The Instant Pot is the hottest cooking innovation to come along in a while. In this post, we’ll take a look at each of the Instant Pot buttons and note what they do.
There are actually several versions of the Instant Pot. There are Ultra and Duo, Lux and Max and Mini. At last count, I believe there are 8 different types and you can find the highest rated ones HERE.
Each has different benefits and as such, some have different buttons and can do different things.
Must Read: 15 Instant Pot Tips for New Users (and a FREE printable).
Instant Pot Buttons
Delay Start
Set the cooking function you are going to use and set the delayed start time of your choosing.
Keep Warm/Cancel
When the cooking time has ended, the Instant Pot will switch to Keep Warm. It will be kept at 145–172°F for up to 10 hours.
You’ll also push this button when you are ready to turn off the Instant Pot or when you need to cancel something.
Pressure
Switch between high and low pressure.
Adjust
Adjust cooking times to LESS and MORE. This is also the button that allows you to change the temperature for Slow Cook or Saute.
Manual/Pressure Cook
Press this button, then use the [+] and [-] buttons to change the cook time. You’ll hear a beep when it’s starting the pressure cooking.
Slow Cook
This button turns your Instant Pot into a slow cooker.
Saute
You can brown meats and saute vegetables using this setting. The really cool thing is that if you’re using the Slow Cooker setting, you can also use Saute to prep the meat and onions, for example.
Wait until it displays HOT before you start.
Yogurt
Yogurt is a little trickier than some of the other things you can make in your Instant Pot. It involves boiling the milk in the pot and incubating the yogurt. More on that soon!
Soup/Broth
Cooks at high pressure for 30 minutes. Try: Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Meat/Stew
Cooks at high pressure for 35 minutes. Try: Instant Pot Beef Stew
Bean/Chili
Cooks at high pressure for 30 minutes.
Poultry
Cooks at high pressure for 15 minutes.
Rice
Automatically adjusts cooking time based upon the weight of the rice.
Multigrain
For rice and grains that take longer to cook. It cooks at high pressure for 40 minutes.
Steam
High pressure for 10 minutes.
Cake
Cooks at high pressure for 30 minutes to make soft and moist cakes.
Egg
Cooks at high pressure for 10 minutes.
Less – Normal – More
Press the same cooking button repeatedly until you get to the setting you need.
[-] and [+] Buttons
Adjust the cooking times up or down.
Which Instant Pot Buttons Do You Use Most?
What version of the IP do you have? Are you glad you bought it, or are there things you wish you’d known beforehand?
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124 comments on “Instant Pot Buttons for Beginners”
Feeling super intimidated…wanted one for months, finally bought b/c on sale. Now only used when my daughter cooks for me. Yes, she’s shown me several times!
My pot will not pressurize. What should I do?
Check your gasket is in place inside (did you take it out after you bought it?) Make sure the arrows on the lid and the pot are aligned. Check the dial that you have it set for pressure and not release.
Now that I see what it can do. I am going to purchase one. I’ve purchased “Snake oil” appliances only to see them in the swap shop within a month. This looks to be a real cooking cure.
I would love to have an InstaPot. Now that I know more about it, I will get one. Thank you.
Sweet potatoes and the little gourmet potatoes are sides we cook often. IP is the only way I cook hard boiled eggs now. Steel cut oats are delicious but not a spur of the moment breakfast.
Anxious to use my Pioneer Woman 6 at!
Thx
Slow cooker, manual and keep warm. I have used other ones though. Want to try yoghurt soon.
Why do the recipes linked Under the soup and stew buttons not use those buttons??
Pressure button is the one that says Pressure. If it still doesn’t work the replace your seal (first make sure it is clean)! You either didn’t turn it on pressure or you have lost pressure. Find out let me know…. lid my not be on right as well..
Do you have instructions for the AIR Fryer. How to use it?
Yes! Go here –> https://kitchenfunwithmy3sons.com/air-fryer-tips/
I really like my IP. It was a gift. The thing I like most about it is if I use it as a slow cooker and I get home and things aren’t quite done I use the pressure cooker function!
Just received my Instant Pot for Christmas, trying to figure out what to cook and how to cook it. I thought I’d start out with a roast.
Look up the recipe for crack chicken! Oh my goodness it’s so yummy! It’s as addictive as crack
I cook my roast for about 3 1/2 hours, vent it’s, add some carrots and potatoes for about 10 minutes. It’s amazing!!
I cooked a 3.5 pound pot roast in 1hr 25min. It was super tender.
I got mine for Christmas too. My 1st meal was ham & beans, using the Cmas ham hock. Took dry beans, ham, & broth to the max level. I tried high pressure for 20 mins. The beans were a little crunchy so I put it back on high pressure 10 more mins…perfect! Best ham & beans ever.
