Comparison of Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus Vs Ultra Multi-Cookers

If you love cooking and you need to prepare quick dishes, the chances are that you already have a pressure cooker.

If it’s a little old, the good news is that pressure cooker technology has really advanced in recent years.

The Instant Pot line is one of the most popular, but which model should you choose for your cooking needs? Out of the Duo Evo Plus and the Ultra models, which one will offer you exactly what you need?

In this article we will be discussing the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus and the Ultra models in a side-by-side comparison to help you out if you are considering buying one of these two great cooking appliances. 

Quick Recommendation

• The Duo Evo Plus is probably the best choice currently for a family that wants to cook regular food quickly and easily (by “regular” we mean non-fancy food recipes that don’t require much customization).
• If you are a home chef that wants complete control and customization of your cooking recipes etc, the Instant Pot Ultra is a better choice because of its “Ultra” program which allows complete custom programming when cooking.

Brief Review of Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus

The Duo Evo Plus model is the new generation of the successful Duo series and was introduced to the market in late 2019.

There are several models in the Duo series such as the Duo, Duo Nova, Duo Crisp, Duo Plus and Duo Evo Plus. In this article we will be discussing the Evo Plus device.

Like others in the Instant Pot range, the Duo Evo Plus is a multi-use pressure cooker. Just like all of the other models, it incorporates the latest technology to make things easier for you.

It’s an upgrade to the very popular Duo plus model and adds some extra functions and enhancements to make it even more attractive.

The Duo Evo Plus is a ten-in-one pressure cooker. This means its like having ten different cooking appliances in one box.

It supports 10 different modes of operation such as pressure cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, yogurt maker, steamer, sous vide, sauté, food warmer, cake maker, and stock pot.

You can cook foods such as rice, yogurt, stews, beef, pork, and so on. You can even steam. In fact, the Duo Evo Plus is one of the most popular in the Instant Pot range, in large part because it offers a very good price to performance ratio. In this sense, it’s attractively priced, and this makes it a winner for many people.

Here’s what many people love about the Duo Evo Plus:

• An attractive price point for a modern pressure cooker that can do so much.
• People enjoy the ten separate cooking functions and the 48 preset cooking programs, making it flexible for most circumstances in most regular kitchens.
• Its more powerful compared to older models. Its heating element is 1200 Watts compared to 1000 Watts of other models. This allows it to cook up to 70% faster.
• The control buttons are easily accessible and clearly labeled. There is an enhanced display on this model.
• The pot itself is made of durable stainless steel and excellent food-grade material, so it will last for years.

For those who want lots of information on the readout, the Duo Evo Plus is a step up from the Duo models. There is even a cooking progress indicator, but for home chefs who need more, the Ultra model shows more information and also allows more customizations in the cooking recipes.

Despite some of the downsides, the Duo Evo Plus is an innovative and modern pressure multi-cooker.

It would definitely be suitable for most types of home kitchens where regular usage is required. The attractive price and enhanced features (such as more powerful heating element) make it an even better value.

Brief Review of Instant Pot Ultra

While the Duo Evo Plus is great for most applications (with its 48 preset cooking programs), the Ultra takes it a few steps further.

The first thing that you’ll notice is that the Ultra model allows for full customization of your cooking recipes with the “Ultra” mode of operation.

Moreover, the controls and the electronic display are easy to read from a distance and they provide more information clearly laid out.

In short, the display is pretty eye-catching and definitely beats the Duo Evo Plus in this regard.

There are also some added functions, including a sterilization setting. That makes it a cinch to sterilize baby bottles, for example.

You can also set the Ultra to cook eggs and cakes, making it the ideal solution for people who love to bake a lot at home.

The Ultra can also be set to cook in non-pressure mode using the Ultra programming mode, making it a very flexible unit as we’ve mentioned above.

Here’s what many people love about the Instant Pot Ultra:

• With 10 cooking functions, including sterilization, the Instant Pot Ultra is an excellent choice for people who cook a lot or love to be “home chefs”.
• The readout is bigger, provides lots of information at a glance, looks very attractive, and is easy to read at a distance.
• The pressure valve is auto release rather than manual, unlike less expensive models in the range.
• The Instant Pot Ultra features an “ultra” program function, which allows you to accurately control and set the temperature, thus cooking with more flexibility.
• Features Temperature control and Stress mode.
• The cooker can adapt to your elevation above sea level for maximum safety control

The higher price of the Instant Pot Ultra is definitely not for everyone, and it will be a personal choice as to whether the extra money justifies the extra cooking functions and some of the other features.

Let’s face it, the price of the Ultra model is going to be a lot for some people on a budget. It’s also less intuitive to use, and this could be an issue.

One function that many people would likely not use is the altitude mode. In this mode, it’s possible to set the pressure of the cooker to accommodate for cooking at higher or lower altitudes. If you take your pressure cooker with you to different places, this could be useful.

Despite the higher price and the complexity, the Instant Pot Ultra is one heck of a good modern pressure cooker. If you want more customization and flexibility in your cooking endeavors, the Ultra is a great choice.

Comparison Between Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus Vs Ultra

Both the Duo Evo Plus and the Instant Pot Ultra are not that distant from one another in terms of what features are offered, but the choice you make really comes down to what you need. Here’s a breakdown of the differences and similarities:

• Both devices feature ten cooking functions into one appliance.
• The Duo Evo Plus features 10 smart programs in total, and the Ultra features up to 16.
• The Duo Evo Plus comes in two sizes of 6 and 8 Quart while the Ultra comes in 3 sizes (3, 6, 8 Quart).
• The heating element of the Duo Evo Plus is more powerful compared to that of Ultra (1200w compared to 1000w).
• Both the Due Evo Plus and Instant Pot Ultra cook between two and six times faster than most other pressure cookers on the market.
• The Ultra has an altitude mode for when you are cooking at higher altitudes and need to adjust pressure for safety reasons
• The Duo Evo plus is cheaper compared to Ultra.
• The Duo Evo Plus has 48 preset programs but does not support custom programming.
• On the other hand, the Ultra does have custom programming with the “Ultra” mode.
• Both cookers can prepare most foods, such as rice, chili, steam, and so on, but only the Ultra can cook in non-pressure mode.
• Both models have a nice readout and display, but the Ultra has a larger interface overall.

What Do People Say About the Duo Evo Plus?

Lots of people like the familiar upgrade from the Duo model and enjoy the simplicity of functionality. For many people new to the world of pressure cooking at home, this model has been a positive experience.

Overall, the Evo Plus is a great value-for-money option.

What Do People Say About the Instant Pot Ultra?

Most customers love the larger display of the Ultra model, especially if they have been used to using a lower grade unit. They also like the precise temperature control and the included smart programs.

If you are a Pro Chef or a person who wants to cook fancy and complex recipes at home, the Ultra is a better choice because of its custom programming capabilities. 

Final Verdict

Pressure cookers technology has really advanced in recent years, and modern cookers are now more affordable than ever before. The Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus and the Instant Pot Ultra represent the best of modern pressure cooking for the home chef or cooking enthusiast.

The Duo Evo Plus is a great buy because it’s so flexible without being overly complex. Having said that, it probably won’t be suitable for the home chef or for the person who cooks a lot and needs the extra customization and flexibility in cooking. This is where the Instant Pot Ultra is likely the slightly better buy.

If you don’t need to create custom recipes of fancy food at home but just need a great and easy-to-learn cooker, then get the Evo Plus (Check Latest Price and Reviews Here).

On the other hand, if you want more cooking customization with advanced custom programming and for creating your own recipes, then get the Instant Pot Ultra (Check Latest Price and Reviews Here).