Excellent video! You got right to the point and there was no filler for the entire 11min! You mentioned quite a few points I wouldn’t have thought to check. Thanks so much. My pot is back in action.
Thank you so much for the tip about freezing the sealing ring if it’s too big. That did the trick for me- i never would have figured it out without this video!
FOR DUO EVO PLUS users: There is a little lever on the back of the unit right above the liquid pan. Check that it is free of any food or oils. It will prevent the locking pin from engaging. Also, thank you so much for this video!
Thank you for saving my Canadian Thanksgiving. So many things was wrong in my instant pot today - a piece of carrot was stuck on the seal, the valve was not seated properly and I didn’t have enough water. Fixing all these solved it. Restart dinner 😅
Thank you for the clear and concise advice! Was disappointed that my brand new instant pot was already releasing steam at the sides and not coming to pressure, and it was an issue with the sealing ring not sitting properly. After removing and re-inserting it, it worked like a charm! Who would have thought this needed to be done when it’s brand new. Thanks again!
This is a great video. Got right to the point. I realized I had everything right but hadn't put the steam release cap back on and the pot couldn't pressurize. I'll never make that mistake again.
My sealing ring was nasty i cleaned it and took a toothbrush and cleaned the race around the base of pot make sure it is dry no liquid on the seal i wrapped a paper towel around tooth brush and dried everything. And it worked thanks for the tip . Batch cooking with this machine has been a lifesaver and take care of it it lasts forever I'm glad i didn't need to replace anything check seal ring inside out and keep it clean and dry 😊
So, I have a good one for you that happened tonight. My pot would not seal despite all the remedies suggested in your video. I finally got it. I took the lid off, and, remembering the seal ring had been cleaned, I flipped it over, where it fit almost identically, it seems, but whalla! It was sealed after that!
I did the things you covered after watching steam escape a long time and never reaching “pressure cook”. I don’t get it, it was all clean, but your suggestions worked. Thank you! It’s just too bad that what could be an awesome cooking instrument is extremely way too difficult to make work and has so many errors and problems. I’m sure when a Chinese Amazon company copies it they will have fixed these issues and at only half the price. And I’ll gladly make that purchase. Not sending you any negativity, you are great. Just saying - it’s sad so many people have to make videos to show how to make an otherwise lawn turd, useful 😂😂
Thanks for your videos. I feel a lot more confident using my new Instant Pot. I've watched a few of your videos now and this is the first time that I've left a comment. I'm a 62 year old widower and I'm not only new to the Instant Pot , I'm also new to cooking anything other than the basics. I can barely remember my mother using the old fashion type of pressure cooker 50-55 years ago and the main thing that I remember is that she said it could be very dangerous so I was a little intimated. Your videos that I've watched have been very thorough and clear so far and I feel much more comfortable using my Instant Pot after watching them. You seem to make the type of videos that I need in that you're not assuming the viewer has any experience at all and you're very thorough. I'll definitely be checking out more of your videos. Thank goodness for TH-cam and people like you.
Hi Albert, thank you for your kind words! Your comment has made my day :) I'm thrilled to hear that I've managed to make things easier for you as you venture into the world of cooking. Keep at it, and you'll be amazed at your growth as a cook a year from now. I wish you all the best and feel free to get in touch with any questions or issues.
@@PainttheKitchenRed /Thank you. I maybe getting in touch with you with a question or issue at some point but right now I can see that you have a lot more of your videos that I'll be watching first. It looks to me like you likely will answer almost any question I might have in your videos already. 🤞
Thank you, thank you, thank you. For some reason I checked the steam switch, but didn't put it back to the way it was. I kept on losing steam. Your first sentence fixed it. Duh!!! Of course. I left the switch open. A learning experience. Thank you for your concise information.
1:36 I am sure this reason is rate, but wanted to mention it. I dropped my interior pot a short distance while cleaning it. I didn’t think anything about it… put it together, and forgot about it. The next time I used it, it would not seal! I tried all the other things to get it it seal, and just happened to be standing over it, and noticed it was slightly bowed when I turned the pot around . Got a rubber mallet… smoothed out the bent area, and sealed perfectly 😊
Nina, thank you very much for your explanations. I spoke with Instant Pot support today and the rep was very helpful. He suggested I ask QVC to send a replacement, if they do that. Again, thank you for the excellent video and response.
Thank you very much! I looked everywhere for help with the steam coming out while cooking and my quick release button was down (first time using it) thank you thank you! I’m afraid of it😬
Thank you! I am a new user. Yes, I have a problem with the steam release valve which kept releasing pressure after it came up to pressure. Have to try again 😔
Hi. Thank you for the GREAT video. You're so articulate, you speak so we can hear you and you don't talk too fast. I just got my first Instant Pot last week. I've tried to use it 3 times and each time, something goes wrong. I have been planning dinner for tonight for 2 days. I followed directions but the lid wouldn't go on because the inner pot won't go down all the way. I've checked everything you suggested, took the inner pot out and checked for food or anything in the way. Can't find anything. The button in the center of the base has popped up. It goes down when I press on it but doesn't stay down. When I put the inner pot inside the base, it sits up above the base by about 1/2 an inch. No Cajun Chicken for dinner tonight. Earlier, I tried to cook an artichoke in my Instant pot. I read directions and decided to pressure cook instead of steaming. I pressed Pressure Cook/Manual then used the + button to set the time to 6 minutes, then pressed PC/Manual button. "45" minutes appeared on the screen!! I set a timer for 10 minutes and pressed "Cancel". I used quick release so I could take the artichoke out soon. The first time I tried to use my Instant Pot, The cord would stay on the back of my machine. I'd start a cycle then the lights would go off, then light up again, but I had to reprogram. When I checked the cord, it fell off the Instant Pot. I tried several times to get the plug to stay on the prongs. Should I return it? Do you know how I can get the inner pot to sit all the way downso I can get the lid on? Thanks.
