Are you new to the Instant Pot and want to learn more about how it works? Here are my top Instant Pot tips and tricks for any new Instant Pot user. Find out about the Manual mode, leaking steam, doubling recipes, the difference between quick release and natural release, and much more.
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I grew up with the familiar sounds of a pressure cooker whistling in the kitchen and I’ve used a stovetop pressure cooker for all my adult life.
But when I got my first Instant Pot, I felt so intimidated. The Instant Pot has so much functionality and all those buttons – yikes! Over time, I’ve become extremely familiar with it and have been able to help my readers with their Instant Pot questions.
Here are some Instant Pot tips and frequently asked questions (FAQs) that might help you if you’re just starting out with the Instant Pot.
Note: The way you release steam depends on the Instant model. Some models have a steam release handle. Others have a steam release button and yet others have a steam release switch. For the purposes of simplicity, I refer to these collectively as the steam release mechanism.
1. Is the Instant Pot Safe?
It’s very natural to feel apprehensive about the Instant Pot, especially if you’ve never used a pressure cooker before or if you have some bad memories of pressure cooker mishaps at Grandma’s house.
The Instant Pot is nothing like Grandma’s pressure cooker! It has loads of built-in safety features including automatic pressure controls, shut-off fuses, overheat protection, lid locking, and temperature controls.
This safety article from the Instant Pot company has a good explanation of the safety features. For example, even if you forget to put in liquid, the Instant Pot will just shut off and give you an error code!
If you’re not thrilled about reading the manual that came with the Instant Pot, here are some easy-to-follow guides that will really help you out:
– Instant Pot Duo Beginner’s Quick Start Guide
– Instant Pot Ultra Beginner’s Quick Start Guide
– Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus Beginner’s Quick Start Guide
2. What is the Instant Pot Manual Mode? Where is the Manual button on the Instant Pot?
Some Instant Pot recipes mention manual mode or the manual button. Older models of the Instant Pot had a Manual button. The Manual setting has been replaced with the Pressure Cook setting on newer Instant Pot models.
When you see a recipe mention the Manual mode, use the Pressure Cook mode instead.
3. The Instant Pot is hissing and leaking steam when it’s coming to pressure. Is this normal?
While the Instant Pot is coming to pressure, it may make some hissing sounds and you may see some steam coming out of the steam release mechanism or the float valve.
As long as you’ve put the steam release in the Sealing position and you have enough liquid in the inner pot, the Instant Pot float valve will rise up in due course and the Instant Pot will be pressurized.
Until then, the Instant Pot says On. Once the Instant Pot is pressurized the Instant Pot will start counting down the pressure cooking time.
Just be patient. The more liquid you have or the colder the ingredients in the Instant Pot (e.g. frozen meat), the longer it takes to come to pressure.
Once the float valve pops up, you should see little to no steam coming out of either the float valve or the steam release mechanism. If you find steam leaking from the sides of the lid (where the sealing ring sits), the sealing ring has probably been installed incorrectly.
If the hissing continues, you can troubleshoot the problem by reading the following posts:
– Reasons Why Instant Pot Not Sealing
– Instant Pot Burn Message
If you still can’t solve the problem, it’s possible you have a defective unit and you might need to contact the Instant Pot company.
4. How do I set the Instant Pot Timer?
The Instant Pot has three different timers:
Cooking Timer
- Counts down the pressure cooking time.
- After the Instant Pot has pressurized, the display goes from On to the programmed cook time (e.g. 10 minutes or 00:10).
- The timer then counts down from the programmed cook time (e.g. 00:10) to 00:00.
- Once the countdown is complete, the Instant Pot goes into Keep Warm mode if the Keep Warm function is on.
Keep Warm Timer
- Shows the amount of time the contents of the Instant Pot are being kept warm.
- The keep warm timer only comes on if the Keep Warm function has been turned on.
- After the cooking timer reaches 00:00, the keep warm timer counts up from 00:00 until you press Cancel.
- Keep Warm function can be used to keep food warm even if you’re not pressure cooking.
Delay start timer
- Allows cooking to begin at a future time. Shows the number of hours and minutes until cooking begins.
