The first Instant Pot pressure cooker came out in 2012. Since then, it feels like Instant Pot has released a zillion new models , and all with slightly different features. Some of the design requirements of pressure cookers almost inevitably lead to some instant pot duo nova cleaning challenges. However, the DUO Nova navigates these challenges better than most, making its cleaning process about as easy as one could hope. The pressure release button makes depressurizing the cooking chamber feel much easier and less stressful.
I have a 3 quart but bought it after I had the 6 quart for at least a year. I use it to make a side dish when my main dish is cooking in the 6 quart. Many people, and some manufacturers, maintain that it’s completely fine to put non-stick cookware in the dishwasher, while others find that blasphemous. On the other hand, stainless steel has a long and proven pedigree of being dishwasher safe and thus doesn’t elicit the same debate. Instant Pot has come down firmly on the “stainless is better” side of the conversation, using stainless pots in all of their pressure cookers. Some of the Instant Pot models also come equipped with a sterilize program that’s designed for sterilizing different items, pasteurizing dairy, and performing some types of canning.
The plethora of Instant Pot models sold by the Instant Pot Company make choosing one a frustrating nightmare. I really think they’ve shot themselves in the foot as I fear many people consider purchasing an Instant Pot, see the 986 models and give up because they can’t figure out what model choose. Past retailers have offered a vibrantly colored exterior. The Viva has also offered the stainless steel body in several colors. These colorful editions appear to be getting phased out, so stock will be limited. It also cooks a little faster than older models of Instant Pot, like the Duo, so be aware that you may need to adjust your recipes accordingly.
In what we’ve found to be the most differentiating of our cooking tests, the saute test; the DUO Nova performed wonderfully. It got hot enough to easily brown eve hearty veggies like carrots and made instant vortex quick work of diced onions. We believe this ability is crucial; to effectively saute right in the pot vastly increases the number of meals you can make with only one dish to clean at the end.
It has an LED screen and the basic lid that you turn to release the pressure. In most other respects is very similar to the Duo Plus. The large display and multitude of instant vortex buttons makes navigating the DUO Nova’s settings easy. For the most part, we found the differences in cooking abilities to be minor between the models in our fleet.