I used my instant pot duo yesterday to make hard boiled eggs…I used the pressure setting and made sure it was on high pressure…set time for 7 minutes….I put cap on the seal mark…7 minutes later I immediately vented then ice water bath eggs for 1 minute…I peeled eggs and had runny yolks….this was an internet recipe…I have tried this multiple times with eggs and have had bad results…any help is welcomed
I have recipe for perfect hard boiled egg. Use the rack, put as many eggs in pot as you need. Add 1 cup cold water (no matter how many eggs you are boiling). 5 minutes at high pressure (it will take longer than 5 minutes for it to come to pressure, then it will cook at high pressure for 5 minutes )then a 5 minute natural release. Remove pot and run cold water over. Peels so easy EVERY TIME.
It takes five to seven minutes for the pot to pressurize fully. Cook it a bit longer.
Pam-That’s what Jaime said right above you. Set it for 5, it won’t start the count until it’s at pressure. No need to second guess it and ‘cook it a bit longer’.
You have to let it natural release for a period of time. I use extra large eggs and cook for 5 minutes on high pressure, natural release for 5 minutes and then quick release through the vent. After the pressure is gone, 5 minutes in an ice bath. Best eggs ever!
Usually I cook about 6 eggs on the trivet and add 1 cup of water (without water they won’t cook lol). Press the “Egg” setting which shows 6 minutes. After that time is up, I let it rest for about five minutes before releasing the steam. Then put them in an ice water bath to cool, before refrigerating. The whole process takes about 15-18 minutes. Eggs are always done with creamy yolks and usually no green outer edge on the yolk. I have a Duo.
I use my IP to make hard boiled eggs at least once a week. I put a cup of water in the bottom, place the trivet in the water and load it with anywhere from 6 to 12 eggs. I manually set it for 2 minutes on high pressure. When it’s done, I turn it off (although it hasn’t hurt when I’ve forgotten and let it stay on “Keep Warm.” I wait and let it naturally release, then stack them in a pyrex bowl and out them in the fridge. I’ll do a quick ice bath if I’m going to use one right away so it doesn’t burn my fingers. They peel easily and are always done. I’ve been utterly confused by all the recipes that I see calling for up to 10 minutes. 10 minutes is how long it takes to cook chicken breasts from frozen in an IP. Seems like that would drastically overcook an egg.
Best boiled eggs; Place in cold water on STOVE,
Once boiling starts, time exactly 5 whole minutes of rapid medium boiling. Remove pot and place under running cold water for whole minute. Voila, medium/hard eggs you don’t choke on…deelish!
Is the Natural Release just letting the instapot just release after it’s finished cooking? I just got one for my birthday and used it once and pushed the pressure release on top. I think I have the duo nova model. Does anyone have the basket to place inside is it helpful when needing to drain noodles and veggies?
5 minutes pressure 5 minutes manual release 5 minutes in ice bath. Prefect eggs.
I use the 5-5-5 method. 5 minutes on high, then wait 5 minutes before venting then 5 minutes in ice water. Works great! And shells practically fall off
John Ritchie. Put water in a saucepan with eggs in it. Bring to a boil. Then take them off the heat. Leave the eggs in the water until the water cools down. Take them out and you’ll have a perfect hard boiled egg !!! Learned this from Gordon Ramsay !! On his show ! Let me know if you try it. Gwenny Kulesza
I pressure 5 minutes and natural release 5 minutes then quick release. I have to set a timer for the last 5 or I forget.
I’ve boiled 18 eggs in an 8qt with 1 1/2 cups water
Pressure for 5 min…let it naturally come down for
5 min and then cold water bath for 5…perfect every time!!
What I don’t get about eggs, I boil in a pot 7 minutes and they are cooked and peel fine. Why would I drag out the IP?
Some people use the IP as, like me, they don’t have a real stove. Tiny apt so other ways to cook are needed.
If you have fresh yard eggs, they can be almost impossible to peel cooking them on the stove, but with the IP, they peel so easily!
I don’t drag mine out, it has counter space of it’s own and sits there always.
I let my eggs vent on their own and they come out perfectly and I only cook them for 5 to 7 mins.
Do you have to have the egg holder or can you just plan the eggs in the IP with water?
You don’t put them directly on the bottom of the pot. You can use your trivet to keep them off the bottom. And I have done an easy dozen that way.
Place eggs on rack with a cup of water. Pressure on high for 7 minutes. After the alarm goes off just leave them in the pot to let the pressure come down for 7 minutes. At this point you can manually release the remaining steam and remove the lid and place the eggs in cold water for a couple of minutes. I use the 7-7-7 rule and they come out fine.