- Begins counting down once the delay start functionality has been enabled.
- Enabling Delay Start function is different for each model. For most models, you select the cooking program, time and pressure level and then select Delay Start and enter the amount of time you want to delay the start of cooking. Finally, you press Start.
- Note: some older models have a Timer button which is the same as Delay Start.
[Read more: How to use the Instant Pot Delay Start]
5. The Instant Pot just says ‘On’. What should I do?
Once you program the Instant Pot to begin pressure cooking, the display panel of the Instant Pot will say On. It will remain On until the Instant Pot is pressurized.
Once the float valve comes up, it may take a few minutes for the Instant Pot display to change from On to counting down the pressure cooking time.
For example, to pressure cook for 10 minutes, select Pressure Cook and set the pressure cooking time to 00:10. (On some models, you may need to press Start.) The Instant Pot will say On, and once the float valve comes up it will eventually begin counting down from 00:10 to 00:00.
How do you release pressure on an Instant Pot?
There are a few different ways you can release pressure on the Instant Pot:
How to do an Instant Pot Natural Release (NR) / Natural Pressure Release (NPR)
- Allow pressure cooking to complete (cooking timer counts down to 00:00).
- Wait for the float valve to drop and the pressure to come down on its own.
- Press Cancel and open the lid.
- Natural release takes 5 to 30 minutes or longer, depending on the quantity of liquid in the Instant Pot.
- The food continues cooking even after pressure cooking is complete because contents are still under pressure.
Uses: meats, beans, foods with longer pressure cooking times.
How to do an Instant Pot Quick Release (QR)
- Allow pressure cooking to complete (cooking timer counts down to 00:00).
- Release pressure manually by putting the steam release mechanism in the Venting position.
- Steam is released in a steady stream. Keep hands and face away from the steam.
- Wait for the float valve to drop and the pressure to come down. The cooking process stops immediately.
- Press Cancel and open the lid.
Uses: vegetables, seafood, quick-cooking foods
How to do an Instant Pot 10-Minute Natural Pressure Release (NPR 10)
- 10-minute pressure release is a combination of natural release and quick release.
- Allow pressure cooking to complete (cooking timer counts down to 00:00).
- Wait for 10 minutes.
- Release pressure manually by putting the steam release mechanism in the Venting position.
- Steam is released in a steady stream. Keep hands and face away from the steam.
- Wait for the float valve to drop and the pressure to come down. The cooking process stops immediately.
- Press Cancel and open the lid.
- You can do any variation of the time, e.g. 5-minute or 15-minute natural release.
Uses: when a natural release is called for but you’re short on time or you don’t want the food to overcook with a full natural release.
How to do an Instant Pot Quick Release in Short Bursts
- Allow pressure cooking to complete (cooking timer counts down to 00:00).
- Release pressure manually by putting the steam release mechanism in the Venting position for 1-second intervals.
- Repeat until the steam emerges less forcefully.
- At that point, release the remaining steam by putting the steam release mechanism in the Venting position.
- Steam is released in a steady stream. Keep hands and face away from the steam.
- Wait for the float valve to drop and the pressure to come down. The cooking process stops immediately.
- Press Cancel and open the lid.
Uses: for foods that need a quick release but are frothy and messy, such as oatmeal and pasta.
[Read More: How to natural release vs. quick release for the different models.]
7. How long does the Instant Pot take to preheat and get to pressure?
10 minutes of pressure cooking time on the Instant Pot is not exactly 10 minutes; it can be 20 to 30 minutes. The time that you enter on the Instant Pot control panel (e.g. Pressure Cook for 10 minutes) is not the time it takes to cook the dish.
The Instant Pot needs to come to pressure before the 10 minutes of pressure cooking begins. Think of it like an oven needing to preheat.
The quantity and temperature of the liquid will determine the amount of time required for the Instant Pot to build pressure.
If you’re cooking soup and you’ve added cold water to the Instant Pot, it can take 20 to 30 minutes for the liquid to heat up. One shortcut is to add warm liquid into the Instant Pot. This reduces the time it takes for the Instant Pot to pressurize.
