Instant Pot Replacement Float Valve

Inner Pot/liner Has Rainbow Stains

Sometimes your inner pot can get a rainbow or blue-purple stain especially when the pot is overheated. This happens to stainless steel pots, in general.

Barkeepers Friend is my favorite product for cleaning my Instant Pot inner pot. I use it to clean all my stainless steel pots and my kitchen sink.

You can get Barkeepers Friend in powder or liquid form. I prefer the liquid. Be sure to shake it up before using it.

Instant Pot Display Says Burn

If youre a new Instant Pot owner, the burn message is a problem youll have at one point or another. There are many reasons for the burn error.

It all comes down to the fact that the Instant Pot is overheating. Here are some of the ways you can prevent this issue:

• Make sure theres enough liquid and that it has reached the bottom of the inner pot.
• Allow the Instant Pot to cool down after using the Saute function.
• Use the layering technique to prevent scorching: layer starches like pasta and rice, tomato products , and dense sauces on top of other ingredients and dont stir.
• Always deglaze the inner pot after youve used the Saute function. This means that after sauteeing your food, add a couple of tablespoons of liquid and scrape up the brown bits so theres nothing stuck on the bottom.

But thats not all. Ive written a comprehensive article on the burn error, what causes it, how to avoid it and how to salvage your meal.

There Are So Many Buttons And Functions That Its Confusing To Use

Yes, there are many functions, which are basically just presets, as you would have on your microwave.

For example, the Soup function is preset to cook for 30 minutes at high pressure. The Meat/Stew function is preset to cook for 35 minutes at high pressure.

However, you dont need to use the presets. You can use the Pressure Cook function and set the pressure cooking time. As a matter of fact, you can get by with using just a few functions/buttons :

• Pressure Cook
• Saute
• Cancel
• Start

Barbara over at Pressure Cooking Today has one of the most comprehensive guides that cover most of the models: Which Instant Pot Buttons to Use.

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Instant Pot Is Leaking Steam

Its normal to have small amounts of steam escape from the steam release handle/valve and float valve while pressure is building.

Particularly if youre making a recipe with a lot of liquid, like a soup, your Instant Pot will take time to come to pressure.

There will be small amounts of steam coming out until the Instant Pot is pressurized and the float valve is up. Theres no need for concern its not a problem.

However if your Instant Pot continues leaking steam, you may have a problem.

Common Instant Pot Problems And How To Solve Them

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Published: | Author: Paint the Kitchen Red |

Whether its your Instant Pot not sealing, error codes, burn message, or leaking steam, find out how to troubleshoot common Instant Pot problems encountered by beginners and experienced users.

Ive owned a few Instant Pots over the years and Ive learned a thing or two about them. Through my blog and on social media, I hear from owners who ask for help with various problems with their Instant Pot.

In this article, I share with you a list of common Instant Pot problems and how to solve them.

I URGE YOU TO OPEN THE BOX AND GIVE YOUR INSTANT POT A TEST RUN!

I hear from many people who never take the Instant Pot out of the box and finally, get around to it months later and they encounter a defective product or have problems with their Instant Pot, but the warranty has expired.

At that point, theyre disappointed and frustrated but unfortunately, they have no recourse for their Instant Pot issues!

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Float Valve Wont Go Up

• You might think your float valve is stuck. But is it, really? Different models of the Instant Pot have different positions that the float valve can be in when sealed.
• Examine your Instant Pot lid and note where the normal/down position is when the lid is not on. Some models have a red-colored float valve.
• If your float valve is in fact stuck in the up position, it could be due to debris or stickiness from food. Use a long spoon or chopstick to gently push down on the float valve.
• If your float valve is stuck in the down position, its probably because your Instant Pot is having trouble sealing. See Problem #1.

Instant Pot Is Not Sealing

This is one of the most common Instant Pot problems encountered by new owners.

If your Instant Pot is not sealing, here are the more common issues:

But thats not all there are many more reasons. Ive written a whole article dedicated to this topic!

Find out why your Instant Pot is not sealing and what you can do to fix this problem.

Read Also: How To Steam In An Instant Pot

Can I Still Use My Instant Pot If The Valve Falls Out

Definitely not! The float valve is an integral part of the mechanism of your instant pot, you cannot use the pot again if the valve isnt in it.

If the valve is replaceable and you can secure it back within the instant pot, then youre good to go. Alternatively, youre playing a dangerous game.

The float valve is pushed up by pressure building within the instant pot. When the valve is completely pushed up the lock on the lid is engaged, and your food cooks over time. This means that the float valve is an integral safety feature as if it isnt in place, the seal wont form, and the lid wont lock.

