5 Things You Should Never Do With Your Instant Pot

If you have an Instant Pot, then you know the appliance can do so many impressive things — especially the newer models that have 10-in-1 functionality. From pressure cooking and slow cooking to cooking rice and sautéing, the Instant Pot is an extremely versatile kitchen workhorse.

However, even though you can make hundreds of different recipes in it, like soups, mashed potatoes, pot roast, hard boiled eggs, and even cheesecake, there are still some things you shouldn’t try to make in your Instant Pot.

Some of the things you should skip are purely for safety reasons, like canning in the Instant Pot. But others, like stir-frying or baking cookies, are simply because trying these methods in the Instant Pot will just leave you disappointed. Learn from our mistakes, and don’t try these five things in your Instant Pot.

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1. Deep Frying
While you can use the Sauté function to pan-fry food, your Instant Pot cannot be used as a deep fryer. The appliance will not get hot enough to heat the oil needed for deep frying while it’s uncovered.

In short, if you try to deep fry in an Instant Pot, you’re more likely to burn your food or set the appliance on fire because it does not have the same protections as a deep fryer.

If you really want crispy foods in your Instant Pot, you should get the Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer, the Instant Pot Pro Crisp & Air Fryer, or the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid, which will add air fryer capabilities to your Instant Pot.