Whether it’s your Instant Pot not sealing, error codes, burn message, or leaking steam, find out how to troubleshoot common Instant Pot problems encountered by beginners and experienced users.
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I’ve owned a few Instant Pots over the years and I’ve learned a thing or two about them. Through my blog and on social media, I hear from owners who ask for help with various problems with their Instant Pot.
In this article, I share with you a list of common Instant Pot problems and how to solve them.
I URGE YOU TO OPEN THE BOX AND GIVE YOUR INSTANT POT A TEST RUN!
I hear from many people who never take the Instant Pot out of the box and finally, get around to it months later and they encounter a defective product or have problems with their Instant Pot, but the warranty has expired.
At that point, they’re disappointed and frustrated but unfortunately, they have no recourse for their Instant Pot issues!
Instant Pot Terminology
Here are some of the parts that I refer to throughout this article.
[Please note that when I refer to the Duo vs Ultra, I’m also referring to other models that have the same style of lid. e.g. The Duo Plus, Lux, Duo SV have a lid similar to the Duo. The Duo Nova, Duo Gourmet, Duo Crisp have a lid similar to the Ultra.]
DUO
- Float valve
- Steam release handle
ULTRA
- Float valve
- Steam release button
- Steam release valve
If you’re new to the Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, here are my guides on how to use some popular Instant Pot models:
- Instant Pot DUO Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO EVO PLUS Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO NOVA Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO GOURMET Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot PRO Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO CRISP Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot PRO CRISP Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot PRO CRISP vs DUO CRISP
1. Instant Pot is Not Sealing | Instant Pot is Not Building Pressure
This is one of the most common Instant Pot problems encountered by new owners.
If your Instant Pot is not sealing, here are the more common issues:
Problem | Solution |
---|---|
The sealing ring is not properly seated or is missing | Install sealing ring properly |
Steam release handle (DUO model) is in the ‘venting’ position | Move steam release handle to the Sealing position |
Steam release button (ULTRA model) is in the down (‘venting’) position | Turn steam release button counter-clockwise so it goes into the up (‘sealing’) position |
Food is stuck on the bottom of the inner pot (This usually happens after having used the ‘Saute’ function.) | Clean the inner pot completely. Always deglaze after using the ‘Saute’ function. |
There isn’t enough liquid to create steam and bring the Instant Pot to pressure. | Add more liquid |
The lid is not closed properly | Open the lid and close again, turning clockwise all the way |
But that’s not all – there are many more reasons. I’ve written a whole article dedicated to this topic!
Find out why your Instant Pot is not sealing and what you can do to fix this problem.
[Read More: Reasons your Instant Pot is Not Sealing]
2. Instant Pot is Leaking Steam
It’s normal to have small amounts of steam escape from the steam release handle/valve and float valve while pressure is building.
Particularly if you’re making a recipe with a lot of liquid, like a soup, your Instant Pot will take time to come to pressure.
There will be small amounts of steam coming out until the Instant Pot is pressurized and the float valve is up. There’s no need for concern; it’s not a problem.
However if your Instant Pot continues leaking steam, you may have a problem.
Steam is leaking from the sides
If the steam is gushing out or coming out the sides, here are the more common reasons:
Problem | Solution |
---|---|
Sealing ring is missing | Install sealing ring |
Sealing ring is stretched out | Put sealing ring in the freezer for a few minutes |
Sealing ring is damaged | Replace sealing ring |
Sealing ring has food debris | Remove sealing ring and thoroughly clean it |
Steam is leaking from the float valve
If steam is leaking from the float valve continuously for over 2 minutes, here are some reasons:
Problem | Solution |
---|---|
Food debris on the float valve silicone seal | Clean the float valve silicone seal |
Float valve silicone seal has worn out | Replace the float valve silicone seal |
Steam is leaking from the steam release handle/valve
If steam is leaking from steam release handle/valve continuously, here are some reasons:
Problem | Solution |
---|---|
Steam release handle (DUO model) is in the ‘venting’ position | Move steam release handle to the ‘sealing’ position |
Steam release button (ULTRA model) is in the down (‘venting’) position | Turn steam release button counter-clockwise so it goes into the up (‘sealing’) position |
Steam release handle/valve is not seated properly | Make sure the steam release handle/valve is pushed in properly (it will be wobbly – that’s normal) |
Pressure control failure | Create a support ticket with Instant Pot customer service. |
[Read More: Reasons your Instant Pot is Not Sealing]
3. Float Valve Won’t Go Up | Float Valve is Stuck
- You might think your float valve is stuck. But is it, really? Different models of the Instant Pot have different positions that the float valve can be in when sealed. (See above image)
- Examine your Instant Pot lid and note where the normal/down position is when the lid is not on. Some models have a red-colored float valve.
