Pressure Cookers
Pressure cookers 
are great for cooking up food in a matter of minutes, they use steam to heat food rather than boiling water, thus cooking food faster. Cooking with a pressure cooker prevents nutrition loss in food and can cook up to 70% faster than traditional methods of cooking. You can cook almost anything in a pressure cooker, especially foods that may take a while such as soups, stews, and beans.
Cooking with a pressure is great during the summer months as they don't leat the heat out into the kitchen and leave your home cooler than would be the case with traditional methods of cooking. They are also great for saving energy, they spend less time over a heat source thus cutting down on the amount of electricity of gas used in cooking. New models of pressure cookers are safer than those from 20 years ago and can't be opened until the pressure is released, preventing people from burning themselves from the steam.
What to Look For
- Safety: Very important when using a pressure cooker. Be sure the model you choose has redundant safety systems:
- Good valves with pressure regulators (five or more pressure release mechanisms), and a quick-release mechanism.
- Pressure indicator to adequately measure proper timing.
- Heavy-duty, encapsulated three-ply base for even, consistent heat.
- Foolproof moving parts for ultimate durability.
- Stainless steel will be your best bet.
- Capacity: When buying a pressure cooker you will see them listed by capacity in quarts (from 5 to 24) or in liters. Usually size will correlate with price, starting at about $30 and reaching $300.
- Electric vs. Stovetop
- The main difference is the price (electric pressure cookers are more expensive).
- What gives stovetop models an advantage is their higher safety standards and easy-clean feature (most models are dishwasher-safe).
- What makes electric models stand out is their timer.
- Pressure : Most recipes for pressure cookers assume a pressure of 15 psi, which is fairly standard across the board. If you buy a cooker that uses a different pressure, you will have to alter recipes accordingly.
- Warranty: Look for long warranties to guarantee a quality product.
- Special Features: Timer, gadgets, etc. Browning and steaming functions. Non-stick finishes, though often they are not able to withstand the heat and intense uses of a pressure cooker.
Major Manufacturers
External Links
- Miss Vickie's -- Learn EVERYTHING about pressure cookers. Lots of diagrams, recipes, timing recommendations, and more.
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