InstantPot duo plus Installation guide

FAQ
General
The Duo Plus is a 9-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker. It combines the functions of a
Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice/Porridge Cooker, Yogurt Maker, Cake/Egg Maker, Sauté/Searing
pan, Steamer, Sterilizer and a Warmer
The Duo Plus is designed with a large, blue, LCD display with a user interface to adjust the cooking
settings, pressure levels, Keep Warm ON/OFF at any time during the cooking process. There are 4 icons
to easily view the status, Heat, Pressure Cook, Keep Warm and Sound. The ‘Heat’ indicates heating or
cooking in progress, ‘Pressure Cook’ indicates the pressure cook program is selected, ‘Keep Warm’
indicates if it is ON/OFF, and ‘Sound’ indicates if the sound is ON/OFF when cooking starts or is
completed.
The Duo Plus is a 9-in-1 as it replaces 9 commonly used kitchen appliances –Pressure Cooker,
Slow cooker, Rice/Porridge Cooker, Cake Maker, Yogurt Maker, Sauté/Searing Pan, Steamer,
Sterilizer and Warmer.
The 15 Smart programs are: Soup/Broth, Meat/Stew, Bean/Chili, Cake, Egg, Slow Cook,
Sauté/Searing, Rice, Multigrain, Porridge, Steam, Sterilize, Yogurt, Keep Warm, and Pressure Cook.
The Instant Pot is a smart cooker as it has pre-programmed cooking instructions for food
ingredients and cooking methods. It remembers the last customization on all cooking programs for
a more personalized cooking experience.
Instant Pot® is developed with an embedded microprocessor. It has pre-programmed cooking
instructions for food ingredients and cooking methods. The microprocessor carefully runs lab-
tested algorithms to control the time, cooking pressure and temperature to ensure consistent
cooking results. It remembers the last customization on all cooking programs for a more
personalized cooking experience.

The Duo Plus Mini is perfect for cooking side dishes, vegetables or other accompaniments such as
rice. This appliance is ideal for small households or where counter space is at a premium; for
students off to college; or, to bring along when traveling.
For additional technical details on the Instant Pot pressure cookers please visit:
http://instantpot.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/product-comparison.pdf
The Initial Test Run helps you become familiar with your Instant Pot® while ensuring the Duo Plus
is working properly before you start preparing your delicious dishes.
The Duo Plus Series is available at https://instantpot.com/where-to-buy/
Verify the retailer near you for the model you are looking for.
The Duo Plus Series is available at https://instantpot.com/where-to-buy/
Verify the retailer near you for the model you are looking for.
Specification
The Duo Plus is available in the 3, 6, and 8 Quart.
Duo Plus 8 Quart: 1200W
Duo Plus 6 Quart: 1000W
Duo Plus 3 Quart: 700W
All Duo Plus models are 120V –60Hz.
Note: The 120V models are designed for use in North America. Use outside of North America will void
the warranty.

The Duo Plus Series is brushed stainless steel and black.
Duo Plus 8 Quart: 15.56 pounds
Duo Plus 6 Quart: 11.83 pounds
Duo Plus 3 Quart: 8.80 pounds
Operating Functions
Dual Pressure Settings provides you the ability to cook with high pressure reducing cooking time by
up to 70% and low pressure to avoid overcooking delicate food.
High Pressure is from 10.2 to 11.6 PSI and Low Pressure is from 5.8 to 7.2 PSI.
The steam release valve/handle must be in the Sealing position for pressure-cooking. When the
steam release valve is in the Sealing position, it would only move as far over as the little symbol
next to the word sealing.
10 seconds after selecting your settings, the cooking process will start. The Duo Plus will beep 3
times and the LCD displays ON.
You can adjust the sound when in standby mode, press the “Cancel” button. When in standby, hold
the minus button to turn the sound OFF or hold the plus button the turn the sound ON. Hold the

