Instant Pot Pro vs. Rio: Which Multicooker Earns Its Counter Space?

Instant Pot consolidated and reorganized its lineup last year, and we've gotten enough emails to know readers are confused. Here's a four-month side-by-side of the current Pro and Rio models.

The sauté test

This is where the Pro earns its $100 premium. The sauté element on the Pro reaches a higher peak temperature and recovers from added cold ingredients faster. We browned cubed beef chuck for a stew on both pots, in identical batches, and the Pro got real Maillard color in 7 minutes vs. 12 on the Rio.

The pressure test

Both pots are pressure-cookers underneath the marketing. They hit working pressure at similar times (the Pro is faster by 30–45 seconds), and they hold pressure stably across long cooks. We had no failures or seal issues over four months.

The app

This is the surprise. The Instant Pot app, which we have been complaining about for years, is genuinely useful on the Pro — the saved-program slots let you build a "pinto beans" recipe with the exact pressure and natural-release time you want, and have it appear as a single button on the device. The Rio doesn't get this functionality.

The verdict

If you make weekly batches of stew, beans, or shredded meat, the Pro is worth the $100 premium. The faster sauté, the saved programs, and the slightly nicer display add up to a better tool. If you're a casual user — every-other-week rice and the occasional roast — the Rio is plenty.