price on Amazon →"The Chef iQ's built-in scale and guided cooking engine is the most significant innovation in home pressure cooking since the original Instant Pot." — America's Test Kitchen
How does the Chef iQ built-in scale change everyday cooking?
The scale integrates with the Chef iQ app's guided recipes. When you add chicken thighs, it detects you added 1.3 lbs instead of 1.0 lbs and adjusts cook time from 12 to 15 minutes automatically — no manual math required. This matters for pressure cooking specifically because under-cooking means raw food (not just "a bit chewy") and overcooking means mushy results. The scale closes the feedback loop that every other smart pressure cooker still leaves open. For households using smart kitchen scales for nutrition tracking, the Chef iQ eliminates a redundant step.
Does the Chef iQ Smart Pressure Cooker work with Google Home?
Yes — the Chef iQ Smart Pressure Cooker works with both Alexa and Google Assistant, making it the most broadly voice-compatible pressure cooker in this guide. You can start cook programs, check status, and cancel via voice command through either ecosystem. The built-in scale and guided recipe system operate via the Chef iQ app independently of voice assistants. No hub or bridge is required — the cooker connects directly to your 2.4GHz WiFi network.
Best Multi-Function: Ninja Foodi 14-in-1
Ninja Foodi 14-in-1
(Current Price, subject to change)
The Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 earns its SHE Smart Pressure Cooking Score of 7.4/10 with the most cooking functions of any device in this guide — but the score reflects that more functions means more features people don't use. The two that matter: pressure cook then immediately air crisp, in the same pot without transferring food. Tom's Guide called this the defining reason to own a Foodi over a standard Instant Pot — braised short ribs pressure cooked in 35 minutes then finished with a 10-minute air crisp is genuinely impossible in a standard pressure cooker. For households that own a standalone smart toaster oven for air crisping, the Foodi's overlap reduces its value; but for households replacing both, the Foodi is the play. At 8 quarts, it handles larger batch cooking than the 6-quart models in this guide — relevant if you're feeding a family of 5+ or doing weekly meal prep.
What We Love
- Pressure cook + TenderCrisp (air fry) in one unit — no transferring food between appliances
- 8-quart capacity handles larger batches than the 6-quart models in this guide
- Pressure cooks in 35 minutes then air crisps in 10 — ribs in under an hour
- Sous vide function at this price point is rare — serious cooking capability
- Dehydrator mode for jerky, dried fruit, and herbs
What Could Be Better
- Large footprint — the 8-quart unit requires meaningful counter real estate
- App is functional but not as polished as Chef iQ or Instant Pot apps
- 14 functions creates decision fatigue — most households use 3-4 modes regularly
- Higher price than the Instant Pot Pro Plus for similar pressure cooking performance
The Verdict
The Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 is for households replacing both a pressure cooker and an air fryer. If you already own a good air fryer, the standard Instant Pot Pro Plus saves $80 and does pressure cooking just as well. If you're starting from scratch, the Foodi eliminates one appliance purchase entirely.
Check Price on Amazon →"The Ninja Foodi's TenderCrisp technology — pressure cook then immediately air fry in the same pot — delivers results no standalone appliance can match." — Tom's Guide
Is the Ninja Foodi worth the premium over an Instant Pot?
The Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 at $230 costs $80 more than the Instant Pot Pro Plus. The premium buys the TenderCrisp air crisp lid (integrated, not an add-on), the larger 8-quart capacity, and 4 extra cooking functions including sous vide and dehydrate. If you'd otherwise buy both a pressure cooker ($150) and an air fryer ($100), the Foodi at $230 saves $20 and reduces counter space by one appliance. If you only need pressure cooking, the Instant Pot Pro Plus at $150 is the better value.
What's the best Ninja Foodi recipe to try first?
The pressure cook + TenderCrisp workflow is the Foodi's showcase recipe. Pressure cook chicken wings at high pressure for 10 minutes, then air crisp at 400°F for 10 minutes — the result is wings crispier than deep-fried, with significantly less oil. Tom's Guide called this the definitively correct way to cook chicken wings at home. For a full recipe app experience, the Chef iQ at the same price delivers better guided-recipe integration — but for raw cooking capability, the Foodi's air crisp lid is worth its price premium. Check our smart kitchen appliances overview for how the Foodi fits into a full connected kitchen setup.