- If your float valve is in fact stuck in the ‘up’ position, it could be due to debris or stickiness from food. Use a long spoon or chopstick to gently push down on the float valve.
- If your float valve is stuck in the ‘down’ position, it’s probably because your Instant Pot is having trouble sealing. See Problem #1.
4. Instant Pot is Taking Too Long to Cook Food
Total Cook Time = Time to Come to Pressure + Pressure Cooking Time + Time for Natural Release of Pressure (NPR)
For example, if a recipe says to pressure cook for 10 minutes, the Instant Pot can take from 5 to 15 minutes to come to pressure. Pressure cooking takes 10 minutes, and naturally releasing pressure can take another 5 to 20 minutes.
The quantity and density of liquid and food in the Instant Pot determines how long the Instant Pot takes to come to pressure and to release pressure.
So why use the Instant Pot? First, you don’t have to watch the stove. You can even leave the house.
Second, it’s one-pot cooking: you don’t have to mess up a bunch of pots and pans; you also get all your cooking done without dirtying your stove!
Third, the Instant Pot takes less time to cook meats, grains, and legumes, hands-down. You can cut down on cooking time even further by cutting up your meat into smaller pieces.
For example, if you pressure cook a large chunk of pork shoulder, pressure cooking time is 90 minutes. Cutting up the pork into smaller chunks, can reduce the pressure cook time to 45 minutes, and cutting them into bite-size pieces can reduce the pressure cooking time further, to 15 minutes.
5. Instant Pot Display Says ‘burn’
If you’re a new Instant Pot owner, the ‘burn’ message is a problem you’ll have at one point or another. There are many reasons for the ‘burn’ error.
It all comes down to the fact that the Instant Pot is overheating. Here are some of the ways you can prevent this issue:
- Make sure there’s enough liquid and that it has reached the bottom of the inner pot.
- Allow the Instant Pot to cool down after using the ‘Saute’ function.
- Use the layering technique to prevent scorching: layer starches like pasta and rice, tomato products (e.g. tomato sauce, tomato paste, tomato puree), and dense sauces (e.g. alfredo sauce) on top of other ingredients and don’t stir.
- Always deglaze the inner pot after you’ve used the ‘Saute’ function. This means that after sauteeing your food, add a couple of tablespoons of liquid and scrape up the brown bits so there’s nothing stuck on the bottom.
But that’s not all. I’ve written a comprehensive article on the ‘burn’ error, what causes it, how to avoid it and how to salvage your meal.
[Read More: Instant Pot Burn Message]
6. Instant Pot Won’t Come to Pressure When Making Recipes With Tomato Products or Store-Bought Sauces
This is another common problem Instant Pot owners have. Tomato products (e.g. tomato sauce, tomato paste, tomato puree) in the pressure cooker can be tricky. Tomato products can be thick and dense and may contain sugar which leads to scorching.
Many store-bought sauces (e.g. alfredo sauce) have a high content of sugar, or fillers like corn starch or flour which can also cause scorching. One common outcome is the ‘Burn’ error.
[Read More: Instant Pot Burn Message]
Here are some things you can do to prevent the problem:
- Layer these sauces on top without stirring.
- Thin sauces with water or broth, to make them less dense.
- Use Pot in Pot method of cooking.
