In the world of electric pressure cookers with multiple functionalities, the Instant Pot brand is quite popular. They come with a varied offer of multicookers and series of products (such as the IP-DUO and others) that are both affordable and reliable.
On the other hand, Breville is well-known in the world of kitchen appliances as they produce a wide array of appliances from toasters, to mixers, to cookers. While their offer of multicookers is not as varied as Instant Pot’s, the Fast Slow Pro is quite an impressive product.
As such, we consider only fair to run the Instant Pot vs Breville Fast Slow Pro comparison, where we compare the high-end Fast Slow Pro cooker with the extremely popular IP-DUO 60. Below you can read the reviews and understand more about each pot.
Table of Contents
DUO vs Fast Slow Pro Comparison Table
Instant Pot DUO 60 Review
The Instant Pot DUO 60 is part of the DUO 7-in-1 series, which offers three different sizes: the 3qt, 6qt, and 8qt. Now, since the 6qt version is wildly popular among amateur and professional chefs, I decided to use this pot for the review. Still, the features discussed here remain the same for the Mini (3qt) and the IP-DUO 80 (8qt) versions.
As a multicooker, the Instant Pot replaces seven appliances in the kitchen. As such, if you decide to buy it, you’ll have a pressure cooker, a rice cooker, a sauté dish, a steamer, a yogurt maker, a slow cooker, and a warmer.
The device is medium in size and comes with an attached lid that’s equipped with a steam release valve (operated manually) and several safety mechanisms. On the inside, you’ll find a pot made from food-grade stainless steel with a non-stick surface. The pot also comes with several accessories (steam rack with handles, serving spoon, soup spoon, and measuring cup) that can be cleaned in the dishwasher.
Everything is controlled using the front panel, which is fitted with an LCD screen that displays the time and some of the most important settings (pressure and temperature). The adjustments and selection of one of the 14 built-in smart programs are made using the available and one-touch buttons.
Furthermore, to make sure everything goes smoothly, the pot is designed with 10 safety mechanisms and the entire process is monitored by an embedded microprocessor. The microprocessor uses the latest technology to adjusts heating intensity and duration to achieve the best results without losing any flavor or nutrients.
Instant Pot DUO speeds cooking with up to 70% and helps you save time and energy while bringing culinary variety into your life (there are lots of cool recipes you can try).
Pros
- Three sizes for different households
- User-friendly control panel
- Easy access to settings
- 24h Delay Cooking functionality
- Adjustable temperature settings
- Helps create delicious and nutritious foods
- Speeds up cooking with up to 70%
- Replaces seven kitchen appliances
- Easy to clean
- Uses the latest technology to monitor the cooking process
- 10 safety mechanisms
- Great value for the money
Cons
- The seal ring retains some smells
- The steam release valve is operated manually
- The cable could have been a bit longer
- 7-IN-1 FUNCTIONALITY: Pressure cook, slow cook, rice cooker, yogurt maker, steamer, sauté pan and food warmer.
- QUICK ONE-TOUCH COOKING: 13 customizable Smart Programs for pressure cooking ribs, soups, beans, rice, poultry, yogurt, desserts and more.
- COOK FAST OR SLOW: Pressure cook delicious one-pot meals up to 70% faster than traditional cooking methods or slow cook your favorite traditional recipes – just like grandma used to make.
- QUICK AND EASY CLEAN UP: Finger-print resistant, stainless-steel sides and dishwasher-safe lid, inner pot, and accessories.
- SAFETY FEATURES: Includes over 10 safety features, plus overheat protection and safe-locking lid
Breville Fast Slow Pro Review
As the name says, this product unites a pressure (for fast cooking) and a slow cooker in one 6qt pot. Unlike the IP-DUO, the Fast Slow Pro is available in only one size, but this shouldn’t be an inconvenience if you’re cooking for a regular-sized family.