Best for Precision: Breville Fast Slow Pro
Breville Fast Slow Pro
(Current Price, subject to change)
The Breville Fast Slow Pro earns a SHE Smart Pressure Cooking Score of 6.8/10 — and its lower position reflects a deliberate design choice, not a failure. This is the only pressure cooker in this guide with no WiFi and no app. Breville invested that engineering budget into dual pressure settings (custom PSI control, not just "low/high") and auto steam release that vents steam on a controlled timer rather than making you manually twist a knob. Wirecutter praised the auto steam release as the safest pressure cooker mechanism available in a consumer unit. For households that cook technically complex recipes — stocks, pressure-canned goods, delicate proteins — and don't care about phone apps, this is the right tool. But for smart home enthusiasts wanting app integration, remote monitoring, or voice control, the Instant Pot Pro Plus or Chef iQ are better fits.
What We Love
- Dual pressure settings give precise control unavailable in any other consumer pressure cooker
- Auto steam release — lid vents automatically on a timer, eliminating burn risk from manual release
- LED countdown display with accurate time remaining at every stage
- Premium Breville build quality — stainless steel inner pot with thick base for even heat
- Non-stick inner pot option available for sticky recipes like rice and risotto
What Could Be Better
- No WiFi, no app, no voice control — fully manual for connected-kitchen builders
- SHE Smart Pressure Cooking Score of 6.8 reflects connectivity deficit vs. app-connected competitors
- Premium pricing for a non-connected device
- Larger and heavier than the Instant Pot Pro Plus
The Verdict
The Breville Fast Slow Pro is the right choice for serious home cooks who want precision control over pressure levels and automatic steam release safety — and who have no interest in app connectivity. For smart home builders, the Instant Pot Pro Plus at $150 saves $50 and adds WiFi, Alexa, and app guided recipes.
Check Price on Amazon →"The Breville Fast Slow Pro's auto steam release is the safest pressure cooking mechanism available to home cooks — and the dual pressure settings give professional-grade control." — Wirecutter
Does the Breville Fast Slow Pro have an app or WiFi?
No — the Breville Fast Slow Pro is a precision pressure cooker with no WiFi connectivity. It has a digital LCD display with programmable settings for 11 food types and a countdown timer, but there is no companion app, no remote monitoring, and no voice assistant support. This is a deliberate design choice — Breville prioritized precise pressure control and auto steam release over connectivity. For households that want app control with similar precision, the Chef iQ Smart Pressure Cooker at the same price adds WiFi, built-in scale, and guided recipes.
Is the Breville Fast Slow Pro good for slow cooking?
The Breville Fast Slow Pro is rated among Wirecutter's top slow cookers as well as pressure cookers. Its slow cook function uses the same precision temperature control as the pressure cook mode — lower, more stable temperatures than most standalone slow cookers. For pulled pork, pot roast, or bean dishes where you want 8 hours of genuine low-and-slow cooking, the Breville's slow cook performance is measurably more consistent than the Instant Pot's slow cook mode, which Wirecutter has noted runs hotter than most dedicated slow cookers. The Instant Pot vs. slow cooker guide has the full comparison.
Best Budget Smart Option: Crock-Pot Express Easy Release
Crock-Pot Express Easy Release
(Current Price, subject to change)
The Crock-Pot Express Easy Release earns a SHE Smart Pressure Cooking Score of 5.8/10 — the lowest in this guide, appropriately reflecting its position as the budget entry point where smart features are basic rather than deep. At $80, it's $70 less than the Instant Pot Pro Plus and $150 less than the Ninja Foodi. What you lose: app recipe library depth, consistent connectivity, and multi-function cooking. What you keep: pressure cooking performance that CNET rated on par with higher-priced models, a safer one-touch steam release dial (no twisting), and enough WiFi integration to schedule a cook remotely. If budget is the constraint and smart kitchen features are secondary to pressure cooking performance, this is the starting point. Households ready to invest more should step up to the Instant Pot Pro Plus for a meaningfully better connected experience. Check our smart kitchen gadgets under $100 guide for more budget-conscious options.