[Read More: Secrets to Pot in Pot Cooking]
7. Instant Pot Display Won’t Turn On | Instant Pot is Dead
There are a few common reasons your display isn’t turning on.
- If your Instant Pot has a detachable cord, it might be loose. Check the cord and make sure it’s pushed in all the way.
- Your outlet may be faulty. Try plugging the Instant Pot into another outlet.
- It’s possible that an Instant Pot fuse needs to be replaced, possibly faulty due to a power surge or other electrical issue. Create a support ticket with Instant Pot customer service.
- Also, try out the hack mentioned in Instant Pot Problem #19.
8. Instant Pot Display Screen is Showing Error Code
If your Instant Pot display screen starts blinking with an error code, here are the common codes (which can vary by Instant Pot model) and how to troubleshoot.
Instant Pot Error Codes:
Error Code | Problem | Solution |
---|---|---|
Lid | Lid is not in the correct position for the selected program | Make sure lid has been turned clockwise all the way when pressure cooking, and make sure lid is NOT on for ‘Saute’ function |
burn or Food Burn | Instant Pot is overheating | See Problem #5 above |
PrSE | Pressure has accumulated during a non-pressure cooking program | Move steam release to the Vent position. |
noPr | Working pressure is not reached during the pre-heating cycle. | If the lid leaks steam, see Problem #2 above. If there is no steam leaking and you have frozen food in the Instant Pot, try restarting the current program |
C1 | Faulty temperature sensor | Create a support ticket with Instant Pot customer service. |
C2 | Faulty temperature sensor | Create a support ticket with Instant Pot customer service. |
C5 | Temperature is too high | Make sure inner pot is placed properly in base unit and make sure there is enough liquid in inner pot |
C6 | Faulty pressure sensor | Create a support ticket with Instant Pot customer service. |
C6L | Faulty low-pressure sensor | Create a support ticket with Instant Pot customer service. |
C6H | Faulty high-pressure sensor | Create a support ticket with Instant Pot customer service. |
C7 | Heating element has failed | Create a support ticket with Instant Pot customer service. |
Not enough liquid | Add thin, water-based liquid to inner pot based on size: 6 Qt – 1 ½ cups (12 oz / 375 mL) 8 Qt – 2 cups (16 oz / 500 mL) | |
Steam release is in Vent position | Move steam release mechanism to Seal. |
Remember to keep your receipt in case of manufacturer errors. The company is pretty good about helping people identify the problem and even sending out replacements.
9. Recipes Mention ‘Cook on Manual’ and You Don’t Have ‘Manual’ Mode
Some (older) versions of the Instant Pot DUO have the ‘Manual’ button rather than ‘Pressure Cook’. Many recipes that are posted online are created by people who own the older version.
If a recipe refers to ‘Manual’ mode, use ‘Pressure Cook’ mode instead. It’s the same thing.
10. Chime is Annoying | How to Turn Chime Off
I love that chime, but I know many people don’t like it because it disturbs others or its irritating. Here’s how you turn it off.
- Instant Pot LUX, DUO: Press and hold the ‘-‘ button for 3 seconds to turn off sound. Press and hold the ‘+’ button for 3 seconds to turn sound back on.
- Instant Pot ULTRA: Press the knob for 5 seconds. In the menu, SOUND will be highlighted. Press the knob to select SOUND. Turn the knob to select ‘OFF’ (it will be blinking). Press Start to confirm your selection
11. There Are So Many Buttons and Functions That it’s Confusing to Use
Yes, there are many functions, which are basically just presets, as you would have on your microwave.
For example, the Soup function is preset to cook for 30 minutes at high pressure. The Meat/Stew function is preset to cook for 35 minutes at high pressure.
However, you don’t need to use the presets. You can use the Pressure Cook function and set the pressure cooking time. As a matter of fact, you can get by with using just a few functions/buttons (varies by model):
- Pressure Cook (also called Manual on some models)
- Saute
- Keep Warm
- Cancel
- Start
Barbara over at Pressure Cooking Today has one of the most comprehensive guides that cover most of the models: Which Instant Pot Buttons to Use.
