Written by Lara Yehia. Lara researches home and kitchen products for Cupindy.
Published October 2026 · Last reviewed October 22, 2026
A multi cooker does the work of a pressure cooker, a slow cooker, a rice cooker and a sauté pan, all in one removable pot. Your food sits in that pot for hours, and it is the part most listings say the least about.
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Our quick pick
Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart 7-in-1
The top result on Amazon for "multi cooker" and #1 in Electric Pressure Cookers on October 22, 2026. Instant says the pot is “stainless steel (18/8) with a tri-ply bottom”, and its FAQ says the pot has no chemical coating.
See the Instant Pot Duo on AmazonThe drawback: the silicone ring in the lid picks up smells, so plan on a spare.
The Short Answer
A multi cooker pressure cooks, slow cooks, sautés and steams in one removable pot, so the pot is what to check first. Instant's Duo, Duo Plus and RIO come with an 18/8 stainless steel pot, and Midea's 12-in-1 has a stainless one too. The Ninja, COSORI, Breville and Our Place models we checked come with a coated one.
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| If you want | Our pick | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| A stainless pot from the best-selling model | Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart | See it |
| A stainless pot from a brand other than Instant | Midea 12-in-1, 6 Quart | See it |
| Slow cooking in a pot that can go in the oven (coated) | Ninja PossibleCooker PRO | See it |
We read each maker's own pages, manuals and chemical filings for every pick. We did not test these cookers, and Cupindy is not tied to any of these brands.
When we call a pot uncoated, it is because its maker says the cooking surface is stainless steel. Claims like "PFAS-free" stay in quotes. They are the makers' words, and none of the makers links to a test report.
Which Multi Cookers Actually Ship a Stainless Pot?
Of the makers we checked, only Instant and Midea say their inner pot is stainless steel. Ninja, COSORI, Breville and Our Place all describe a ceramic-coated or nonstick pot. People in cooking forums ask which brands besides Instant Pot have a stainless pot. Going by the makers' own pages, very few do.
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| Multi cooker | The inner pot, in the maker's words | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Instant Pot Duo 6 qt | “stainless steel (18/8) with a tri-ply bottom” | See it |
| Instant Pot Duo Plus 6 qt | “Stainless steel (18/8) pot with a tri-ply bottom” | See it |
| Instant Pot RIO 6 qt | “Stainless steel (18/8) pot with a tri-ply bottom” | See it |
| Instant Pot RIO Mini 4 qt | “stainless steel cooking pot”; no grade given | See it |
| Midea 12-in-1 6 qt | “The stainless steel inner pot ensures even heating”; no grade given | See it |
| Ninja PossibleCooker PRO | “PFAS-free cooking pot”; its guide warns metal tools “will scratch the nonstick coating” | See it |
| Ninja Foodi pressure cookers | Replacement pot: “ceramic-coated nonstick inner pot is PTFE- and PFOA-free” | Not a pick |
| Ninja HyperHeat PC201 | “Inner Pot: Aluminum with Nonstick Ceramic Coating” | Not a pick |
| COSORI 6 qt | “aluminum metal with nonstick ceramic coating” | See it |
| Breville Fast Slow Pro | “ceramic coated cooking bowl” | Not a pick |
| Our Place Dream Cooker | “Aluminum with a toxin-free ceramic nonstick coating” | Not a pick |
| Crock-Pot Express Crock | No longer listed on Crock-Pot's site; we found no maker page describing its pot | Not a pick |
Instant also sells a RIO Mini "Chef Series" at Walmart, and its page describes “an aluminum cooking pot with a non-stick ceramic coating” (Instant). If you want stainless, check the model name before you pay.
What Touches Your Food, Part by Part
The inner pot
Instant's FAQ says its pot “is made from food grade 304 (18/8) stainless steel, with no chemical coating” (Instant FAQ). 18/8 means 18% chromium and 8% nickel, the same family of steel as most stainless pans; our guide to stainless steel grades explains the numbers.
