Even if your Instant Pot is a permanent fixture on your kitchen counter, you may not know everything it can do. That’s why we’ve put together a list of 13 helpful tips for both new users and old pros.

1. The Water Test with Eggs

   First things first. When you first unbox your Instant Pot, you’re going to need to do a water test to make sure it’s working properly. This doesn’t have to be a complete waste of water. You’re basically boiling water, so why not boil some eggs in the process?

2. Where to Put Your Instant Pot

   Ideally, you want you don’t want your Instant Pot to be directly under anything, like a kitchen cabinet. Steam shoots straight up from the Instant Pot, so it’s best if it has plenty of room to escape. You don’t want your cabinets to get damaged. The only exception is if you can place your Instant Pot under a vent hood, but that doesn’t mean that it’s okay to put your Instant Pot on the stove – it’s not.

3. How to See What’s Going On

   If you like to keep an eye on your food prep, you can easily do that with a clear glass lid. That way you don’t have to lift the lid to monitor your food. Even better, you can order an Instant Pot glass lid at Amazon.

4. 7 Easy Instant Pot Recipes

   Now that you’re ready to cook, these easy recipes will get you going.

5. 9 More Instant Pot Recipes

   Have the first 7 mastered? Add these to your list.

6. Cleaning the Lid

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   Your dishwasher can do the job. That’s right; the entire lid can go in the top rack of your dishwasher.

7. How to Clean the Silicone Ring

   Warning: your Instant Pot’s silicone ring may get gross, but you can easily steam clean it. This is important to get rid of any lingering food odors.

8. Buy New Sealing Rings

   If your Instant Pot still smells funky even after steam cleaning the sealing ring, it might be best to order some new sealing rings. Problem solved.

9. Easily Remove Food

   You can easily remove everything from cheesecake to lasagna with this handy silicone sling.

10. The Pot-in-Pot (PIP) Method

    You can easily cook 2 or 3 different foods at the same time with this easy PIP method. It’s a great way to get a whole meal on the table fast.

11. Grab a Wooden Spoon

    Don’t risk getting steam on your hands when you use the steam-release valve. Simply put a wooden spoon through the Instant Pot handle, and use that to push the steam release valve.

12. Use at Least 1/2 Cup Liquid

    Always. Seriously. If you don’t use at least a half cup of liquid in your Instant Pot, you may encounter a “burn” error.

13. “Alexa, Pressure Cook for 20 Minutes.”

    If you have an Instant Pot Smart Wifi and any Amazon Alexa Echo, you can take advantage of Alexa’s new Instant Cook ability. You can literally make dinner with your voice.