And the simple, safe push of the quick release button, ensures minimal mess and easy clean up. The Duo Nova will do pretty much everything you would need it to do, and the LCD has a progress indicator to let you know how your food is coming along. If you’re a bit of a novice in the pressure cooking department, it’s worth noting that this model comes with 11 preset program buttons to take the guesswork away. This can make it harder to release the pressure once the cooking is done. However, it is easier to release the pressure in controlled bursts with this pressure cooker. The 8-quart Instant Pot Pro Crisp + Air Fryer is the Duo Crisp turned up to 11.
It’s a close race between these two models, so it will definitely boil down to your priorities. You can control it with your phone via the Instant Pot app. The app also has pre-programmed recipes and alerts to make cooking even easier. The cooker has an LCD and status icons so you can easily check on your meal. The pot connects to Alexa and Google Assistant for voice control too. When depressed, a continuous stream of steam will be released through the steam release valve until the float valve drops into the lid.
Of course, with higher price comes more advanced features. Anyone with a big family 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. Choosing the right Instant Pot size depends on the demands of your household and the size of your intended meals. If you have a small family (2-4 members) and do not want to make a lot of food, the 3-quart Instant Pot is typically a great choice.
The pressure multi cookers all pressure cook, slow cook and saute’. They all also have a “manual” program, this is important because it means you can tap in your own pressure cooking time and pressure, . All of the Instant Pots with pressure function come with a stainless-steel cooking surface and, most importantly, the same safety features.
The Instant Pot Duo Nova has 15 one touch preset programs covering off the main foods you’re likely to cook in the multi-cooker, as well as various manual settings for the different functions. But it has far fewer preset programs than you’ll see on some other Instant Pots such as the more expensive Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus, which has 48 customizable presets. 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. There’s also a progress bar on the LCD display screen to indicate the cooking status but these are minimal differences and this is reflected in the similar price tags.
The Instant Pot Pro Plus is the only other model that is able to do canning. The trade-off is that the Max doesn’t do Sous Vide, while the Pro does. You’ll need to weigh your priorities instant vortex to figure out which feature is more important. The Instant Pot Pro also comes with 28 one-touch smart cooking programs, which blows the 15 of the Max out of the water.