The coated pots are mostly aluminum underneath. Ninja lists the HyperHeat pot as aluminum with a ceramic coating, and COSORI and Our Place say the same of theirs. Coatings scratch and wear, and every maker we read sets care rules for them. Ninja's PossibleCooker guide says “DO NOT use metal utensils, they will scratch the nonstick coating on the pot” (Ninja). COSORI bans “metal utensils on any part of the pressure cooker and accessories, including the inner pot” (COSORI manual). Breville suggests hand washing its bowl “to maintain the ceramic coating” (Breville manual).
What the chemical filings list
Instant and SharkNinja both publish the chemical lists California's cookware law asks for. Instant's detailed disclosure document (revision 9.10.25, linked from its disclosure page) lists the Duo Crisp and Pro Crisp air fryer combos among “Models containing PTFE coated cooking surface”. The plain Duo, Duo Plus, RIO and Duo Mini appear in its stainless steel table and also in its table for aluminum and coated aluminum, and the document does not say which part each row covers. We go through it in our walk-through of Instant's filing.
SharkNinja's filing also lists PTFE, which it says “provides a non-stick coating”, for some of its multi cookers, split by manufacturing date (SharkNinja AB 1200 list). Our slow cooker guide explains how to read it.
The sealing ring
Every pressure multi cooker seals with a ring of silicone in the lid, and it is in the steam on every cook. Instant says the ring “is porous and may absorb odors and become discolored” (Instant). When to replace it is in the questions below; rings, valve caps and which pot fits which Instant are in our inner pot guide.
The lid and steam valve
Few makers list the materials in the lid. Our Place does: “Lid Top: Plastic” and “Lid Underside: Stainless Steel” (Our Place). Ninja's PossibleCooker PRO comes with a “Glass cooking lid” (Ninja). Instant's product pages do not state the lid materials. Condensation runs off the underside of the lid back into the food, so that is the surface worth asking a brand about.
Best Multi Cookers Compared
The middle column is the maker's own description of the pot. For the Goldlion, which has no maker page we could find, it is the Amazon listing's.
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| Multi cooker | Inner pot | Buy |
|---|---|---|
|
Instant Pot Duo, 6 qt Quick pick: the best seller |
18/8 stainless, tri-ply bottom | See it |
|
Instant Pot Duo Plus, 6 qt More programs, 2 spare rings |
18/8 stainless, tri-ply bottom | See it |
|
Instant Pot RIO, 6 qt Newest Instant design |
18/8 stainless, tri-ply bottom | See it |
|
Instant Pot RIO Mini, 4 qt For one or two people |
Stainless steel, grade not given | See it |
|
Midea 12-in-1, 6 qt Stainless, not Instant |
Stainless steel, grade not given | See it |
|
Ninja PossibleCooker PRO, 8.5 qt Slow cooking, oven finishing |
Nonstick; Ninja says “PFAS-free” | See it |
|
COSORI, 6 qt Coated pressure cooker |
Aluminum, ceramic nonstick | See it |
|
Goldlion pot for Ninja Foodi, 8 qt Stainless swap for a coated Foodi |
304 stainless (listing) | See it |
Best Multi Cooker With a Stainless Steel Pot
These three Instant 6-quart models use the same 18/8 steel with a tri-ply bottom. The Duo Plus and RIO add programs, a different steam release and a slimmer look.
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Our quick pick
Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart 7-in-1
The Duo is Instant's basic model and the best seller on Amazon on our check date. It pressure cooks, slow cooks, sautés, steams, makes rice and yogurt, and keeps food warm. Instant describes the pot as “stainless steel (18/8) with a tri-ply bottom”, and says the pot and lid can both go in the dishwasher (Instant). It had more than 186,000 ratings and was sold and shipped by Amazon in new condition when we checked.
Good for: A first multi cooker for a household of two to six
The drawback: The lid ring holds smells. Instant's own wording is that the ring “is porous and may absorb odors”, so keep one ring for savory food and one for anything sweet. It also has no air fryer lid.
See the Instant Pot Duo on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
More programs, same steel
Instant Pot Duo Plus 6-Quart 9-in-1
Same 18/8 tri-ply steel as the Duo, in a pot Instant calls anti-spin, so it stays put while you stir. Instant lists sous vide among its nine functions and adds a “one-touch steam release button”, a stainless steam rack with handles and “two extra sealing rings” in the box (Instant). More than 49,000 ratings on Amazon.
