The buying guide below details which and how many functions and Smart Programs are available in each model. You’ve heard the hype, read the articles, perused the recipes, and have come to the conclusion that you absolutely need an Instant Pot (true!). But finding the best Instant Pot model to add to your artillery of kitchen appliances—the Instant Pot that really fits your unique cooking needs—is a more involved task than moosoo air fryer it may seem. It works similarly to any other pressure cooker, and all of my pressure cooker recipes are designed to work in your Instant Pot. Despite advertising seven capabilities, all in all, it comes with 13 convenient smart programs that can replace multiple kitchen appliances. Helen is a freelance writer who specializes in kitchen appliances and has written for some of the biggest home-related titles around.
The Instant Pot Duo Nova main functions are pressure cook, steam, slow cook, saute and keep warm, rice cooker and yogurt maker, and also has 14 one touch preset programs. For a speedy Thai red curry, the manual pressure cook function was our choice. As with the chili ,we used the saute function to brown chicken legs before adding all the other ingredients and pressure cooking on high for 20 minutes. Add to that the seven-and-a-half-minute heat up time and we were pleased with the fast cooking time which produced perfectly cooked chicken that fell off the bone with a temperature of 198 F/ 92 C. The pressure release was a slightly louder 79dB and while the sides of the pot and all the handles stayed cool, the metal part of the lid reached a high temperature of 187 F/ 86 C. The steam function uses pressure cooking to steam and again, we struggled to find a good recommendation for timings and plumped for four minutes with one cup of water in the bottom of the pot.
I absolutely still recommend the Instant Pot Duo, even with all of the newer models on the market. I’ve had mine for seven years and it’s still working just as well as the day I bought it. Both the Duo Plus Whisper Quiet and the Duo Nova hit a sweet spot of offering some of the newer, more convenient features without a high-end price.
This collection of programs can be tweaked and tailored to perform super-specific tasks that you may have struggled with pre-Instant Pot (e.g., the perfect way to cook rice). The Duo Nova for all sizes does not include the Cake Setting, egg, or pasteurize features if you’re interested in that particular smart program. But don’t worry as you can still make hard-boiled eggs using the steam setting and cakes in any size Duo Nova by using the pressure cook setting and adjusting the time. If the yogurt button is a deal-breaker for you, the all-in-one Ultimate Lid is the only air frying pressure cooker that has that option. Keep in mind that the Ultimate Lid model is heavier than either the Duo Crisp or the Pro Crisp. Additionally, we found many meat-based pressure cooker recipes suggest significantly longer cooking times than Instant Pot suggests for the same cut of meat.
You want a cooking pot with handles
The stainless-steel cooking pot doesn’t have handles for easy lifting, if you’d prefer handles consider another model such as the Instant Pot Pro or the Instant Pot Evo Plus. You should do a water test before the first use but you can also do it when you’re having problems with the Instant Pot pressurizing. Doing the water test will pinpoint whether there’s something about the recipe that’s causing your sealing issues. The Instant Pot Pressure Cook program can use high or low pressure. A majority of the recipes that you encounter will use High pressure.
That gully is likely a necessity of a pressure cooker’s functionality, but we’re still waiting for someone to find an innovative solution to this issue before we award a higher score in this metric. The texture of stewed beef was succulent, tender, and more flavorsome and delicious than conventional cooking. Bear in mind, there is a fair bit of prep work to do before the cooking process begins.
The SV stands for sous vide, and the newest version replaces the Sterilize button with a Sous Vide button. It has an LED screen and the basic lid that you turn to release the pressure. However, if you typically cook a main dish and a side dish, you may be happier simply buying two 6-quart Instant Pots so you can cook both at the same time. Depending on what you’re cooking, the 6-quart will fit a double or triple batch. Some odors, especially from intense recipes, stick to the sealing ring.
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. The steam release valve does just what it’s called to release the steam from inside the pressure cooker. So there are no more worries about forgetting to turn the sealing valve to sealing. All you have to do is put the lid on your IP and of course, adjust the LCD screen for the correct cooking time. Combining the function of seven appliances in one, they both perform well an extensive variety of cooking tasks, all at the touch of a button. And the smart programs in the Duo and Duo Nova are both able to take care of all the cooking-time and temperature calculations.
Its most popular design is the 6 quart Instant Pot, but it also comes in the 3 qt and 8 qt sizes, just like the Duo and Duo Nova or Instant Pot Lux. What makes the Instant Pot Ultra more noticeable is the large display and selection system (not as common on other Instant Pots). Furthermore, Ultra also has a cooking progress indicator, which may earn some admiration from beginners moosoo air fryer who can’t yet pressure cook or slow cook without worrying. Since each Instant Pot model is a little different, it’s important to read the manual and learn about the various features and settings your model offers. Cooking is made easier with the Instant Pot® Duo™ Nova multi-cooker. And to release the steam faster, just push the quick-release button to let the pressure out.