After pressure cooking is complete, if the recipe calls for natural pressure release (NPR), that can also take from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on the quantity of liquid in the Instant Pot.
But the great thing about the Instant Pot is that while the food is cooking, you don’t have to be right there next to it; you can let the Instant Pot do the cooking while you take care of something else. In my opinion, this is where the time savings comes into play.
8. The Instant Pot has so many buttons! What do they mean and why do most recipes just use Pressure Cook (or Manual) mode?
You’ll most likely use only a handful of buttons/settings: Saute, Pressure Cook (Manual on some models), Keep Warm, Cancel and + or –. Most cookbooks and internet recipes are written using the Pressure Cook setting.
I generally use the Pressure Cook setting because I feel I have more control over the times and pressure levels and because people who own another brand of pressure cooker or multi-cooker can adapt my recipes easily.
However, the Instant Pot has many more buttons/settings like Egg, Rice, Meat, Multigrain, etc. Most of these buttons are just preset buttons (like on your microwave) with recommended cooking times and pressure levels.*
The buttons and presets are convenient if you use the same cooking settings every time you cook a particular type of food. For example, if you cook boiled eggs the same way every time, the Egg default setting might work for you.
When you change the factory defaults of a preset, many Instant Pot models remember the setting for next time. For example, suppose I want to pressure cook eggs using the Egg function. The default Egg pressure cooking time is 5 minutes.
I like to pressure cook eggs using my Instant Pot boiled egg recipe, which is for 2 minutes. I select the Egg function and change the pressure cook time to 2 minutes. The next time I select the Egg function, the time will default to 00:02 (2 minutes) instead of 5 minutes.
* Some buttons (e.g. Rice and Multigrain) are exceptions: these buttons have some special functionality that is pre-programmed. For example, in the Multigrain function, the More setting (or High on some models) will soak the grain for 60 minutes before pressure cooking begins. The Rice function cooks rice at low pressure.
9. Is it normal for the Instant Pot to be making clicking noises while it’s cooking?
There are two reasons for clicking sounds while the Instant Pot is working. One reason is that the inner pot is wet on the outside. Make sure the Instant Pot inner pot is dry before you put it in the Instant Pot unit.
The second reason for the clicking sounds is that the Instant Pot is internally regulating power through power switching. This is perfectly normal and you don’t need to worry.
10. What is the minimum quantity of liquid I need to have in the Instant Pot?
The Instant Pot requires steam, and therefore liquid, to come to pressure. The official word from the Instant Pot company has been 1 ½ to 2 cups. I usually add a minimum of ½ cup of liquid.
I’ve found that some ingredients (e.g. some vegetables) release enough liquid that you need to add very little additional liquid. See my Instant Pot Aloo Gobi recipe or Instant Pot Peach Crisp recipe for example.
With experience, and by making recipes over and over again, you’ll figure out the right amount of liquid you need to add for each recipe.
As you start out, I recommend following the recipe. I test my recipes over and over before posting them, and so you know that they work well as written.
11. If I want to double a recipe, do I need to double the pressure cooking time?
Doubling a recipe doesn’t require changing the cooking time. Cooking times are more dependent on the density and thickness of the ingredients rather than the weight.
So, if you’re cooking 8 chicken thighs instead of the 4 thighs that a recipe calls for, you won’t need to change the cooking time in the recipe (so long as you’re not overcrowding the pot and the liquid has room to circulate).
Keep in mind that even though you are not increasing the cooking time, the Instant Pot will take longer to build pressure due to the increased quantity of ingredients.
On the other hand, if the recipe calls for 2-inch thick pieces of meat and you’re cooking 3-inch thick pieces, or if you’ve cut the vegetables into larger pieces than a recipe recommends, you might have to increase the cooking time.
12. If I want to double a recipe, should I double all the ingredients?
Changing the quantity of a recipe is not always straightforward. Some recipes call for ½ cup of liquid, but when you double the recipe, you may not need to double the liquid because that ½ cup is the bare minimum quantity of liquid required to pressure cook that dish.
