Instant Pot Pro Review

The Pro allows setting pressure in 1-PSI increments from a low of approximately 5 PSI to a high of 15 PSI. Standard Instant Pot models (Duo, DUO60) have two settings: Low (5 to 7 PSI) and High (10 to 15 PSI). The Pro's custom setting lets you dial in a specific pressure for recipes that specify an intermediate level, for example, certain canning references specify 10 PSI for lower-acid vegetables, which is achievable on the Pro but only approximated on the Duo. In practice: most households cook 90%+ of their Instant Pot recipes at High pressure (15 PSI) and Low pressure (approximately 5 to 7 PSI). The custom PSI setting is a meaningful precision feature for enthusiasts who follow technically precise recipes or use the Pro for canning; it is a nice-to-have for households that primarily cook standard recipes.

The Pro's sous vide function maintains the insert at a precisely set temperature between 104 and 208 degrees Fahrenheit in 1-degree increments. Food in a sealed bag is submerged in water in the insert, and the Pro holds the water at the set temperature for the set duration. The advantage over a dedicated sous vide circulator: no additional equipment (the Pro replaces both). The limitation: the Pro's insert is a stationary heated vessel without a circulation pump. True sous vide requires water circulation to maintain even temperature throughout the water bath. The Pro's static heating achieves temperature accuracy of approximately ±2 to 3 degrees in the water without circulation, compared to ±0.1 to 0.5 degrees in a dedicated circulator. For most sous vide applications (chicken breast at 140 degrees for 90 minutes, steak at 130 degrees for 2 hours): the ±2 to 3 degree variance is acceptable. For precision applications (65-degree eggs, custard): a dedicated circulator is more accurate.

The Pro is worth the premium for three specific households: (1) frequent Instant Pot users who have outgrown the Duo's two-setting pressure control and want 1-PSI increments; (2) households with 5 or more distinct recipes they make weekly and want to store as saved programs; and (3) users who find touchscreen interfaces significantly more comfortable than dial interfaces. The Pro's core pressure cooking performance is the same as the Duo, the premium pays for interface and feature refinement, not better pressure cooking.

The Pro's Sterilize function heats water in the insert to boiling (212 degrees at normal atmospheric pressure) and maintains the boil for a set time. Items placed on the steaming rack above the boiling water are sterilized by steam contact at temperatures that kill most bacteria, mold, and yeast. Common sterilize applications: baby bottles and nipples (10 to 12 minutes), canning jars before filling (10 minutes), fermentation equipment (5 to 8 minutes). The sterilize function is not the same as pressure canning, the Pro does not maintain pressure during sterilize mode, so it cannot replace an FDA-approved pressure canner for canning low-acid vegetables, meats, and beans. For canning acidic foods (jams, pickles, tomatoes) that use a boiling water bath: the Pro's sterilize function is appropriate. For pressure canning: use a dedicated pressure canner.