Instant Pot Duo Nova, 10-Quart This button sits about two inches from the pressure valve and allows you to open that valve without actually touching it. Thus, having a button that makes this process quicker, easier, and safer is a welcome addition. The Duo Nova pressure cooker also has the unique advantage of having an auto-sealing lid. This makes using the Duo Nova even more straightforward, especially when pressure cooking. It also has an automatic steam valve, which is not that common amongst electric pressure cookers. The smart programs in the Duo Nova vs Duo side by side are pretty much the same. And as you’ll notice with the other mini 3 quart models, it has a few fewer smart programs compared to the larger models. The DUO Nova provides most of the basic pressure cooking functions and some more advanced options. Essentially, unless you're looking for some specific specialty functions like air fry or dehydrate, it will likely meet your needs. Both the Instant Pot Duo and the Duo Nova are available in 3, 6, and 8 liquid quartz. Being able to choose from three different sizes is great and means you can get something that fits in your kitchen perfectly. This range of sizes isn’t typically offered by other pressure cooker brands. In fact, other machines place their buttons on the main control panel, even farther away from the assault of steam that accompanies depressurizing a pressure cooker. However, the DUO Nova is undoubtedly still in the minority, offering a pressure release button. The steam function uses pressure cooking to steam and again, we struggled to find a good recommendation for timings and plumped for four minutes with one cup of water in the bottom of the pot. The steam rack provided isn’t great for this purpose and some of the broccoli pieces fell through the gaps. 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. Now that we’ve given a brief overview of the key similarities and differences between the Instant Pot models, let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of each one. If you’re still on the fence about which Instant Pot is for you, then this section will hopefully be a big help. In this section, we’re going to put our two Instant Pot models head to head across a wide range of categories. If you’re a fan of the ‘set it and forget it’ style of cooking, the handy keep warm function means your food won’t go cold if you do actually forget about it. 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. 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. We've always Instant Pot models because the lid can be stored upright in either of the handles on either side of the machine. This allows you to put the lid out of the way, no matter which hand you like to stir with, without setting it down on a potentially dirty countertop. For a speedy Thai red curry, the manual pressure cook function was our choice.