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!
Fil
This is a new one. Pulled instant pot from storage to prepare meal. The lid appears to be locked in place and cannot get it to release. Do you have any ideas for solving this issue?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Fil, have you tried to lift the lid and then turn it and wiggle it? That has worked for some people. Good luck.
Scott Drew
New purchaser. I’m having trouble getting the lid to turn into place while the sealing ring is in place. Any hints?
Paint the Kitchen Red
I’ve just recently been hearing from readers about how the sealing ring seems to be too tight, hard to put in. Possibly a defect in a batch of sealing rings (??), not sure yet. Is it possible there’s a kink in the sealing ring that’s preventing the lid from securing? You might want to buy or borrow a sealing ring for your size of IP to see if that solves the issue.
Cheryl
I set my Instant Pot Ultra on sauté and start. The On message came on. While waiting on it to heat up it started beeping and Pr SE was displayed. I did not have the lid on it. I unplugged it and tried again and got the same message. Any suggestions?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Cheryl, I’m not sure why that’s happening. Try unplugging and waiting for a bit before trying again. You can also try and do a factory reset: press the Cancel button to cancel any current program and then press and hold the Cancel button. If you continue to have the problem, you might want to return it if it’s under warranty.
Carolynne
Most of the time the pot winds up with no liquid left and a burnt coating on the bottom hard to clean. I follow the instructions for the liquid and even put more than it says sometime to see if that helps. I also scrape bottom after sautéing when adding liquid aspen instructions.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Carolynne – it’s hard to diagnose without more information. Is the float valve coming up i.e. is the Instant Pot coming to pressure? Have you done a water test i.e. pressure cook just water (about 2 cups)? If you’re putting in enough liquid and it’s coming to pressure, you might have steam leaking out somehow.
Diane Franzen
I was given my Instant Pot: mini Duo Nova for Christmas last year, and have used it mostly to cook rice and quinoa. Recently, when I plug it in, the Yogurt button lights up and “8:00 min” display on the lighted screen. I can press Cancel, but then nothing else works. I can’t get the Pressure Cook button to work, or anything else for that matter. If I unplug it, then plug it back in, it comes back on with the Yogurt button lit up again. Seems so weird! Any suggestions, or should I just turn it in to the company for repair or replacement?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Diane, since it’s been a while I’m not sure how much luck you’ll have getting a replacement but it’s worth a try. It sounds like the display panel circuitry might be fried 🙁
Christina Wright-Yee
My instapot duo tells me “pro” on the front screen, despite the pot being in place. Lifted it out and put it back in several times. I put in a ticket with instapot but haven’t heard back yet. Any thoughts on fixing it? I let everything cool down and my husband fiddled with it too…
Paint the Kitchen Red
Christina, I’ve not seen that error before. Pr Se is when the lid is on sealing when it should be venting and No Pr is when there’s not enough pressure accumulated. I suggest doing a water test to rule out the recipe itself causing problems. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.
Tareq
Hi!
First off, thanks for the article! It’s got some great insights!
I have a quick question about the push to open button. Mine would close by itself when the lid was twisted to the position in which it locks, but after the first time I cooked something, it’s gotten stiffer to open and won’t lock by itself (I have to push the little thing that pops out of the side of the pot when the push to open button is pressed). Is this normal or should it continue to close by itself?
Thanks!
Tareq
Paint the Kitchen Red
Tareq, I’ve had my Ultra for about 2+ years and that mechanism still works, so it’s not normal. If you’re able to return it, I would do that. Because that’s the beauty of that kind of lid.
Kamilah Sayyidi
Thank you, very helpful information.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Kamilah, you’re welcome – happy to hear you found the info useful.
Sherri Ramirez
I just got my instant pot. When i tried to turn it off. it will not. i actually had to unplug it. HELP
Paint the Kitchen Red
Sherri, it goes into ‘standby mode’ when it’s plugged in. When you press any button it “wakes up”. Pressing the Cancel button should turn the cooking off though.
Nancy Stovall
I have an Instant Pot Duo Mini (3 quart). The Pressure Cook button no longer works. All the other features turn on. I’ve tried cleaning the edges of the lid, changed rubber ring and generally made sure everything is clean. The lid has not been dropped or bent in any way. Wonder if you have some suggestions on how to proceed. It is about 1 1/2 years old. I have used it quite a bit and usually on the pressure cook setting. The machine is of limited value to me if I cannot use the pressure cook feature
Paint the Kitchen Red
Nancy, is it just the pressure cook button or other pressure cooking buttons like meat or broth? If it’s just that button, it’s pretty weird but maybe its push mechanism is worn out. But you would be able to get by using the other buttons because they’re essentially the pressure cook button with slight variations. So to pressure cook for 30 minutes, just use meat and adjust time to 30 minutes on high pressure.
Luann
Why???? I turn my instapot on sauté … it comes … goes right back off why?? Wrong lid? What’s wrong … HELP!!!!!!!!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Luann, you’re not supposed to use a lid with the Saute mode. That might be the reason.