What We Love
- One-touch steam release dial — genuinely safer and easier than the original Instant Pot twist valve
- Budget-friendly $80 price makes smart pressure cooking accessible without a major outlay
- Core pressure cooking performance rated on par with pricier models in CNET's testing
- Alexa integration for basic voice commands (start, stop, check status)
- 8 cooking functions cover everyday meals without the feature overload of 14-in-1 units
What Could Be Better
- App is the weakest in this group — basic scheduling only, no guided recipes, limited connectivity
- SHE Smart Pressure Cooking Score of 5.8 reflects shallow smart feature depth
- WiFi connection reliability is less consistent than the Instant Pot or Chef iQ apps
- Only 8 cooking functions vs. 10-14 in competing models
The Verdict
The Crock-Pot Express Easy Release is the right entry point for households where $80 is the budget ceiling and smart features are a nice-to-have rather than a requirement. It pressure cooks as well as units costing twice as much — the lower score is about connectivity depth, not cooking performance.
Check Price on Amazon →"The Crock-Pot Express Easy Release delivers solid pressure cooking performance at the most accessible price point — the dial steam release is the safest mechanism in its class." — CNET
Is the Crock-Pot Express better than the original Instant Pot Duo?
The Crock-Pot Express Easy Release and Instant Pot Duo are direct competitors at the $80-90 price point. The Crock-Pot's one-touch dial steam release is safer and easier than the Instant Pot Duo's twist valve. The Instant Pot Duo has a larger recipe ecosystem and slightly better app. CNET's cooking tests found pressure cooking performance equivalent. For households in the Instant Pot ecosystem already (accessories, recipes, app history), the Duo fits better. For new buyers, the Crock-Pot's dial release is a genuine usability advantage.
Does the Crock-Pot Express work without WiFi?
Yes — like all pressure cookers in this guide, the Crock-Pot Express Easy Release works fully without WiFi. You lose app remote scheduling and Alexa voice commands, but all 8 cooking functions operate manually via the unit's control panel. This matters for travel, power fluctuations, and households with unreliable WiFi. For renter-friendly smart kitchen setups with flexible connectivity requirements, see our smart home devices for apartments guide.
Smart Pressure Cooker
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When NOT to Buy a Smart Pressure Cooker
- Skip the Instant Pot Pro Plus if you already own a working Instant Pot Duo. The cooking performance is identical. WiFi and app features add convenience — not better food. Unless you specifically want remote monitoring or Alexa integration, the $90 upgrade premium doesn't deliver better meals.
- Skip the Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 if you already own a quality air fryer. The Foodi's premium over the Instant Pot is almost entirely explained by the integrated TenderCrisp lid. If you have a Cosori Smart Air Fryer or comparable unit already, you're paying $80 to consolidate counter space — not for meaningfully better cooking.
- Skip the Breville Fast Slow Pro if you want any smart home integration. This is a precision cooking tool with no WiFi, no app, and no voice assistant support. If your kitchen has smart displays and Alexa routines, the Breville won't participate. It's the right tool for food-first cooks, not smart-home builders.
- Skip the Chef iQ if you don't cook from recipes. The built-in scale and guided cooking engine only add value when you're following the app's recipe library. If you cook intuitively — "a bit of this, season to taste" — the scale calibration and app complexity are overhead without payoff. The Instant Pot Pro Plus is a better fit.
Who Should Buy What
- Best for most households: Instant Pot Pro Plus ($150) — highest SHE Smart Pressure Cooking Score (8.1), 800+ guided recipes, Alexa voice control, and the best ratio of connected features people actually use.
- Best for recipe-driven cooks: Chef iQ Smart Pressure Cooker ($150) — built-in scale auto-adjusts cook time by actual ingredient weight, works with Alexa and Google, 1,000+ guided recipes included.
- Best for replacing both pressure cooker and air fryer: Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 ($230) — integrated TenderCrisp air crisp lid, 8-quart capacity for larger households, pressure-to-air-crisp in the same pot.
- Best for precision cooking without app complexity: Breville Fast Slow Pro ($200) — dual pressure settings, auto steam release safety, Wirecutter's top slow cooker recommendation, no app required.
- Best for budget-conscious buyers: Crock-Pot Express Easy Release ($80) — one-touch dial steam release, CNET-rated cooking performance on par with higher-priced models, basic Alexa integration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which smart pressure cooker has the best app in 2026?
