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. Another improvement over the previous Duo models is the Smart Steam Release. With the new lid, it automatically seals to keep flavors, nutrients, and aromas inside. A new button makes it easier to release steam once the food is done cooking, and it’s placed away from the actual release valve so you shouldn’t experience burns from the hot steam coming out.
(There are Reddit threads devoted to people complaining about forgetting to do this.) It’s minor, but it’ll be a lot of people’s deciding factor. Like the Ninja Foodi, the Pro Crisp comes with two interchangeable lids. (The regular Instant Pot Pro is the same thing, sans the crisping lid.) One transforms the pressure cooker into an air fryer, with one lid dedicated to EvenCrisp technology.
Mixed grains, barley, couscous, bulgur oatmeal and risotto are added to the lineup, plus four smart programs for sauté, steam, slow cook, and keep warm. You can even cook quinoa on the bottom while using the steam basket simultaneously. Each function is easily accessible via the front panel, fitted with one-touch buttons that let users select the desired smart program and make adjustments for pressure and cooking time.
The Instant Pot reaches the ideal, high temperature to brown and crisp the meat before adding in the rest of your ingredients and stock to the pot. After closing the lid with a simple twist and lock, press the Pressure Cook button twice to set the temperature to either Low, Normal or High, which is set at 239°F to 245°F. The time also allows for preheat time which you can see on the handy progress bar on the display. It’s not uncommon for someone to forget to turn the valve to seal before starting to pressure cook. That is why all new Instant Pot models now feature this function.
She has been writing on technology, travel, parenting, and business for over 10 years, and works with a number of high-profile organizations. As an avid home cook who loves making magic in the kitchen, she values finding the best products to make people’s lives easier. Anam earned a master’s degree from the University of Toronto and a bachelor’s degree from Queen’s University.
Remove inner pot from cooker base and wash with hot water and dish soap before first use. Wipe outer surfaces of inner pot and heating element to ensure they are dry and free of food debris. It pops up to indicate moosoo air fryer when the cooker is pressurized, and lowers into the lid when the cooker is depressurized. Six-quart large capacity cooks for up to 6 people—perfect for families, but also great for meal prepping and batch cooking.
At the same time, it is an excellent pick for those who’ve used multicookers in the past and want the ultimate one. In my opinion, the extra safety features and accessories of the Duo Nova make it a better bargain overall. The Instant Pot Duo comes with the standard interior pot and steam rack. Both are dishwasher safe and don’t contain any chemical coating. If you need a more significant appliance than eight quartz, you will probably want to look at the Duo Nova as this comes in the larger 10-quart size as well. It’s easy to use, safe and I think the best thing is that you can cook your food quickly and in bulk.
After closing the lid, the sealing ring creates an airtight seal between lid and cooker base. While the auto sealing knob is great for starting to cook, it’s easier to do a controlled manual release with a Duo as you can tap to release pressure in smaller bursts. The smart programs in the Duo Nova vs Duo side by side are pretty much the same. And as you’ll notice with the other mini 3 quart models, it has a few fewer smart programs compared to the larger models. Overall these Instant Pot models are very similar from the smart programs to the price.
The Max has additional safety mechanisms , and the lid on the Max is dishwasher safe, which makes cleaning easier. Always use an authorized Instant Pot® inner pot made for this model when cooking. Failure to do so may cause personal injury or property damage.
Keep in mind that the Instant Pot Duo Nova 3-quart size doesn’t have the poultry or multigrain smart programs, while the other sizes do. The rest of the features on all of the sizes are the same. The 8-quart Instant Pot Pro Crisp + Air Fryer is the Duo Crisp turned up to 11. This pro model has all the same functionality of the Duo Crisp plus an upgraded lid with advanced heat protection, auto-sealing, and gentle pressure release.