I do 6 cups of water or more to a pound of beans, and I make sure I don’t salt before cooking because I’ve read that can make things tough. But that’s it. I do not soak. Never had a problem.
Well, except that one time when I decided to try to see if I could cook some pinto beans that were at least 5 years old. Those didn’t get soft in 4 hours, so I don’t think soaking would have helped.
I know you said pintos, but just in case it is useful, I almost always do black beans and I do 1cup beans : 3cups liquid (often 2 water 1 broth), 30 min high pressure, natural release. No soak. They do turn out soupy (extra liquid, which is how I like em, but you could strain or even just take the lid off and let the liquid cook down a bit.
Yeah, I don’t soak. The whole reason I wanted an Instant Pot is to cook beans from dry without having to remember to soak or dirty yet another container to soak them in.
I usually do 8 cups of water, then drain and rinse when they’re done. That’s enough to fully cover any pound of beans. I have no experience with pinto beans specifically, though—I do black beans or chickpeas usually.
Y’all have inspired me to buy bags of beans to try in my IP.
I cook beans, in bulk, plainly, then freeze them in meal size packages most often. Allows me to buy beans in bulk (5#) sanely in a 2 person household.
I made a leek soup last night that was supposed to cook for 3+ hours in 1. We have LO and 2 quart containers in the freeer.
I also cook a lot of basic stove top recipes, things that are are primarily heating up, by cooking on manual for zero minutes at pressure. This gets things hot and keeps them that way without sticking while I don’t have to stand at a stove or remember to turn it off. Sort of like a slow cooker effect only fast.
Yep! This is a major use for us. Or for an oven meal I’ll do rice in the instapot.
Oooooo. I need this thread!!!
I bought an instant pot, maybe six or eight months ago, and I’m so scared of it y’all, I’m so so scared. I am so scared it’s going to explode that I haven’t even used it once. 
I need to get inspired!!!
Idk if this is at all helpful, but because it’s all electronics and timers, and not something I can forget on the stovetop, I much prefer my instant pot as a pressure cooker!
And for whatever it’s worth, I make chicken stock in mine and put it at pressure for an hour and nothing bad has ever happened! They’re very sturdy!
There’s a pressure release valve on top so it’s not going to explode, in the worst case your lentils foam and spray out the pressure valve and make a big mess (it won’t happen if you don’t overfill it). Don’t worry, it won’t explode!!