are instant pots safe for birds

Do Instant Pots include PTFE? Thankfully, no!

It is well known that polytetrafluoroethylene poses a serious risk to birds and can even be fatal. With polytetrafluoroethylene (a. k. a. Given that non-stick coating, or PTFE, is present in a lot of kitchen and other products—pots, pans, toaster ovens, humidifiers, lightbulbs, and even stain guard on carpet and furniture, among other things—I was wondering if Instant Pots would also contain it.

I wrote the company to find out. They responded to me promptly, and I’m glad to hear that the Instant Pots don’t contain PTFE anywhere. And since then, I’ve used an Instant Pot to prepare multiple meals while keeping my five parrots safe in a nearby room.

The next step might be to find Instant Pot recipes that save time so we can feed our parrots nutritious foods.

Researching whether small appliances contain non-stick coatings is important

The non-stick coatings on many small kitchen appliances, called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), can be fatal to birds. It’s best to email the manufacturer of the appliance with the appliance number if you have any questions about whether or not it contains PTFE or other non-stick coatings. You can also ask about any accessories that may come with the appliance.

Therefore, even though this information only applies to one company’s products, it is still important to contact the company before buying or using any small appliance, including an air fryer, if you are considering getting one from them.

Christine Chaffee’s research on air fryers from Instant Pot Company

Christine Chaffee recently needed an air fryer, so she wrote to Instant Pot to ask if any of their air fryers or toaster ovens with convection/air fryer settings had non-stick coatings because the company had previously responded so well to questions about whether or not their Instant Pots contained non-stick coatings.

FAQ

Are pressure cookers safe for birds?

Would gas let off by my Teflon coated pressure cooker kill the parrots in my house? That seems unlikely. Pressure cookers don’t use a high enough temperature to cause off-gassing.

What kind of cookware is safe for birds?

Stainless steel and cast iron skillets are some of the most popular alternative cookware options that didn’t contain harmless chemicals. There are ways you can make stainless steel cookware non-stick, but it required a lot of maintenance and time.

Are instant pots nontoxic?

Healthy not only includes all of the foods that you can cook in a healthy manner, but also addresses the non toxic materials that are used in the manufacture of this device. All components that touch your food are food grade 304 (18/8) stainless steel, including the lid, the inner pot, and the steam rack.

Are instant pots safe?

Are electric pressure cookers safe? Yes, electric pressure cookers like the Instant Pot are generally safe and easy to use. The Instant Pot has so many safety mechanisms (PDF) built in that it’s hard to make a catastrophic mistake. In general, if you follow the safety instructions, you should be good.