The Best Instant Pot to Buy in 2022: Complete Buying Guide

To clean it, slide it out, empty it out, rinse and slide back in place. Slide the condensation collector onto the back of the Instant Pot. Make sure no part of the sealing ring is sticking out, or you may have sealing issues and get the Burn Message. Continue to pull the silicone sealing ring out until it is completely separated. Don’t use another Instant Pot model’s lid on the Duo Nova Instant Pot.

The Duo Nova has the button layout of the Duo mixed with the auto-seal lid of the Duo Ultra and the blue LCD display from the Duo Plus. The Instant Pot Duo has the yogurt button, adjustable pressure, and the saute function. Helen is a freelance writer who specializes in kitchen appliances and has written for some of the biggest home-related titles around. 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. Press the steam release button until it locks into place.

Pressure cooking allows you to cook foods at a fraction of the time it would take on the stovetop. And one final thought, don’t choose one Instant Pot model over moosoo air fryer another because one model has more buttons than another. For the vast majority of recipes you’ll need the Sauté, Pressure Cook, Start, Warm and Cancel Buttons.

There’s no recipe book or cooking charts included though, so you’ll have to head to the website or app for these. We found plenty of slow cook and pressure cook recipes but it can be tricky to find exact guidance for more simple tasks like steaming and cooking rice. 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.

instant pot duo nova

This is useful when you’re doing a natural release. The Duo Nova for all sizes does not include the Cake Setting, egg, or pasteurize features if you’re interested in that particular smart program. But don’t worry as you can still make hard-boiled eggs using the steam setting and cakes in any size Duo Nova by using the pressure cook setting and adjusting the time. I would love to know your recommendation for a 6 qt Instant Pot.

Most recipes online are written for 6-quart pressure cookers. You may need to add more liquid for some recipes with 8-quarts and larger. So if you feel really nervous about going off recipe, I’d recommend using a 6-quart. Some of the design requirements of pressure cookers almost inevitably lead to some cleaning challenges.

Instant Pot Duo Crisp 8-quart Pressure Cooker and Air Fryer. If you don’t have a lot of space in your kitchen, this 8-quart is two great appliances in one. Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot Duo Gourmet, whichever is better priced when you’re ready to buy .

I’m using my Instant Pot Duo Nova for third time. Pork loin roast three times was okay, chicken thighs tasted like boiled chicken even with spices. Possibly your instructions will move the needle a bit for me. The Steam Release Handle has to be manually moved to the Sealing position when the Instant Pot is closed.

The Duo, Lux, Nova, Viva, Smart Wifi do not have a Start button. Instead, once you program the Instant Pot, it automatically starts after a few seconds. Some other models such as Ultra, Duo Evo Plus, and Max require you to press Start after programming the Instant Pot. The Steam Release Valve– a safety mechanism that allows steam to escape and maintains the correct pressure level. It sits loosely on the lid and can be removed to be cleaned. Ensure anti-block shield, float valve, and steam release pipe are clean and not clogged.

The first few times, you may find it difficult to remove the sealing ring but after a few uses, it should stretch out a bit. Steam Release Button – allows a manual release of pressure from the Instant Pot Nova. The Steam Release Button automatically pops up when the Instant Pot Nova lid is opened or closed. Condensation Collector – catches drips from condensation on the lid; attaches onto the back of the base unit. The condensation collector can be washed in the top rack of the dishwasher or by hand.