I'm glad you found the video helpful, Bobbie. That button in the center of the base is spring-loaded, so it would be normal for it to stay down only when there's pressure on it. The inner pot is not supposed to be flush against the base; it does stick up about 1/2 inch. When you're programming using the pressure cook button, keep in mind that it's HH:MM (H=hour, M=minute) so 6 minutes would be 00:06. However, I cannot explain why doing so would make it go to 00:45. That would be something wrong with the circuit. Also, the plug can come loose if it's being stretched or pulled but otherwise should stay securely attached once you push it in all the way. If you continue to have issues, you should return it. Good luck.
I agree with you. My Farberware pot started leaking everytime I used it just short of a year of ownership. The sealing ring has become very loose and I have only ran this thing for about 10 hours in total the entire year. Now I am stuck waiting for more sealing rings to arrive from China because they dont give you any extra in the box and a half dozen sealing rings shipped from China costs as much as the entire pot costed me.
Thank you for including addition reasons and solutions. The other videos I have watch repeat the same issues almost verbatim. I have an Instant Pot Max and I have not found videos for troubleshooting that model. The Max is very different because the machine controls the seal or vent valve.
You solved it‼️ You got it on reason #1! Thank you so much I fought with this thing for 30 minutesAnd watched about four other videos before this one to no avail.
Good info.. for me... this is the first meal only using 1-2 cups of broth (with ribs).. it took like 15 min. of slow steam coming out of steam release valve. (float valve up) it's never taken longer than a couple min. (soup based meals) to seal. but eventually it worked.
Dear Meena, can you please address the issue of how to clean the air fryer lid instead of just wiping it with a damp cloth? I am hesitant to buy the instant pot with air fryer option for this sole reason. And thank you for this informative video as well.😊
That's a great question. Unfortunately the parts near the heating element can only be cleaned with a damp cloth. Mine hasn't become so dirty that it bothers me and I'm a clean freak :)
The lid locking pin being stuck causes you to not be able to close the lid. If this happens, you should be able to just push it into place. Are you not able to do that? The only other thing I might suggest is to use a brush to clean the area and apply some oil to the area. If it's still giving you issues, you might need to contact the company.
I have an instant pot It-Lux and steam comes out of the entire perimeter of the round instant pot and splashes all over. The ceiling ring is attached. Any ideas? Good video by the way!😊
Hi there, sorry to hear you're having trouble. Generally steam coming out of the sides means the sealing ring is just not sealing properly. If you are able to borrow a sealing ring and test, you might be able to determine if your ring is damaged (it might seem fine outwardly). Good luck, and thanks for watching.
Any ideas for instant pot continuing to leak lots of steam from sealing knob therefore not coming to pressure after I have tried all these ideas AND borrowed a friends IP(same 8 qt) and my lid, which I at first thought was the problem, worked on her pot, but when I put her lid on my base it wouldn’t come to pressure. I then took out inner pan and used it in her IP and it worked in her IP. So I deduct that something is going on with the base. The inner bottom circle in the heating element moves up and down easily, the lid locks on, and the float valve will come up. I used it to make bone broth and it will cook it, but steam constantly escapes. Same when I made a rice, veggie soup. The timer counted down, rice was cooked, but lots of steam escaped constantly from the venting knob even while in sealing position( I held it with a spoon)! Have you ever had this problem?
Marigene, that's so interesting because I would have thought that using someone else's lid would have solved the issue. You've done some good detective work and I think you're right. It seems either that your Instant Pot is having to release some of the pressure in order to maintain optimum safe pressure or the pressure sensor is messed up. But this is just my guess. I'm not sure it's safe to push down on the venting knob while it's working. I would try and contact the company - they might be willing to replace it. Best of luck.
Mine is new and i have to push the lid down tightly about 5 minutes into cooking. Then float valve pops up annoying. I didn't have this much trouble with the ambiano model i had and was much easier to operate.
2 questions #1 should the keep warm option be lit while pressure cooking ( the keep warm is lit orange and the pressure cook option is lit white)? I noticed that which I don't remember if that was like that before. #2 my instant pot is only 6 months old and I never had a problem and always wash everything after each use......so can I do some kind of test with my pressure cooker with just water and see if it isn't pressuring before I contact someone? Because the last recipe I used was a new recipe following Pressure Luck ( Greg) on TH-cam and that when I noticed no pressure for a long time and my instant pot was going crazy with flashings of BURN FOOD. Thank you so much if you could help me♥️
You can keep the keep warm on or off, depending on whether you want the Instant Pot to keep the food warm once pressure cooking is done. I usually keep it on. If you've never had a problem before, most likely it was that particular recipe - you probably had stuff sticking to the bottom, dense ingredients, or not enough liquid. Please watch my video about the burn message: th-cam.com/video/TxOy9Rlsd1U/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared To test it out, make sure the instant pot is clean, pressure cook 2 cups of water for 5 minutes. If it doesn't come to pressure and/or you get the burn message, there's something wrong. Good luck!
@@PainttheKitchenRed Thank you so much for getting back to me. I will try that 2 cups of water test when I get home. And I will update you. I truly appreciate your response ♥️👍
@@PainttheKitchenRed Update: I did this test of 2 cups of water for 5 minutes and it worked. I want to thank you so much ♥️ for helping me. I'm so happy it's not my instant pot. And like you have mentioned it was the recipe. I have subscribed to you and looking forward to your videos. Thank you again 😁👍
My pot was steaming like mad and the pin still wouldn't seal. I've removed the cover, checked the seal, looked fine, put the cover back on and it sealed instantly. Far prom perfect design.
@@PainttheKitchenRed I poke the pin with an end of a teaspoon now if it's not sealing, sometimes it helps, and always make sure it moves completely free before putting the lid on.