If your instant pots float valve is missing, do not try to use it until you can get a new one.

Instant Pot Lid Smells

The sealing ring is made of silicone and it will retain the odors of whatever you last cooked

There are many ways to try and remove the odors , and Ive tried them all. They work okay but the odors dont ever completely go away.

Personally, I dont really find that the odor from the sealing ring transfers to whatever dish Im cooking. So I dont worry about the smell unless Im making a dessert.

I have a second sealing ring for desserts. You can purchase sealing rings in multi-colored packs which helps you remember which one is used for sweet or savory dishes.

One thing you should never do is store the Instant Pot closed, with the sealing ring in the lid. I always store my lid upside down on the unit. This helps with reducing odors.

Read Also: How Long To Cook Spaghetti Noodles In Instant Pot

Upper Kitchen Cabinets Are Getting Damaged

When the Instant Pot is placed on the countertop, the steam release can shoot straight up toward the upper cabinets.

Many people solve this problem by placing their Instant Pot on the stovetop. But this can cause even bigger issues. See Instant Pot Problem #15 above.

What I do is I carefully turn the Instant Pot so that the steam release opening is toward the front or side and this allows the steam to be directed away from my upper cabinets.

Just be very careful when doing a quick release keep your hands and face away from the flow of steam!

Another solution is to use the Instant Pot on a side table or cart, away from the cabinets.

Can An Instant Pot Valve Fall Out

While an instant pot float valve can come off the instant pot itself, its quite rare indeed. The float valve works by connecting a cap on the inside of the instant pot to the float valve, which comes out of the instant pot entirely. When pressure builds within the instant pot, the internal cap is pushed up and the float valve closes.

You will see the external section of the float valve be pushed up it will likely be a small red or silver component.

There are two ways that a float valve could fall out. One way would be if just the internal cap of the float valve has come free of the instant pot, and is within the pot. This is dangerous for obvious reasons nobody wants a small piece of silicone in their food.

Alternatively, that small piece of silicone could come out of the pot and end up in your garbage disposal, for example. Thats also a bad outcome.

Another way that a float valve could come out is if the entire valve simply comes free of the machine. It is designed to come out so that you can clean it. The reason for this is that sometimes small pieces of food can get stuck to or within the valve.

If this happens, the valve needs to be properly cleaned before it can be used again. At the end of the day, the valve is a safety feature, and its always worth taking great care of safety features.

Also Check: How To Slow Cook Chicken In Instant Pot

Meats Are Dry And Tough

One of the most common complaints I hear from new Instant Pot users is that they pressure cook meat or chicken and it comes out dry and tough.

Chicken breasts, pork chops, beef tenderloin dont do as well in the Instant Pot. The Instant Pot is best for meats that have a higher fat-content like chicken thighs, pork shoulder, beef chuck.

Pressure cooking a boneless, chicken breast in the Instant Pot may not give you the best or ideal results. Using chicken breast with skin and bone will give you better results, because of the fat content.

Some newer Instant Pots come with the Sous Vide smart program. If you have that functionality, youll be able to make perfectly cooked tender and moist chicken breast.

Another key to preventing meats from becoming dry is to use Natural Pressure Release . Allow the float valve to go down on its own.

This allows the meat to rest, the fibers to relax and the juices to be re-absorbed into the meat rather than evaporating. This applies particularly to meat that is not immersed in liquid (like soups, stews, curries, and gravies.

Finally, contrary to a lot of advice about pressure cookers, more is not always better when it comes to meat. Meat becomes tender in about one-third the time it takes for conventional cooking. Pressure cooking meat for too long can cause it to become dry and tough.

Laura from Hip Pressure Cooking has some great articles including Choosing the Right Cut of Meat.

Ensure The Valve Is Properly Assembled

The number one reason that your valve is most likely to fall out of the instant pot is that it has been assembled incorrectly. Whether by you or by someone else, it is an easy mistake to make!

If the valve falls out, make sure to get the lid off your pot, and take a close look at the valve and lid. Making sure that everything is completely clean , first insert the pin. Insert the pin from the top of the lid, pushing it down into the lid itself.

When the pin emerges on the other side of the lid, place the silicone cap onto the pin, and the pin will be locked in place, ready for use. Make sure that the silicone cap can fit snugly against the silicone ring within the lid, as that is where the seal is made.

As weve said before: the valve is designed to be removable for cleaning, so if you do assemble it incorrectly, you can always take it off and try again.

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Instant Pot Wont Come To Pressure When Making Recipes With Tomato Products Or Store

This is another common problem Instant Pot owners have. Tomato products in the pressure cooker can be tricky. Tomato products can be thick and dense and may contain sugar which leads to scorching.

