Instant Pot Duo Plus V4 Review

It seems like every time we blink; Instant Pot is pushing out a new version of the Duo Plus V4. It sometimes can be a challenge to keep up with all the latest nuances; however, we feel these small tweaks are exactly what sets the Duo Plus apart from many of the other products we've tested. In each version, we see consistent evolution that is more than just a cosmetic makeover. This latest version of the Duo Plus is no different. The new safety features and a streamlined, straightforward control panel helped it to maintain its perch at the top of our list.

Performance Comparison

User Friendliness

An updated and more straightforward control panel, and some improved structural features, greatly improve this newest version of the Instant Pot Duo Plus. We love the changes enough that we gave the Duo Plus a perfect score for user-friendliness.

At the top of our list is the Duo Plus's new LCD screen, which dons a more easy-to-read dark mode. We feel the screen has more crisp clarity and is straightforward. The information on the screen stands out against the black background, making smaller words even more decipherable. We also love the helpful status messages on the LCD screen to relay pertinent information about the cooker or the cooking process. Single-word messages help alert the user to key stages of the cycle, as well as possible complications.

The anti-spin pot is another one of the Duo Plus's customer-centered features. Four pads on the cooker's interior wall prevent the liner pot from spinning while you blend ingredients or stir sauteing vegetables. New indicator graphics on the control panel show exactly what stage the cooker is in while it moves through the cooking process. These easy-to-read graphics advance from “preheat” to “cooking” to “keep warm”. They help budding chefs make fewer mistakes by offering a much clearer picture of the overall meal status. Additionally, these offer an extra layer of safety by indicating when the cooker is under the greatest amount of heat and pressure.

An entirely new steam-release valve makes depressurizing the Duo Plus much quieter and safer. We think the new design is simple but brilliant. The product's main handle now completely separates the steam valve from the release button. We feel this is an excellent design that naturally shields fingers and hands. Additionally, we feel the new WhisperQuiet valve system effectively defuses the stream for a much quieter depressurization.

Cooking Performance

We feel the Duo Plus excels at cooking meat. The cooker performed well in all of our cooking tests but particularly well at pressure cooking ribs.

The Duo Plus produced restaurant-quality meat that fell off the bone. The ribs were juicy and delicious! We use the same rib test on all of our products, and in comparison, the Duo Plus produced some of the best ribs we've tasted in recent years of testing.

We gave the Duo Plus a thumbs up on its ability to cook rice. Although not perfect, we were still very pleased with the product's capacity to whip up a good batch. If forced to be nitpicky, we'd probably say the rice was slightly too moist. Otherwise, it was delicious and very acceptable.

The Duo Plus received its lowest marks during our saute tests, but in the end, it garnered better results than we anticipated. Initially, we sauteed our vegetables at higher temperatures. This caused the oil to burn the garlic, as well as some of the carrots. In addition to being a little scorched, many of the vegetables were still a bit uncooked. Concerned with the results, we opted to saute a new batch on lower heat and experienced better results. Overall, we feel the Duo Plus sautees adequately with a little trial and error. On our own time, we also tried steam-cooking potatoes and sauteing some beef. We were very pleased with our results on both.

Ease of Cleaning

All of the Duo Plus's key components are dishwasher safe and include a stainless steel cooking pot and an entire lid assembly. This alone makes cleanup a breeze. Although, we were a little unhappy with the stainless steel pot. Sauteing often creates stains or scorch marks on the bottom of the pot. Despite a valiant effort and a lot of suds, soaking, and scrubbing, the stains appear to be permanent.

Cooking Features

A combination of top-notch cooking functions and good to excellent results on cooking quality persuaded us to award the Duo Plus an excellent score in our cooking features metric. This cooker is chock full of cooking options, and it can load many personalized, preset cooking functions as well.

The Duo Plus is a 6-quart, 9-in-1 cooker. It cooks up to six servings and is a great choice for families. In addition to being an impeccable pressure cooker, this product also offers eight other cooking modes which include: slow cooker, rice, steam, sauté, yogurt, sous vide, cake and keep warm. This model ships with two lid gaskets which can be swapped out for different recipes to avoid cross-contaminating food with different flavors or smells. We also love the Instant Brands smartphone app. It allows users to search for recipes, save cooking ideas, find product information, and connect with other Instant Pot owners.

Should You Buy the Instant Pot Duo Plus V4?

The Instant Pot Duo Plus V4 is one of our favorite pressure cookers because it did well across each metric. It is a pure-blooded pressure cooker that offers terrific results. If you are consistently cooking for four to six people, the Duo Plus will allow you to prepare meals more easily. It will also allow you to consolidate many cooking appliances into one product. If you want superior quality and above-average cooking performance, this cooker is one of the best on the market. It also is available in an 8-quart model.

What Other Pressure Cooker Should You Consider?

If you like the idea of consolidating your cooking appliances but are looking for more features than the Duo Plus can offer, we think you should study up on the Ninja Foodi Smart XL. It's an 8-quart all-in-one unit that does everything the Duo Plus can do, but it's also an air-fryer and dehydrator. If you like the idea of a bargain but want a trusted model, take a look at the Presto 02141.