Doubling the liquid could make the dish less tasty because it’s too watery and insipid. So, depending on the recipe, you may not need to add more liquid as long as there’s enough space in the Instant Pot for the liquid to circulate.
Conversely, if you’re reducing the quantity, you need to make sure you have the minimum quantity of liquid for the Instant Pot to reach pressure.
For example, if the recipe calls for ½ cup of broth, but you’re halving the recipe, don’t make the quantity of broth ¼ cup, because the Instant Pot may not come to pressure.
13. What do I do if the Instant Pot is not pressurizing and the float valve is not sealing?
Three of the most common reasons why the float valve is not popping up:
- the sealing ring is installed improperly
- there isn’t enough liquid to bring the Instant Pot to pressure
- the steam release mechanism is in the Venting position
There are many more reasons an Instant Pot won’t pressurize. I’ve written a comprehensive article that describes the most common reasons for the Instant Pot won’t come to pressure.
[Read More: Reasons Why Your Instant Pot is Not Sealing]
14. I am using the Slow Cook function, but after 8 hours, the food is still not cooked.
If you’re using the Slow Cooker setting, be aware that Less (or Low on some models) setting is too low to slow cook anything; it’s more like the Warm setting on a slow cooker.
| Slow Cooker/Crock Pot | Instant Pot |
|---|---|
| Warm | Less (or Low on some models) |
| Low | Normal (or Medium) |
| High | More (or High) |
15. I’ve done the water test and I’m ready to cook my first recipe in the Instant Pot. What recipe should I make first?
I always advise my readers to start by cooking a recipe that has:
- been tried and tested, and is from a reliable blog or cookbook, with lots of positive reviews
- no burn message complaints
- no pasta, tomatoes, dense sauces
- a lot of liquid, like soup
Here are some recipes that would be great for you to try:
16. Instant Pot steam release handle is loose | Instant Pot valve is loose. Is it supposed to be loose?
The steam release handle is a safety feature that allows pressure to be released manually and yes, it is supposed to be loose.
17. How can I switch between High and Low pressure?
Not all Instant Pots have the Low setting. The Instant Pot Lux model only has a High-pressure setting. For most other models, use either the Pressure or Pressure Level button to switch between Low and High pressure.
For the Instant Pot Ultra model or the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus, you’ll use the knob to change the Pressure setting.
18. Which size Instant Pot should I buy? Should I purchase the 3-quart, 6-quart, 8-quart or 10-quart Instant Pot?
I don’t own a 3-quart Instant Pot (Instant Pot Mini), but from what I’ve heard, it’s a great size for one or two people, or for limited spaces such as dorm rooms or RVs.
I think it would also make a great second Instant Pot, for side dishes.
However, if you’re getting ready to buy your first Instant Pot and you’re cooking for a family, the 6-quart or 8-quart would be the better option. If you think you’ll be cooking for guests and/or you like to have leftovers, I would recommend the 8-quart Instant Pot.
I own the 6-quart Instant Pot and it works great from my family of 5. However, sometimes I like to double my recipes and don’t want to overcrowd the pot and that’s when I use an 8-quart Instant Pot.
The 10-quart is the newest size available in some models. This is an Instant Pot with a massive capacity! If you feed large groups, cook large cuts of meat or find yourself making multiple batches of food in your 6-quart Instant Pot, you might like to try out the 10-quart Instant Pot.
I’ve written two comprehensive guides to help you decide on Instant Pot size and which model to buy!
19. Why do Instant Pot chicken breasts come out dry and tough?
The Instant Pot is particularly good at cooking tough, cheaper cuts of beef and pork, and chicken legs or thighs. Lean meats like chicken breasts, pork tenderloin, or beef sirloin don’t fare as well in the Instant Pot.
Meats that are roasted in the oven or simmered on the stovetop for hours can be cooked in a fraction of the time in the Instant Pot, usually within an hour, and come out tender and juicy.
I try to use chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless) and drumsticks for my recipes. They are just more flavorful and come out amazingly tender and tasty in the Instant Pot. The only time I use chicken breasts is if I dice them up for soup or curry – they turn out fine.