The Chef iQ app is the most capable — built-in scale integration and 1,000+ guided recipes put it ahead — but the Instant Pot app has the larger recipe ecosystem for everyday cooks. The Chef iQ Smart Pressure Cooker → app uses the built-in scale to adjust cook times in real time based on actual ingredient weight — a feature no other pressure cooker offers. The Instant Pot Pro Plus → app has a larger community recipe library (800+ vs. 1,000+ but with broader user contributions) and simpler setup. For guided recipe cooking, Chef iQ wins. For everyday remote monitoring, Instant Pot Pro Plus is easier to use.
Is the Ninja Foodi worth buying over an Instant Pot?
Yes — if you need both a pressure cooker and an air fryer. The Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 → at $230 costs roughly what you'd pay buying a standalone Instant Pot Pro Plus ($150) and a budget air fryer ($80) separately. The difference: pressure-to-air-crisp in the same pot without food transfer. If you cook ribs, wings, or braised proteins that benefit from final crisping — this matters. If your cooking is mostly soups, stews, and grains that don't need crisping, save $80 and buy the Instant Pot Pro Plus. See our full smart kitchen appliances guide for the bigger picture on appliance overlap.
Do smart pressure cookers work with Alexa and Google Home?
Most do, but coverage varies. The Chef iQ Smart Pressure Cooker → is the only model in this guide supporting both Alexa and Google Assistant. The Instant Pot Pro Plus →, Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 →, and Crock-Pot Express Easy Release → support Alexa. The Breville Fast Slow Pro → has no voice assistant support — by design, it's app-free. For households building on Google Nest ecosystems, the Chef iQ is the correct choice. Check our Alexa vs Google Home comparison to determine which voice assistant is right for your kitchen.
How much time does a smart pressure cooker actually save?
CNET's standardized testing found 3.4 hours saved per week for households using pressure cookers 4+ times per week. The savings come from shorter cook times for items like dried beans (90 min stovetop → 15 min pressure), braised meats (3 hrs oven → 35 min pressure), and rice (20 min stovetop → 8 min pressure). The "smart" features — app monitoring, remote start, Alexa integration — save an additional 10-15 minutes per cook by eliminating the need to stay near the kitchen. For households cooking fewer than twice a week, time savings drop proportionally. See our smart kitchen energy savings guide for the energy component.
What is the SHE Smart Pressure Cooking Score?
The SHE Smart Pressure Cooking Score is SmartHomeExplorer's proprietary metric for pressure cooker smart-feature value — combining app reliability (30%), feature adoption rate (25%), connectivity breadth (20%), recipe ecosystem depth (15%), and safety mechanism quality (10%). The score specifically measures how many of the connected features users continue using after 30 days — addressing the documented problem that 70% of smart kitchen features are used once and abandoned (per Wirecutter's usage survey). A high SHE Smart Pressure Cooking Score means the connected features add daily value, not just first-unboxing novelty. The Instant Pot Pro Plus → scores 8.1/10 because its app notifications, remote monitoring, and Alexa integration are used consistently by the majority of owners in our analysis sources (SmartHomeExplorer editorial analysis — methodology below).
Are smart pressure cookers safe?
Yes — every model in this guide includes multiple redundant safety mechanisms. Pressure cookers have evolved significantly from older models: the Instant Pot Pro Plus →, Chef iQ →, and Ninja Foodi → all include lid-lock detection, over-pressure release valves, heat sensors, and pressure float valves. The Crock-Pot Express → and Breville Fast Slow Pro → add dial-operated steam release that eliminates the twist-valve burn risk. The Breville's auto steam release (lid vents on a timer) is the safest mechanism in consumer pressure cooking per Wirecutter.
Can I use a smart pressure cooker as a slow cooker?
Yes — every model in this guide includes a slow cook function. However, the Breville Fast Slow Pro → is specifically rated as the best slow cooker of the group — its precision temperature control produces more consistent low-and-slow results than Instant Pot's slow cook mode, which Wirecutter notes runs hotter than most dedicated slow cookers. For households that want a pressure cooker that genuinely excels at slow cooking as well, the Breville is worth its premium. Our Instant Pot vs. slow cooker guide has the full comparison with energy usage data.
Which smart pressure cooker is best for meal prep?
The Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 at 8 quarts is the best for large-batch meal prep. The larger 8-quart capacity handles double batches of soups, stews, and grains without overflow risk. Pressure-to-air-crisp in the same pot means you can prep and finish protein in one vessel. For households cooking for 4+ or doing weekly batch cooking, the Foodi's capacity advantage over the 6-quart models is meaningful. For households of 2-3, any 6-quart model in this guide handles a week's meal prep. Pair meal prep with a smart kitchen scale for nutrition tracking to log macros automatically.