My instant pot is just a Duo. It almost has the look of the Duo Evo but not quite. It sometimes leaks steam from the float valve area while cooking. Sometimes it comes to pressure and cooks. But then weirdly, sometimes, after the cooking there's no pressure to release, sometimes there is.
It's normal for a tiny bit of steam to leak from the float valve area especially when I cook something with a lot of liquid. However, the random pressurization is not normal!
You may have an issue with the circuit. Try pressing another pressure cook function (such as meat, stew, poultry, soup - not grain or rice). They work the same as the pressure cook button. If that works, just use that button instead.
I just got this a few months ago ... does it already need a new ring ? It has done it now a couple time ... especially when I have a large amount of liquid
Please watch this video: th-cam.com/video/aqR53nZ2sXk/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared and skip to 04:57 minutes into the video to see me put in a sealing ring.
Thank you so much! I don't have one published, but have you tried my (mom's) chicken curry recipe? TH-cam video: th-cam.com/video/eTrrHPmfRKk/w-d-xo.html Blog post: www.paintthekitchenred.com/instant-pot-chicken-curry/ UPDATE: Here's my new Korma recipe: www.paintthekitchenred.com/instant-pot-chicken-korma/
Hey just FYI in youre on here searching for a reason... Make sure you have the right lid. I have a Duo and a Lux and if you switch the lids it wont allow the pin the seal.
I've used my Instant Pot Mini for years without an issue, then all of a sudden it has started the timer before the float valve has popped up. When this happens I can pull the lid up then push it down, and it will stay up with the pressure. I replaced the sealing ring and float valve seal, and yes both are installed correctly. The steam release handle is on correctly. The lid is completely clean with no food debris. And the pot has always had the correct amount of liquid when using it. I'm stumped and while I can continue to pull the lid up and then push it down to get the float valve to stay up, that defeats the point of setting and forgetting the whole cooking process. I've reached out to Instant Pot but all they suggested was for me to purchase a new unit, so basically they were unhelpful and just wanted me to spend more money.
I'm sorry to hear about the trouble you're having with your Instant Pot Mini. Sounds like you've covered all the bases, and I'm assuming that you've done a water test. Unfortunately, I don't have any further suggestions for you, sorry!
@@PainttheKitchenRed Yes, I have done the water test. I've had this Instant Pot probably 7 or 8 years and it always worked fine, so yeah I'm stumped as to what the issue is. What I don't understand is that the timer starts even though the float valve doesn't pop up, so you'd think there isn't enough pressure and it wouldn't start the countdown. UPDATE: I just ran another water test with one cup of water in the Mini. The float valve popped up as it should and shortly after the timer started. So then I put the old sealing ring back in (yes, I kept it for some reason), ran the water test again and the float valve once again popped up and the timer started. This has me thinking that maybe I have not been using enough water when cooking. Normally it's spaghetti that I make with the Instant Pot and over the years I have been adding more ingredients, like carrots and other vegis, and sometimes Hot dogs with the meatballs. I wonder if maybe I have not been adjusting the water amount to the food. I guess I kept thinking that the marinara sauce compensated, but I hate to add too much water because then the spaghetti is soupy.
@@PainttheKitchenRed I tried making spaghetti again with more water, even put the old sealing ring back on. This time the float valve popped up on its own and stayed there, as the timer started counting down. So maybe what I needed was more water than I thought. I'll be keeping an eye on it with future cookings.
Hi Lorena, in my experience it starts out tight and loosens up over time. If you're having sealing issues, a loose ring could be the problem but may not be. Try putting it in the freezer to see if that helps.
The Instant Pot company says that you shouldn't switch lids and that would invalidate the warranty. But I have used the lid of a duo for an ultra or vice versa (usually by accident) and had no issues.
@@PainttheKitchenRed Thanks for the reply. I got in touch with the company and they were surprised I had an old lux 50. It was losing steam around the lid, I noticed the wire that holds the seal was bent slightly up. I managed to bend it back and it is working fine now. The company said the lid on the 50 had a different build and could not be switched with a newer lid. Anyway, now I have two working IPs! Yes!
Yvonne, when the Duo is sealed, the float valve is up. This can be different for different versions but most likely it will be at the level of the lid. And the steam release valve will be in the Sealing position.
You didn't cover the problem that I'm having I already received a new instapot Pro automatically sets the pressure relief valve when you turn the lid to close the problem I'm having it failed the water test to China's and the second one that's brand-new is doing the same thing I started out by the demonstration said two cups of water I said if a five minutes at high pressure and then I press the start before even registering 25-minute time. The pop-off valve already opened and sealed the pressure relief valve that was in the closed position keeps venting that's the second time it's happened in the last few days cuz I have two new ones that was sent by Amazon increase the water for next test up 24 cups it's still not Sealing the pressure relief valve keeps venting
Even though it auto seals, make sure the switch is in fact in the SEAL position. It seems strange that both units are having the same problem! I am not sure how to troubleshoot your issue so I would suggest contacting the company through its support page.
Jason Breding that sounds like a malfunction and I wouldn’t use it further. Try contacting the IP company and open a ticket. You can also try and get a replacement lid.
1. Press Pressure Cook. 2. Press + or - to set the time. 3. It will say 'On' and then start building pressure Have you watched my video on the Nova: th-cam.com/video/aA07Jtokpsg/w-d-xo.html Hope that helps!
I go to your blog. I want to see if cleaning the float valve will help. You say to clean it. You refer to a large and entirely different manual to find out how to remove it instead just telling me at the same time you're saying to clean it with a toothbrush. Why?? You don't even link or reference page a page number.