If you really want to cook whole (unfrozen) boneless skinless chicken breasts, try to cook them in chicken broth instead of water for 8 minutes. I let them rest before cutting; they can easily dry out and overcook.
Another great option is to use the Sous Vide function (available on many Instant Pot models) to cook perfectly tender chicken breasts.
20. I keep reading about using a trivet in the Instant Pot. What is a trivet and when do you use it? What is a steam rack?
A trivet is a rack and most models of Instant Pots come with a trivet, which is also called a steam rack. You can also purchase all kinds of for use in the Instant Pot. Just make sure the diameter is the correct size to fit in the inner pot. The trivet is particularly useful when using the Pot-in-Pot technique.
To use the trivet or steam rack, add about 2 cups of water to the inner pot. Place the steam rack in the inner pot and place the food on the trivet. The food can be set directly on the trivet (e.g. potatoes, eggs, meat) or in an oven-safe container (e.g. rice, cheesecake, lasagna).
[Read More about how to use a steam rack or trivet: Pot in Pot (PIP) cooking technique and What is a trivet and how to use it]
21. The sealing ring always smells like whatever I cooked last. How do I remove the smell from the sealing ring?
The sealing ring is made of silicone. Silicone retains odors, and these odors are hard to remove. I solve this problem by having two sealing rings: one for savory dishes and one for mild dishes and desserts.
I also store my lid upside down on the Instant Pot which allows the sealing ring to air out. That being said, I rarely find that the lingering odors in the sealing ring transfer to what I’m cooking.
Some people have different colored sealing rings so they can keep them straight.
Here are some ways to reduce odors in the sealing ring:
- Wash the lid and sealing ring in the top rack of the dishwasher.
- Put the sealing ring out in full sun for a few hours.
- Pressure cook water and lemon juice or vinegar for a few minutes and let the pressure release naturally.
- Soak the sealing ring in hot water dissolved with a denture cleaner tablet.
22. The recipe I’m using tells me to use the Adjust button. What if my Instant Pot does not have an Adjust button?
On older models, the Adjust button is used to toggle between Less, Normal and More. On newer models, pressing the cooking program (e.g. meat, soup, porridge, etc.) multiple times allows you to toggle through the Less, Normal and More settings for that program/function.
23. The Instant Pot Lid Won’t Close.
There are a few reasons that the Instant Pot lid won’t close.
- Some Instant Pots come with two sealing rings. One is already installed in the lid and the other one is loose. That second sealing ring is just an extra. Don’t try to put it onto the lid when there’s already one on there! (And don’t worry, you’re not the only one. This is a common issue.)
- The sealing ring may be put on improperly and could be protruding, preventing the lid from closing.
- The float valve is stuck in the up position. If the float valve is up, gently push down on it. DO NOT do this if the Instant Pot is under pressure!
- The lid was dropped and the metal has been bent or dented.
- The lid plastic has melted causing the lid fins to be deformed, and preventing the lid from closing.
- The trivet you’re using is too high, and therefore the food or dish placed on the trivet is preventing the lid from closing.
24. What is the Instant Pot venting position?
The Venting position varies based on the type of Instant Pot you own. There are a few different types of lids that are used with the various models.
- Steam release handle: move the handle from Sealing to Venting.
- Steam release button: push the button down till it clicks into place for Venting.
- Steam release switch: move the switch from Seal to Vent.
25. How to steam in the Instant Pot
Some Instant Pots have a Steam smart program/function or button. The Steam function is very similar to the Pressure Cook function, except that it heats up the liquid at full force and therefore it’s faster. The assumption is that you would be using the Steam function with water, and therefore there’s no chance of burning anything. To use the Steam function:
- Add about 2 to 3 cups of water to the inner pot.
- Place a trivet or steam rack in the water. The trivet should sit above the water level.
- Place the food to be steamed directly on the rack or in an oven-safe dish that can be placed on the rack without it touching the sides of the inner pot. The dish should also be short enough that the Instant Pot lid can be put on such that the dish and food don’t touch the lid.