12. Instant Pot Lid Smells | Sealing Ring Smells
The sealing ring is made of silicone and it will retain the odors of whatever you last cooked (and more!)
There are many ways to try and remove the odors (e.g. keep it out in sunlight, soak it in denture cleanser, use lemon juice, vinegar, etc), and I’ve tried them all. They work okay but the odors don’t ever completely go away.
Personally, I don’t really find that the odor from the sealing ring transfers to whatever dish I’m cooking. So I don’t worry about the smell unless I’m making a dessert.
I have a second sealing ring for desserts. You can purchase sealing rings in multi-colored packs which helps you remember which one is used for sweet or savory dishes.
One thing you should never do is store the Instant Pot closed, with the sealing ring in the lid. I always store my lid upside down on the unit. This helps with reducing odors.
13. Inner Pot/Liner Has Rainbow Stains | How to Remove Stains
Sometimes your inner pot (liner) can get a rainbow or blue-purple stain especially when the pot is overheated. This happens to stainless steel pots, in general.
Barkeeper’s Friend is my favorite product for cleaning my Instant Pot inner pot. I use it to clean all my stainless steel pots and my kitchen sink.
You can get Barkeeper’s Friend in powder or liquid form. I prefer the liquid. Be sure to shake it up before using it.
14. Meats are Dry and Tough
One of the most common complaints I hear from new Instant Pot users is that they pressure cook meat or chicken and it comes out dry and tough.
Chicken breasts, pork chops, beef tenderloin don’t do as well in the Instant Pot. The Instant Pot is best for meats that have a higher fat-content like chicken thighs, pork shoulder, beef chuck.
Pressure cooking a boneless, chicken breast in the Instant Pot may not give you the best or ideal results. Using chicken breast with skin and bone will give you better results, because of the fat content.
Some newer Instant Pots come with the Sous Vide smart program. If you have that functionality, you’ll be able to make perfectly cooked tender and moist chicken breast.
[Read More: How to Use the Instant Pot Sous Vide Smart Program]
Another key to preventing meats from becoming dry is to use Natural Pressure Release (NPR). Allow the float valve to go down on its own.
This allows the meat to rest, the fibers to relax and the juices to be re-absorbed into the meat rather than evaporating. This applies particularly to meat that is not immersed in liquid (like soups, stews, curries, and gravies.
Finally, contrary to a lot of advice about pressure cookers, more is not always better when it comes to meat. Meat becomes tender in about one-third the time it takes for conventional cooking. Pressure cooking meat for too long can cause it to become dry and tough.
As meat overcooks, the muscle fibers are depleted of fat and juices. To salvage the meat from this stage, you can cook the meat even further until it breaks down to the point it’s falling apart. You’ll lose flavor and nutrients, but you’ll have tender meat!
Laura from Hip Pressure Cooking has some great articles including Choosing the Right Cut of Meat.
15. Placed Instant Pot on Stove and the Instant Pot Bottom Melted
My thanks to Dale Falconer for providing the above photographs
Believe it or not, this is a common problem! Many people leave their Instant Pots on the stovetop thinking that as long as they don’t turn on the burner, they’ll be fine.
But the problem is that someone in the household accidentally turns on the burner or the Instant Pot is placed close to an adjacent burner that’s turned on.
If this happens to you, I suggest you get a replacement unit because you don’t want to take a chance with the circuitry being damaged.
There are a few places you can go to for Instant Pot spare parts including base units, lids, valves:
- The Instant Pot company website: Replacement parts (Disclosure: if you purchase from the site, I will receive a small commission)
- Instant Pot Facebook group for parts: Instant Pot Parts Swap or Sale
- ebay.com
16. Accidentally Poured Liquid into Instant Pot but Forgot to Put in Inner Pot/Liner
Hard to believe, but forgetting to put in the inner pot and accidentally pouring liquid into the Instant Pot base unit is a common problem!
People wash the inner pot in the dishwasher and forget to put it back in the Instant Pot base unit before cooking.
If this happens to you, don’t panic! According to the Instant Pot Company, here’s what you can do for water or food spills:
- Unplug the Instant Pot right away!