button for at least 5 seconds and the LCD display with show “S OFF” for sound Off or “S ON” for
sound ON.
The Delay Start allows the start of a cooking program to be delayed by the amount of time
specified.
Note: When using the Delay Start please allow sufficient cooling down time prior to serving.
The Delay Start can be set for a maximum of 24 hours.
The Delay Start is not recommended for porridge, oatmeal, or any other foamy and thick
liquids. When preparing foods that foam or splatter, the cooking progress should be monitored.
With the ‘Sterilize’ program one can pasteurize dairy products; sterilize baby bottles, jars, utensils,
and certain types of canning much more conveniently. (Note: Refer to the “USDA Complete Guide
to Home Canning” for details)
The cancel function ends a cooking program at any time or returns the Duo Plus to the standby
mode displaying OFF. It can also be used to reset the Duo Plus to full factory default.
The Duo Plus allows one to easily adjust settings even after the cooking is in progress.
Once the cooking process has started, you can press Cancel at any time to end the program. The
Duo Plus will then go into the Standby mode.
To turn OFF, press CANCEL and remove the plug from the wall outlet.
Note: Unplug from the power outlet when not in use and prior to cleaning. Please ensure it has
cooled sufficiently before storing.
The Duo Plus remembers your last customization on all cooking programs.
To return to the factory default setting for a specific cooking program, return the Duo Plus to the
Standby mode by pressing Cancel. Now hold down the button for the cooking program, such as
“Soup/Broth” for at least 10 seconds until you hear an audible beep.
To remove all customizations and return to the factory default settings, return the Duo Plus to the
Standby mode by pressing Cancel. Press and hold the Cancel key until the Duo Plus beeps.
Cookings

The Duo Plus can pressure cook for a maximum of:
3 Quart –4 hrs
6 Quart –6 hrs
8 Quart –6 hrs

To pressure cook always add at least 1.5 cups for 3 quart, 2 cups for 6 quart, and 3 cups for 8 quart
of water or other liquids with a thin, watery consistency so enough steam can be generated to cook
under pressure. These liquids include cooking sauces, wine, beer, and stocks.
Note: Oils and oil-based sauces do not have sufficient water content and do not account for the
required liquid volume.
Please verify the manual provided with the Duo Plus. If working with an Instant Pot® recipe, please
follow the instructions indicated.
There are two pressure levels, Low and High.
Natural Release: Allows the Duo Plus to cool down naturally until the float valve drops down. The
steam release valve/handle is kept in the Sealing position. This may take 10 to 40 minutes, or even
longer, depending on the amount of food in the Duo Plus. Place a wet towel on the lid to speed up
the cooling process (Note: Do not cover or obstruct the Steam Release Valve/handle). Once the
cooking process is completed, ensure the Keep Warm function is turned OFF.
Quick Release: Turn the steam release valve/handle to the Venting position to let steam out until
the float valve drops. Never pull out the steam release valve/handle while it is releasing steam as
escaping steam is extremely hot and can cause scalds.
Note: For food with large liquid volume or starchy content, use the Natural Release as thick liquid
may splatter out and/or clog the lid’s components.
Please refer to the recipe. The Quick Release method is used for delicate dishes such as custards
and fresh vegetables and the Natural Release method is used for meats, soups and grains.
No, the pressure level is only for pressure-cooking.
The maximum time is 30 minutes as a safety precaution.
Note: Do not use the Instant Pot® lid when Sautéing.
Do not use the Instant Pot® lid on the Sauté program or there will be a warning sound. The sauté
time is set for a maximum of 30 minutes as a safety precaution.
You may choose between Less (for simmering or thickening sauce), Normal (for regular
searing), and More (for stir-frying or blackening meat).
When the Duo Plus has reached the working temperature the LCD will display Hot. Add food to the
inner pot and begin sautéing.
The Slow Cook can be set from 0.5 –20 hours.
There are 3 temperature settings, Less, Normal, and More.
The Instant Pot® Slow Cook function controls the slow cooker with 3 different temperature
settings. For instance, normal is 194~205°F/90~96°C; whereas, most conventional slow cookers do
not actually control the temperature levels, they only apply different heating intervals or intensity.
The difference between the High and Low settings of most conventional slow cookers is only in the
time it take to reach 212°F or 100°C.
The 3 temperature ranges in the Instant Pot® are:

