Sure, your Instant Pot comes with a steamer basket, but it never hurts to have options. Steamer baskets are great, especially mesh ones, since they prevent food from coming out of the holes. You may be overwhelmed by the options, but you can pick up the Hartigo Steamer Basket, which is the best choice if you're looking for an alternative. This is a fine mesh option with silicone-wrapped legs to protect the inside of your Instant Pot. If you're looking for something else, other options are just as great.
Best Overall: Hatrigo Steamer Basket
The Hartigo Basket here comes in three sizes: three quarts, six quarts, and eight quarts. The legs are also wrapped with silicone so that they grip to the bottom of the Instant Pot and help it to stay stable while streaming.
This basket is also made completely rust-free, so you won't have to worry about it affecting your food over time. Since this is a mesh basket, it will be harder to clean it if any small items do get stuck in the mesh. Also, there may be some mesh bits sticking out of the basket, so be very careful when you handle it. You can always use some sandpaper to file down the metal if it becomes a problem.
Pros: Comes in three sizes Rust-free build Silicone wrapped legs Mesh basket Cons: Hard to clean Mesh sticks out Best Overall Hatrigo Steamer Basket
From $17 at Amazon
The best of the batch
If you want the best option on the market, then this fine mesh Instant Pot steamer basket is sure to help make cooking a breeze.
Best Value: Instant Pot Silicone Steamer Basket
Since you just spent quite a bit of money on the Instant Pot itself, you may not want to spend more on a new or extra steamer basket. This silicone basket may be rather simple, but it's one of the cheapest options out there. It's made out of FDA food-safe silicone, so you won't have any trouble cooking with this. It's also heat resistant for up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit so you can cook just about anything.
To make cleanup nice and easy, the company was able to make this steamer dishwasher safe, so all you have to handwash after cooking is the Instant Pot. The silicone is said to retain a bit of a smell when you use it, so be rather diligent while cleaning it. A good soak in some dish soap should do the trick for removing any strange smell it may have.
Pros: FDA food-safe silicone Heat resistant up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit Dishwasher safe Cons: Silicone can cause a strange smell Best Value Instant Pot Silicone Steamer Basket
$10 at Amazon
Save some dough
This silicone steamer basket is a great choice when you want to save some cash. It's a cheaper price with a quality make.
Best Alternative: House Again Stainless Steel Steamer Basket
Stainless steel baskets are a great way to ensure that everything is being cooked properly while using your Instant Pot. Thankfully, this House Again steamer basket is 100% stainless steel, so you know it's made from high-quality materials. The legs and handle are also coated with silicone to get a good grip on the pot and handle as well. This will help this basket stay in place, even in boiling water.
This basket is 100% dishwasher safe, so it will help ease in cleanup since you just need to rinse and put it in. The handle on this pot is a bit long, so you might want to go up a pot size so it will fit with no issues. Otherwise, the lid to the Instant Pot won't latch shut, and you'll let out all of the steam you need to cook your meal.
Pros: Stainless steel Dishwasher safe Silicone legs and handle Cons: The handle is too long Best Alternative House Again Stainless Steel Steamer Basket
$11 at Amazon
A runner-up
This basket is a solid choice, made from solid stainless steel and being completely dishwasher safe.
Best Handles: Instant Pot Steamer Basket
If you're looking for a top-notch silicone steamer basket with some great locking handles, then the Instant Pot one is the choice for you. One of the greatest parts about this basket is the interlocking handles that create one singular handle. Since they're able to move out of the way easily, they won't block the lid from sealing tight, and it will keep all the steam in to thoroughly cook your food. There are also raised feet on the bottom of the basket to help prevent food from cooking too long.
It is dishwasher safe as well, so you pop it out of the pot, serve your food, and put it right into the dishwasher. This basket is a tight fit for a six-quart Instant Pot, but you will still be able to lock the lid on tight. Also, the handles will make it much easier to get it out of that tight squeeze.
Pros: Interlocking handles Raised feet Dishwasher safe Silicone make Cons: Tight fit for six-quart Instant Pot Best Handles Instant Pot Steamer Basket
From $26 at Amazon
Solid made, easy to use
The interlocking handles on this steamer basket truly make it easy to remove and easy to steam anything in your Instant Pot.
Best Separator: Sensible Needs Steamer Basket with Divider
Dividers are a great way to cook one whole meal all at once in your Instant Pot. The divider sections the stainless steel basket into three different parts, making it easy to make a full course meal. It will also make it easier to take out food when it's finished while others continue to cook for the allotted time.
This company also offers a one-year guarantee for if you end up not being in love with this basket. You'll be able to return it for a full refund or exchange if it was just a faulty model. The one downside to this basket is the trivets are hard to separate, so hopefully, you have someone strong around. It just takes a bit of muscle power to separate them, but once you do, you're ready to start cooking.
Pros: Separator to cook multiple foods Stainless steel One-year guarantee Cons: Hard to separate trivets Best Separator Sensible Needs Steamer Basket with Divider
$9 at Amazon
Keep it separated
If you want to cook multiple foods at one time, then this basket would be perfect for any meal you plan to make.
Best Bundle: OYSIR Steamer Basket Bundle
This bundle deal is one that's worth the money, and it can even help you explore different recipes or meals. This bundle includes a steamer basket, egg holder, cake pan, and cake paper, which can all be used in your Instant Pot. You can create just about any dish with all these different items, so expand your cooking horizons. With the stainless steel additions to these items, you can also feel safe that you're cooking with high-quality equipment.
These products can also fit multiple different pot sizes, from five quarts up to eight quarts. When you receive or store this bundle, be careful with egg holder rack because it can get stuck in the steamer basket. If you can carefully get it unstuck, try not to store them on top of each other, so you don't have to go through that each time you store it away.
Pros: Includes steamer basket, egg holder, cake pan, and cake paper High-grade stainless steel Fits multiple sizes Cons: The rack is hard to remove Best Bundle OYSIR Steamer Basket Bundle
$19 at Amazon
A lot for one price
This bundle comes with multiple things that you can use in your Instant Pot, like an egg holder, a cake pan, and a steamer basket.
Steaming success
Up to 50 percent of the vitamins in your vegetables can be lost when you boil them. Steaming is a much better option, leaving you with fresher, crisper, more vibrant veggies. If you're lucky enough to own an Instant Pot, you don't need to splash out on a separate steamer — just an affordable steamer basket to fit inside your countertop cooker.
Steamer baskets are perfect for your Instant Pot, so you can cook all your food safely and healthily. The Hatrigo Steamer Basket is the best choice to get the perfect meal every time. With a sturdy handle and a mesh lining, it will help your food evenly and perfectly. Plus, it's dishwasher safe, so it will make post-dinner cleanup much easier.
If that's not quite what you're looking for, then you will be pleased with the other options you can pick up from this list. Whether that's a bundle of useful tools or something a bit cheaper, there is something on this list for every household. Pick up the best option for your necessities and start cooking a happier and healthier way.
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Kennedy Maring is a freelancer who loves playing games, her little animal family along with her husband, and the great outdoors. Although she is a nerd through and through, she is looking to complete her cosmetology certificate in the next year.