Good for: Cooks who want the spare rings and a quieter steam release
The drawback: Like the other Instants, it should not be filled past two-thirds when you pressure cook, so a 6-quart pot holds about 4 quarts of food. One Amazon reviewer found the pot “smaller than one might imagine”.
See the Instant Pot Duo Plus on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Newest Instant design
Instant Pot RIO 6-Quart 7-in-1
Its Amazon listing calls the RIO the Duo with “a modern slim design”. Instant's own page describes a “Sturdy Anti-Spin Pot: Stainless steel (18/8) pot with a tri-ply bottom that stays in place for seamless sautéing” (Instant). So the pot stays put in the base while you stir. It was #2 in Electric Pressure Cookers on our check date.
Good for: Anyone who stirs and sautés in the pot a lot
The drawback: Instant's RIO page does not spell out in writing what changed from the Duo, so beyond the slimmer body it is hard to say what you gain over a Duo Plus.
See the Instant Pot RIO on AmazonWhich Size Multi Cooker Do You Need?
The size on the box is not the amount you can cook. Instant's rule is “DO NOT fill over the PC MAX — 2/3 as indicated on the inner pot”, and for food that swells, like rice or dried vegetables, “DO NOT fill the inner pot over the 1/2 line” (Instant). So a 6-quart pot holds about 4 quarts of food when you pressure cook. The table uses Instant's two-thirds line; check your own model's manual for its limit.
| Size | Most you can pressure cook (our math) | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| 3 quart | About 2 quarts | One person, or side dishes |
| 4 quart | About 2.7 quarts | One or two people |
| 6 quart | About 4 quarts | Most households of three to six |
| 8 quart | About 5.3 quarts | Big batches, whole chickens, stock |
We would start at 6 quarts unless you cook for one or two.
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For one or two people
Instant Pot RIO Mini 4-Quart
This is the 4-quart RIO. Instant says it gives as much sautéing room as an 8-inch pan, and that the “stainless steel cooking pot” and lid can go in the dishwasher (Instant). Amazon shows one rating count for the RIO sizes together: more than 5,600 on our check date.
Good for: Small kitchens, dorms, couples
The drawback: Watch the model name. The Walmart-only RIO Mini Chef Series uses “an aluminum cooking pot with a non-stick ceramic coating”, and Instant's page for this standard RIO Mini gives no steel grade.
See the Instant Pot RIO Mini on AmazonInstant also makes a 3-quart Duo Mini. One long-time owner on Amazon wrote that the 3-quart pot cooks more like 2 quarts, which matches the fill rule above.
Instant Pot or Ninja: The Pot Is the Real Difference
If you want a stainless pot, buy an Instant. Every Ninja pot we found is coated, including Ninja's own replacement pots. The PossibleCooker does offer something the Instants here do not claim, though: Ninja says its pot can go in the oven.
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Stainless, not Instant
Midea 12-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, 6 Quart
Midea is the only maker outside Instant on this page whose own site says the pot is stainless: “The stainless steel inner pot ensures even heating, and it easily wipes clean after each meal.” (Midea). Midea lists 12 preset programs, including slow cook, rice and yogurt.
Good for: Shoppers who want a stainless pot and a brand other than Instant
The drawback: Midea gives no steel grade and links no manual on the product page. It also has far fewer ratings than the Instant models, about 1,100 when we checked.
See the Midea on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Coated, built for slow cooking
Ninja PossibleCooker PRO 8.5-Quart (MC1001)
The PossibleCooker PRO is a wide, 8.5-quart pot for slow cooking, searing, steaming and braising. It is not a pressure cooker. Ninja calls it a “PFAS-free cooking pot” and says the pot is “oven safe up to 500°F”, so you can brown the top of a dish in the oven (Ninja). It was an Amazon's Choice pick with more than 6,800 ratings when we checked. We cover the newer PRO Plus in our slow cooker guide.
