Have you been staring at your brand new Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker with bazillion Instant Pot Buttons staring back at you? Ok, maybe I exaggerated a little bit. 😛 But, if you’re unsure what to do with your Instant Pot after taking it out of the box, this guide is for you!

Where’s the Start Button? Where’s the Stop Button?

How do I make rice? Why is it not cooking?

ahhh…there are so many buttons on this thing!!

Keep Calm and Let Us Crack the IP Codes!

Don’t let it push your buttons. 😉

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Which Instant Pot Buttons to Use Guide

*You can click on the links below to jump to a certain section.

6 Most Important Instant Pot Buttons

Not all buttons are created equal: 6 Buttons will take care of 90% of your cooking.

Yes, there are 16 – 18 buttons on the Control Panel depending on which Instant Pot you have.

But most Instant Pot Recipes online are developed using these 6 Buttons (highlighted in above picture), because they give us control to cook precisely and accurately.

We also use the “Manual” Button (“Pressure Cook” Button for newer models) to develop recipes, so readers with other pressure cooker brands can enjoy the Pressure Cooker Recipes too. 🙂