Instant Pot IP-DUO60 vs IP-LUX60

So, you’re going to purchase an electric pressure cooker, and you’ve narrowed your search down to instant pot ip-lux60 vs. ip-duo60.  We were happy to use the ip-duo60 for over a year (almost four years now). It is an excellent machine and happens to be the one that we recommend.

But the truth is that both of these machines are very capable of producing excellent results.  You probably want a little more insight about the features and specs to decide which one will compliment your kitchen and family needs most.

With a pressure cooker, you can infuse your favorite meals with lots of flavor in a short time. They aren’t costly either. Unfortunately, neither of the pressure cookers in the instant pot IP-DUO60 vs. IP-LUX60 will break the bank.

We researched these two multi-cookers thoroughly, and by the end of this article, you will have enough info to make a confident purchase decision.  Read on below.

Click here to check reviews and ratings for the IP-Duo60

Click here to check reviews and ratings for the IP-Lux60

IP-DUO60 vs IP-LUX60: A Battle of Good vs Better?

Other pressure cooker comparisons you might want to consider:

• Instant pot vs power pressure cooker
• Instant pot vs cuisinart pressure cooker
• Cuckoo CRP-HV0667F IH Pressure Rice Cooker
• Zojirushi NS-LAC05XT Rice Cooker Review

Some of the best foods are prepared low and slow, like hickory-smoked beef ribs and slow-cooked lamb shanks. Yeah, I’ll admit it, my mouth started to water when I typed that. But, conversely, pressure cookers produce great-tasting food in much less time. In addition, cooking times can be reduced by 70% when using pressure cooking compared to other cooking methods. Enter the instant pot.

I have to admit, increasingly, I’m growing weary of hyped-up, as-see-on-tv sounding products, like the NuWave 20633 oven. Thus I was initially turned off when I heard the “instant pot” name. However, after visiting the website, I was impressed that it wasn’t over-hyped at all.  I found it to be more informative than “salesy.”

Good for your health

Instant Pot IP-Duo60 – Notice how large the LCD screen is compared to the lux60.

Pressure cooking is a  quicker and healthier way to cook food (depending on what food you cook) without sacrificing taste. For example, when you cook vegetables in the microwave, while quick, they taste sub-par.  Also, when you boil veggies, you are going to lose nutrients.  The pressure cooker will get your veggies done in a matter of minutes without losing nutrients or flavor.

The longer an appliance is in use, the more energy it consumes.  Both of these machines can cut the cooking times by 70%.

More than a Pressure Cooker

One of the most significant differences with the instant pot 7-in-1 vs. 6-in-1 is the functions. These machines don’t just pressure cook. They do many things.  The IP-Duo60 is a 7-in-1 multiple cooker: pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, saute/browning, yogurt maker, steamer & warmer. The IP-Lux60 is a 6-in-1 multi-cooker and can perform the same cooking functions as the Duo60 except for yogurt making.  The yogurt maker option is fantastic and is one of the biggest difference-makers between the two.

PSI

Pressure level determines the speed at which your food will cook. The Duo has a high setting and a low setting, while the Lux has just a high setting. Also, some recipes, i.e., ones with fish or vegetables, may call for a lower setting. This feature is a massive plus for duo60.

IP Lux60 – Click here to check out customer reviews and ratings

IP Duo60 – Click here to check out customer reviews and ratings

Performance. Technology. Safety.

Both of these instant pots have a timer and delay functionality. You can delay the cooking time by up to 24 hours. In addition, the keep-warm setting automatically starts once your food is done, this allows you to, for example, your chili can cook while you are at work, and it will be warm when you get home.

Both the IP-Lux60 and IP-Duo60 have microprocessors that measure the heat and pressure throughout the pot.  This results in meals that are cooked more evenly.

They will perform just about the same. However, you get more buttons and additional convenient features with the IP-Duo60, i.e., the lid holder.

Both of these multi-cookers have 10 safety features.

