Sealing Ring Shrunk or Won't Seal? Here's What That Means
A ring that's lost its shape or won't hold pressure isn't something to work around — here's how to tell it's actually time to replace it.
Replace it if you see:
Visible cracks, tears, or nicks in the silicone
Brittleness or loss of flexibility (it should still stretch and spring back)
Warping or flattening out of its round shape
The pot struggling to reach pressure, or steam leaking around the lid
It's probably still fine if:
The ring is pliable, sits round in the lid groove, seals properly, and the only issue is odor — that's a cleaning problem, not a replacement one (see our smell guide).