Instant Pot Silicone Ring

Heres How Instant Pot Employees Clean Their Sealing Rings

The internet is filled with suggestions to bake your sealing ring in the oven to get rid of the stink, so I asked Fadden about this. A fan favorite and one of the techniques we use in our Instant test kitchens is to bake the silicone ring in an oven by placing it on a baking tray at 250 degrees F for 20-30 minutes, Fadden shared.

Of course, theyre also fans of just putting the ring in the dishwasher. Because silicone can handle the heat, its perfectly safe, and the high heat of the dishwasher helps open the pores of the silicone to remove the odors, Fadden said. Fadden is also a fan of the steaming method and recommended adding lemon slices to the vinegar.

A huge part of keeping your Instant Pot from scaring anyone away from your kitchen is maintenance, but there are a few other hacks the team at Instant Brands favor.

Many of our Instant Pot fans keep a separate ring for making sweets like cheesecake and savory dishes like a curry. Some models of Instant Pot come with two silicone rings, one red color and one clear which can be changed out when cooking different food types to avoid mixing of smells, Fadden said. You can buy them for an affordable price, like these:

How To Use Your Instant Pot Silicone Rings

Once you buy your second silicone ring for the Instant Pot, you need to follow a few guidelines to keep it odor free for as long as possible.

Timer Function Was Used Instead Of Manual Or Pressure Cook

Some older models of the Instant Pot have a Timer button. The Timer button allows you to set a delayed time to start cooking. When you press the timer button, the time that shows up is the number of hours till cooking starts. So if your Instant Pot timer is not starting, this could be the reason.

SOLUTION: Press Cancel to cancel the timer. Press Manual or Pressure Cook and wait a few seconds for the Instant Pot display to change to On. If you wish to use the timer functionality, select the cooking function first, then press Timer or Delay Start .

Also Check: How To Make Yogurt Instant Pot

Trivet Or Steamer Rack

Almost all Instant Pots come with a stainless steel steamer rack. Some with handles, others may not have handles. Its very helpful for cooking all sorts of food in Instant Pot.

The long handles on both sides make it easy for handling and removal from the pot. Its also compact, easy to store, and easy to clean.

More Info on How to use the Trivet:Instant Pot Trivet

Instant Pot Display Says Nopr

If the Instant Pot is showing the noPr error message, it could be that the Instant Pot couldnt reach a high enough temperature during the pre-heating stage. This could be due to the quantity of food or liquid, the presence of frozen ingredients, or any of the reasons in this article.

SOLUTION: If youre not making any of the above mistakes but you get the noPr error, press Cancel and try restarting the pressure cooking program again.

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How To Deodorize Instant Pot Sealing Ring

If your Instant Pot ring already smells, those prevention tips arent going to be much help.

Below are some tried and true ways to get the smell out of your sealing ring:

1. Put through a dishwasherIf you havent tried it yet, simply put the silicone ring in your dishwasher and see if running it through a cycle in there gets rid of the smell.

2. Steam with vinegar & lemonHave you tried making the IP clean itself? Simply add 1 cup of vinegar, 1 cup of water, and the peel of a lemon . Run the Instant Pot for 2 minutes on the steam setting, then let the steam release naturally. When finished, remove the silicone ring and air dry.

3. Soak in vinegarSoak the sealing ring overnight in white vinegar. The next day, give it a good handwash or run through a cycle in your dishwasher, then allow to air dry.

4. Use denture cleanerYou can use an anti-bacterial odor eliminating denture cleaner to clean & deodorize your Instant Pot sealing ring.

5. Set the ring out in the sunThe UV rays from the sun can kill bacteria and help your Instant Pot sealing ring lose its odor. Simply set it outside on a sunny day and let nature do the work.

How To Deodorize Smelly Instant Pot Sealing Ring

If youve had your Instant Pot for even a short amount of time, youve probably noticed the sealing ring on the inside of the lid has a tendency to retain the smell of what youve cooked, especially if it was something particularly potent.

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Over and over again, I see people asking how to get rid of the smell on their Instant Pot sealing ring. Im going to share a few different ways you can do this.

Recommended Reading: What Do I Do If Instant Pot Says Burn

How To Open & Close The Lid

First Instant Pot setup skill you need to master is opening & closing the Instant Pot Lid with ease.

As shown in photo below, the black markings on the lid & pot may not be easy to spot at first.

• Markings on lid: Close Inverted Triangle Open
• Markings on exterior housing: Locked Triangle Unlocked Triangle

• Open Lid : twist counter clockwise until Inverted Triangle is aligned with the Unlocked Triangle sign, then lift the lid.
• Close Lid : align the Inverted Triangle with the Unlocked Triangle, then twist clockwise to lock the lid.