The design is different, but Breville follows the same structure of a brushed stainless steel exterior pot with an inner bowl. However, in this case, the bowl is coated with ceramic, which is a natural material, so you don’t have to worry about its influence on the food. Moreover, at the top and bottom of the bowl, you’ll find sensors that accurately monitor and control the pressure and temperature.
Unlike the Instant Pot products, the lid is removable and dishwasher safe, and there is a wide wrap-around moat that catches condensation drips to make cleaning even easier. Also, the steam valve is automatic and can be activated at the press of a button.
The control panel is also different, with a larger LCD screen and fewer buttons. The screen lets you set the pressure (there are 11 pressure cook settings plus a custom setting) or the settings for slow cooking (from high to low). Even more interesting, the screen changes color according to the activity being performed (cooking or releasing steam).
You can also use the pot to reduce, sauté, or sear your food. When the food is done, the Keep Warm function automatically turns on, so food is ready to serve when you are.
Lastly, Fast and Slow Pro implements three safety systems: a safety locking lid, a hands-free auto steam release, and a safety valve. Furthermore, the cooker automatically knows the correct release method to apply (Quick, Pulse, or Natural) for the best results.
Pros
- Pressure and slow cooker in one pot
- Available in 6qt size
- Interactive LCD that changes color according to the activity being performed
- 3-way safety system
- Automatic steam release valve
- The inner bowl is coated with ceramic
- High-quality accessories included
- Easy to clean
- Pressure settings are very precise
- Keep warm automatically turns on
- Removable lid that is dishwasher safe
- The interface is easy to navigate
Cons
- The price tag is high
- The gasket on the lid retains some smells
- The gasket assembly is difficult
- No book with recipes
- No yogurt-making function
- Color changing LCD tells you when the cooker is pressurizing, cooking or releasing steam
- 3 Way Safety System/Safety locking lid, automatic hands free steam release, safety valve
- 11 pressure cook settings plus a custom setting to suit your favorite recipes
- Keep Warm function turns on after cooking so food is ready to serve when you are
- Removable cooking bowl with PTFE and PFOA free ceramic coating
Which One Should I Buy?
Sure, if the price is the most important decision factor, you already have your answer. But, if you want a more in-depth analysis, here are my thoughts after having reviewed both cookers:
Choose the DUO 60 if...
- You want to be able to make yogurt at home
- You want the Delay Start functionality
- The manually operated valve doesn’t bother you
- You like the larger control panel and interface with more buttons
- You want access to a book of recipes
- The lower price tag is appealing
Choose the Fast Slow Pro if...
- You mostly use the pressure and slow cooking features
- The simplified interface is appealing to you
- You like the removable lid and ceramic-coated inner bowl
- The lack of the yogurt-making feature is not a problem
- You like the automatic steam release valve
- The high price tag doesn’t bother you
While both are great and have versatile functionality, the Fast Slow Pro is the cooker of choice for anyone who wants a sleek and simple interface. Furthermore, the pot solves the problem some users have with the manually operated steam release valve and has a wide range of settings to ensure a “set-it and forget-it” type of meal.
On the other hand, if you want a less expensive solution, and the ability to create yogurt at home, the Instant Pot IP-DUO Series is the better choice.
P.S. - You may noticed there are some more Instant Pot models, so you may wonder if there are better options than the DUO and which Instant Pot should you buy anyway.
For this article, I saved you time and chose for you, since the Instant Pot DUO 60 above is the most popular Instant Pot out there.
I've had both. While the Breville Fast Slow Pro may be the better device, the dearth of tailored recipes creates a challenge for me. I'm still trying to understand how my IP recipe books may be used for my Breville. The short Breville recipe book is pretty useless.
I so agree! It's so annoying. Trying to recalibrate various recipes is time consuming and frustrating, which means I don't use it as often as I'd like to. Someone at Breville should address this!
I have the Instant Pot and it's great, but it lacks the main indicators for these cooking devices: temp, time and pressure. I always miss the elapsed time and the actual temperature in the IP Duo. Not having that info is like wizardry cooking. Of course by third of the price the IP beats the BFS. but i believe as a cooking tool the latter is best.