Less: 82-87.8°C/180-190°F (low setting in a slow cooker)
Normal: 8~93°C/190-200°F (medium setting in a slow cooker)
More: 93~99°C/200~210°F (high setting in a slow cooker)
Note: For non-pressure cooking one may use the Instant Pot® glass lid.
Fermentation may be set up to 99.5 hours at 2temperatures.
For the Duo Plus, the Keep Warm icon will be lite when turned ON. When the cooking cycle is
completed, the Duo Plus beeps and enters Keep Warm.
The Keep Warm time is displayed on the LCD panel.
The Keep Warm has 3temperature settings to maintain food at different serving temperatures. To
select a temperature for Keep Warm press the Keep Warm button repeatedly to move from Less,
Normal or More.
The maximum time in Keep Warm is 24 hours. After 24 hours the Duo Plus will automatically
turn OFF. The Keep Warm ON/OFF function can be used at any time during the cooking process.
Note: For the Rice function it is not recommended to have the Keep Warm on for more than 2
hours
The Keep Warm will automatically shut off after 24 hours for safety and energy
consumption reasons.
Pressure Cook Working Pressure: Low 5.8–7.2 PSI (40-50 kPa), High 10.2–11.6 PSI (70–80 kPa)
Slow Cook: Low 82-87.8°C (180-190°F), Medium 87.8-93°C (190-200°F), High 93-99°C (200-210°F)
Sauté: Low 135-150°C (275-320°F), Medium 160-176°C (320-349°F), High 175-210°C (347-410°F)
Components

Accessories include –stainless steel (18/8) steam rack with handles to lower and lift food,
condensation collector, rice paddle, soup spoon, and measuring cup.
The inner pot is made from food grade 304 (18/8) stainless steel, 3-ply bottom for even heat
distribution, no chemical coating, compliant with FDA food safety standards. Instant Pot’s inner
cooking pot is dishwasher safe.
Inner Pots of the same quart size are interchangeable.
The discoloration on the stainless steel cooking pot is called “rainbowing” which can be caused by
exposure to high heat, cooking starchy food (e.g. rice, pasta) or even detergent staining after hand
or machine wash. This is common and normal in all stainless steel cookware.
The condensation collector traps excess liquid to prevent it from spilling onto the counter.
Yes, the Steam Release valve/handle should not lock tightly into the lid, it must fit loosely.
The Anti-Block Shield is the round component with 6 holes on the underside of the lid. The Anti-
Block Shield prevents food particles from blocking the steam release valve/handle.
Yes, the Anti-Block Shield must be removed and cleaned after each use, especially following the
preparation of foods that may splatter. To remove: Using your thumb, push the side of the Anti-
Block Shield towards the lid rim and lift up with some effort. The anti-block shield should pop
out. To install: Position the Anti-Block Shield in place and push down.
The Steam Rack is used on the bottom of the inner pot when steaming vegetables or to elevate
dishes outside of the liquid in the inner pot.
The steam rack it is made from food grade 304 (18/8) stainless steel, compliant to FDA food safety
standards.

The Instant Pot sealing rings pass UL, FDA and LFGB tests for safety, including food safety. The
Instant Pot sealing ring is an integral part of the Instant Pot safety features. The sealing rings have
been designed, engineered, and built with the optimal material to achieve the hardness and
strength required to withstand high-pressure force during electric pressure-cooking.
The Instant Pot® sealing ring is made from food grade silicone. Silicone may pick up food odors during
cooking. To remove the odor, try the following:
1. Steam Clean –add 2 cups of water or white vinegar and cut-up lemon rind, run
the Steam program for 2 minutes with the sealing ring in position. Then, allow the sealing ring to
air dry.
2. Place the sealing ring in the dishwasher. High temperature and strong detergent will usually
remove the majority of smells.
3. Soak the sealing ring overnight in white vinegar, lemon juice, tomato juice, or bleach. Then, run
it through the dishwasher.
4. Store the sealing ring in a plastic bag with ground coffee or baking soda.
Or, you may wish to have one sealing ring for savory and another for sweet foods.
It is not necessary to remove the sealing ring after each use. One should remove the sealing ring
and clean following every 5-6 uses or if preparing foods that splatter.
The sealing ring is made from food grade silicone and is extremely durable. Under normal
conditions it should be fine for 18 –24 months. If you notice cracks, leaking or deformation in the
sealing ring, it should be replaced. However, the sealing ring is porous and may absorb odors and
become discolored. To avoid discoloration and odors, one may wish to change the sealing ring
every 6 –12 months.
Unapproved and unauthorized sealing rings are not manufactured, tested or certified by Instant
Pot; as such, we are unable to confirm if they meet Instant Pot established standards. The use of
third party sealing rings may have unexpected effects on your Duo Plus, and will void the Instant
Pot warranty. Instant Pot recommends only using Instant Pot branded sealing rings.
Safety