Marion
My inner pot is golden and food seems to be sticking on it and colour comes out and I put enough liquid all mc the time.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Marion, try coating your inner pot with some oil before you cook. Also, make sure you deglaze the inner pot before you pressure cook.
Pam
Hi,
My instant pot often looses pressure instantly in the middle of cooking. We use this 3 quart for cooking rice mostly. It would all of a sudden make a big loud hiss because all the steam shoots out from the valve and sides of the lid. Another time it made a loud pop sound and all the steam and some rice shot out of the the valve. Do you know what’s wrong with it?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Pam, I’m not sure but my guess is that your sealing ring isn’t sealing the lid enough and so once pressure is reached, it just can’t hold it together and expels the steam. Try and clean all around your sealing ring and you might also want to try a new sealing ring. One other thing to try is when it comes to pressure and the float valve goes up, push down on the lid briefly.
Ramesh parikh
I bought my pot from Amazon last thanksgiving we did note use at all now we try to cook we try to put time it doesnote gosemorethan four minute lookalike pressureis note working what can do where can send for repairi try call
Paint the Kitchen Red
Ramesh, the cook time for the Instant Pot is HH:MM (H=hour,M=minute). Make sure you’re programming the time correctly. I cannot help diagnose the issue without more details such as what model, what you’re cooking and what happens that makes you say it’s not pressurizing. Is there steam coming out of the sides? There are many Youtube tutorials that will run you through how to use the different models. I have a few articles here: https://www.paintthekitchenred.com/category/tips/ . I also have videos on my Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcnY_5f9eBGVF1VGcFY11PiliIloGhRVS
Nurul Chowdhury
I just bought a 6qt Duo Evo Plus. When I bring the top lid to the closed position the top lid still has a wiggle. The wiggle is however gone when the cooking starts and pressure builds up. Is this wiggle normal? Or, should I return the unit for a replacement?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Nurul, yes it will move easily when it’s not under pressure and it tightens up when it’s pressurized. Very normal 🙂
Ahmed
I still have an error which is not mentioned. Once I put the food and start cooking I receive the time message after that the program stope and I receive E4 message. I don’t know what does it mean or how to fix it.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Ahmed, what Instant Pot model are you using? This appears to be an error associated with the sous vide immersion circulator when the water level is too low. Is that what you’re using?
Kathleen
Thank you so much for this web page and post. Solved my issue within 5 min. I thought power was an issue, but did not realize the plug was not mechanically attached to the pot and it had come loose. So silly. Thank you!!!!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Kathleen, my pleasure. Everyone does it at least once 🙂
Joanne
Hi when I turn on my pro king it automatically turns on to browning function. Also the lid isn’t locking so when it comes up to pressure the steam comes out of the lid sides. Is it completely broken? Thank you.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Joanne, I’m not familiar with that brand of pressure cooker, so I’m sorry to say I can’t help you troubleshoot. You might want to search online for articles specifically for the pro king.
Phyllis Smith
My display is showing LO with time behind it. I am an experienced insta pot user. The pressure did not build and the number behind LO gets higher and higher.. I cooked fresh carrots today. After a while I could tell that something was wrong. I checked the pressure… There was no pressure. I could smell the carrots so I opened the pot. They were perfectly cooked. My display suddenly feels like it is confusing me? Why is LO in front of my numbers? Thanks for any help.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Phyllis, in my experience L + number is the count UP timer (on some models). It shows up AFTER pressure cooking is complete when the IP is on keep warm mode. If your Instant Pot is not building pressure, you might need to open a support ticket. Sorry for your trouble.
Lu
Why does my sauté button comes on Hi temp 30 min the turns off am I using wrong lid
Paint the Kitchen Red
Lu, the Saute function does turn off after 30 minutes. You just have to start it again.
Lizeth
I was cooking some food and now the lid of my crock pot is sick to the inner pot, so I can not open it. I move the lid to the open lock and when I try to pull everthing goes out including the inner pot. There is not steam but the pot is still warm. I do not know how to open the pot. I retuned everything inside. I do not want to get burned. Thanks in advance for the help
Paint the Kitchen Red
Lizbeth, sounds like there’s a suction seal between the two. Try to jiggle the lid from side to side. Make sure the steam release handle is in the venting position. If that doesn’t do it, let it cool down completely and remove the steam release handle and push the tip of a paper clip down the steam release valve. There may be an obstruction that’s causing a vacuum seal. Let me know how it turns out. Make sure you clean all the parts and if the problem continues to happen, try another sealing ring.
Heather Sheen
We bought a Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker secondhand and unfortunately cannot get it to light up changed fuse . It looks in very good condition. Just wondering wether we have bought a dud . Hopefully you might help
Paint the Kitchen Red
Heather, I’m not sure what the issue could be – sorry. It might be worthwhile reaching out to the company but they may not be able help since it isn’t an original purchase.