- Wipe the inside of the Instant Pot base unit and heating element with a dry cloth to remove as much of the liquid as possible.
- Place the base unit upside down to let all the liquid drain out of the cooker base.
- There is a plastic vent cover on the bottom of the base that you can take off by unscrewing the screws.
- While you have the cover off, please be gentle with the wires and circuitry.
- Try to carefully reach up into the cooker housing to see if you can remove any food debris (if necessary).
- Clean and dry everything as much as possible for 72 hours. Use a fan to speed up the drying out.
- Put everything back together, insert the inner pot and plug the unit in.
- If it turns on, attempt to heat 2 cups of water in ‘Saute’ mode.
- If that test is successful, do a water test to check if the Instant Pot is working. If it is, you’re all set.
- If at any point, there is a burning smell, turn the unit off and unplug it. Create a support ticket with Instant Pot customer service.
- If you can’t get the Instant Pot to turn on and successfully complete a water test, it’s probably time to get another Instant Pot. *
If oil spilled into the base unit, you can attempt to turn the pot upside–down to allow it to drip out. However, there is no safe way to determine if it’s safe to use or not. Turning on the pot even to test would be a fire hazard.
* There are a few places you can go to for Instant Pot spare parts:
- The Instant Pot company website: Replacement parts (Disclosure: if you purchase from the site, I will receive a small commission)
- Instant Pot Facebook group for parts: Instant Pot Parts Swap or Sale
- ebay.com
The best way to prevent this problem is to put something in the base unit while the inner pot is out that will help you remember to replace the inner pot (e.g. a long wooden spoon or ladle).
17. Upper Kitchen Cabinets are Getting Damaged
When the Instant Pot is placed on the countertop, the steam release can shoot straight up toward the upper cabinets.
Many people solve this problem by placing their Instant Pot on the stovetop. But this can cause even bigger issues. See Instant Pot Problem #15 above.
What I do is I carefully turn the Instant Pot so that the steam release opening is toward the front or side and this allows the steam to be directed away from my upper cabinets.
Just be very careful when doing a quick release (QR); keep your hands and face away from the flow of steam!
Another solution is to use the Instant Pot on a side table or cart, away from the cabinets.
18. Instant Pot Says On But No Timer
Recently, a number of readers have reported this problem and I myself experienced it the other day for the first time. The Instant Pot display says On and the float valve comes up but it never starts counting down, but the food gets cooked.
If this happens to you, after the float valve comes up, just set a separate timer for the desired cook time and press Cancel when the time is up. Do a pressure release according to your recipe and continue as usual. [Read More: Instant Pot Natural Release or Quick Release?]
Clean out the Instant Pot thoroughly and do a water test and most likely you’ll find out that it was a one-time problem. If the problem persists, you might want to contact Instant Pot Support and open a ticket.
In my case, I have a suspicion it could have been too little liquid when I was cooking my Instant Pot Boiled Eggs. But that’s just a guess.
If your Instant Pot says On and your float valve does not go up, then you probably have an issue with the Instant Pot sealing. [Read more: Reasons Why Your Instant Pot is Not Sealing]
19. Instant Pot Keypad is Unresponsive. Instant Pot Buttons Don’t Work.
First, check the power supply: make sure your Instant Pot plug is pushed into the outlet all the way and if you have a detachable power cord, make sure it’s pushed into the Instant Pot base unit properly.
Once you’ve checked the power supply, if you’re still having the issue it’s worth trying out this a solution from one of my readers that actually works for some people. Thank you for sharing this hack, David!
“I have an Instant Pot DUO-60 and the keypad became unresponsive. When switched on, the keypad went straight to the Saute setting and wouldn’t do anything else. I discovered that by holding down the Cancel button BEFORE switching the mains power on, then releasing the button, the keypad reset itself and it is now working fine. I hope someone finds this tip useful..”
— David
If the issue persists, your keypad’s electronics/circuit board is likely faulty. You will probably need to contact Instant Pot Support and open a ticket.
