An Instant Pot has the ability to replace a number of the appliances in your kitchen. Products have been marketed under a number of brand names, through social media, websites and home shopping stations. However, Summers joins a growing number of consumers now Instant Pot pressure cooker lawsuits, after safety features failed and the devices exploded, forcefully ejecting scalding hot liquid moosoo air fryer and contents. The main difference is that it gives the cook custom control over all settings, so you can warm, slow-cook, and pressure-cook based on your own preferences for meat, veggies, grains, desserts, and more. Though the Max (below) is supposed to be the fastest, in a side-by-side comparison, we found that the Ultra was faster at both reaching pressure and cooking chickpeas.
Still, it’s important to mention that none of these two Instant Pot models have a sous vide function nor can they make air fries (usually an air fryer function). If sous vide is important for you, it’s best to choose an Instant Pot Duo Plus or an Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus. It’s pretty simple to figure out the settings and get cooking shortly after removing it from the box and the preset programs are a good starting point for common foods and meals. There’s no recipe book or cooking charts included though, so you’ll have to head to the website or app for these.
Today’s pressure cookers use a sealing system that keeps contents safely inside, then release steam gradually. They’re so easy to operate, even a novice can handle them safely. Even though the Instant Pot Duo doesn’t come in the larger 10 qt size like the Duo Nova, there are still 3 different sizes to choose from. This is particularly great when compared to instant pot pressure cookers from other brands, which often take a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Before we get into our comparison, it’s probably best to take a look at what Instant Pot actually is. Although the term “instant pot” is often used in place of products such as “slow cooker” or “pressure cooker”, Instant Pot is also the name of one of the most popular worktop cooker brands.
In what we’ve found to be the most differentiating of our cooking tests, the saute test; the DUO Nova performed wonderfully. It got hot enough to easily brown eve hearty veggies like carrots and made quick work of diced onions. We believe this ability is crucial; to effectively saute right in the pot vastly increases the number of meals you can make with only one dish to clean at the end. The Instant Pot Duo is considered a classic among all the Instant Pot products.
Capacity is an important factor, but most popular pressure cookers can make meals for up to six people. Smaller households may still need that kind of capacity, though, since large items like whole chickens demand plenty of space. You may also like the fact that you can cook for groups on the rare occasions you have visitors to feed.
The delay start button allows you to postpone cooking for up to 24 hours, but be sure not to leave anything perishable in the pot if you’re using this function. It comes with a steam rack, but this is only really useful for larger foods, smaller vegetables will fall straight through the rack into the water below which is frustrating. With a familiar design, the Duo Nova is instantly recognizable as an Instant Pot and as we’ve said in previous reviews, multi-cookers are not the most attractive of the kitchen counter appliances. Having said that, the stainless-steel finish gives it a reassuringly robust look. Although there are cook times and plenty of recipes available online, they don’t always work the same for all the Instant Pot models.
The steam rack provided isn’t great for this purpose and some of the broccoli pieces fell through the gaps. Preheating took five minutes and after the four minute cook time we used the quick release pressure button so that we could get the broccoli out immediately. Some of the larger florets had a good texture but the smaller ones were overcooked. The slight improvements in design and functionality also make this version better suited to everyday needs. Meanwhile, the Instant Pot Duo still offers myriad benefits and uses in its own right while being among the least expensive electric pressure cookers on the market. Every Instant Pot has different cooking programs, but you can typically expect to see features such as a slow cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, and more.
By explaining how the Instant Pot Duo and Duo Nova compare in terms of size, capacity, price, and functionality, we hope to provide everything you need to know in order to choose the right cooker for your household. For example, some Instant Pots include a rice cooker, whereas others swap that out for a yogurt maker. It’s important to think about which features and cooking modes you are going to use when choosing instant pot duo nova which is best for you. That said, the Instant Pot Duo is still completely safe to use – you just have to make sure that you follow the instructions carefully, especially when releasing the chamber after pressure cooking. All Instant Pots are pretty easy to use, but the Duo really takes it to the next level. Despite its simple design and intuitive processes, the device is absolutely packed with cooking features.
On the other hand, stainless steel has a long and proven pedigree of being dishwasher safe and thus doesn’t elicit the same debate. Instant Pot has come down firmly on the “stainless is better” side of the conversation, using stainless pots in all of their pressure cookers. First off, the rubber gasket on the lid is easily removable, and the lid itself is a single piece.