I started looking for a pressure cooker so I could have some meals like the good ‘ol days but I was shocked to find out how much a good one actually cost. The selection in my area was tremendously small so I ended up with a Presto 6 quart Pressure Cooker. What I really wanted was a canning pressure cooker but they are around $80 so I settled for a $30 aluminum one for occasional pressure cooked meals.

Material and Compatibility with the Stove

I have a glass top range so the first thing I did when I took it out of the box was check the bottom of the pan to make sure it would be safe for the glasstop which it was. Instructions indicate to lift off of the stove, not drag across to avoid scratching. The pot is hot and heavy and will often need to be moved to another burner to cool. The pan is not compatible with induction type ranges.

This is an aluminum pan so is very lightweight, inexpensive, stains, and scratches easily. Stainless steel is more expensive but is suppose to be better and lasts longer.

Presto sells both aluminum and stainless steel in this design.

Washing and Care

The pot, lid, and rubber ring should be cleaned with warm sudsy water after each use. I had a scratch on the bottom and a nasty discoloration in my pot after the first use. The instructions say that discoloration is normal and may be removed with water and cream of tarter. The instruction goes into details about how stains can be removed from the inside or outside. I like pretty pans so I’m already sickened by the way the pan looks.

Using

The pressure cooker is very easy to use but can cause a lot of harm if it is not sealed correctly.

The first thing to do is find a pressure cooker recipe; you can’t just throw stuff in and seal it up. The instruction book has an assortment of recipes for each of the following categories: soups, seafood, poultry, meats, vegetables, dry beans and peas, grains and desserts. I’ve also found tons of recipes online by searching for pressure cooker recipes. Some examples of traditional things cooked in a pressure cooker: kraut and ribs, Swiss steak, Salisbury steak, and soups. Make sure the recipe is for the 6 quart pot.

Some foods should not be put in the cooker. The instructions indicate that the following items should never be pressure cooked: applesauce, cranberries, rhubarb, cereals, pastas, dried soup mixes, or dry beans and peas which are not listed in the chart.

The food is placed in the pressure cooker and there should be an ample amount of liquid in the pot to produce steam. The steam is what cooks the food.

The lid with the rubber seal is locked into place. The pressure regulator is positioned onto the vent pipe.

The stove is turned on until the pressure regulator starts bouncing around then begin timing your meal.

Once it is finished check the recipe to see if the food is cooled on the stove or if it should be soaked in cold water. The food continues to cook if the water method is not used. The air vent, a safety feature, will go down when it’s safe to proceed. The pressure regulator should not be removed until the pan is cooled. It is to be removed before the pan is opened.

Safety

If the lid isn’t seated correctly the cooker the lid could be forced off causing physical injury and/or damage in the kitchen. I do not allow my children in the kitchen when using this and they're a little scared of it anyway.

There is a button on the handle that rises when there is too much pressure in the pot to open the lid and the button goes down when it’s safe to open. A very handy feature.

There is also a tiny rubber cork on the lid for emergencies. It will pop open and let steam out so the lid isn’t forced off.

Pros

The pressure cooker is extremely convenient because you can cook a meal with a tough piece of meat so much faster and healthier than with other methods. For example, it took my kraut and chops 15 minutes to heat up and 15 minutes to cook at the right pressure. It would have taken all day to get my meat as tender as it was in the pressure cooker.

I also don’t have to plan ahead and marinate a tough piece of meat or soak it in something like oil or salt which could be seen as a health benefit.

This doesn’t heat up the house like a crock pot or oven does and the pot is easier to clean too.

I have the 6 quart pan and although it isn’t large enough for canning it is just the right size for feeding our family. It makes an easy 1 pot meal (with no left overs).

Cons

There are a few cons to the pressure cooker. The biggest one is that you never know if you’re taking off your meal too early or too late.

There isn’t any way to know if there is enough water left in the pot or not. Cooking without enough water could damage the stovetop.

Pressure cookers in general brag about being fast but the recipes never add the amount of time it takes for the meat to be browned or for the pot to heat up before it has pressure which adds around 15 minutes to the cooking time listed on the recipe. If the recipe calls for it to cool on its own that’s another 15 minutes.

The smell of whatever you are cooking penetrates the air and lingers all evening in some cases.

I like to season as I go or near the end of cooking which is not an option with the pressure cooking.

Warranty

This has a 12 year warranty however doesn’t include normal wear, replacement of pressure regulator, sealing ring, plug, vent gasket. It may not be practical to use the warranty but I think offering a 12 year warranty indicates that the product will be pretty reliable.

My thoughts

The aluminum pan is not favorable for acidic food like tomatoes. But, I won’t use a pressure cooker as often as other cooking methods so I think aluminum will be good enough for me. My pot looks old already which isn’t too appetizing to me. I am kicking myself for not waiting for a stainless steel one. This does have a 12 year warranty so couldn't be too bad.

Originally I thought that having a pot that was tall would be better than a wide one but I have found it to be a problem. Most of my recipes require the meat to be fried in the pan before continuing but it’s not wide enough for the meat and doesn’t fry well in the pot. It seems to take awhile to heat up and never seems to brown.

I like the added features on the outside like the cap that rocks instead of spins, the rubber cork that prevents explosions, and the button that indicates if the pan is safe to open.

This makes an awesome dinner with melt-in-your-mouth meat. This will be my choice method this winter for comfort food. I’ve tried the same meals that I usually make in the crock pot and the food tastes a lot better out of the pressure cooker.

Contact Information

National Presto Industries, Inc.
Phone: 715-839-2209
Email: contact@GoPresto.com
Website: www.gopresto.com


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 30.00