Thank you. I was getting very frustrated and I was very hot, pissy and sweaty when I wrote-my apologies. Whatever I did has finally worked but I get frustrated because I never know what it is I did that worked. In any case, the first link underneath the video says blog post and I go to that and to reason number 12 wherein you state clean the float valve and other thingy with a toothbrush but then you state that in order to know how to remove those things to clean them, I must click on a different link and go to the instant pot beginner's guide. I didn't have time to dig through it and didn't think that was the problem in any case. So I threw the instant pot against the wall. I didn't really do that and I will say that of the various videos that I've watched yours was by far the best and most thorough and those manuals are excellent, but that was very frustrating. I'm loathe to attempt without instructions as I tend to break things easily.
@Pat thank you for your gracious response. I could feel the frustration in your words 😊 I'll take a look at that section and try and add some details. Hope you ended up figuring out your issue!
Sound could be turned off, you can turn it on and off. So maybe not an issue. Lid error could be because the pin that's on the side of the unit is stuck. Or the lid sensor could be faulty, in which case you'll need to contact the company?
Gotta say, with this many directions to get the freakin' thing to seal properly, that is a sign this is just a crap design. I hate ours. Piece of crap in terms of the sealing and ease of use.
That sounds so frustrating. I'm not saying this is definitely the case, but you might have a defective unit. I rarely have sealing issues if I make sure I have enough liquid and I am using the "layering" method. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about a specific recipe.
Elena, the Instant Pot should not release steam while it's cooking so that's not an issue. It shouldn't take that long - are you sure you're using high pressure. If you're using low pressure it can take time.
Yvonne, On the Duo, you put the steam release valve in sealing position, press the pressure cook button, program the time, press START. After some time, steam will come out of the steam release valve until pressure builds, at which point the float valve will go up. After a minute or so, the display will go from On to counting down. Once the time is up, you can let the pressure come down on its own or release the pressure by move the steam release valve to VENTING. I'm not sure what info you're seeking but hope that helps.
Excellent video! You got right to the point and there was no filler for the entire 11min! You mentioned quite a few points I wouldn’t have thought to check. Thanks so much. My pot is back in action.
Thank you so much, Matt! I'm so glad you found it useful.
Thank you so much for the tip about freezing the sealing ring if it’s too big. That did the trick for me- i never would have figured it out without this video!
Glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know!
FOR DUO EVO PLUS users: There is a little lever on the back of the unit right above the liquid pan. Check that it is free of any food or oils. It will prevent the locking pin from engaging. Also, thank you so much for this video!
Thank you so much for sharing, Charles!
Thank you for saving my Canadian Thanksgiving. So many things was wrong in my instant pot today - a piece of carrot was stuck on the seal, the valve was not seated properly and I didn’t have enough water. Fixing all these solved it. Restart dinner 😅
You are so welcome! Hope you had a great thanksgiving!
Thank you for the clear and concise advice! Was disappointed that my brand new instant pot was already releasing steam at the sides and not coming to pressure, and it was an issue with the sealing ring not sitting properly. After removing and re-inserting it, it worked like a charm! Who would have thought this needed to be done when it’s brand new. Thanks again!
So happy to help, glad it was something simple!
12 minutes of solid advice. Thank you and keep it up.
Thank you so much for the encouragement, Jerry!
@@PainttheKitchenRed
Thanks! I thought it was broken 😑
I saved and shared
This is a great video. Got right to the point. I realized I had everything right but hadn't put the steam release cap back on and the pot couldn't pressurize. I'll never make that mistake again.
I'm glad it was helpful!
My sealing ring was nasty i cleaned it and took a toothbrush and cleaned the race around the base of pot make sure it is dry no liquid on the seal i wrapped a paper towel around tooth brush and dried everything. And it worked thanks for the tip . Batch cooking with this machine has been a lifesaver and take care of it it lasts forever I'm glad i didn't need to replace anything check seal ring inside out and keep it clean and dry 😊
Happy to hear you got it taken care of!
So, I have a good one for you that happened tonight. My pot would not seal despite all the remedies suggested in your video. I finally got it. I took the lid off, and, remembering the seal ring had been cleaned, I flipped it over, where it fit almost identically, it seems, but whalla! It was sealed after that!
Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, my pressure valve was up. You saved me from throwing it away.
Glad I could help
So helpful! Have had Instant Pots for 10 years and only recently ran into a problem, so this helped. Thank you!
You are so welcome!
Thank you!!! Had no ideas about the twist of the venting position!!!
Happy to help!
I did the things you covered after watching steam escape a long time and never reaching “pressure cook”. I don’t get it, it was all clean, but your suggestions worked. Thank you!
It’s just too bad that what could be an awesome cooking instrument is extremely way too difficult to make work and has so many errors and problems.
I’m sure when a Chinese Amazon company copies it they will have fixed these issues and at only half the price. And I’ll gladly make that purchase.
Not sending you any negativity, you are great. Just saying - it’s sad so many people have to make videos to show how to make an otherwise lawn turd, useful 😂😂
Glad it worked out in the end - cheers!
Thanks for your videos. I feel a lot more confident using my new Instant Pot. I've watched a few of your videos now and this is the first time that I've left a comment. I'm a 62 year old widower and I'm not only new to the Instant Pot , I'm also new to cooking anything other than the basics. I can barely remember my mother using the old fashion type of pressure cooker 50-55 years ago and the main thing that I remember is that she said it could be very dangerous so I was a little intimated. Your videos that I've watched have been very thorough and clear so far and I feel much more comfortable using my Instant Pot after watching them. You seem to make the type of videos that I need in that you're not assuming the viewer has any experience at all and you're very thorough. I'll definitely be checking out more of your videos. Thank goodness for TH-cam and people like you.
Hi Albert, thank you for your kind words! Your comment has made my day :) I'm thrilled to hear that I've managed to make things easier for you as you venture into the world of cooking. Keep at it, and you'll be amazed at your growth as a cook a year from now. I wish you all the best and feel free to get in touch with any questions or issues.