The 10 safety mechanisms are described in full detail here –https://instantpot.com/10-safety-
mechanisms/
To build pressure it requires at least 1.5 –2 cups (355 –473 ml) of water or liquid.
Note: The amount of liquid is dependent on the quart size.
Not setting the steam release valve/handle to the Sealing position for pressure cook and steam. If
it is not Sealed pressure will not build. For additional
troubleshooting: https://instantpot.com/troubleshooting/
Yes, we recommend caution with foods such as applesauce, cranberries, pearl barley, oatmeal or
other cereals, split peas, noodles, macaroni, rhubarb or spaghetti as they can foam, froth or sputter
and can clog the anti-block shield, steam release valve/handle, float valve or steam release pipe.
When preparing these types of food, the inner pot should not be more than ½ full and a trusted
recipe should be followed.
Note: Regular cleaning of the Steam Release Valve/handle, Float Valve and Anti-Block Shield is
important to avid food debris from interfering with their function.
Move the Steam Release Valve/handle to the Venting position. Once all the steam is released,
push the float valve down with a pen or long stick.
The float valve has not risen, why is pressure not building?
To build pressure please ensure your Instant Pot® has the necessary amount of water or liquid;
Duo Plus 8 Quart: 3 cups of water or liquid
Duo Plus 6 Quart: 2 cups of water or liquid
Duo Plus 3 Quart: 1.5 cups of water or liquid

Please ensure that the steam release valve to the “Sealing” position for pressure cook functions. For
additional troubleshooting: https://instantpot.com/troubleshooting/
Note: Regular cleaning of the Steam Release Valve, Float Valve and Anti-Block Shield is important
avoid any food debris from interfering with their function.
Instant Pot® is built with a burn-protection mechanism. When a high temperature 140C/ 284F is
detected on the bottom of the inner pot, the burn-protection mechanism suspends heating to
avoid food burning. This is reflected by the code “Ov Ht”.
The only exception to the burn-protection mechanism is with food that has a very high starch
content. For instance, if you add flour in your chili, the flour will sink to the bottom, solidifies at low
temperatures and can block heat dissipation. In this situation, we suggest you add flour to the chili
after initial cooking and perhaps cooking it for an additional one to five minutes to allow thickening
of the chili.
Instant Pot® is built with a burn-protection mechanism. When a high temperature 140C/ 284F is
detected on the bottom of the inner pot, the burn-protection mechanism suspends heating to
avoid food burning. This is reflected by the code “Ov Ht”.
The only exception to the burn-protection mechanism is with food that has a very high starch
content. For instance, if you add flour in your chili, the flour will sink to the bottom, solidifies at low
temperatures and can block heat dissipation. In this situation, we suggest you add flour to the chili
after initial cooking and perhaps cooking it for an additional one to five minutes to allow thickening
of the chili.
The clicking/cracking sounds in the Instant Pot comes from the following possible sources:
Water or moisture on the bottom of the inner pot
Instant Pot pressure switch turning on and off during operation
Friction between the lid and the housing created by expansion and contraction due to changing
internal pressure and temperature
The flat flexible pressure board under the heating element bending under pressure (the board is
designed to last over 100,000 uses)
Food such as dry beans popping open during cooking
Do not place the cooker on or near a hot gas or electric burner, or in a heated-oven, as this will
damage the cooker.
Note: Intended for countertop use only.
Instant Pot® recommends to only cook in the Instant Pot® stainless steel or ceramic non-stick inner
pots for best results. Other brands may not have the correct curvature to match the heating
element. Accessories and parts not branded Instant Pot® or recommended by Instant Pot® may
cause the cooker to malfunction.
Start by referring to the Troubleshooting section: https://instantpot.com/troubleshooting/ If the
troubleshooting does not solve the issue, open a support ticket
at https://instantpot.com/support/ or contact the customer service team at 1.800.828.7280 x2.