Many store-bought sauces have a high content of sugar, or fillers like corn starch or flour which can also cause scorching. One common outcome is the Burn error.

Here are some things you can do to prevent the problem:

• Layer these sauces on top without stirring.
• Thin sauces with water or broth, to make them less dense.
• Use Pot in Pot method of cooking.

The Float Valve Wasnt Properly Replaced

To clean the float valve, as you should regularly, you must remove the internal silicone cap, and then pull out the metal pin. These two components make up the float valve and must be washed in hot soapy water before being replaced.

The problem with cleaning the float valve in this way is that it is quite easy to replace the components incorrectly. For example, you could replace the silicone cap upside down, which would result in the mechanism working incorrectly.

Also Check: Can I Put Instant Pot Lid In Dishwasher

What Is The Float Valve On Instant Pot

The instant pot consists of different parts, and one of the essential parts of the instant pot is the float valve. The float valve is the crucial element that keeps the heat and steam inside the pot. Without a float valve, your instant pot will not serve perfectly.

Why is the Float Valve Important?

The float valve in an instant pot is as essential as water is for fish. The float valve pressurizes the instant pot by sealing the heat. This little part of your instant pot lets you cook your food with no difficulties faced. It maintains the pressure inside your instant pot and helps you gauge the perfect time to remove your instant pot from the stove.

How to Gauge Instant Pot Pressure through Float Valve?

Instant pot float valve does not only help you to seal the heat, but it also allows you to gauge the inside pressure of your instant pot. The float valve is always below the lid when the pressure inside your instant pot is low. When the float valve is above the lid surface, then the pressure is at its extreme.

Do not even try to open the instant pots lid when the float valve is above the lid. It can result in an accident leading to injuries. For opening the lid of your instant pot, wait for the float valve to go down again as the pressure is reduced then.

How to Keep the Float Valve In Order?

How to Clean the Float Valve?

How to Replace an Instant Pot Float Valve?

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What To Do If Your Instant Pot Float Valve Falls Out

Instant pots are often an appliance you might not think needs a lot of fixing and they frequently dont but there is the odd time, especially if you have had yours for a number of years you might find certain parts need replacing or come loose.

There are a number of ways to fix your instant pot valve if it falls out from replacing the valve altogether, cleaning it and replacing it back on or checking that the valve has not been misshapen in any way.

In this article, I am going to talk about what to do if your instant pot valve falls out, breaks or comes loose. I will also talk about what can cause this for future reference along with how to fix it.

Contents

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Accidentally Poured Liquid Into Instant Pot But Forgot To Put In Inner Pot/liner

Hard to believe, but forgetting to put in the inner pot and accidentally pouring liquid into the Instant Pot base unit is a common problem!

People wash the inner pot in the dishwasher and forget to put it back in the Instant Pot base unit before cooking.

If this happens to you, dont panic! According to the Instant Pot Company, heres what you can do for water or food spills:

If oil spilled into the base unit, you can attempt to turn the pot upsidedown to allow it to drip out. However, there is no safe way to determine if its safe to use or not. Turning on the pot even to test would be a fire hazard.

* There are a few places you can go to for Instant Pot spare parts:

• The Instant Pot company website: Replacement parts

The best way to prevent this problem is to put something in the base unit while the inner pot is out that will help you remember to replace the inner pot .

Instant Pot Is Taking Too Long To Cook Food

Total Cook Time = Time to Come to Pressure + Pressure Cooking Time + Time for Natural Release of Pressure

For example, if a recipe says to pressure cook for 10 minutes, the Instant Pot can take from 5 to 15 minutes to come to pressure. Pressure cooking takes 10 minutes, and naturally releasing pressure can take another 5 to 20 minutes.

The quantity and density of liquid and food in the Instant Pot determines how long the Instant Pot takes to come to pressure and to release pressure.

So why use the Instant Pot? First, you dont have to watch the stove. You can even leave the house.

Second, its one-pot cooking: you dont have to mess up a bunch of pots and pans you also get all your cooking done without dirtying your stove!

Third, the Instant Pot takes less time to cook meats, grains, and legumes, hands-down. You can cut down on cooking time even further by cutting up your meat into smaller pieces.

For example, if you pressure cook a large chunk of pork shoulder, pressure cooking time is 90 minutes. Cutting up the pork into smaller chunks, can reduce the pressure cook time to 45 minutes, and cutting them into bite-size pieces can reduce the pressure cooking time further, to 15 minutes.

Also Check: How To Cook Beans In Instant Pot