- Select Steam and program for the appropriate number of minutes. Quick-cooking vegetables take 0 to 1 minute, whole potatoes can take 10 to 20 minutes depending on their size.
The above directions are for pressure-steaming. The Instant Pot comes to pressure and steams the food very quickly. To steam in the traditional way, put the steam release handle/valve in the Venting position. I use this method to steam idlis (South Indian rice cakes).
So how do you steam in an Instant Pot without the Steam button? If you don’t have a Steam button, you can follow the above instrutions but use the Pressure Cook button instead. It might take a tiny bit longer to heat up but it will work the same way.
26. Why is the Instant Pot Counting Up?
If your Instant Pot is counting up, it’s because pressure cooking is complete and you have turned on Keep Warm mode. The time shown on the display is how long it’s been since cooking was completed.
So how do you steam in an Instant Pot without the Steam button? If you don’t have a Steam button, you can follow the above instructions but use the Pressure Cook button instead. It might take a tiny bit longer to heat up, but it will work the same way.
27. How to Turn on Instant Pot?
There are two ways to turn on the Instant Pot, depending on the model:
- If your Instant Pot has a Start button, program the Instant Pot by setting the pressure cooking time and pressure level and press Start. The display panel will change to On, and that means the Instant Pot has started the cooking process.
- If your Instant Pot does not have a Start button, program the Instant Pot and just wait about 5 seconds. The display panel will change to On, and that means the Instant Pot has started the cooking process.
I hope these Instant Pot tips and FAQs have answered some of the questions you may have about the Instant Pot and made you feel more comfortable with it. If you have further questions, feel free to comment below, or contact me through my Contact Page, or through social media.
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!
BONNETTA WRIGHT
I WAS USING THE SAUTÉ AND THEN I WAS TO GO TO PRESSURE COOK BUT IT SHUT OFF AND I COULDN’T GET IT TO CHANGE FROM OFF TO PRESSURE COOK. WHAT WAS I DOING WRONG TO CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN. IT SAID OFF AND I COULDN’T DO ANYTHING TO GET IT BACK INTO THE PRESSURE COOK MODE.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Bonnetta, I hope you were able to get it to work again. Sometimes, unplugging and letting it cool can reset it.
Kathy
I am not sure what’s going on. I have an instant pot that was used by someone else before me so not sure if it works. Everything seems to work. I tried cooking whole potatoes for 20 minutes, natural release for 10 minutes. Timer and pressure, everything seems to work but when I open it, the potatoes didn’t cook.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Kathy, make sure that it’s not defaulting to low pressure. Also, test something else out to make sure the Instant Pot is working okay. For example, cut up some potatoes into 1 inch cubes and place on a steam rack over about 1.5 cups of water in the inner pot. Pressure cook for 2 minutes. It should be cooked.
Sarah Z
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this article. We’ve had our InstaPot for several years, but have struggled to make it work *for* us. These tips were helpful as we are always looking to keep our 6 school-aged boys fed and happy. Does anybody else out there feel like these should have buttons & labels that are much more intuitive than they are?!? But we’re going to keep trying. Thanks again!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Sarah, I’m glad you found the article helpful. Thank you for your comment!
DEBRA
Hi Neena.. Thank you so much for your recipes and amazingly helpful tips and articles. I have learned so much from them. I recently made a butternut squash risotto, but added chorizo in as well. I sauteed the onion and garlic but dis the chorizo saute on a stovetop. I added the rice into the sauteed onion and stirred it around. Then added wine and broth, and finally stirred in the sauteed chorizo. I had my first BURN msg, and although I scraped the pot and added more liquid it happened again. The risotto had actually cooked during the time I fiddled about, but there was a very thick layer of stuck food on the bottom of the pan. Should I not have stirred the rice in? Or should I have cooled the pot after sauteeing? I was using a new Duo 80. What is your advice?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Debra, there are different types of chorizo: the kind that is a smoked sausage and another kind that has a casing but the inside is minced meat, with spices. I’ve had the same issue when I use the latter. You could try and add the chorizo over the rice and not stir. Or use the smoked sausage kind. The spices/chillies are the culprit, I believe. Let me know what you think.