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Can’t remember when to turn off your Instant Pot? Are you here to ask, “Does an Instant Pot turn off automatically?” The Instant Pot manufacturers have got your back when it comes to this issue. Yes, your Instant Pot does come with an automatic shutdown function. You need to activate the timer, and when it’s done, the pot will shut off.
Here in the article, we will see how the Instant Pot turns off automatically, and we’ll help you understand its workings.
Does an Instant Pot Turn Off Automatically?
Instant Pot – A Life Saver
The Instant Pot is one of the best modern kitchen appliances used widely in almost every home to reduce the time spent hanging over a hot stove. It is a lifesaver when it comes to saving cooking time. Instant Pots are basically pressure cookers, and they use steam pressure to cook food quickly, easily, and safely inside.
After cooking, the pressure needs to be released so that you can shut the Instant Pot down and open it. You have probably noticed that while cooking in an Instant Pot, it makes a kind of whistling or hissing sound when it is done with cooking the meal. You might see some steam emerging from the Instant Pot from the float valve when it does this.
That’s the part used to control the pressure inside the Instant Pot built up by hot steam. Whenever the pressure reaches a critically high point, the whistling means it is time for the pot to automatically crack the valve open so that pressure inside the pot can be maintained.
Instant Pot Release (Turn Off) Automatically
While cooking in an Instant Pot, once you have set the cooking timer and secured the lid, you’re good to go about your other work or watch your favorite TV series.
The Instant Pot will automatically start counting down the timer until your meal is thoroughly cooked. After that, you can either remove your food or let it stay on the Keep Warm function. Under this function, the pot will automatically start releasing its inside pressure slowly to stop the cooking process.
Natural Pressure Release (NPR)
This slow, gradual release of Instant Pot pressure is known as Natural Pressure Release. This is automatically regulated by the machine every time you use it. This allows the Instant Pot to take its time and slowly releases the high steam pressure built up within it for cooking food. This can take a while, maybe 20-30 minutes.
Usually, it is safe to let the Instant Pot release its pressure by itself, especially if you have cooked a stew, soup, or something not time-critical. However, if you have cooked something that needs to be strictly timed and can easily overcook, like vegetables, it is better to use the Quick Release function and release all the pressure quickly to stop further cooking.
The natural pressure release functionality of your Instant Pot comes built-in with it. It is selected to work automatically after every time you use Instant Pot to cook something.
So, to answer the original question: Does your Instant Pot switch off automatically? Yes, it does turn off on its own as soon as the timer finishes. Then it releases pressure gradually. Alternatively, you can choose to release the pressure quickly.