Instant Pot Duo Nova review 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. There’s no recipe book or thick manual of cooking times included in the box, you’ll need to find these on the website or app as well as experimenting to achieve the perfect result. 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. The Instant Pot Duo is one of the electric pressure cooker models made by Instant Brands. The most obvious advantage of the Duo Nova slow cooker is that it’s available in 4 different sizes, rather than the Duo’s 3. The Duo Nova is available in a larger 10 qt size, which wouldn’t be an option if you picked the Duo. Aside from the 7 base cooking modes on the Instant Pots, they are each packed with a range of additional features to improve the user experience and make food even tastier. For example, the Instant Pot Duo Nova and the Duo both have 13 “Smart Touch” customizable programs for bespoke pressure cooking. The chili wasn’t thickened to our liking but by switching back to saute it was easy to reduce it to the perfect consistency. During slow cooking the handles and sides all stayed cool, the lid reached 113 F/ 45 C which isn’t too warm to touch. The Instant Pot Duo Nova has 15 one touch preset programs covering off the main foods you’re likely to cook in the multi-cooker, as well as various manual settings for the different functions. 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. One cool thing that the Instant Pot Duo Nova has is an auto-sealing lid. 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. 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. An Instant Pot has the ability to replace a number of the appliances in your kitchen. She has been reviewing small appliances, including blenders, juicers, and multi-cookers, for more than 8 years, and also upholsters furniture when she's not testing the latest food tech gadgets. 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. If you want to spice up your meal times without adding any extra stress, then the Instant Pot Duo is perfect for you. One of the Instant Pot Duo’s biggest advantages is just how easy it is to use. If you have some time, you can let the gadget release steam over the course of a few minutes. If you need to take a look at the food right way, you can opt for the quick release button which lets out the pressure and steam right away in a safe manner. 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. If you only need a cooker for one or two or don't plan to meal prep, then the Instant Pot DUO Mini can save you some money with the same functions and performance, just a smaller quantity. If you want the best option with a good capacity, then the Instant Pot Duo Plus 6 Quart is a higher ranking option that offers the same cooking performance that is easier to use. You can save all of your favorite dishes, and have them ready to go whenever you want. This means you can get something that is the perfect size for you, rather than an Instant Pot that you never fill up. Tidying up after cooking can sometimes take as long as making the food itself. If you have a busy lifestyle, then this is yet another thing that you have to make time for during your day. An Instant Pot can save you a ton of time, and give you more chance to rest and relax.