Instant Pot Duo
Tested as the 6-quart Duo; also sold in 3-quart and 8-quart sizes, plus Duo+ and Pro upgrades
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▶ From a video review of this product
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- Extra Functions
- Sauté, slow cook, rice, yogurt, steam; no air fryer
- Reported Reliability
- Many owners at 7 to 10+ years with no parts replaced; occasional misses on new units
Why it ranks here. The pot that made this category, and still the default answer in every thread. A nurse calls it a game changer: home from a shift, a pound of frozen beef goes in, and dinner is ready half an hour later. A four-year owner has not bought a can of soup since, an 81-year-old with sixty years on a stovetop cooker calls it very safe, and owners are past ten years with no parts replaced. On Reddit the advice is consistent: the extras are gimmicks, buy the plain Duo, which has proven more reliable than the pricier Pro.
Rice is the weak function, and many owners hand that job to a rice cooker. The side walls are thin enough to dent if crammed into a tight cupboard. One new unit arrived reeking of plastic with a strip of silicone poking out. Older units were built slightly better, so check the classifieds.
What owners like
- Tenderises cheap cuts fast
- A decade with no parts replaced
- Plain Duo beats the Pro
What owners complain about
- Weak rice
- Thin walls dent
- Occasional quality misses
“As a nurse i can say it is a game changer for me. I used to feed my family food i made on my days off after prepping for a few hours. Now i can get home from work, throw in a pound of frozen ground beef, get a shower without a care, and serve dinner about 30 minutes later (i have the 1st gen instant pot duo for a couple of years)” — YouTube comment · boatchild1 · 2021-01-13
10 positive · 4 mixed · 1 negative · 15 voices · ✓ all 15 linked to source
Read all 15 quotes (15 voices)
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I'm 81 years old and I have a stove top pressure cooker, which I have had for over 60 years. I bought an instant pot, which I absolutely love. I have made soups, stews, dried beans, etc. it cuts down on the amount of time spent in the kitchen. ... It is very safe cooker. I have two of them, one 8 quart and a three quart for those times that I am cooking small amount of food.
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One thing not mentioned that I have observed: electrical cost. ... There is a real visible usage spike on the day when I use my oven. When using the instapot, it is much lower. ... not a fan of it's rice cooking ability (still prefer a stovetop personally).
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I have owned my Instant Pot for over four years now and I use it usually twice a week. I love how tender it cooks various meats especially the traditionally tougher cuts. ... I haven't had to buy a single can of soup since I purchased my Instant Pot.
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I've had an Instant Pot for a little over two years now, and I love it. I'm 90 years old, with decades of cooking behind me, and this little pot has me wishing I'd had it long long ago. ... I would take issue with your method of cooking rice. Why soak it first? Rinse it well, dump it in the pot, and add water, 1 cup for 1 cup-- perfect rice every time.
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I've had mine for over 3 years, and I still use it at least once a week. It's a marvelous device - I use it for soups, stews, making stock, chili, and loads of other things, but never rice (I have a rice cooker for that). Worth every penny in my book.
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As a nurse i can say it is a game changer for me. I used to feed my family food i made on my days off after prepping for a few hours. Now i can get home from work, throw in a pound of frozen ground beef, get a shower without a care, and serve dinner about 30 minutes later (i have the 1st gen instant pot duo for a couple of years)
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Most of the extra features are gimmicks, so I recommend the DUO. Upgrade from that only if you want yogurt. Instant Pots were a trendy gift a few years ago, so check local classifieds or marketplace as well, especially since the old ones were slightly-better-built.
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Meanwhile my two Instant Pots, a 3qt Duo and an 8qt Pro, have never given me any issues. I would recommend the Duo for your use case of just pressure cooking.
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I've had my 6qt instant pot duo since 2015. I use it for soups, beans, yogurt. Very pleased with it. I got a couple of accessories such as an extra liner, silicone cover & a glass lid for the liner for when I'm frying or slow cooking.
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Bought a brand new instant Pot. Ran the water test and it reeked of plastic smell but it pressurized and did the run. I opened it to inspect thoroughly for any left over packaging material and found this thin piece of silicone sticking out. Should I return it or is this okay?
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My 10+ year old Instant Pot seems to be doing okay. I've never replaced any parts. The little plastic cup on the back broke last night.
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The duo is overall more reliable and I haven't really faced the spinning issue on duo. I rarely lift the inner pot just after cooking it, so I didn't find the need for handles.
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Yeah I had a duo. After years of service it eventually died and I bought the pro. I find the saute far less aggressive and usable on the pro for sure.
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I bought my first pot 2 months ago. ... Broth in 1.5 hours (I count the time needed for steam release), where before I cooked it for 4-5 hours, delicious meat, soft and juicy. ... This device is amazing and I recommend it to everyone.
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I started off with the duo+ crisp. Absolutely changed my life. ... you are absolutely speaking the truth [duo machines side walls are weak and dint ding easy. Get something more sturdy if you are putting it in an rv or need to cram it somewhere tight.]
