The Instant Pot is a highly versatile appliance that can save time and energy in the kitchen. While the best Instant Pots are intuitive, these multifunctional pressure cookers can be confusing, too. If you’re running up against issues like a bad smell lingering in your Instant Pot or trouble with the timer, you’re not alone. Most of the problems you’re seeing are likely pretty easy to correct when you know what to look for.

We have the best tips, tricks, and hacks to solve some common Instant Pot problems. 

The Instant Pot is taking too long to start the timer

Remember, Instant Pots take time to heat up. The Instant Pot will take 10 to 15 minutes to heat up and bring the pressure to proper levels, and then it will start the timer. So when a recipe says “pressure-cook in Instant Pot for 5 minutes,” you should always mentally add the extra time beforehand. If it still seems like it’s taking too long, check your settings carefully to make sure you are in the right mode.

The Pot is showing a ‘burn’ message

The burn message usually appears when the sensors think the pot is in danger of burning your food or causing damage to the device. Often, this means that there’s not enough liquid in the pot or that the liquid hasn’t reached all the bottom corners of the pot, which is easy to fix by adding more liquid. You may also need to let your pot cool down if you’ve been sautéing on high heat for a while.

For more complex meals, layer your starches and sauces on top of other ingredients to create a barrier between them and the bottom heater. Also, elevating meats using the cooking rack can help. Finally, if you have sautéed a liquid sauce or similar ingredient, make sure no bits are stuck to the pot before you move on to the next task.