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41 Comments

  1. The instant pot has a tri ply bottom with aluminum. Do you feel this is safe?

    Thank you!

    1. Aluminum is used as a heating element as a middle layer. It does not touch the food; hence, there is no leaching.

  2. Hi Irina! Thank you for all the work that you do to help us consumers make healthier choices!

    Quick question: how often (if ever) should we replace the Instant Pot Stainless Steel inner cooking pot?

    I’ve read that stainless steel should last a lifetime if cared for properly. Is that true or can it start leaching toxins into food after some time?

    Thank you!

    1. Hi Ana! Thank you for reaching out to I Read Labels for You and for your kind feedback! As for stainless steel cookware, we are of the opinion that with proper use and care, stainless steel lasts a lifetime without having to be replaced. We hope this helps!

  3. Hi Irina,
    thank you for your information .. so so helpful. Just wondering whether there is a concern in relation to the plastic valve and whether you feel it emits anything nasty in the air. I am allergic to chemicals so thats why Im asking. Thank you, Kim

    1. Hi Kim! Thank you for reaching out to I Read Labels for You! Emission is possible, but whether it will affect you depends on how sensitive you are. In our case, we do not smell any emissions. And just for your information, there is also a silicon ring inside the lid. We hope this helps!

  4. Hi Irina! I generally don’t post comments but as a food-health obsessed person, this has to be one of the best articles on pressure cookers and you made it so easily accessible and clearly you researched it super well~. I’ll definitely subscribe to your website. Thank you for your article and free information! I can stop my research now (LOL)

    xo Yasmine

    1. Hi, Yasmine! Thank you for reaching out to I Read Labels for You! We really appreciate your kind words about us and our work: we are happy to be of help! Thank you for your subscription!

  5. Hi, I have an instant pot with a non stick insert. I assume this is ceramic? I’m curious how bad this is and if I need to replace it

    1. Thank you for trusting me with your product decisions. ☺️ As a small business owner, I don’t have the resources to provide effective free advice/consultation in the comments. I already provide a ton of free resources on my blog. Please use my website menus and type your keyword in the website search engine to locate the information you’re looking for. For further assistance, please book an email product review or phone/Zoom consultation. Thank you for respecting my time and supporting our mission to improve the safety of consumer products. 🙏 🙌 💗

  6. Does the silicone ring make the instant pot safe? No chemicals being leached into the food when cooking at high temps and pressure?

    1. Hi, Sal: silicone ring is not ideal. The good news is that it is not in contact with food or liquid. When you open the pressure cooker, try to prevent the condensation from dripping into your food. ~Irina

  7. Hi Irina, i plan on ordering an Instapot, and thank you for always including the links. Was thinking of getting the Instapot Duo Nova, because it specifies this model is better for beginners. Would this model be considered as safe as the Duo? I value your recommendations!

    Thanks,
    Valerie

  8. Hi I am searching and trying to find out about the stainless steal in my instant pot. I have tested high for molygdenum. Can my instant pot be causing this and is there any tests to confirm. I was off the chart is what my nurse practitioner said. I do eat a lot of mung beans and lentils but I have hard time believing that is the root cause .

  9. Thanks for the informative post. Is a silicone bowl stable enough to use as a pressure cooker liner in the IP? I’ve read that there are different grades; do you know how to buy these? Thanks again for the work you do.

    1. Hi, Deb: it is not ideal but at least it is not touching the food. When I open it up, I tried to move away the lid quickly so condensation does not drip into the food. ~Irina

  10. I just recently found your site and I have to tell you – I’m super impressed with the amount of consumer information and research that you provide for your readers. As a long time holistic health enthusiast and researcher, I’ve become quite frustrated with the multitude of unhealthy/toxic products routinely marketed to unsuspecting consumers. Thank you for your due diligence. I’m adding you to my dependable list of go-to sites for quality, trustworthy info.

  11. Saladmaster cookware has Titanium coating where the food will touch while cooking on cooking surface, protecting you from leaching metals that are in stainless steel. It is also 316 grade stainless steel which is a higher grade stainless steel. Saladmaster is also lifetime warranty. You only invest once.

  12. What is your thinking on cooking acidic foods in the instant pot? I add vinegar to my bones when making stock but have read that this encourages leaching of metals into the food. I purchased the vita clay for this reason but now cannot get a super low simmer. So discouraging!

