Instant Pot Duo Nova, 10-Quart We used the Instant Pot Duo Nova for several recipes to try out its performance across different functions. First up, slow cooked chili, the sauté function comes in handy here, allowing you to brown your meat and soften onions in the Instant Pot instead of having to use a separate pan or stove top. 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 to alert you that cooking has finished and the temperature of the chili at the end of cooking was 176 F/ 80 C. First off, the rubber gasket on the lid is easily removable, and the lid itself is a single piece. This makes cleaning and drying easier than some other models that use two-piece lids designs that introduce nooks and crannies where water and gunk can hide. This makes it a bit harder to scrub clean than many of its non-stick counterparts but also means it can unequivocally go in a dishwasher. It’s considered their “classic” model and is one of their earlier versions. One of the most difficult things to decide when buying an Instant Pot Duo Nova is which size you’ll need for your family. The 6-quart size is the most popular one and many recipes are written for this Instant Pot size as well. If you’re only cooking for 1-2 people, then opt for the smaller 3-quart size. If, on the other hand, you have a big family, love leftovers or enjoy entertaining, then going with the 8- or 10-quart size is a good idea. If you’ve purchased previous Instant Pot models, you’re probably used to receiving one sealing ring, a steam rack, a measuring cup, and a few stirring spoons. Overall these Instant Pot models are very similar from the smart programs to the price. Instant Pots are currently all the rage in the world of home cooking. However, there are many models to choose from, each with a number of unique features, and each model also comes in multiple sizes, so it can be hard to know which model to pick. Instant Pot is the standard-bearer of 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. For the vast majority of people who want a versatile cooker that can make meals as convenient as possible, the DUO Nova is both a superb choice and a great value in the world of kitchen appliances. The company designed each program based on extensive testing to help you create amazing results. To help you go deeper in your research into the Duo Nova and Duo, here is a side-by-side comparison of the two models. This comparison includes the appliances combined in each model, smart programs, and size options. The Instant Pot Duo Nova is a newer model from Instant Brands, as it was released in August 2019. It also combines 7 kitchen appliances while speeding up your cooking time. The Instant Pot Duo Nova gives you the option of releasing the steam manually or naturally. 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. 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. 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.