Combustion characteristics of premixed diethyl ether-air mixtures were studied at different equivalence ratios and elevated initial pressures using schlieren photography and spherically propagating flame. Laminar burning velocities, Markstein number and critical radii at onset of cellular structure were obtained. The results show that an increase in initial pressure leads to a decrease in the unstretched laminar burning velocities. Laminar burning velocities give their peak values at the equivalence ratio of 1.1. Markstein number decrease with the increase of initial pressure and equivalence ratio, indicating that the instability of flame front is increased with the increase of initial pressure and equivalence ratio. The critical radii at onset of cellular flame structure are decreased with the increase of initial pressure. Combustion characteristics of premixed diethyl ether-air mixtures were studied at different equivalence ratios and elevated initial pressures using schlieren photography and spherically propagating flame. Laminar burning velocities, Markstein number and critical radii at onset of cellular structure were obtained. The results show that an increase in initial pressure leads to a decrease in the unstretched laminar burning velocities. Laminar burning velocities give their peak values ​​at the equivalence ratio of 1.1. Markstein number decrease with the increase of initial pressure and equivalence ratio, indicating that the instability of flame front is increased with the increase of initial pressure and equivalence ratio. The critical radii at onset of cellular flame structure are decreased with the increase of initial pressure.