Check Silicone Sealing Ring

How to install sealing ring on Instant Pot? Put the sealing ring on top of the rack on the Instant Pot lid, then gently run your fingers along the ring as you push it into the rack.

Its criticalto ensure the silicone sealing ring is seated properly, and there isnt anything stuck on the ring or rack.

*Caution: Never pull the ring by force as it may stretch or damage the ring and affect the sealing function. Dont use it if it has cracks, cuts, or any other damages.

Do you need a spare sealing ring? Its always good to have a spare Silicone Sealing Ring because they do wear and tear. Plus, the ring may get stinky as it absorbs food odors over time. If you like, you can dedicate 1 Sealing Ring for Savory food, and the other for Sweets.

• 8 Quart: Sealing Ring

Read Also: How To Steam Using Instant Pot

Instant Pot Cook Bake Set + Instant Pot Rb Sealing Rings + Instant Pot Silicone Lid

In stock

The Instant Pot® cook and bake set is great for cooking, baking, storing, reheating and serving meals and snacks. Cook, bake & steam multiple foods at once and enjoy the convenience of pot-in-pot cooking when you use this set. Included are: 2 round pans , 1 removable stainless steel divider, 2 Snap-fit silicone lids with pressure-release tabs, and 2 wire egg racks, which each hold 7 eggs and can also be used for stacking pans when cooking. The removable divider helps you make several foods at once in one pan. The removable base features a silicone ring, which helps prevent leaks. The lids are made from BPA-free silicone, which is heat resistant to 450° F .

The Instant Pot® sealing ring is an integral part of the Instant Pot safety mechanism. Its designed, engineered, and built with the optimal material to achieve the hardness and strength required to withstand high-pressure force during electric pressure-cooking. Instant Pot sealing rings have passed UL, FDA, and LFGB tests for safety, including food safety.

Note: The use of third party unapproved sealing rings may cause damage, safety risk and void the Instant Pot warranty.

RM388.80

Not Enough Liquid In Instant Pot

According to the Instant Pot manual, the Instant Pot requires at least 1 cup of liquid. Ive used as little as 1/2 cup and done fine with many recipes. Some liquids like canned tomato sauce are too dense and require thinning out with broth or water.

SOLUTION: Add more water or broth. If the final result is a dish thats too thin/liquidy, you can use the Saute function and let the liquid reduce and thicken, or you can use a thickener like cornstarch, flour, potato flakes, etc.

Recommended Reading: Can You Put Frozen Meat In The Instant Pot

Use An Over The Cabinet Towel Hook To Store Your Instant Pot Silicone Rings

Storing your Instant Pot silicone rings can be a bit of a challenge.

They are kind of kind of unweildy.

I have found that hanging them on a over the cabinet towel hook like this one with the hook side on the inside of the cabinet is a good solution.

The silicone rings are always within reach and they don’t take up too much space.

Just remember,

The Instant Pot Float Valve Or Anti

When you cook foods like pasta or other messy foods, the anti block shield and the float valve can get dirty and be obstructed.

SOLUTION:Remove the anti-block shield and float valve and clean with a clean toothbrush and soapy water. Clean the hole that the float valve goes into with a brush or pipe cleaner. Clean all parts of the lid. Dry well and replace the parts.See my Instant Pot Beginners Guide to find out how to remove these.

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Float Valve Is Up But Instant Pot Just Says On And Countdown Timer Hasnt Begun

If the Instant Pot just says On, its could be because there can be a delay between the float valve rising up and the timer starting to countdown.

Ive had this happen when Ive used less liquid than is recommended. The Instant Pot comes to pressure and the float valve comes up, but the display just says On and never counts down. In my case, it was just a one-time thing.

SOLUTION:Wait a bit to let the timer begin. The float valve coming up locks the lid but the Instant Pot may need more time to pressurize in order for the timer to begin. If the On never changes to counting down, youll need to set an external timer and press Cancel when the times up. Try doing a water test to make sure the problem doesnt recur. If the problem persists, youll need to open a support ticket.

Install Instant Pot Condensation Collector

If your Instant Pot came with 2 plastic cups, the round plastic cup is a Rice Measuring Cup. The flat plastic cup is an instant pot condensation collector.

How to Install Instant Pot Condensation Collector? Find the slot at the back of Instant Pot, then slide it right in .

*Pro Tip: be sure to check & rinse the condensation cup once in a while.

