Russell Hobbs Express Chef RHPC1000 Questions & Answers

It's supposed to be "EAT!" It means it's ready to EAT. :-)

If it helps at all, I never use any of the preset buttons except for rice. I just set the pressure on manual and decide how long I want to cook it. Most soups I will only cook between 12 - 20 mins. Just depends on what it is. If I have added frozen meat, I would add an additional 5-10 minutes. So, there isn't really a "normal" cooking time that works for all soups. It really depends on what you're cooking, how long you will cook it.

Yes, you can take the lid off -- the pot does not go under "pressure" during the slow cook. To be sure there isn't too much steam knocking you in the face, though, before you open the lid, switch the nozzel to "venting" to make sure any excess steam comes out before you take the lid off. There are no issues with taking the lid off if it's not under pressure -- it would be like taking the lid off a pot on the stove.

There are many available online - just whatever will fit in the pot!

They make steamer baskets for these types of pots now, however, I have used just a simple steaming basket I got at the dollar store and it works fine. It is stainless steel. It really depends on what you are making. You just need to make sure the lid will close without any obstruction. As long as it does, any stainless steel steamer basket should do. Silicone should also be ok.

The manual setting would be for high pressure. It's rare to cook something for two hours under high pressure, but yes, it's possible if you need to!

hi Jan, I’ve found often the meat needs longer & that it works better with chicken & veg. If I use meat I cook for a bit longer & only put the hard root veggies in.

Thanks that makes good sense, I was thinking to do meat first & then add the veg, just wondered if I'd been doing something wrong.

I would cook the meat in the stew till almost done, then add the veg and cook till done.

I find if you leave the lid on, it will not dry out, because the lid locks in all the moisture. If you take the lid off and leave it on Keep Warm, yes, things will dry out.

6 litres I think

If the chicken is defrosted, it takes about 25-30 minutes with a quick release. Then I pop it under the broiler for about 5 mins or so, to crisp up the skin. If the chicken is frozen, it will take about 15-20 minutes longer in the pressure cooker. You cook it on manual setting. Use the trivet if you can, but sometimes my chicken is too large and sits in the water without the trivet. You always need liquid using the pressure cooker mode. If you use a broth instead of water, it will add more flavour.

Yes, it need water to cook properly, I leave the vent open too... the book is not really clear on that, but I go by info I find about the " Instant Pot"... it worked for me. I would use more than 1 cup of water personally.

Cold always. And I only cook white rice for about Six minutes from reaching temp.

Yes, it's perfect for that!
Download the Instant Pot cooking time chart for all your needs. There are definitely some DO's and DON"Ts for cooking beans.
https://instantpot.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/12.07.2017Cooking_Time_Table.pdf
Good luck :-)

I can't either, but it looks fine and i still use it!

Yes! It's fantastic for veges etc. Just keep the cooking times short to start with. I actually find using the printable Instant Pot cooking times chart far more accurate than any other. Many of the automatic times are far too long. The manual button is your friend!