If you have a large family, the 10-quart capacity is perfect for cooking up a storm, although you still have the smaller options to suit your needs. In terms of accessories, the Instant Pot Duo comes with the standard inner pot and steam rack (in my opinion, they should add a measuring cup as well). Both accessories are dishwasher safe and don’t have any chemical coating. A glass lid with a venting hole (purchased separately) may be used.
The Instant Pot Duo Nova is a mix between the Instant Pot Duo and Instant Pot Ultra. It has a similar display panel to the Duo and the lid of the Ultra. Do you have less time in your day, but still want to make your family a wide variety of healthy and delicious homemade meals? We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned on this site.
The new rubberized handles make it much easier to lift the pot after cooking, and they help keep it in place so it doesn’t spin when you’re sautéing veggies or stirring something like risotto. Anyone with a big family (larger than 6 members) will find the 8-quart Instant Pot is a perfect option for everyday needs. That being said, due to its large and bulky size, this tool isn’t ideal for small kitchens. Similar in versatility but safer to use, the Instant Pot Duo Nova comes with more advanced features to provide its users with a superior cooking experience.
This collection of programs can be tweaked and tailored to perform super-specific tasks that you may have struggled with pre-Instant Pot (e.g., the perfect way to cook rice). The Duo Nova for all sizes does not include the Cake Setting, egg, or pasteurize features if you’re interested in that particular smart program. But don’t worry as you can still make hard-boiled eggs using the steam setting and cakes in any size Duo Nova by using the pressure cook setting and adjusting the time. If the yogurt button is a deal-breaker for you, the all-in-one Ultimate Lid is the only air frying pressure cooker that has that option. Keep in mind that the Ultimate Lid model is heavier than either the Duo Crisp or the Pro Crisp. Additionally, we found many meat-based pressure cooker recipes suggest significantly longer cooking times than Instant Pot suggests for the same cut of meat.
I absolutely still recommend the Instant Pot Duo, even with all of the newer models on the market. I’ve had mine for seven years and it’s still working just as well as the day I bought it. Both the Duo Plus Whisper Quiet and the Duo Nova hit a sweet spot of offering some of the newer, more convenient features without a high-end price.
She has a wealth of editorial experience testing the latest, ‘must-have’ home appliances, writing buying guides and the handy ‘how to’ features. Next, I tested the Steam function to steam some green beans; I noticed the majority of beans were overcooked, soggy and lacked the firm and moosoo air fryer crunchy texture of steamed vegetables. These are amazing for anything, starting with a basic meat stew or soup broth and ending with fancy Citrus Pork Carnitas. As promised, I will try and define a category of best users for each of these two Instant Pot models (Duo vs Duo Nova).
While that means it’s dishwasher safe and you won’t have to worry about scratching the surface, it also means it can be trickier to clean if food becomes baked on. The 20-cup Zest Plus is where you can really add some zest to your meals. Mixed grains, barley, couscous, bulgur oatmeal and risotto are added to the lineup, plus four smart programs for sauté, steam, slow cook, and keep warm. You can even cook quinoa on the bottom while using the steam basket simultaneously. Dairy can also get tricky — the high heat is just begging for milk-heavy ingredients to curdle.
This makes cleaning and drying easier than some other models that use two-piece lids designs that introduce nooks and crannies where water and gunk can hide. This makes it a bit harder to scrub clean than many of its non-stick counterparts but also means it can unequivocally go in a dishwasher. There is a bit of a debate about whether stainless or non-stick pressure cooker pots are easier to clean, and that debate largely centers around whether or not the non-stick pots can go into a dishwasher. If you have no interest in sous vide cooking and don’t need a surfeit of cooking programs, the Duo Nova might be the model for you. Its abilities to seal the pressure valve automatically and release pressure quickly easily are big bonuses. When your goal is cooking meals, though, you have a different set of considerations.
We have some great recipes as well as more articles on the Instant Pot that you may find helpful. To learn about quick VS natural release head over to Instant Pot Quick Release VS Natural Release. They aren’t that easy to spot at first but they are there to help indicate which way to close and open the lid.
In those situations, we generally found Instant Pot’s recommendations to be more on point, with the longer cook times bringing about slightly drier and tougher results. And, when the food is done, you can use the Keep Warm module to keep it ready for eating until everyone is seated at the dinner table. As you probably know by now, the Instant Pot Duo is the most popular Instant instant vortex Pot model. It is a 7-in-1 pressure cooker (meaning it can replace seven kitchen appliances), which is lower than what an Instant Pot Duo Plus or a Duo Evo Plus can offer, but it is enough for a regular kitchen or a beginner. Additionally, the quick steam release switch is separate from the steam valve, and ensures you can force the pressure to be released in a safer way.