If you’ve purchased previous Instant Pot models, you’re probably used to receiving one sealing ring, a steam rack, a measuring cup, and a few stirring spoons. With both lids, a controlled manual pressure release takes some practice to get right without covering your ceiling in steam. If you only need a cooker for one or two or don’t plan to meal prep, then the Instant Pot DUO Mini can save you some money with the same functions and performance, just a smaller quantity. If you want the best option with a good capacity, then the Instant Pot Duo Plus 6 Quart is a higher ranking option that offers the same cooking performance that is easier to use. We also had great luck prepping various grains, including rice and quinoa, in the DUO Nova.
A pressure cooker is a device that cooks food under pressure. It’s either an electric device you plug into the wall or a stovetop device that uses the heat of your cooktop. An Instant Pot is a multifunctional pressure cooker, meaning it has additional cooking functions outside of pressure cooking. Even if your recipe only calls for one minute of cook time, you are not about to go instant vortex 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. It will automatically switch to pressure cooking when pressurization is complete and will automatically switch to warming when the timer is up.
Unless you’re taking a multicooker master class, it will take you a couple of weeks or a month to master your Instapot. I’m pretty sure once you’ve tried all its 13 functions, you’ll be confident with your brand new cooking companion. The smart programs in the Duo Nova vs Duo side by side are pretty much the same.
The Instant Pot Duo Nova, otherwise known as the Duo Nova Pressure Cooker, Instapot Duo Nova, or simply the IP Duo Nova, was released in 2019 as an upgrade to the original Instant Pot Duo. With the Lux, Duo, Duo Plus, Ultra, and Smart Bluetooth being the most common models. In all other respects, it functions very similarly to the Duo Plus. The Instant Pot Duo SV is another Costco-exclusive Instant Pot model. It has been replaced by the Duo Gourmet and is in the process of being phased out. The Instant Pot Duo’s exterior is has been available in mint, white, and coral.
If you participate in canning, a pressure cooker is the best way to go. The USDA says pressure canning is the only safe method for canning meat, fish, poultry and all vegetables. Traditional water bath canners can only reach temperatures of 212 degrees Fahrenheit, which isn’t hot enough to kill off bacteria that grows in foods with low acid levels. Pressure canning takes care of that, keeping you and your loved ones safe. This 3-quart pressure cooker is best for feeding small groups of up to three people. You can also make amazing sides like rice, pasta, vegetables and potatoes for bigger families.
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. Has a large blue LCD with status icons to indicate the cooker’s status, while the Duo has a more basic display.
If it’s canning, look for a model that will squeeze in the most mason jars, such as one with the ability to hold 24 half-pints, 20 pints or 7 quarts. Some offer the ability to can 19 standard regular mouth pint jars or 7 standard regular mouth quart jars. Another type of pressure cooking is geared specifically toward canning. Although you can cook meals in these units, they aren’t quite as user-friendly as all-in-one units. They also tend to have a much higher capacity, as they’re designed to hold multiple jars of foods. Our slow cooker did not have a saute function & I was not overly confident in using my stove top pressure cooker.
Some things I would improve is setting the “low saute” option to a temperature that is not so high, a low simmer where the liquid isn’t aggres… Control Panel Duo Nova Multi-Use Pressure Cookers feature an intuitive control panel with LED display to help make cooking fast and easy. Display Status Icons show cooker status as described in “Status Indicators,” below. Timer/Readout shows countdown to Delay Start, cooking time remaining, and Keep Warm time passed in hours and minutes. Also shows certain “Status Messages” as described below.
The other half involve working with the tech team to research and test the tools and appliances that promise to make kitchen work effortless and mess-free. From a kitchen knife or water filter to the Instant Pot, if it can help save time and effort for the home cook, Luna and her team are on it. Combining many of the most popular features from Instant Pot, it offers a range of functions to meet your different needs and cooking styles. If you’re looking for nothing more than basic functions, go for this multi-cooker. At around 10% cheaper, the basic Duo, meanwhile, is not a very fancy pressure cooker . However, it’s still a great addition to the company’s most popular line.
With an easy-seal lid , a stainless-steel pot and a safety lock, the Duo Nova is the perfect addition to any kitchen. Of the three, the Duo60, which cooked decently and was simple to use, is the most similar to the Instant Pot Duo Nova that’s on sale here. QVC shoppers love the Nova, rating it with a solid 4.5 stars and noting that it was easy to use and clean. Some also raved over its compact size, which they say was perfect for use in their motorhomes. The major differentiator of the Instant Pot Pro Plus is its access to your home Wi-Fi network. This lets you schedule cooking, remotely control it, and beam recipes directly to the Instant Pot.