Instant Pot Duo Nova review 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 which is best for you. This isn’t necessarily a big disadvantage if you know that these features are going to be worthwhile to you. Moreover, some of the extra cost is recuperated by the additional measuring cup and sealing ring that are included in the Duo Nova package. The Duo Nova also comes with extra accessories, some of which aren’t included with the standard Duo. You can expect the usual measuring cup, paddle spoon, and ladle, but Instant Pot throws in an extra sealing ring with 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. 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. The 10 qt Duo Nova is of course the most expensive but offers great value if you’re cooking in bulk or for a large group. With these programs, you can perfectly cook things like ribs, beans, soup, egg-fried rice, and much more. You can fill up your 13 slots with all of your favorite meals so that they can be prepared at the touch of a button. This range of functions means that an Instant Pot could take care of all the cooking in your house if you wanted it to. This is why busy families absolutely love Instant Pots – they can set their food to slow cook in the morning and come home to a beautiful, ready-made dish in the evening. Since that first product, Instant Pot has expanded across the cooking industry, but their multi-use cookers remain their most popular products. 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. 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. For the most part, we found the differences in cooking abilities to be minor between the models in our fleet. That being said, we thoroughly enjoyed the food made by the DUO Nova, with it earning superlatives in most of our cooking tests. The stainless-steel cooking pot doesn’t have handles for easy lifting, if you’d prefer handles consider another model such as the Instant Pot Pro or the Instant Pot Evo Plus. Fast, versatile, and convenient, with its bright, upgraded display and lid, the Instant Pot® Duo™ Nova is a rising star in the bestselling Duo™ family. Another thing that’s worth bearing in mind is the fact that the Duo Nova is a newer product than the Duo, and hasn’t yet been put under the same scrutiny. The device has a fraction of the customer reviews that the Duo has, so it’s not as clear how the pressure cooker has been performing. Each Instant Pot model combines multiple kitchen appliances into one, saving you counter and storage space. You also save money by using one appliance for multiple cooking methods. The biggest difference between the Instant Pot Duo and Duo Nova is the Duo Nova is the first Instant Pot model to be offered in a 10 quart option. If you frequently cook for larger groups of people or regularly batch cook for meal prep, take a closer look at at the 10 quart model. Plus, there is such a variety of flavours in these recipes, so you are sure to find something for you. Most of these recipes are quick and easy ones made especially for busy weeknights. The final drawback of the Duo Nova is that it is not widely available. If you’re struggling to choose between the two, then be sure to have a read through our Instant Pot Duo vs Duo Nova breakdown above. So, after all that, which Instant Pot model would we actually recommend? In truth, the Duo and the Duo Nova are very similar products and in a lot of situations, they will offer exactly the same functionality and ease of use. Once you know what you’re doing, Instant Pots are an absolute dream, but understanding the different modes and experimenting with recipes can take some time. To make your life easier, we’d recommend starting out by using recipes shared online by other Instant Pot users. Although the price difference between the Instant Pot Duo and the Duo Nova isn’t huge, it’s still worth remembering that the Duo is going to be the cheaper option. Another huge benefit of the Instant Pot Duo, and Instant Pots in general, is the easy cleaning process. Since everything is contained in a single pot, there is hardly any mess created whilst cooking. Since the Instant Pot Duo Nova features an auto-sealing lid, the designs here are slightly different. Anyone who has used other Instant Pot models in the past will feel at home with either of these devices. As you might expect, the Instant Pot Duo comes in cheaper than the Duo Nova across all the different pot sizes.