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How To Clean A Sealing Ring Thats Been Around The Block A Few Times

These are great tips for anyone with a new, or fairly new, Instant Pot, but what about for those of us who are dealing with one thats a little seasoned ?

I took one for the team and stopped washing my Instant Pot sealing ring upon being assigned this article. My go-to method is to wash it on the top rack of the dishwasher after each use , but I wanted to try one of the more popular internet-recommended hacks the vinegar steam.

I left the ring in place and added two cups of distilled white vinegar to the pot and then ran it on steam for two minutes. Then I placed the ring on top of two stainless steel drinking straws on a cloth on the countertop, to allow it to fully dry. This worked perfectly and I definitely see myself using this method during the holidays and other times when Ive got more dishes needing cleaning than I know what to do with.

Use Different Colors For Your Silicone Rings

You may have noticed that genuine Instant Pot silicone rings only come in the white color. However, those made by other manufacturers come in a variety of colors.

If you buy your new silicone ring in a different color, then it will be easier to distinguish between the two.

Personally, both of my Instant Pot silicone rings are white and I have never had trouble telling the two apart. All I need to do is take a whiff and I know right away which is which.

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Sealing Ring Is Not Properly Seated

If the ring cannot be rotated around the sealing ring rack, its not properly seated. You should be able to turn it in place, with a bit of effort. If the sealing ring hasnt been installed correctly, you may find that steam is leaking out of the sides of the lid.

SOLUTION: Open the Instant Pot and push down the sealing ring all around the ring rack to make sure its properly seated. Try and turn it in the ring rack. It should move/rotate around the ring rack, albeit with some effort.

The Best Solution For A Smelly Instant Pot Silicone Ring

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If you have a smelly Instant Pot silicone ring, the simplest solution is to buy an extra one. This is why.

Trying to clean and deodorize your original silicone ring is an exercise in futility.

Silicone absorbs odors during cooking.

So you should have two Instant Pot silicone rings one that you will use when cooking aromatic foods and one that you will use when you make more bland foods.

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How To Get Rid Of That Nasty Smell In Your Instant Pot

You cooked a perfect quinoa dish in your Instant Pot, but now youre left with a nasty case of Instant Pot Lid Funk. Today well tell you why, and well also share experts suggestions for exiling the stink from your kitchen for good.

The culprit is your Instant Pots sealing ring, the food-grade silicone band that goes around the top of the Instant Pot lid, guaranteeing a tight seal for all that pressure cooking youre doing. See here:

While the smell can be scary, theres no need to fear. Silicone is entirely safe for food, which is why its such a popular material used for kitchen tools and food storage.

There are three reasons the sealing ring gets stanky. First, its porous. That means when you cook aromatic dishes like chili, curries or stews microscopic particles get in the pores, leaving a memory of dishes past.

Beyond this, though, a deeper funk can develop. In the event the ring is loose, or stored in the Instant Pot while its damp, organic matter trapped between the ring and the lid will fuel the growth of microorganisms. When these start multiplying, the smell gets much, much worse. Imagine a teenage boys bedroom. Yeah, it can get ripe.

Finally, as you cook and vent with your pot, steam and food residue get stuck, building up and fermenting all kinds of matter. Lucky for you, no matter how bad yours smells right now, cleaning it is likely a one- or two-step process that will have it smelling like new in a few hours.

Deep Clean An Instant Pot Ring

Instant Pot cooks have plenty of tricks to get the sealing rings squeaky clean. A popular one is to leave a ring in the Instant Pot and add two cups of white vinegar to the pot. Then run the Instant Pot on the Steam setting for two minutes, pop out the ring and dry it. Some cooks even like to put the ring in the freezer for a short time to dry it completely.

Another trick to try is to bake the sealing ring. Yes, in your oven. Dont turn the temp up too high, though. Set it to 250°F and place the ring on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes to remove odors.

Read Also: How To Cook Frozen Chicken In An Instant Pot

Check Other Parts On Lid

The following 3 Instant Pot parts are critical for the Instant Pot to function properly. Make sure theyre all properly in place, clean, and clear of any obstructions during the Instant Pot Setup & every time before using.

a. Instant Pot Venting Knob ensure its fully attached to the lid and pushed down all the way. Its perfectly normal and necessary for it to be loose. You should be able to remove it for washing by pulling it straight out.

b. Instant Pot Floating Valve test & make sure it can easily pop up and down .

c. Instant Pot Anti-Block Shield push it on the side to lift it up and press it down in position to install it back in.

*Pro Tip: there may be times when food or liquid gets stuck on or inside the anti-blocking shield. Be sure to remove it and wash it thoroughly from time to time.