I love my IP! I was afraid to use it but now I have cooked two turkeys, pulled pork, beans, stuffed peppers, meatloaf… I love that I can cook a 10# turkey in 45 minutes! Now my family asks me to use it because the food is do tender and moist.
What size IP do you have?
How many quarts is yours?
Mine wont hold a 10lb. turkey.
Hi Carla, I would like to purchase IP but I dont know what size to purchase to make turkey and whole chickens. What IP do you have?
How do you do your meatloaf in it?
I can’t stand the smell of the lid (the seal).. for this reasoni have used mine twice . And likely won’t use it again. Am I missing something? Am I the only person bothered by this?
Please don’t tell me to use vinegar. I have doesn’t do anything
I have multiple seals. One that I use for pastas, potatoes, eggs, etc…
One is for baking or sweets.
The other is for savory or more smelly items like soups, sauces, meats, etc…
I wash them in the dishwasher between uses on the top rack.
That seems to do the trick for me.
Great advice!! THANK YOU!!
Maybe order new rings or get some un used coffee grains and let ring soak in them for a day the rubber smell will disapear. Promise letme know. Good luck.
I just put the lid on my instant pot upside down when not in use. No problem with smells. Don’t seal it tight when not in use.
I’m with you on this method. Always just let the lid air. Seems like common sense to me!
I hang my ring on a nail outside!
I wash my ring on the top rack of dishwasher and never notice an odor at all.
Hi Lianne, I agree. It smells like burning rubber. I hope the smell will diminish in time with more use. I have only used it twice so far, but I like it! Happy New Year!
Amazon sells extra seals for insta pot, different colors for different meat a d so on. Very inexpensive for three seals ($8.99).
Is it safe or ok to put aluminum foil in the instant pot. I found a meatloaf recipe that says shape the meatloaf on aluminum foil, then place loaf in the instant pot. But doesn’t say with or without the foil. I just got mine never used it so was a little concerned didn’t want to burn it up first thing..
I have duo but know nothing about it
My sister bought me the Pioneer Woman IP in March for my birthday, I’m scared of it
Hi Cheryl…don’t be afraid of the Instant Pot! They are not like the pressure cookers that our Mom’s used years ago. My daughter had hers for a couple years. We went to visit her and we made first I.P. dinner which was a huge success. Now she uses it 2-3 times a week when her work schedule permits. She also sends me pics of what she makes that night. Check out Pinterest for many easy recipes.
Dive in, you will wonder how you did without it ☺ Follow simple recipes first to get a feel for it. Do boiled eggs for instance, my first trial. Amazing how great they come right out of the shell.
Well I have the pioneer woman one also and the buttons do not match the recipes.
There is No pressure button!
Brand new IP for Christmas. Havent opened or used it yet. I am very comfortable with my crockpot, and not trusting of this new device.
Originally I too…Try potatoes first. Place 6 medium washed potatoes on rack with 1/2 inch water. Press poultry button for 15 minutes on high pressure closed. Once beeps off, release pressure with fingers because the hot steam is ever warm and doesn’t burn you.
Correct steam that doesn’t burn..right!?!
Perfect soft potatoes…just liked baked!
Steam burns are very painful. Do not put your hand over the vent .Water boils at 212deg. F. Steam is hotter .
I got one too from my daughter for Christmas and I’m scared of it too lol
I love my 6 qt IP. I have done, pasta, turkey breast, rice pilaf, beef stew, pasta w ith ground beef to name a few and I love it. I haven’t had success with cooking a brownie in it yet but I’ll get there. I just bought myself the Instant Vortex Air fryer and have done french fries and clam strips so far. Looking for other things to do as well as long as it’s more a long the lines of healthy.
I now have two Ip’s. I wish I had bought the duo instead of the lux
I love my IP the cold start yogurt. It the best. I have made ribs, soups,time is great.
Would have been better if you had posted a pic under each I instruction with an arrow showing what you are talking about. I have 2 instant pots & don’t really use because I follow book instruction & it doesn’t cook my dry beans in 30 minutes or less. I end up cookies get them all day. I can cook my dry beans on the stove quicker.
Sounds like you are not cooking them using the “pressure cooker”. It doesnt take but a fraction of the time. Be patient and if this particular post doesnt help you then just Google it more till you get it. Once you get it down you will use your IP nonstop!! I love my IP (thanks to my mother-in-law)! I cant wait to make all my recipes…..
I put my dry beans in a pot on stove, and bring to boil then turn off and let sit for an hour. Then I drain and put in IP. They are done everytime.
That wouldn’t work, different models have different buttons, and they’re not all in the same place.
I am a beginner when cooking with instant pot on top if the lid should you have the release button on seal? Thank you