Instant Pot Duo Nova, 10-Quart Instant Pot is the most recognizable brand name in the pressure cooker space for a reason, and the DUO Nova delivers on that pedigree by offering exceptional performance at a reasonable price. There are very few situations where the DUO Nova wouldn't be our top pressure cooker recommendation. The first is for those that mainly want to cook meat, as we've found some other cookers that can retain just a bit more tenderness in specific cuts than this machine. It sets the standard for pressure cookers, offering a versatile list of cooking functions, well-designed controls, and convenient touches like a pressure release button. In the world of pressure cookers, the DUO Nova sells for a relatively reasonable price but leads the pack in terms of performance. 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. Steam management is key when it comes to the safety and efficacy of pressure cookers like Instant Pots. 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. These multi-cooking machines are a great way to downsize if you have several different appliances crowding your kitchen. For most people, the Instant Pot can easily replace the pressure cooker and slow cooker because it can do both those jobs. It’s also excellent for other things, like steaming, roasting and sautéing. Additionally, we found many meat-based pressure cooker recipes suggest significantly longer cooking times than Instant Pot suggests for the same cut of meat. In those situations, we generally found Instant Pot's recommendations to be more on point, with the longer cook times bringing about slightly drier and tougher results. The pressure release button makes depressurizing the cooking chamber feel much easier and less stressful. Helen is a freelance writer who specializes in kitchen appliances and has written for some of the biggest home-related titles around. Instant Pots are electric pressure cookers designed to be convenient, safe, and dependable. In August 2019 the company released a new Instant Pot series, the Duo Nova. Each Instant Pot model has variations that can make it difficult to choose between them. To help you decide, here’s a quick rundown of the key difference between the company’s classic and best for beginners models in a side by side review of the Instant Pot Nova Duo vs Duo. The way an Instant Pot works is through the magic of a high-pressure wet environment. As a result, it can be hard to find the Duo Nova when you’re shopping online. As the popularity of this product increases, it’s probably going to get even more difficult to get your hands on one. The last category we’ll investigate in this Instant Pot Duo vs Duo Nova showdown is their designs. Both of the Instant Pot models have the classic design that the brand is known for and there aren’t that many noticeable differences. In summary, it’s clear that the Duo Nova has some advantages over the Instant Pot Duo when it comes to extra features. The Duo Nova does everything that the Duo can but adds some nice quality of life improvements. In addition, the Duo Nova comes with two sealing rings, rather than the usual one. Sealing rings are one of the most important parts of an Instant Pot, and the company recommends that you change your ring every months. It’s nice to know that you won’t have to worry about buying a new sealing ring in the future. When you’re shopping for a new Instant Pot you need to decide which features and size make the most sense for your needs. In 2019 the company added several new models including the Duo Nova. We just said that one of the benefits of the Duo is how easy it is to use, but now we’re saying that it’s not beginner-friendly – what gives? Well, in our opinion, most Instant Pot models have a pretty steep learning curve and it takes a while to get to grips with how they work. The Instant Pot Duo is packed with functionality to make your cooking sessions as straightforward as possible. The device has 13 customizable modes built-in, which can be set up to make a huge variety of dishes.