Instant Pot Duo vs Duo Evo Plus: Which pressure cooker is best?

Capacity: 5.7l

Other sizes available: 3l, 8l

Dimensions: 34x31x32cm 

Weight: 5kg

Functions: Pressure cook, slow cook, sauté, steam, keep warm, 

Pre sets: Soup/broth, meat/stew, bean/chilli, rice, porridge, multigrain, yoghurt

Power: 1000w

Manufacturer’s warranty: 12 months

Accessories included: Steam rack with handles

Although the Duo is the most straightforward Instant Pot, there’s still a bit to master if you’ve never used a multi-cooker before. 

We’ll start off by saying that the “instant” part of the name is a bit of a misnomer, in that it can take a while, depending on ingredients, to build momentum to start cooking at pressure. But once the pin on the lid casing pops up, indicating it’s at pressure, the cooking time you’ve selected will start and it’ll count down on the illuminated display.

You can programme your cooker in one of two ways: using the simple buttons for manual settings or the different pre-sets for the likes of stew, poultry or rice. It’s incredibly intuitive and we love that it takes the guess work out of our cooking. It even has “plus or minus” push-button action to work the timings up and down so you can tailor your cooking time around your schedule. Though that may seem a bit tedious, especially if you’re jabbing at the controls to programme a two hour stock, but it’s by far the simplest way of programming any gadget and pretty idiot-proof.

This means that something like a ragu, that could take three hours on the stove, will be outstanding after just an hour in the pot. You’ll never run the risk of over cooking or have to worry about losing track of how long something’s been simmering as the Duo’s display gives a digital read-out of the times programmed and will count down as it begins to pressure cook. Indicators give you info on the level of adjustable pressure or sautéing – when the inner pot heats allowing you to brown meats and sear ingredients. 

Of course in some cases, the key to extremely tasty dishes, certainly with any meat, is to brown or sauté first. We loved that the Duo allows you to fry in the open pot before adding liquid – any excuse to have less washing-up. Be warned though, the basic Duo pot has a tendency to spin as it’s unsecured and you’ll find you may have to use an oven glove or buy silicon grabbers to hold it in position. 

Read more: 8 best food processors that take the hassle out of cooking prep

This stainless steel inner sleeve is basic, with a slightly curved base that fits over the heating element of the main machine casing. This means any oil used for basting will naturally pool at the edges, but as you’re probably stirring as you sauté this isn’t a big issue.

When the pre-programmed time is up, the pot will automatically depressurise silently over time, or you can choose to swivel the valve manually, instantly releasing pressure and steam in a hissing torrent that can be slightly terrifying for the uninitiated.

Read more: 8 best pasta makers that will turn out Nonna-worthy creations

By far one of the best features for this pot though was that it will automatically move on to “keep warm” for up to 10 hours. A real game changer for busy families who may not all be eating at once.  We also loved that the timer function can be used to delay cooking. Meaning we could simply throw in the ingredients for our morning porridge, seal and go (to bed) and by the time we woke up it was all ready and waiting for us.

True, this gadget will take some getting used to, but once you’ve had a play around with it, the Duo will very quickly become a mainstay in your kitchen. It’s well built, easy to take apart and dishwasher friendly and the controls are intuitive, albeit basic. Plus there’s a whole army of Instant Pot fans online who will share tips and tricks, recipes and results with you. And now you can be that boring friend who wants to tell everyone they know about the amazing things an Instant Pot can do.

Capacity: 5.7l

Other sizes available: N/A

Dimensions: 33x 32x32.5cm

Weight: 5.9kg

Functions: Pressure cook, slow cook, sauté steam, sous vide, yoghurt, bake, and rice/grain, keep warm

Pre sets: Custom, white rice, rib, beef, risotto, soup, oatmeal, poultry, pork, multigrain, potato, bean, quinoa, chilli, cake, seafood, pudding, broccoli, egg, brown rice, stew, cheesecake, broth, porridge, pasteurise, sterilise, ferment, proofing

Power: 1200w

Manufacturer’s warranty: 12 months

Accessories included: Steam rack with handles, spare sealing ring

The Duo Evo Plus is the fanciest Instant Pot on the market. Launched in March 2020, it’s £35 more expensive than the basic Duo it has all the bells and whistles an Instant Potter could dream of, but do these extra capabilities justify the price hike?  

There’s certainly lots more scope for gastronomic adventure with this model. Using the same principles as the Duo, it can sauté if required, before liquid is added and pressure is reached to cook your dish. The basics are different in that the design of the pot makes the process slightly more user friendly.

There’s no need to set the sealing valve manually as it will close automatically. Likewise when it’s time to release pressure, a simple flick of a switch set away from the jet of steam may make please more timid beginners who wouldn’t relish turning the valve on the top of the Duo.

The display is the first thing you’ll notice; in contrast to the Duo, the Duo Evo Plus has a large, modern, blue-tinged display with white digits with a massive list of pre-sets to scroll through using the dial control for fast programming. There are also indicators to show the pot heating up to pressure and then cooking, with an additional temperature display for food being kept warm.

From broccoli to brown rice, if you trust this model to know what’s best for your ingredients, you’ll get brilliant results every time as it automatically sets the time and temperature, as with the Duo.

Read more: 9 best microwaves for quick and easy cooking

Sous vide is a stand out upgrade on this version. The pot will heat the water to the optimum temperature to drop (your own) vacuum-sealed bags into a water bath for a pre-set time. Once you’ve used this to prep steaks before flash grilling or barbecuing, you won’t go back.

The inner pot on the Duo Evo Plus is one of the main advantages of choosing this model; It’s a step ahead in terms of the grade of steel and overall quality. Flat based, it can be used on the hob (even inductions) for an even higher-heat sear or gentle reheating. The biggest plus point, however, is that this version has “wing” handles that slot into the casing, holding it in place as you stir. 

The constant twirling of the unsecured pot in the cheaper Duo model can get annoying, especially as deglazing the pot before setting it to pressure cook is essential. Any overcooking of food reside on the bottom of the pot will result in the dreaded “burn” readout and automatic switch-off.

The sealing ring – a silicone circle that sits inside the steel lid of the pot – can be difficult to de-whiff if you’ve been cooking curries, chilli’s and the like. Moving on to cooking a more delicate dish afterwards can result in tinged results, so luckily, there’s a spare red sealing ring included with the Evo Duo Plus. It’s very easy to remove and replace while the other ring is soaking. (PS Milton sterilising fluid is great for this).

The long handled steaming rack lifts ingredients or pot-friendly dishes off the base, but there’s nothing fancier about the Duo Evo Plus version. We’d have liked to see a few more silicon accessories thrown in, but there’s a range available separately on the Instant Pot site.