The Instant Pot Duo Nova is the second edition pressure cooker in the Duo range. Compared to the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus, which we reviewed in our best Instant Pots buying guide, the Duo Nova is more compact. That’s because it acts like seven different kitchen gadgets in one. It’s available in four different sizes, which is ideal if you have a small kitchen and storage is a problem or if you are trying to keep costs down.
Instant Pot Duo Nova: Features
The Instant Pot Duo Nova is marketed as being seven cooking appliances in one machine. That’s because it has a range of different functions including being able to pressure cook, steam, cook rice, slow cook, sauté, warm food, and it can even make yogurt. The Instant Pot Duo Nova also includes a number of one-touch presets which will help you cook a number of different foods easier than ever before. This includes being able to cook foods like porridge, soup, meat, and rice. It has a total of 13 customizable programs, so you can adjust the times and temperatures to cook your meals to your ideal level of doneness.
Like many of the other Instant Pots, the Duo Nova comes with a ‘keep warm’ function. It also has more than 10 safety measures. This includes its easy-seal smart lid, which ensures that the lid of the pot is sealed tight. This is an upgrade to the brand’s first edition in this range, the Duo. It also has a steam release function which helps relieve the pressure safely.
While it is cheaper than some other Instant Pots, the Duo Nova doesn’t have an air fryer function and it also doesn’t have as many functions as other models either. If you’d like even more choice in cooking settings, head to our Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus review.
Instant Pot Duo Nova: Design and accessories
The Instant Pot Duo Nova has a reasonably-sized LED display so you can adjust the time, temperature, and setting really easily. This LED display also shows you how long left your food has until it’s cooked.
The Duo Nova is made from stainless steel and is round in its shape. The actual cooking pot is dishwasher-friendly. The kitchen gadget also comes with another seal ring, should you need it, and a steam rack.
Instant Pot Duo Nova: Performance and size
Like most of the Instant Pots, the Duo Nova can cook food up to 70% faster. It’s available in four different sizes. You can purchase it in the three, six, eight, and 10-quart sizes. This is ideal whatever the size of your household. It’s also a great option if you like to batch cook and plan ahead with your meals.
According to the brand, quart size reflects how many people you can feed. For example, the three-quart size will feed three people. If you regularly cook for the entire family, the 10-quart size allows you to meal prep and feed large crowds.
The Duo Nova 8-quart option has 1200 watts of power. It weighs 15.6 pounds. It has a width of 13.6 inches and a height of 14 inches. Just like all other Instant Pot models, it has a warranty of 12 months.
Instant Pot Duo Nova: User reviews
On Amazon, the Instant Pot Duo Nova is currently ranked as a bestseller for electric pressure cookers. It’s got a 4.7-star rating from its 159,000 reviews.
A user described it as ‘the perfect tiny living appliance’ thanks to its options to sauté, stew, bake and cook food on high pressures. The same user also commented about the ease of being able to reheat dinners by using the keep warm function. Another user claimed that the device has ‘changed’ her life by helping her to cut down on her food expenses and food waste whilst renewing her passion for cooking.
On the flip side, one purchaser of this Instant Pot said after attempting to cook food for 15 minutes the entire machine was in smoke. Another ‘very disappointed’ customer said they had the device for a year, but since then, the light works but they don’t get any heat.
Should you buy the Instant Pot Duo Nova?
The Instant Pot Duo Nova is a great choice if this is your first time delving into multi-cookers. We say this because it offers a great entry point into the pressure-cooking market as it's easy to use. It’s really good value for money, and you essentially get seven cooking gadgets in one. This includes a sauté cooker, pressure cooker, steamer, rice cooker, food warmer, and slow cooker, not to mention a yogurt maker. What this machine does lack, however, is an air fryer function. If that’s important to you, check out the Instant Pot Duo Crisp review.
