Instant Pot Duo Nova, 10-Quart Although there are cook times and plenty of recipes available online, they don’t always work the same for all the Instant Pot models. They’re a good starting point but you’ll need to be comfortable with a bit of trial and error in the first few weeks of using any Instant Pot. Please visit /support/register to register your new Instant Brands™ appliance. When pressure cooking, having a strong seal is absolutely essential for proper cooking and kitchen safety. Although the manual seal on the Instant Pot Duo works fine, the automatic version gives you one less thing to worry about. While the auto sealing knob is great for starting to cook, it’s easier to do a controlled manual release with a Duo as you can tap to release pressure in smaller bursts. This gully almost inevitably gathers some crumbs or condensation or whatnot during the stirring and serving process and can be a bit difficult to clean. Additionally, the quick steam release switch is separate from the steam valve, and ensures you can force the pressure to be released in a safer way. There's also a progress bar on the LCD display screen to indicate the cooking status but these are minimal differences and this is reflected in the similar price tags. 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. 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. Sure, you can find some models that sell for less, but those models generally lack a saute function and thus, sacrifice quite a bit of the convenience that makes pressure cookers so attractive. Instant Pots are smart multi-use electric pressure cookers designed to be dependable, convenient, and most importantly safe kitchen appliances. Not only are you saving counter space, but you’re also spending less money on electricity too. If you love having leftovers, are feeding a big family or entertaining, then the 10-quart option is a good choice for you. 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. 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. 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. 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.