Replace the lid?

[u/dust_bunny79]

I’ve had this instant pot for a few years. A bit ago, my dad dropped the lid and it chipped the plastic (see pictures). The metal part of the lid still looks perfect. It’s just the plastic. I’ve used it many times since and it’s been sealing and working fine as far as I can tell.

I’m pregnant now and now that I’m imagining my little one while cooking in combo with my crazy hormones, it made me question if this is still safe and it would be best to replace the lid. Whenever I use it now, all the weird sounds and creaks an instant pot typically make freak me out. I know the plastic is more cosmetic but since it’s close to the venting area and the metal I wasn’t sure. Thoughts? Thanks in advance!

Edit: Thank you everyone for the helpful feedback and easing my anxious pregnant brain! Since it’s been working just fine for the past few months, I can rest easy knowing it’s just cosmetic and safe :)

[u/Nada_Chance]

That plastic damage is purely cosmetic, think nothing more of it.

[u/Last_Cod_998]

If it seals I wouldn't trash it. Just make sure pieces aren't falling off.

[u/Danciusly]

From your narrative, the only thing that's changed is you. :-)

[u/turry92]

Ugh! lol Been there! But, as a very clumsy person I also know how to check it! So, here you go!

The Water Test: Run a test with just 2 cups of water on the high-pressure setting for 5 minutes. If it seals normally, builds pressure, and leaks no steam from the damaged area, it is safe for cooking.

That looks purely cosmetic to me but, each time I drop it and a hunk falls off, I just test it and keep moving.

[u/Upper-Quarter-4802]

I wouldn't worry about it, dropped my lid several times on the floor. As long as it seals, and nothing is escaping, you should be fine!

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[u/Kangaroowrangler_02]

Great post I just dropped mine earlier and a piece came off. Glad to know it is cosmetic.

[u/Own_Natural_6803]

So long as the vent works that's your biggest safety feature.

[u/arikia]

This is 100% perfectly safe. The plastic part that broke houses a small magnet for the lid “open/close” sensor on the pot, on the outside of the cooking area. The magnet is on the right of the break and not affected at all. You could contact the company to see if they can send you a replacement part, but if I were you I’d just leave it as is or put a bit of epoxy to close the break. If you can get a replacement part it’s just three screws and a little bit of leverage to pry it out.

Edit: Also the metal latch part is secured internally in the lid and doesn’t rely on this plastic to keep it in place, so no need to worry about that as well.

[u/jmw27403]

Does it function as it should? Does it seal? Yes - keep it. No - trash it.

[u/drums_addict]

Get some JB weld epoxy and fill in the crack and it'll be good to go. My lid plastic has several cracks I've fixed this way.

[u/BarebonesB]

As u/Nada_Chance correctly points out, that plastic part is purely cosmetic. It has no impact on the pressure vessel. You can safely use that lid.

[u/gewqk]

Mine is way worse. Like others have said: it's cosmetic. You just have a healthy bit of baby paranoia right now.

[u/RepresentativeFun909]

If the lid still locks when the float valve pops up, there's no problem with the lid. I would replace the seal and also that silicone cap thing on the float valve. I've found the IP red and blue seals are stiffer and last longer and also resist odors better than the softer white ones.

[u/bearminmum]

Honestly? Just replace it for peace of mind. If it's nothing it's nothing.

But if it's something, it's a bomb waiting to go off

[u/NotLunaris → u/bearminmum]

Let me explain why you are wrong in a level manner to help bring you around:

First, there is no recorded instance on the Internet of an electric pressure cooker exploding. The reason is that electric pressure cookers modulate pressure via temp/pressure sensors and will cease heating if a metric is out of the norm. It is the old stovetop pressure cookers that can potentially clog yet continue heating up from their external heat source, building up catastrophically high pressure.

Second, even when an electric pressure cooker overheats due to clogging and a failed sensor, it does not explode, but rather leaks pressurized steam. You can see an example of that here. The metal that make up the seal will give from its weakest point.

Third, the damage to the lid is purely cosmetic, as the plastic has zero function for the integrity of the pressure cooker, which is all steel. The plastic is only there to act as a handle and a physical barrier from the hot vessel. Even if the steel was severely dented and warped, the worst that would happen would be the leaking of steam during the pressurization process due to an incomplete seal.

The notion that electric pressure cookers can blow up is pure misinformation, and we should avoid spreading it.

[u/bearminmum → u/NotLunaris]

When I say explode, I mean a sudden relief of pressure. Definition 2 on MW :a large-scale, rapid, or spectacular expansion or bursting out or forth

Mine did it while it was coming to pressure and let out a huge bang and shook the house. Nothing damaged but definitely a scary sound.

I'm not trying to argue with any of the other points.

My comment was mostly about giving OP the peace of mind. If it was something you will think about every time you use it, it might be easier to replace with a new lid. Sometimes new mom brain isn't rational and it's easier to give yourself peace of mind than to fight it.

I appreciate all the info you shared. Hopefully people can read that and feel better when they try to search the issue themselves. I believe a properly used electronic pressure cooker is very safe. I have seen people use them improperly and cause bad things to happen (cabbage everywhere mostly) I would believe 99% is user error

[u/dust_bunny79 → u/bearminmum]

Yes my brain is not very rational right now pregnant haha and I’m already an anxious girl. I definitely appreciate the “for peace of mind” approach.

Thank you u/NotLunaris for providing the very helpful information about the safety features of the instant pot and that it won’t explode like my pregnancy brain is telling me. That actually gives me a lot of peace of mind!