Instant Pot Duo vs Duo Nova: Which One Should You Choose?

Its updated lid means you never have to worry about whether or not you remembered to close the steam release valve again, because when you close the Duo Nova lid it automatically seals the pressure valve! To release the steam faster, just push the quick-release button to let the pressure out. Its updated lid means you never again have to worry about whether or not you remembered to close the steam release valve because when you close the Duo Nova lid it automatically seals the pressure valve! All Instant Pots can pressure cook, slow cook, sauté, cook rice, steam, and warm. As you climb the ladder of different models, buttons for things like cake making, roasting, and sous vide appear.

The condensation collector catches any moisture that builds up on the rim. This usually comes from moisture dripping from inside the lid into the rim of the Instant Pot base, when the lid is propped open. You need to clean the anti-block shield periodically, especially after you’ve cooked frothy or starchy foods.

instant pot duo nova

The Duo Nova’s one-touch Smart Program settings let you start cooking instantly. Just press a button for soup, broth, beans, chili, poultry, slow cooking, sautéing, rice, multigrain, porridge, steaming, yogurt, pressure cooking, or keeping warm. Its bright blue display moosoo air fryer tells you everything you need to know about what’s happening inside. What was previously its advantage over any Instant Pot — a single lid used for pressure cooking and air frying — is no longer with Instant Brands’ summer 2022 introduction of the Ultimate Lid.

It keeps you informed as to what is going on inside of your IP every step of the way. This helps ensure that you will never forget to set the steam valve to sealing again. There have been so many times I wondered why my Instant Pot wasn’t sealing. If you want to be able to sous vide in your Instant Pot, the Evo Duo Plus is a better choice than the Duo SV as it’s easier to use. The 7-in-1 Duo Nova is an update of the standard, popular Duo model. With an MSRP of just $60 for the 6-quart model, it’s one of the most affordable models offered by Instant Pot.

Sure, you can find some models that sell for less, but those models generally lack a saute function and thus, sacrifice quite a bit of the convenience that makes pressure cookers so attractive. The Crock-Pot competitor-turned-cult classic has been a staple in foodie kitchens since 2018(opens in a new tab). The collection of three or four models has grown into an army of pressure cookers, toaster instant pot duo nova ovens, air fryers, blenders, and coffee makers. Google autofills “Instant Pot” over “slow cooker” after typing in “potato soup.” When you consider the time, effort, and counter space that these powerhouses save, it makes total sense. Instant Pots are beloved because of their ability to cook foods quickly using pressure. But they’re also wildly popular in part because of their versatility.

For the most part, we found the differences in cooking abilities to be minor between the models in our fleet. That being said, we thoroughly enjoyed the food made by the DUO Nova, with it earning superlatives in most of our cooking tests. On the other hand, cooking basmati rice was average and not as impressive. The texture of the rice was soft but not as fluffy as a dedicated rice cooker would offer. In addition, some parts of the rice were not cooked consistently, so there would be rice stuck inside the inner pot – which could have been avoided if the pot had been non-stick.

Instant Pot has an extremely large following, close to 300,000 on the Facebook Instant Pot Community page. You can also access and share hundreds of recipes via the Instant Pot app. Even if your recipe only calls for one minute of cook time, you are not about to go from frozen chicken breasts to a perfect roast with a well-done center. The act of sealing and coming to pressure feels like it takes forever (in reality, 5-10 minutes), and yes, it’s fine if your Instant Pot blows steam in the process.