Good for: Big-batch slow cooking and one-pot meals that finish in the oven
The drawback: The coating rules are strict. Ninja's guide says “The Cooking Pot is NOT stove top safe”, bans metal tools, and recommends washing the pot by hand.
See the Ninja PossibleCooker PRO on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Coated pressure cooker
COSORI 6-Quart 9-in-1 Pressure Cooker
COSORI's 6-quart model is sold as a 9-in-1, though its page lists 13 cooking functions. Its manual says “The inner pot is made of aluminum metal with nonstick ceramic coating”, and that the pot should not go in “a microwave, on a stove or grill, or in an oven” (COSORI manual). It carried Amazon's Choice and Best Seller badges in Amazon searches on October 22, 2026.
Good for: Cooks who want an easy-release coated pot and accept the care rules
The drawback: We found no stainless pot for it on cosori.com, and the manual warns that “Using any other pressure cooker lids or inner pots may cause injury and damage to the pressure cooker.”
See the COSORI on AmazonMulti Cookers With an Air Fryer Lid: Check the Basket
Air fryer combos add more parts that touch food: a basket, a basket base and sometimes a tray. Instant's Duo Crisp 8-quart comes with a “stainless-steel inner pot”, an “air fryer basket” and a “broil and dehydrator tray”, and its page does not say whether any of them is coated (Instant). Instant's detailed disclosure document lists the 6- and 8-quart Duo Crisp among models with a PTFE coated cooking surface without saying which part, and lists other Duo Crisp versions in its stainless steel table. Ninja is clearer: its Foodi Cook & Crisp basket “has a ceramic coating and is nonstick” and is sold as “PTFE- and PFOA-free” (Ninja).
If you want nothing coated, buy two machines: a multi cooker with a stainless pot, and an air fryer you pick for its basket. Our air fryer guide goes through the baskets.
Already Own a Coated Multi Cooker? Stainless Replacement Pots
If you have an Instant with Instant's ceramic pot, Instant sells its own 18/8 stainless pot for most 6- and 8-quart models. Which one fits which model is in our Instant Pot inner pot guide.
A stainless pot for a Ninja Foodi
Ninja's own replacement pots for the Foodi pressure cookers are coated. Its 6.5-quart pot is a “ceramic-coated nonstick inner pot” sold as “PTFE- and PFOA-free” (Ninja), and its 8-quart pots are described the same way (8-quart pot, 8-quart nanoceramic pot). We found no stainless pot on Ninja's parts pages. The stainless pots for the Foodi come from other companies.
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Stainless swap for a coated Foodi
Goldlion Stainless Steel Inner Pot for Ninja Foodi 8-Quart
A third-party pot, not made by Ninja. Goldlion's listing describes “food grade 304 (18/8) stainless steel, no chemical coating” with a three-ply bottom, and lists the 8-quart Foodi models it fits, including the FD400 to FD402, OP401, OL601 and OL701. A 6.5-quart version is sold too. It had more than 5,000 ratings when we checked, and several reviewers say they bought it to replace a scratched or flaking coated pot.
Good for: Ninja Foodi owners whose coated pot is scratched or peeling
The drawback: It is not a Ninja part, so check your model number against the list first. The same listing's spec box says "Non-Stick" under finish, which contradicts the rest of it, and one owner's first pot would not hold pressure until Goldlion sent a replacement.
See the Goldlion pot on AmazonCOSORI warns against other makers' pots, and Crock-Pot no longer lists the Express Crock, so we did not pick a replacement for either.
How We Chose
We started from Amazon's results for "multi cooker" and its Electric Pressure Cookers best seller list on October 22, 2026, and kept models with high ratings across thousands of reviews, sold new. The Midea, with about 1,100 ratings, is the exception; we kept it because it is the only stainless pot outside Instant we found. We then sorted the cookers by what touches the food. For each pick we read the maker's product page, and its manual where the maker publishes one, and recorded what it says about the pot and what it leaves out. We read Instant's and SharkNinja's California chemical disclosures as written, and reopened every source a second time to check the quotes. Prices and stock change daily; ranks and rating counts here are from our check date. No cooker on this page was tested by Cupindy.