    1. I add vinegar and taste fine. Yes, you are right that the acidity of vinegar may increase leaching metals such as nickel, chromium, and iron, which is not ideal, but not as bad as lead and cadmium. While iron and chromium are essential nutrients for which stainless steel may be useful, nickel is not needed for our health.

      This study determined that the amounts of chromium and nickel significantly increase with longer cooking times, with the use of new cookware, and with cooking acidic foods. While generally these amounts are under the Tolerable Upper Intake Levels, some people may have adverse reactions such as dermatitis even when the exposure amounts are under the established tolerable upper intake levels. A recent heavy metal test, which shows how much if any heavy metals my body has accumulated over time, shows that I do have some nickel, but it is within the safe level.

      Does it help? What do you think? ~Irina

  13. I have just tested positive for lead and cadmium . I am trying to find out where I have been coming into contact with these two heavy metals. I use a ninja three in one. Do you have any knowledge on this unit? I also use a keurig 2.0 and the purple and blue ball canning jars to drink out of.

    1. Hi, Jill: You came to the right place. There are a lot of resources for your here. Did you take a blood test or a challenge test? Is it your ongoing exposure? I understand Ninja is a slow cooker with a ceramic insert. Ceramics is always a suspect for traces of lead and cadmium unless they show test reports. I think you should start with most common and significant places of lead and cadmium exposure. Have you looked into your water? Here is a test I have done on my water: https://ireadlabelsforyou.com/receive-clean-water-home/. They have a sale today. Also, you might find my journey interesting: https://ireadlabelsforyou.com/chelation-therapy/ Know that I can consult with you on the phone to go over the details and devise a practical plan for you: https://ireadlabelsforyou.com/services/consulting/ Let me know what you think. Good luck! ~Irina

  14. I bought the ip, Just got it but haven’t used yet. Im actually allergic to nickel now I’m wondering if I should return it.

  15. Hi
    I follow Tamara’s work and also bought the IP because of her testing. Do you know if she tested the sealing ring and the plastic piece that attaches to the floating valve? As soon as I opened mine the smell of plastic was very noticeable. Very much like the plastic smell in pvc shower liners.
    Thanks!

      1. The IP sealing ring isn’t PVC, it’s silicone, which makes it very stable even at high temperatures.
        We’ve really enjoyed our IP, but have one tip to share. Black beans cook too rapidly to release all of their flavorful black color into the broth. If you leave the beans to soak in water earlier in the day before cooking, the color will release just fine on cooking.

  16. Hi, I recently bought a Midea pressure cooker, more or less the same things as instant pot. It is leaving a smell in the food ( same smell as in chinese import shops, sort of camphorous & grassy). Gross, it won’t go away even after cooking 5-6 times in it. I’m sending it back. The pot is still and I cleaned the silicone ring, I wonder if the smell is coming from the plastic outer??
    Any idea what could be causing this?

  17. Hi Irina, I’ve read your post before and also looked at Tamara’s website, I decided to buy this pressure cooker, but there is a newer model with an added sterilize function on Amazon. I purchased that one, but have not used it. Do you believe it is safe as far as lead and other heavy metals because it is the same company and practically the same product?

  18. Hi Irina! I just bought POWER PRESSURE COOKER XL and then read your blog. Im very concern about it. What do you think about this pressure cooker? THANK YOU!!!

    1. Hi, Maryna: I am not familiar with this brand. Since you have it, could you tell us what materials come in contact with food? Does it also stainless steel bowl? ~Irina

  19. Thank you Irina. You rock with your posts. I always look forward to your new posts .
    I just dont have space for one more appliance however I need pressure cooker. Do you have recommendation of gas stove pressure cookers ? I see Tamara’s blog that lots of pressure cookers have been tested positive for lead so I want to be sure before I get one.

    1. Hi, Pallavi: Thank you for asking. I don’t have a recommendation for a gas stove pressure cooker right now. But I put it on the list of things to research. Is anybody else interested in a gas stove pressure cooker? ~Irina

      1. Hi Irina,
        I am also interested in a gas stove pressure cooker. The part that touches the food to be made of a stainless steel, that’s also without Aluminum. Because as you know, that also accumulates in our body, and can cause all sorts of problems. Including memory loss, and continued anemia, if one has it.
        Thank you so much,
        Azzy