Can You Boil Water in Instant Pot?
We know how versatile an instant pot is when it comes to preparing meals. However, it can also be used for simple tasks such as boiling water.
Yes, you can boil water in an instant pot using the sauté function. The process is straightforward and faster when compared to a kettle or stove.
A great indication that this is possible is the water test. Users are encouraged by the manufacturer to test their appliances when they first buy their instant pots using this method.
Water boiled using the instant pot can be used to prepare tea or coffee, cook, or clean other kitchen items.
The instant pot saves a great deal of space and costs. Because of its multiuse, it eliminates the need to buy many appliances for different uses.
If you find boiling water with an instant pot better, you won’t need to buy a kettle. You may also eliminate the need to use a stove thus saving on gas or electricity costs.
Is It Safe to Boil Water in An Instant Pot?
Boiling water in an instant pot is safe. The process is similar to cooking using the appliance. You’ll need to follow the same safety precautions.
Ensure that you have adequate water in the pressure cooker. An instant pot is safer to boil water when compared to a kettle and stove.
The instant pot pressure cooker is insulated and shielded. There are layers of protection between the hot interior and the outside layer.
You’re therefore shielded from the heat produced. You can comfortably hold onto the instant pot without a burning sensation.
An instant pot eliminates splatter when boiling water. This is only when you’ve covered the pressure cooker. It minimizes any incidents such as burning and short-circuiting of appliances.
How Much Water Can You Boil in The Instant Pot?
You can boil a minimum of 1 to 2 cups of water in an instant pot. However, you can choose to boil more, up to 10 cups. You’re only limited by the capacity of your instant pot.
Only ensure that you don’t exceed the maximum capacity indicated in the appliance.
The more you can boil the better to save on time and energy. Moreover, the quantity of water you boil in an instant pot also depends on the use of the water.
How Long Does It Take to Boil Water in An Instant Pot?
It takes about 4 to 8 minutes to boil water in an instant pot. The exact time depends on the quantity of water you’re boiling.
The 4 to 8 minutes time average is when using the instant pot with the lid closed. When boiling water using an instant pot without the lid may take longer especially when boiling more than 2 cups of water.
Even though some people boil water using an instant pot without a lid, I wouldn’t recommend it. First, it affects how an instant pot works.
Also, using the instant pot without the lid allows for steam splatter. The steam is not sealed in the instant pot and has the potential to cause an incident.
I’d only recommend using the instant pot without the lid when you sauté food. This is because you’ll need to stir which is difficult when the lid is on.
Obviously, the more water you’ve added the longer it takes the instant pot. After the boiling point is reached, the instant pot counts down and switches to keep warm.
The keep-warm function is designed to keep the temperature consistent. Therefore, the temperature of the water is maintained for a given time.
What Setting Do You Boil Water in An Instant Pot?
An instant pot has several functions and it might be difficult to identify which of the cooking functions you can use to boil water.
There are three main functions you can use to boil water depending on your model. Use the sauté, manual, or pressure cook functions. With these functions, you’ll use different pressure settings and cooking times for effective use of the appliance.
When using the manual or pressure cooker function, use a high-pressure setting for 1 to 3 minutes. The sauté function works better in a medium pressure setting.
When using sauté, a 30-minute window is set automatically. This is a safety feature by the Instant Pot Company. You will need to turn off the pot after 8 minutes once the water boils.
Essentially, the manual or pressure cooker function offers a full boil at 212 °F while the sauté function gives a slow boil at about 205 °F.
Find out What Is the Difference Between the High and Low Settings on A Pressure Cooker
How Do You Boil Water in an Instant Pot?
When using the pressure cook or manual function, here’s how to boil water in an instant pot.
- Add the water to the inner pot
- Place the lid on the pot and seal it. Once sealed, lock the valve from venting to sealing.
- Set the instant pot on the high-pressure setting and press the pressure cook function.
- Set the cooking time to 3 minutes and give it time to boil the water.
- When the water boils and the maximum pressure is reached, the instant pot will automatically count down from 5.
- You’ll then get a beeping sound after 3 minutes and the pot will switch to keep warm.
- Power off the pressure cooker and give it time to release the built-up pressure.
- Remove the lid and carefully power out the water as needed.
To boil water in an instant pot using the sauté function. Use the following steps:
- Press the sauté key on the instant pot.
- Set the temperature using the adjust button. You can choose between normal (320 to 349°F), more (347 to 410°F), or less (275 to 302°F).
- Wait for the instant pot to reach the sauté temperature.
- Add the water to the inner pot and allow it to boil. Since a cycle is 30 minutes, shut down the pot when your desired time has elapsed. You can also switch to keep warm to maintain the temperature.
Conclusion
It is possible and safe to boil water using an instant pot. You can boil between 1 to 10 cups of water depending on the capacity of your appliance.
3 functions make it possible to boil water with the instant pot- pressure cook, manual, and sauté.
It takes about 4 to 8 minutes. The cooking time is dependent on the quantity of water and the function as they operate at different temperatures and pressure settings.