If you found this article to be helpful, please share it on social media using the social media share buttons at the top and bottom of this post. Thank you so much!
Lela
I JUST GOT MY 6 at. DUO SV I did the water test 3 times. The floater valve would not drop at the. I had touch with my finger, to get it to drop. HELP
Paint the Kitchen Red
Lela, have you tried taking the float valve out and cleaning it? Might be worth a try. Also, try and use the handle of a wooden spoon or a chopstick to touch the float valve in case it’s still hot 🙂
Kristin A Farwig
Thank you for this site. I have tried calling Instant Pot but am on wait for too long. Tried emailing and have not received an answer after almost a week. I just bought an Instant Pot, and tried the water test. Everything went fine until the end. After the countdown from 5 to 0,, instead of saying ‘ON’, the unit started counting back up. I’m hoping you can help! Do you think the unit is defective? I tried the test twice and it did the same think both times.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Kristin, sounds like it did work correctly. When you program it for 5 minutes, it says ‘On’, then counts down from 00:05 to 00:00. And then counts up if you have the Keep Warm functionality enabled (it’s enabled by default). It will go to ‘Off’ when you press ‘Cancel’. Hope that clears things up.
Jessi
When releasing the steam, my instant pot releases so much steam and water sprays all over the kitchen. Is that normal??
Paint the Kitchen Red
Jessi – yes, it is normal especially when it’s a dish with lots of liquid like soup or a starchy dish like pasta. What I like to do is to allow about 5 minutes to elapse before doing a quick release. If your recipe requires an immediate quick release because food would overcook, do a release in bursts. Release pressure for a second and stop, then repeat. Once the steam is not as forceful, release pressure as usual. This method works well.
Penny
I have used my Instant Pot a couple of times, and at the end of cook it reads End. What does that mean?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Penny, that means that the Keep Warm function is not on, so when pressure cooking is done, it’s just shutting off. The screen usually goes blank at some point.
Veronica Olin
My pot leaks through the bottom. Water just runs through it. What can I do?
Paint the Kitchen Red
If you have the liner/inner pot in place, I can’t see how that could be happening. Can you give some more details? You can email me a photo if you’d like by going to my contact page.
Suneeti
Mine is building pressure (pin popping) and counting down fine but the stuff inside is not getting cooked! Is the weirdest thing! Any ideas?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Suneeti – does that apply to anything you cook? What are you trying to cook? Try cooking just potatoes cut up into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Pressure cook for 2 minutes and quick release. If it’s not cooking at all then yes, that’s really strange.
Aurellia Riley
Help! live and use my insta pot on a near daily basis. This morning I went to make hard boiled eggs. Set up pot with liner inside, added steamer basket and 1 cup of water and eggs. Closed and sealed the lid. Pressed pressure cook and began to set my timer… As soon as the timer reaches 4 mins, it is resetting to zero.,??? Redid process several times. plugged and unplugged, have tried ot all… any thoughts?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Aurellia, I know you mentioned you’re an experienced user but are you sure it’s not the hour setting i.e. 4 hours is the maximum amount of time for that setting and it’s going back to zero? Sorry, but I had to ask! What model do you have? I would take a video and open a support ticket at support.instantpot.com
Beverly
My Insta Pot is doing the same thing tonight. This is only the third time I have used it. Did you figure out why this is happening?
Thelma
I let the pot heat for a long time. No timer has come on ??? What do I do. What did I do wrong
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thelma, I would need more information to help you out. Which function are you doing: Saute, Pressure Cook, etc? Does it say ‘On’? Let me know 🙂
Jane Hoeppner
My instant pot (duo series)heated up , beeped and then the time countdown never came on. Using high pressure pressure cook. Any ideas?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Jane, did the display say ‘On’? What happened after that? It’s perfectly normal for it to be ‘On’ for a few minutes before going to countdown mode. Did the float valve come up?
Ellen
My lid does literally not fit and will not close as a result! Seems to be too small when the cooking pot is in. Help!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Ellen – this sounds like a silly question but: you don’t, by chance, have multiple Instant Pots? I’ve made the mistake of using the wrong lid before 🙂 Also, are you lining up the arrow on the lid properly with the lock icon on the base unit?