Questions People Ask
What is a multi cooker?
An electric countertop cooker with one removable pot and several programs: usually pressure cooking, slow cooking, sautéing, steaming, rice and keep-warm. Most models sold as multi cookers, including the Instant Pots on this page, are electric pressure cookers with extra programs. A few, like Ninja's PossibleCooker, do not pressure cook at all. If rice is your main use, see our rice cooker guide.
What is the difference between a multi cooker and a slow cooker?
A slow cooker does one job, usually in a glazed stoneware crock. A multi cooker adds pressure cooking, sautéing and steaming, usually in a metal pot. If slow cooking is most of what you do, our slow cooker guide compares the crocks.
Is a multi cooker the same as a pressure cooker?
Most are electric pressure cookers with more programs; Amazon files the Instant Pot Duo under Electric Pressure Cookers. A stovetop pressure cooker only pressure cooks but has no electronics to fail. Our pressure cooker guide covers both, and our page on pressure cooker safety covers releases, valves, recalls and why pressure canning is a separate question.
Is Instant Pot still in business?
Yes. Instant Brands filed for Chapter 11 in June 2023 (NPR). A US bankruptcy court then approved the company's plan to sell its housewares and appliance businesses, in separate deals, to affiliates of Centre Lane Partners (Instant Brands). The company says Instant Pot Brands became a standalone company under that ownership in November 2023 and has used the Instant Pot Brands name since April 2024 (Instant Pot Brands). Its site still sells the Duo, Duo Plus and RIO, and replacement sealing rings.
Can you put the inner pot on the stove?
Check your model. Ninja says the PossibleCooker PRO pot “is NOT stove top safe”, and COSORI says not to use its pot “on a stove or grill, or in an oven”. Instant's pages for the standard Duo, Duo Plus and RIO pots say nothing about the stove; the pot Instant says can go on a cooktop is its flat-bottom Evo pot. Details are in our inner pot guide.
How often should you replace the sealing ring?
Instant says every 12 to 18 months, or sooner if the ring is stretched, cut or deformed (Instant FAQ). Its ring page adds that you may want a new one every 6 to 12 months if smells or stains bother you, and that third-party rings would void the warranty (Instant). More on rings in our inner pot guide.
What happened to the Crock-Pot Express?
Crock-Pot no longer lists the Express Crock on its US website, and we found no manual or pot description on Crock-Pot's pages. Owners can still find third-party parts, but for a new cooker we would pick one whose maker still supports it.
Sources (opened October 19 to 22, 2026; Amazon listings read October 22, 2026 for a New York address)
- Instant: Duo 6QT product page
- Instant: Duo Plus 6QT product page
- Instant: RIO 6QT product page
- Instant: RIO Mini 4QT product page
- Instant: RIO Mini Chef Series product page
- Instant: Duo Crisp 8QT product page
- Instant: Frequently asked questions
- Instant: Cookware chemical disclosures
- Instant: 5 and 6 quart sealing ring
- NPR: Instant Pot maker seeks bankruptcy protection (June 14, 2023)
- Instant Brands press release, October 4, 2023
- Instant Pot Brands press release, April 1, 2024
- Ninja: PossibleCooker PRO MC1001 product page
- Ninja: PossibleCooker PRO MC1001 owner's guide
- SharkNinja: California AB 1200 PFAS data list
- Ninja: Foodi 6.5-qt ceramic-coated inner pot
- Ninja: Foodi 8-qt inner pot and ring kit
- Ninja: Foodi 8-qt nanoceramic inner pot
- Ninja: Foodi Cook & Crisp basket, 6.5 qt
- Ninja: HyperHeat PC201 product page
- COSORI: 6.0-quart pressure cooker product page
- COSORI: 6.0-quart pressure cooker manual
- Midea: 6 qt 12-in-1 pressure cooker MPC6002SBSK
- Breville: the Fast Slow Pro BPR700
- Breville: Fast Slow Pro instruction book
- Our Place: Dream Cooker
- Crock-Pot: US website
Brand names belong to their owners. Product details and listings change; check the listing and the maker's manual before you buy.
