Instant Pot Duo Nova, 6 qt

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.

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.

I really think they’ve shot themselves in the foot as I fear many people consider purchasing an Instant Pot, see the 986 models and give up because they can’t figure out what model choose. Instant Pot accessories will also be easier to find in a 6-quart or 8-quart size. Seriously, so much food fits in the Instant Pot Duo Nova 10-quart.

They’re similar in so many ways, but to me, that easy steam release is definitely worth the extra cost. It’s difficult because it comes down to price vs safety functions. Both Duo and Duo Nova have almost all the same features, and Duo is even better in some ways .

instant pot duo nova

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 moosoo air fryer 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.

I have found a great recipe for one using an instant pot and it says OPEN THE VALVE, SET TO STEAM AND COOK FOR 20 MINS. The question is how do I open the valve as mine is automatic setting? I have a duo nova and want to make yogurt up to the maximum level for fluids, and then transfer it into jars. I plan on using regular pasteurized milk that would need to be boiled.

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, instant vortex 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.

I live in the glorious west in Salt Lake City, Utah with my family. It’s a fine balance between getting the Instant Pot to seal and adding too much liquid, which can make food taste insipid. Attach the power cord to the base unit and plug it into an outlet. Press the Keep Warm button to turn the Keep Warm function on and off.

Despite the pot not having a non-stick coating there was no sticking during the sauté stage. We slow cooked our beef chili for six hours on the ‘more’ setting and the result was a delicious meaty chili with soft beef. The Instant Pot beeps instant vortex to alert you that cooking has finished and the temperature of the chili at the end of cooking was 176 F/ 80 C. The chili wasn’t thickened to our liking but by switching back to saute it was easy to reduce it to the perfect consistency.