Lakenya C.
My display screen will not show options for meals. It only shows the time and will not select any options but keep warm
Paint the Kitchen Red
Lakenya – make sure you press ‘Cancel’ before you try and press the other buttons.
Andrea O Potts
My instant pot is not naturally releasing. Once it is finished cooking it says off. How do I get the natural release to come back on?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Andrea, all ‘natural release’ means is that you allow the pressure to come down on its own, in due course. The reason your Instant Pot is going to OFF instead of counting up is that your ‘Keep Warm’ mode is probably off. However, you don’t need to have ‘Keep Warm’ on for natural release. So in other words, once pressure cooking is complete, you just wait. At some point the float valve will go down and then the Instant Pot has naturally released pressure. I hope that makes sense 🙂
Nancy
Your column was a lifesaver! I have only used my instant Pot 3x and today it wouldn’t work. I never knew that the power plug also had to be pushed into the pot itself. I was ready to return it. LOL
Thanks again.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Awesome – it’s a very common problem, even for experienced users 🙂
Jami Godshall
Hoping you can help. Often when waiting for pressure to build, it will go from ON to OFF all by itself. Then of course there is no timer. Depending what I am making I can hear it (or see) it boiling but then it just goes to off and never times down. Any thoughts?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Jami, sounds like it could be a fuse or some other electrical issue. Try and take a video of it doing this, and submit a ticket as support.instantpot.com. Another possibility is if the Instant Pot is too hot when you start pressure cooking – i.e. you’ve sauteed right before. Try and cool the Instant Pot before going to pressure cook.
Cassie
Used my pot last night. Metal bowl won’t come out. Won’t budge!
Paint the Kitchen Red
That’s strange. Is it possible that something sticky has dried up on the heating element? You might want to try and heat it up in Saute mode and try to remove the pot once it’s hot. Good luck.
Heidi Stern
paint chips from metal finish are getting in food. This is seocnd insta pot and same thing happening again. Did i buy two bad ones or should i give up.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Heidi, what brand of pressure cooker do you have? Your inner pot must be some material other than stainless steel. The inner pot that ships with the Instant Pot BRAND of pressure cooker is stainless steel. You should stick to either the Instant Pot or Mealthy brand. I would get a stainless steel inner pot.
Anne Demarest
My instant pot will not release steam. The seal/vent does nothing. It has pressure in it but won’t release.
Paint the Kitchen Red
The steam should, at the very least, release on its own after about 20 minutes. If turning the pressure release handle to ‘venting’ does nothing, that means there’s no more steam in the Instant Pot.
Betty Hill
My iPhone says Lid and doesn’t work. Only used it 3 times. The seal is perfect so what else could be?
Paint the Kitchen Red
I’m assuming you meant to say “Instant Pot”? Lid usually means that you have lid on is ‘Saute’ mode. I would try to contact Instant Pot at support.instantpot.com.
Janice Young
I noticed my instant pot was not sitting level on the counter. The base appears to be separating from the pot. I have tried to pry it back into place but to no avail. Any suggestions???
Paint the Kitchen Red
Janice, I’ve never heard of that in all these years. Did you by chance bang it or something? Try to contact support.instantpot.com. They might have some suggestions. Good luck.
Amy
When I try to set time it only goes to 4:00 minutes then goes back to 0
Paint the Kitchen Red
Amy 4:00 is four hours. 0:04 is 4 minutes.
Carolyn Stein
I made spaghetti for dinner tonight- all in the instant pot. When it finished cooking, the spaghetti was mostly done, but it was cold.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Carolyn, it sounds like your Instant Pot either didn’t pressurize or the cooking time was too short.
Joyce
My duo has steam comming from the base unit. Is this normal?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Joyce, hard to say without knowing exactly where. If it’s where the lid joins the unit, it may be that your sealing ring is not put on properly. If you’ll give me more details, I might be able to give you a better answer.