We believe this is one of the best values on the market. Instant Pot is the standard-bearer of top-tier pressure cookers, and the addition of a pressure release button to the DUO Nova makes it one of the best cookers that we’ve ever tested. Plus, this all comes at a relatively reasonable, middle-of-the-road level price. The instant vortex is a true multi-tasker. This 7-in-1 cooker can handle the work of a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté pan, yogurt maker and warmer. It’s easy to put your cooking on autopilot with 14 Smart Programs with settings for meats, soup, stew, beans, chili, poultry, rice, yogurt and more.
As a plus Duo Nova has bot the 3 quart and the 10 quart size – the latter is not similar to the Duo Classsic model . There is also a Manual module, but I only recommend it for more experienced users. In Manual mode, you get to select your own settings , but if you don’t know how the pot works, there’s the risk of the food coming out over- or under-cooked. Having said that, the stainless-steel finish gives it a reassuringly robust look. Once all the steam has been released, the float valve goes down and the Instant Pot is de-pressurized. This can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on the amount of food you’re cooking and the temperature of the ingredients.
We also had great luck prepping various grains, including rice and quinoa, in the DUO Nova. Things generally came out a bit more moist and sticky rather than fluffy, but we generally enjoyed the texture. It also performed well in our meat cooking tests, successfully rendering a tough brisket cut into a tender and enjoyable feast.
They all have something that makes them incredibly useful in the kitchen, which is why I can’t choose just one best Instant Pot. However, I can select the best pressure cooker for a certain category of users, which is exactly what I’ll do for the Instant Pot Duo and Duo Nova. But it has far fewer preset programs than you’ll see on some other Instant moosoo air fryer Pots such as the more expensive Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus, which has 48 customizable presets. The Saute function allows you to saute food in the Instant Pot before pressure cooking, and to reduce the liquid after pressure cooking. I love this function because I don’t need to get out another pan and that helps keep cleanup to a minimum.
This button sits about two inches from the pressure valve and allows you to open that valve without actually touching it. Thus, having a button that makes this process quicker, easier, and safer is a welcome addition. The control panel makes navigating its multiple cooking features and settings quite easy. A dedicated button for each cooking presets make it easy to quickly dial in rice or soup settings. A large LCD clearly displays feedback if you want to cycle through some advanced features, such as adjusting the pressure level, programming in a delayed start, or adjusting the cooking time.
The basic Instant Pot guidelines say that the 3-quart is good for 1 or 2 people, the 6-quart is for up to 6 people, and the 8-quart is for large families or big batches. I think this is a good starting point, but there are exceptions. I prefer the Instant Pot Pro Crisp, but the Original Duo Crisp and theDuo Crisp with Ultimate Lid might be a better choice for you if you have other features you’re looking for. This is the second year where we’ve placed the Instant Pot Pro at the top of our recommendations.