The Control Panel

The control panel is the nerve center of the Instant Pot and contains the LCD screen, as well as all of the controls, indicators, and program keys you’ll use to control the pot.

Cooker Status Icons

The cooker status icons are simply visual indicators that show the cooking status of the Instant Pot. Which icons are illuminated during a cooking program will depend on which program has been selected.

COOKING: The cooking icon indicates that the pot is on, a cooking program has been selected, and the pot is heating up, or is at full temperature.

PRESSURE COOK: The pressure cook icon indicates that a pressure cooking program has been selected, and pressure is building in the pot.

WARM: The warm icon indicates that a cooking program has been completed, and the Keep Warm function has been activated.

SOUND OFF: The sound off icon indicates that the sounds have been turned off. (Note that the warning chimes are never deactivated.)

Mode Indicators

The mode indicators enable you to control the results by adjusting the total cooking time for the selected cooking program. The mode can be adjusted by pressing a program button repeatedly until the desired mode is selected.

LESS: Reduces the overall cooking time for any preset cooking program.

NORMAL: The factory default cooking time for all preset cooking programs.

MORE: Increases the overall cooking time for any preset cooking program.

Pressure Indicators

The pressure indicators signal that a pressure program has been selected, and also show the amount of pressure being used in the program.

PRESSURE: Indicates that the Instant Pot is powered on, and a pressure cooking program has been selected.

LOW: Indicates that a pressure mode has been selected, and the pressure level has been adjusted to low.

HIGH: Indicates that a pressure mode has been selected, and the pressure level has been adjusted to high.

Operation Keys

The operation keys enable you to adjust cooking times, change pressure levels, activate or cancel the Keep Warm and Delay Start modes, cancel any cooking program, or reset the pot to the original factory settings.

PRESSURE LEVEL: Adjusts the pressure level between high and low pressure, for whichever program has been selected.

KEEP WARM: Keeps food warm after the cooking process is complete, or when using the pot as a food warmer.

[–] BUTTON: Decreases the cook time, adjusts the Delay Start and Keep Warm times, and turns the sounds off. (Hold for three seconds to turn off sounds.)

[+] BUTTON: Decreases the cook time, adjusts the Delay Start and Keep Warm times, and turns on the sounds. (Hold for three seconds to turn sounds back on.)

DELAY: Delays the start of a cooking program by as little as 10 minutes, or up to 24 hours. Activate by selecting the desired cooking program, then selecting Delay Start.

CANCEL: Cancels a cooking program and returns the pot to standby mode, which is indicated by OFF on the LCD display. To reset the pot to the original factory settings, press and hold for approximately ten seconds, or until the pot emits a beep.

Cooking Program Keys

The cooking program keys enable you to choose from a variety of preprogrammed settings on the Instant Pot. Each program has default time and temperature settings designed to cook specific types of foods, but each can be adjusted using the operation keys.

PRESSURE COOK: Also listed as Manual on some Instant Pot models, this is the setting you’re likely to use the most. The temperature mode, pressure levels, and cooking times can all be controlled through the operation keys on the control panel.

MEAT/STEW: Best for cooking large cuts of meat at high pressure. For a softer meat texture, use the Less mode; for a very tender meat texture, use the Normal mode; for a texture that is fall-off-the-bone tender, use the More mode.

BEAN/CHILI: Using this high pressure program results in different doneness levels for beans. For a firmer bean texture, use the Less mode; for a softer bean texture, use the Normal mode; for a very soft bean texture, use the More mode.

CAKE: This high pressure mode creates a very moist, dense cake. For a lighter, moister cake, use the Less mode; for a denser cake, use the Normal mode; for a really dense cake, such as a cheesecake, use the More mode.

EGG: This program is designed for cooking extra-large eggs, so you may need to adjust the mode for smaller eggs. For a soft-cooked egg, use the Less mode; for a medium-cooked egg, use the Normal mode; for a hard-cooked egg, use the More mode.

SLOW COOK: Use the Less mode to correspond to a low (8 hour) slow cooker setting; use the Normal mode to correspond to a medium (6 hour) slow cooker setting; use the More mode to correspond to a high (4 hour) slow cooker setting.

SAUTÉ: You can sauté food in your Instant Pot just as you would in a pan, using just a small amount of oil. Use Less mode for simmering and for foods that may burn easily; use Normal mode for searing; use More mode for browning and stir frying.

RICE: This program cooks on low pressure, and is best used for white rice. For rice with a firmer texture, use the Less mode; for rice with a normal texture, use the Normal mode; for rice with a softer texture, use the More mode.

MULTIGRAIN: Includes a presoaking time, and is best for brown rice, wild rice, and tougher whole grains. For a firmer texture, use the Less mode; for a normal texture, use the Normal mode; for a softer texture, use the More mode.

PORRIDGE: Cooks at high pressure, and is used for making white rice porridge (congee). Use the Less or Normal modes for making a simple rice porridge; use the More mode for a porridge that contains beans or tougher grains.

STEAM: For steaming vegetables, use the Less mode; for seafood and fish, use the Normal mode; for meats, use the More mode. (Always use the quick release method to prevent overcooking the food, and always use the steam rack.)

STERILIZE: This program is designed for canning. Use the Less mode to pasteurize dairy products; use the Normal mode for low pressure sterilization and canning; use the More mode for high pressure sterilization and canning.

YOGURT: The Normal mode is used for fermenting milk, while the More mode is used for pasteurizing milk. (The Less mode is designed to make Jiu Niang, a sweet fermented rice dish popular in Chinese cuisine.)

SOUP/BROTH: Brings soups to a slow simmer, and also results in a clear broth. For meatless soups, use the Less mode; for soups with meats, use the Normal mode; for soups that require longer cook times, such as bone broths, use the More mode.