Design

As the same manufacturer produces these pressure cookers, there is little to differentiate between them in the looks department.  In fact, at first glance, they are identical. However, a closer look reveals some minor differences in design. 

You might notice that the duo has slots or openings at the top of the machine base. These lid holders are also known as fins. This feature allows you to actually fit the lid onto the machine body (as pictured above). This is a very convenient feature because it allows the lid to sit when you remove it from the base. This prevents condensation and food particles from leaking onto your countertop when you remove the lid. While this may seem small, this feature really comes in handy when we use our cooker.

Other Little Differences

The Duo60 comes with a condensation collector, programmable keep warm up to 99 hours (compared to 10 for the Lux60), and a cord rack. We always rack the cord when we finish using our machine, emptying the condensation collector. Though not necessary, these are convenient features though not necessary – I don’t think most folks would need a 99 hour to keep warm function.

	Instant Pot Duo-60	Instant Pot Lux-60
Color:	black and stainless	black and stainless
Cooking Functions:	soup, meat/stew, bean/chili, poultry, rice, multigrain, porridge, steam, slow cook, saute, yogurt	soup, meat/stew, bean/chili, poultry, rice, multigrain, porridge, steam, slow cook, saute,
PSI:	High (10.2 -11.6 psi) Low (5.8 - 7.2 psi)	High (10.2 - 11.6 psi)
Delay Timer:	Yes	Yes
Pressure Canner	No	No
Yogurt Maker :	Yes	No
Keep Warm:	Yes	Yes
Lid Holder:	Yes	No
Inner Pot:	stainless steel	stainless steel
Watts:	1000w	1000w
Cord Rack:	Yes	No
Condensation Collector:	Yes	No
Warranty:	1 year warranty	1 year warranty
Price:	click here to check price	click here to check price
Built-in Programs:	14	10

Instant Pot IP-DUO60 vs IP-LUX60: Customers Weigh In

After looking over many reviews, I am confident that these pressure cookers are quality machines. Many customers compliment these machines for their performance and ease of use. Based on what the customers say, you should be satisfied with your results too. But don’t take my word for it. Make sure that you read some of the customer reviews before you make a decision.

Other Pressure Cookers to Consider

We came across several other great options while researching these electric pressure cookers. Below, you will find quick info to help you make a great choice for yourself and your family.

Note: The main difference between Duo and Lux models is that the Duo can perform both high and low-pressure cooking. In contrast, the Lux performs just high-pressure cooking. Newly released versions of these machines have different presets, i.e., the new Lux60 V3 has both an egg cooking and cake making preset. The numbers you see in the model name denotes the capacity, i.e., the duo60 is a 6-quart capacity pressure cooker. Duo’s have 14 built-in programs compared to 10 for Lux models.

vs Instant Pot IP-Duo50

The instant pot ip-duo50 is another great option if you have a smaller family. The main difference between this model versus the duo60 or lux60 is that it has a five-quart capacity than a six-quart capacity. Like the duo-60, it is a 7-in-1 machine and has high or low pressure. It can do everything that the duo60 can, including make yogurt. Despite the smaller capacity, this model won’t save you much space on your countertop. Most modern electric pressure cookers that I’ve come across are around the same size. See more details

vs Instant Pot IP-Lux50

The lux50 and the Lux60 are very similar with one difference: it has a five-quart capacity compare to six. Like the lux60, the lux50 has 10 built-in smart programs compared to 14 for the duo60 or 50. And like the other lux models, it doesn’t come with convenient lid holders located at the top of the machine to prevent condensation from dripping. Depending on your budget, feature, and/or capacity needs/preferences, this model could be just right for you. The lux-50 is rated at 900-watts, while the others on this page are 1000-watts or higher (see instant pot duo80). See more details

vs Instant Pot IP-Duo60-enw

The instant pot ip-duo60-enw is pretty similar to the other “duo” machines on this page. The “duo” line of instant pots is the same, for the most part. They are all capable of high or low-pressure cooking.

Usually, the only thing that changes is the cooking capacity. When it first came out, this model was only available at Walmart, and it had some small features exclusive to it. However, this is no longer the case. Now, the ENW and regular Duo models have all the same features except one; the detachable power cord. 