@@PainttheKitchenRed /Thank you. I maybe getting in touch with you with a question or issue at some point but right now I can see that you have a lot more of your videos that I'll be watching first. It looks to me like you likely will answer almost any question I might have in your videos already. 🤞
Thank you so much - really helpful and solved my problem. The chilli had stuck to the base of the pot - I hadn't realised that could stop it sealing.
You are welcome!
Watch at 1.75x at least, but very thorough presentation 👌🏾
Thank you, thank you, thank you. For some reason I checked the steam switch, but didn't put it back to the way it was. I kept on losing steam. Your first sentence fixed it. Duh!!! Of course. I left the switch open. A learning experience. Thank you for your concise information.
Glad I could help!
Totally helped me figure out why I have trouble getting the lid on, thanks!
Glad I could help!
1:36 I am sure this reason is rate, but wanted to mention it. I dropped my interior pot a short distance while cleaning it. I didn’t think anything about it… put it together, and forgot about it. The next time I used it, it would not seal! I tried all the other things to get it it seal, and just happened to be standing over it, and noticed it was slightly bowed when I turned the pot around . Got a rubber mallet… smoothed out the bent area, and sealed perfectly 😊
Lucky break! Thank you for sharing!
Nina, thank you very much for your explanations. I spoke with Instant Pot support today and the rep was very helpful. He suggested I ask QVC to send a replacement, if they do that. Again, thank you for the excellent video and response.
You are so welcome, Bobbie! I'm glad to hear that I was able to help you out.
So well explained, thank you! I will check all those reasons, because the steam release thingy won't seal...
I hope you figured it out!
Thank you very much! I looked everywhere for help with the steam coming out while cooking and my quick release button was down (first time using it) thank you thank you! I’m afraid of it😬
You are welcome!
Thank you! I am a new user. Yes, I have a problem with the steam release valve which kept releasing pressure after it came up to pressure. Have to try again 😔
Did it work? Hopefully you figured it out!
Thank you for this video! It is very informative! We will have to figure out if we are missing part of the float valve on our lid.
Hope you got it working!
@@PainttheKitchenRedWe did! 😁
Yup I forgot to put the sealing ring in and was win drying why there was steam
Hi. Thank you for the GREAT video. You're so articulate, you speak so we can hear you and you don't talk too fast. I just got my first Instant Pot last week. I've tried to use it 3 times and each time, something goes wrong. I have been planning dinner for tonight for 2 days. I followed directions but the lid wouldn't go on because the inner pot won't go down all the way. I've checked everything you suggested, took the inner pot out and checked for food or anything in the way. Can't find anything. The button in the center of the base has popped up. It goes down when I press on it but doesn't stay down. When I put the inner pot inside the base, it sits up above the base by about 1/2 an inch. No Cajun Chicken for dinner tonight. Earlier, I tried to cook an artichoke in my Instant pot. I read directions and decided to pressure cook instead of steaming. I pressed Pressure Cook/Manual then used the + button to set the time to 6 minutes, then pressed PC/Manual button. "45" minutes appeared on the screen!! I set a timer for 10 minutes and pressed "Cancel". I used quick release so I could take the artichoke out soon. The first time I tried to use my Instant Pot, The cord would stay on the back of my machine. I'd start a cycle then the lights would go off, then light up again, but I had to reprogram. When I checked the cord, it fell off the Instant Pot. I tried several times to get the plug to stay on the prongs. Should I return it? Do you know how I can get the inner pot to sit all the way downso I can get the lid on? Thanks.
I'm glad you found the video helpful, Bobbie. That button in the center of the base is spring-loaded, so it would be normal for it to stay down only when there's pressure on it. The inner pot is not supposed to be flush against the base; it does stick up about 1/2 inch. When you're programming using the pressure cook button, keep in mind that it's HH:MM (H=hour, M=minute) so 6 minutes would be 00:06. However, I cannot explain why doing so would make it go to 00:45. That would be something wrong with the circuit. Also, the plug can come loose if it's being stretched or pulled but otherwise should stay securely attached once you push it in all the way. If you continue to have issues, you should return it. Good luck.
If it’s a common problem.. maybe it’s a crappy design ..
I agree with you. My Farberware pot started leaking everytime I used it just short of a year of ownership. The sealing ring has become very loose and I have only ran this thing for about 10 hours in total the entire year. Now I am stuck waiting for more sealing rings to arrive from China because they dont give you any extra in the box and a half dozen sealing rings shipped from China costs as much as the entire pot costed me.
THANK YOU!!! I've been fiddling with it all day, but it turned out to be that little steel pin (it was stuck).
Happy to help!
thank you! your video helped me solve my leaking valve !
Glad you got it resolved. Happy to help!
Thank you so much for helping me to sort the pressure cooker 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🤗🤗🤗🥰🥰
Happy to help! Enjoy.
Thank you for including addition reasons and solutions. The other videos I have watch repeat the same issues almost verbatim. I have an Instant Pot Max and I have not found videos for troubleshooting that model. The Max is very different because the machine controls the seal or vent valve.
I hope you were able to figure out the issue.
You solved it‼️ You got it on reason #1! Thank you so much I fought with this thing for 30 minutesAnd watched about four other videos before this one to no avail.
Caroline, so glad to hear it!
Good info.. for me... this is the first meal only using 1-2 cups of broth (with ribs).. it took like 15 min. of slow steam coming out of steam release valve. (float valve up) it's never taken longer than a couple min. (soup based meals) to seal. but eventually it worked.
It could be the temperature of the ingredients. Was anything very cold/frozen?
Excellent video! I'm back in action, thanks to you.
Great to hear!
Thanks, it was helpful.
You're welcome!
Thank you! Fixed it.
Glad to help!
Thank you Neena. This was very helpful!
You're so welcome, Maxine - I'm glad I could help!
Thank you, reason #7 was my issue.
Happy to help - glad it was easy to figure out.
