The 6-quart Instant Pot (in any series) is the most popular size by far, and it’s the one we recommend for most folks. It offers plenty of capacity for weeknight dinners, soups and stews, a pot of beans, or even a whole chicken, yet it doesn’t take up a crazy amount of counter or shelf space.
But some lines come in other sizes too, which you might prefer depending on your cooking habits and available storage space.
The Instant Pot Duo and Duo Plus come in a 3-quart version that could be a good option for one or two people or for folks with limited kitchen storage. But the appropriately named Mini models have a tiny pressure-cooking capacity that tops out at 2 quarts. For foods that expand when they cook, such as beans and grains, the total volume can’t exceed 1.5 quarts. So you won’t be able to use them for some of the things an Instant Pot excels at, like cooking large cuts of meat or a big batch of beans or broth.
If you cook for a lot of people or frequently make stock or broth, consider the Instant Pot Rio Wide Plus 7.5-quart (a variation of our top pick) or the 8-quart version of the Instant Pot Pro (our upgrade pick). These hulking models take up as much space on your countertop as a dish rack (which is why they aren’t for everyone), but they can yield almost 1 gallon of stock.
The Rio Wide Plus also has some extra advantages that come from its shape, which is wider and shallower than most Instant Pots. The lower sides make the pot easier to see into and allow for better evaporation and browning when you sauté. The pot fits large cuts of meat more comfortably, and its wider surface area helps the Rio Wide Plus heat and come up to pressure faster than other models we’ve tested.