Do smart pressure cookers need a hub or special setup?
No — every WiFi-connected model in this guide connects directly to your home network, no hub required. The Instant Pot Pro Plus →, Chef iQ →, Ninja Foodi →, and Crock-Pot Express → all require only a 2.4GHz WiFi network and their companion app. No SmartThings hub, Hue Bridge, or Matter controller needed. If you're building a fully connected kitchen alongside smart kitchen displays and voice assistants, pressure cookers are plug-and-play additions to an existing smart home ecosystem.
The Bottom Line
Get the Instant Pot Pro Plus for most households — it earns the top SHE Smart Pressure Cooking Score (8.1/10), and its app-guided recipe notifications and Alexa integration are the connected features people actually use daily, not just the week they unbox it. For recipe-driven cooks who want ingredient-weight-adjusted cook times, the Chef iQ Smart Pressure Cooker at the same $150 price is worth the extra app complexity. Skip the Breville Fast Slow Pro if smart home integration matters — it's an excellent precision cooking tool that won't participate in your Alexa routines or appear in your smart kitchen energy monitoring dashboard. For the full kitchen picture, see our best smart kitchen appliances hub guide and our smart toaster ovens guide to pair a pressure cooker with a countertop oven that handles what pressure cooking can't.
Check Price →Sources & Methodology
SHE Smart Pressure Cooking Score methodology: Composite score weighting app reliability (30%), feature adoption rate (25%), connectivity breadth (20%), recipe ecosystem depth (15%), and safety mechanism quality (10%). Feature adoption rates sourced from expert review long-term testing sections and owner survey data. Scores reflect SmartHomeExplorer editorial analysis of aggregated expert consensus, not manufacturer-provided data.
Expert review sources used in this analysis:
- Wirecutter — Best Multicooker and Best Slow Cooker reviews (2025-2026)
- CNET — smart kitchen appliance testing and time savings benchmarks (2026)
- Tom's Guide — Ninja Foodi and Instant Pot comparison reviews (2025)
- PCMag — Chef iQ Smart Pressure Cooker review (2025)
- Reviewed — long-term multicooker performance and reliability tracking (2025-2026)
- America's Test Kitchen — Chef iQ guided cooking evaluation (2025)
- Good Housekeeping — Crock-Pot Express safety mechanism review (2025)
- Consumer Reports — pressure cooker safety and reliability ratings (2026)
- Serious Eats — cooking performance testing under controlled conditions (2025)
- The Kitchn — Breville Fast Slow Pro slow cook mode evaluation (2025)
- Epicurious — recipe performance comparison across multicooker models (2025)
- Bob Vila — kitchen appliance durability and value analysis (2025)
Evidence Summary
| Claim | Source Type | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.4 hours saved per week from pressure cooking | Independent testing | CNET standardized cooking comparison | March 2026 |
| Instant Pot Pro Plus: Wirecutter's top multicooker pick | Independent review | Wirecutter Best Multicooker | March 2026 |
| Chef iQ built-in scale adjusts cook time by ingredient weight | Manufacturer claim + testing | America's Test Kitchen evaluation | 2025 |
| Breville auto steam release: safest consumer mechanism | Independent review | Wirecutter Best Slow Cooker | 2025 |
| 70% of smart kitchen features abandoned after first week | Independent research | Wirecutter usage survey | 2025 |
| SHE Smart Pressure Cooking Score methodology | Editorial analysis | SmartHomeExplorer scoring system | April 2026 |
Author: Nicholas Miles is the founder of SmartHomeExplorer and a longtime smart home enthusiast focused on helping everyday homeowners make better technology decisions. He researches, compares, and writes about products across security, climate, lighting, leak prevention, sensors, home energy, and automation, with an emphasis on real-world usefulness, ecosystem compatibility, reliability, privacy, and long-term value. Drawing on a background in writing and analytics, Nicholas turns complex product categories into clear, consumer-friendly guides and transparent comparison frameworks. He created SmartHomeExplorer's editorial scoring methods to explain not just what ranks highest, but why.
Affiliate disclosure: SmartHomeExplorer earns affiliate commissions on qualifying Amazon purchases. Our scoring methodology is independent of affiliate relationships.
Last updated: April 3, 2026 | All prices verified across major retailers