Dear Meena, can you please address the issue of how to clean the air fryer lid instead of just wiping it with a damp cloth? I am hesitant to buy the instant pot with air fryer option for this sole reason. And thank you for this informative video as well.😊
That's a great question. Unfortunately the parts near the heating element can only be cleaned with a damp cloth. Mine hasn't become so dirty that it bothers me and I'm a clean freak :)
What a great video!!! You just saved this middle aged Dad from screwing up dinner. Lol 😂
Lol, I know the feeling. You're very welcome!
Thank you, that's very helpful!
I'm so glad!
Thank you for this video. It was a great help. Why isn't your kitchen red?
Lol, I contemplated a red kitchen island but stayed with safe white! I'm glad you found the video useful.
Thank you! You really helped me
Glad I could help!
thank you, you save my day.
Glad I could help!
Thanks so much! This was very helpful 👍🏾👍🏾
You're very welcome!
If the locking pin is not allowing it to seal...how do I fix this "RARE" problem ( that is my problem but there were no hints to fix it)
The lid locking pin being stuck causes you to not be able to close the lid. If this happens, you should be able to just push it into place. Are you not able to do that? The only other thing I might suggest is to use a brush to clean the area and apply some oil to the area. If it's still giving you issues, you might need to contact the company.
Thank you!!!!!
You're welcome!
Excellent pointers!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for your help!
You're very welcome!
Really informative video. Thanks.
You're so welcome and thank YOU for the feedback :)
Thank you oh so much this video was super informative and helped me figure out what my issue was ☺️
You are so welcome! Happy to help.
I have an instant pot It-Lux and steam comes out of the entire perimeter of the round instant pot and splashes all over. The ceiling ring is attached. Any ideas? Good video by the way!😊
Actually I think you gave me the answer! Thanks!
Hi there, sorry to hear you're having trouble. Generally steam coming out of the sides means the sealing ring is just not sealing properly. If you are able to borrow a sealing ring and test, you might be able to determine if your ring is damaged (it might seem fine outwardly). Good luck, and thanks for watching.
Any ideas for instant pot continuing to leak lots of steam from sealing knob therefore not coming to pressure after I have tried all these ideas AND borrowed a friends IP(same 8 qt) and my lid, which I at first thought was the problem, worked on her pot, but when I put her lid on my base it wouldn’t come to pressure. I then took out inner pan and used it in her IP and it worked in her IP. So I deduct that something is going on with the base. The inner bottom circle in the heating element moves up and down easily, the lid locks on, and the float valve will come up. I used it to make bone broth and it will cook it, but steam constantly escapes. Same when I made a rice, veggie soup. The timer counted down, rice was cooked, but lots of steam escaped constantly from the venting knob even while in sealing position( I held it with a spoon)! Have you ever had this problem?
Marigene, that's so interesting because I would have thought that using someone else's lid would have solved the issue. You've done some good detective work and I think you're right. It seems either that your Instant Pot is having to release some of the pressure in order to maintain optimum safe pressure or the pressure sensor is messed up. But this is just my guess. I'm not sure it's safe to push down on the venting knob while it's working. I would try and contact the company - they might be willing to replace it. Best of luck.
My Ailyons pressure cooker timer is not working. It keeps on cooking and pressuring until I manually turn it off. What can I do?
Unfortunately, I haven't used that model so I can't say.
What if you have the new instapot duo crisp ultimate lid? No way to take out seal or adjust valve
Marian, I haven't used the Ultimate lid model yet but I would think it's because of not enough liquid?
Very helpful thanks
You're welcome - happy to help out.
My safety valve gasket was worn out. I would recommend that be the first thing to rule out. The other issues are so plainly obvious.
You wouldn't believe all the different issues, seemingly obvious, that people have :)
Mine is new and i have to push the lid down tightly about 5 minutes into cooking. Then float valve pops up annoying. I didn't have this much trouble with the ambiano model i had and was much easier to operate.
Have you tried doing a water test to see if it still happens?
Is it safe to use a multipurpose cooker without sealing ring? Thanks
Yes, it is - it just won't come to pressure and steam will leak from the sides - an example would be to steam some veggies without pressure.
2 questions
#1 should the keep warm option be lit while pressure cooking ( the keep warm is lit orange and the pressure cook option is lit white)? I noticed that which I don't remember if that was like that before.
#2 my instant pot is only 6 months old and I never had a problem and always wash everything after each use......so can I do some kind of test with my pressure cooker with just water and see if it isn't pressuring before I contact someone? Because the last recipe I used was a new recipe following Pressure Luck ( Greg) on TH-cam and that when I noticed no pressure for a long time and my instant pot was going crazy with flashings of BURN FOOD.
Thank you so much if you could help me♥️
You can keep the keep warm on or off, depending on whether you want the Instant Pot to keep the food warm once pressure cooking is done. I usually keep it on.
If you've never had a problem before, most likely it was that particular recipe - you probably had stuff sticking to the bottom, dense ingredients, or not enough liquid. Please watch my video about the burn message: th-cam.com/video/TxOy9Rlsd1U/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
To test it out, make sure the instant pot is clean, pressure cook 2 cups of water for 5 minutes. If it doesn't come to pressure and/or you get the burn message, there's something wrong. Good luck!
@@PainttheKitchenRed Thank you so much for getting back to me.
I will try that 2 cups of water test when I get home. And I will update you.
I truly appreciate your response ♥️👍
@@PainttheKitchenRed
Update:
I did this test of 2 cups of water for 5 minutes and it worked.
I want to thank you so much ♥️ for helping me.
I'm so happy it's not my instant pot.
And like you have mentioned it was the recipe.
I have subscribed to you and looking forward to your videos.
Thank you again 😁👍
My pot was steaming like mad and the pin still wouldn't seal. I've removed the cover, checked the seal, looked fine, put the cover back on and it sealed instantly. Far prom perfect design.