The ip-duo60-enw is different because it has a three-pronged removable cord. What is the benefit of a removable cord, you might ask? Well, there are at least a couple. For one, cords can get in the way when cleaning.

It’s a little easier to store an appliance with a removable cord. Also, this is a big one. If the cord gets damaged, you can buy a new one instead of replacing the entire unit. See more details

vs Instant Pot IP-DuoSmart Bluetooth

The instant pot ip-smart is a Bluetooth-enabled electric pressure cooker. It has features (some might deem unnecessary) that none of the other cookers on this page possess. This is the premium model pressure cooker, if there is such a thing. The Bluetooth functionality allows you to program the cooker from your smartphone or tablet.

With it comes a free app that allows to program complex cooking steps. You can also share your recipes with friends. Instant pot specializes in incremental upgrades. With the ip-smart, you also get three keep warm temperature options. If you like to stay up on the latest technology, perhaps this is the model for you. See more details

vs Instant Pot IP-Duo80

The instant pot ip-duo80 is the latest and largest capacity offering from the instant pot line of pressure cookers. It is an 8-quart capacity gargantuan. A size that could accommodate a small army or at least a huge family. This is perfect if you entertain often. This behemoth will also use a bit more power when in operation as it is a 1200-watt machine.

The others on this page are 1000-watt electric pressure cookers (except for the 900-watt ip-lux50). Like the other models in the duo line, you get both high and low pressure. The duo-80 comes with the latest 3rd generation technology – an embedded microchip that monitors the pressure and adjusts the temp. See more details

Updated Model Versions:

Lux60 V2 and V3

They made some pretty big upgrades to the Lux60 over two different versions. The V2 was made for incremental improvements over the Lux60, and the V3 was built on that base. You might still be able to find the original and version 2 offerings out there, but the V3 is the superior machine. If you go with the V2 or V3, you’ll enjoy the following benefits over the original Lux60:

• Up to 240 minutes of pressure cooking time compared to 120
• You can disable the keep warm function
• You can adjust the slow cooker temperature
• It is programmed to remember custom time, temp, and pressure settings
• You can turn off the audible (I have to admit the beep can be a bit annoying)
• Cake preset (V3 only)
• Egg preset (V3 only)
• Soup/Broth (V3 only) – “soup” was a preset on the original version. The addition of “broth” is being marketing towards those whom would like to use a pressure cooker to make bone broth.

Note: The cake preset is best for New York-style cheesecake, and the egg preset has programmed cooking times for soft, medium, and hard-boiled eggs. And with the extended pressure cooking time, you can make bone broth in the Lux 60 V3.

Summary

Update: We bought the Instant Pot IP-Duo-60 electric pressure cooker (if you want more details, you can check them out at that link). And it is definitely a convenient, low-cost, quick alternative to oven and stovetop cooking. At this point, we’ve had this machine for over a year, using it very regularly.

Just the other day (1/8/2016), we used it to pressure cook smoked turkey wings for greens. In 40 minutes, they were fall off the bone tender. This would have taken 2 to 3 hours on the stovetop.

Most of the differences in the IP-DUO60 vs. IP-LUX60 battle are subtle, making them nearly indistinguishable at first sight.

The biggest differences are pressure settings, price, convenience (the lid holder really comes in handy), and yogurt maker function. The duo-60 will most likely cost more when you purchase it (although a sale could change that). The duo also has two pressure settings compared with one for the lux-60. With a lid, it is more convenient. And some folks might really like that the instant pot duo-60 comes with a yogurt-making function.

Although the Lux60 is a great machine, we went with the instant pot-ip-duo60. I think that the additional features and convenience are worth the price difference.

Finally, an Instant Pot pressure cooker is a bit of an investment. It will save you time and money. But you probably don’t want to pay more for one than you have to…

Instant Pot IP-Duo60 – Click here to check the price

Instant Pot IP-Lux60 – Click here to check the price