Sometimes doing that does the trick. No rhyme or reason :)
@@PainttheKitchenRed I poke the pin with an end of a teaspoon now if it's not sealing, sometimes it helps, and always make sure it moves completely free before putting the lid on.
@@user-Wojciech thanks for the tip!
My instant pot is just a Duo. It almost has the look of the Duo Evo but not quite. It sometimes leaks steam from the float valve area while cooking. Sometimes it comes to pressure and cooks. But then weirdly, sometimes, after the cooking there's no pressure to release, sometimes there is.
It's normal for a tiny bit of steam to leak from the float valve area especially when I cook something with a lot of liquid. However, the random pressurization is not normal!
@@PainttheKitchenRed I also found out I had bought one that was dented. My mom-in-law pointed it out! Yikes!
Thank you Neena.
My pleasure 😊
Whenever I start pressure cook button it goes to 41 seconds and I am not able to adjust it to 10 or 15 minutes or any other time for cooking
You may have an issue with the circuit. Try pressing another pressure cook function (such as meat, stew, poultry, soup - not grain or rice). They work the same as the pressure cook button. If that works, just use that button instead.
I just got this a few months ago ... does it already need a new ring ? It has done it now a couple time ... especially when I have a large amount of liquid
Jason Breding it could be something else other than the sealing ring. Did you do a thorough cleaning? Where is the steam leaking out?
Thank u
You're very welcome!
My exhaust valve got missing and my instant pot not working properly.what should I do?
Buy a new vent valve from from Amazon.
There are spare parts also available from Facebook groups or ebay.
Am using a Salton pressure cooker and it shows an error when I set it to cook, pls help
Sorry, but I am not familiar with that model.
Oh okay thank you
On my first use my mistake was pressing the start button(timer). Now I know I just set the mode and it goes on itself
I'm glad you figured it out!
Please show how to replace the old ring with a new sealing ring correctly thanks
Please watch this video:
th-cam.com/video/aqR53nZ2sXk/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
and skip to 04:57 minutes into the video to see me put in a sealing ring.
NICE!!!!❤
Thanks!
Hi Neena. Love your videos! Do you have an instant pot Korma recipe? Made your jambalaya & Tikka Masala and they came out delicious!
Thank you so much! I don't have one published, but have you tried my (mom's) chicken curry recipe?
TH-cam video: th-cam.com/video/eTrrHPmfRKk/w-d-xo.html
Blog post: www.paintthekitchenred.com/instant-pot-chicken-curry/
UPDATE: Here's my new Korma recipe: www.paintthekitchenred.com/instant-pot-chicken-korma/
@@PainttheKitchenRed Thank you so much! We will definitely try that!
Would any of these problems keep the pressure cook button not to work?
One more thing: try holding Cancel while turning the Instant Pot on. This sometimes works to reset things.
Hey just FYI in youre on here searching for a reason... Make sure you have the right lid. I have a Duo and a Lux and if you switch the lids it wont allow the pin the seal.
Thank you for sharing that !
I've used my Instant Pot Mini for years without an issue, then all of a sudden it has started the timer before the float valve has popped up. When this happens I can pull the lid up then push it down, and it will stay up with the pressure. I replaced the sealing ring and float valve seal, and yes both are installed correctly. The steam release handle is on correctly. The lid is completely clean with no food debris. And the pot has always had the correct amount of liquid when using it. I'm stumped and while I can continue to pull the lid up and then push it down to get the float valve to stay up, that defeats the point of setting and forgetting the whole cooking process. I've reached out to Instant Pot but all they suggested was for me to purchase a new unit, so basically they were unhelpful and just wanted me to spend more money.
I'm sorry to hear about the trouble you're having with your Instant Pot Mini. Sounds like you've covered all the bases, and I'm assuming that you've done a water test. Unfortunately, I don't have any further suggestions for you, sorry!
@@PainttheKitchenRed Yes, I have done the water test. I've had this Instant Pot probably 7 or 8 years and it always worked fine, so yeah I'm stumped as to what the issue is. What I don't understand is that the timer starts even though the float valve doesn't pop up, so you'd think there isn't enough pressure and it wouldn't start the countdown.
UPDATE: I just ran another water test with one cup of water in the Mini. The float valve popped up as it should and shortly after the timer started. So then I put the old sealing ring back in (yes, I kept it for some reason), ran the water test again and the float valve once again popped up and the timer started. This has me thinking that maybe I have not been using enough water when cooking. Normally it's spaghetti that I make with the Instant Pot and over the years I have been adding more ingredients, like carrots and other vegis, and sometimes Hot dogs with the meatballs. I wonder if maybe I have not been adjusting the water amount to the food. I guess I kept thinking that the marinara sauce compensated, but I hate to add too much water because then the spaghetti is soupy.
Yeah, they don't build things like they used to, it's almost like it's built to break down smh.
@@PainttheKitchenRed I tried making spaghetti again with more water, even put the old sealing ring back on. This time the float valve popped up on its own and stayed there, as the timer started counting down. So maybe what I needed was more water than I thought. I'll be keeping an eye on it with future cookings.
@@Resist4 strange that is started acting up after so many years, but I'm glad you got it to work.
The sealing ring has always been kind of loose. Is that normal? Should it be tight when cold?
Hi Lorena, in my experience it starts out tight and loosens up over time. If you're having sealing issues, a loose ring could be the problem but may not be. Try putting it in the freezer to see if that helps.
@@PainttheKitchenRed I did and it got better. I ordered me 2 replacements, just in case.
I think my sealing ring rack wire is bent.... Have you switched lids between different models? See that some say that is workable.
The Instant Pot company says that you shouldn't switch lids and that would invalidate the warranty. But I have used the lid of a duo for an ultra or vice versa (usually by accident) and had no issues.
@@PainttheKitchenRed Thanks for the reply. I got in touch with the company and they were surprised I had an old lux 50. It was losing steam around the lid, I noticed the wire that holds the seal was bent slightly up. I managed to bend it back and it is working fine now. The company said the lid on the 50 had a different build and could not be switched with a newer lid. Anyway, now I have two working IPs! Yes!
@everyone, I have a duo, what does sealing look like PLEASE ANSWER 😢
New to this
Yvonne, when the Duo is sealed, the float valve is up. This can be different for different versions but most likely it will be at the level of the lid. And the steam release valve will be in the Sealing position.
Or bringing to pressure on the Duo please
Most of the other buttons working but the pressure cook buttons do not
Shoot, I think you might need to contact the company?
You didn't cover the problem that I'm having I already received a new instapot Pro automatically sets the pressure relief valve when you turn the lid to close the problem I'm having it failed the water test to China's and the second one that's brand-new is doing the same thing I started out by the demonstration said two cups of water I said if a five minutes at high pressure and then I press the start before even registering 25-minute time. The pop-off valve already opened and sealed the pressure relief valve that was in the closed position keeps venting that's the second time it's happened in the last few days cuz I have two new ones that was sent by Amazon increase the water for next test up 24 cups it's still not Sealing the pressure relief valve keeps venting
Even though it auto seals, make sure the switch is in fact in the SEAL position. It seems strange that both units are having the same problem! I am not sure how to troubleshoot your issue so I would suggest contacting the company through its support page.
My steam release valve was leaking so I replaced it. Still leaks.
It could also be the sealing ring. Have you done a water test?
My duo Instapot after a few minutes explodes and releases the pressure through the sides and then just hisses
Jason Breding that sounds like a malfunction and I wouldn’t use it further. Try contacting the IP company and open a ticket. You can also try and get a replacement lid.
👍👍
Does the instant pot tell you when its done? I have the nova
It beeps when the time is up if you have the sound turned on. Also, if you have Keep Warm mode on, it'll start counting up.
Paint the Kitchen Red .. also. My timer only worked when the pressure cooker button was pressed down first.. is that how it supposed to be ?
1. Press Pressure Cook.
2. Press + or - to set the time.
3. It will say 'On' and then start building pressure
Have you watched my video on the Nova: th-cam.com/video/aA07Jtokpsg/w-d-xo.html
Hope that helps!
@@PainttheKitchenRed oh, i pressed Soup/ broth option. im gonna watch it now.
How do I connect with u directly for help. I have a whole lots of problems using my new instant pot ultra.
Shaista, hope you've resolved your issues. Feel free to ask anything here.
Thumbs up and subscribed!
Welcome aboard - thank you!
I go to your blog. I want to see if cleaning the float valve will help. You say to clean it. You refer to a large and entirely different manual to find out how to remove it instead just telling me at the same time you're saying to clean it with a toothbrush.
Why?? You don't even link or reference page a page number.
Sorry for your frustration! If you'll let me know what article you went to and what the link was, I can try and improve it.
Thank you. I was getting very frustrated and I was very hot, pissy and sweaty when I wrote-my apologies.
Whatever I did has finally worked but I get frustrated because I never know what it is I did that worked.
In any case, the first link underneath the video says blog post and I go to that and to reason number 12 wherein you state clean the float valve and other thingy with a toothbrush but then you state that in order to know how to remove those things to clean them, I must click on a different link and go to the instant pot beginner's guide.
I didn't have time to dig through it and didn't think that was the problem in any case.
So I threw the instant pot against the wall. I didn't really do that and I will say that of the various videos that I've watched yours was by far the best and most thorough and those manuals are excellent, but that was very frustrating.
I'm loathe to attempt without instructions as I tend to break things easily.
@Pat thank you for your gracious response. I could feel the frustration in your words 😊 I'll take a look at that section and try and add some details. Hope you ended up figuring out your issue!
@@PainttheKitchenRed I still don't know what fixed it, but dinner was great!
Why do it make a whistling sound.
I’ve tried it all. Brand new piece of crap.
Sorry to hear about your frustrations. Since it's new, can you exchange it? You may have a lemon.
Why sometimes will pop the word Lid?
Rocio, it will say 'Lid' if you put the lid on while using the saute button. It will also say it if you don't close the lid properly.
@@PainttheKitchenRed I did it put the Lid and twisted ,but I put pressure cook and stop
I’ve used mine twice and won’t presser tried everything 😭
Hope you figured it out finally. You might have a defective unit.
No Sound Keep Getting Lid Error
Sound could be turned off, you can turn it on and off. So maybe not an issue. Lid error could be because the pin that's on the side of the unit is stuck. Or the lid sensor could be faulty, in which case you'll need to contact the company?
@PainttheKitchenRed Thank You So Much
Gotta say, with this many directions to get the freakin' thing to seal properly, that is a sign this is just a crap design. I hate ours. Piece of crap in terms of the sealing and ease of use.
That sounds so frustrating. I'm not saying this is definitely the case, but you might have a defective unit. I rarely have sealing issues if I make sure I have enough liquid and I am using the "layering" method. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about a specific recipe.
My instant pot is not releasing the steam. It is not cooking the tamales it takes 2 hrs. to cook them!
Elena, the Instant Pot should not release steam while it's cooking so that's not an issue. It shouldn't take that long - are you sure you're using high pressure. If you're using low pressure it can take time.
Neena how do I reach u?
Shaista, hope you've resolved your issues. Feel free to ask anything here.
Anyone please
Yvonne, On the Duo, you put the steam release valve in sealing position, press the pressure cook button, program the time, press START. After some time, steam will come out of the steam release valve until pressure builds, at which point the float valve will go up. After a minute or so, the display will go from On to counting down. Once the time is up, you can let the pressure come down on its own or release the pressure by move the steam release valve to VENTING.
I'm not sure what info you're seeking but hope that helps.
Thank you, this helps me trouble shooting my leaking instant pot
I'm so glad you found it helpful!