The T-fal P45007 Clipso is our best pressure cooker, which has easy side handles for convenient handling. It is also free from harsh chemicals like cadmium, PFOA and PTFE so it is food safe. It has a silver finish and has a one hand system for easy opening that is safe.
Our step-up pick is the Instant Pot DUO and this cooker has many accessories such as a soup spoon, steam rack and a serving spoon. Made of 304 grade stainless steel, it is highly durable and can also function as a sterilizer, a warmer, for cooking eggs, for sautéing, for slow cooking and many more.
The budget pick is the Presto 01362 6-Quart and you can cook various kinds of recipes including veggies, meat, fish and chicken in this pressure cooker. Made of stainless steel material, it can be used to greatly tenderize meat and similar food items. It can also be used on induction type stoves.
A Little Background
A pressure cooker is a kind of cooking pot that uses two or three pots stacked together and is used to cook specialty foods and for making meat very tender so that it will be easier to eat. Pressure cookers are mostly found in small stalls as well as Asian restaurants but they can also be used in certain Western food. They require some cooking skills in order to use.
A pressure cooker is a unique kind of cooking equipment that is stacked together in several pots. If you cook dumplings or similar dishes then this kind of cooker is for you. They can vary in size for home use and for commercial use, such as for restaurants. They are great for recipes that require the work of a pressure cooker.
They are mostly made of stainless steel because they need to undergo some sort of heavy heating, since pressure is used to cook the food. Pressure cookers require a different kind of cooking method compared to regular cookers like pans and casseroles. They are also more expensive in material so only those with sufficient budget and needs can have them.
Pressure cookers are a great way to start your own business. For example, some people want to establish their own Asian themed restaurant. You will want to have a pressure cooker for certain foods so you can cook them more effectively and efficiently. A pressure cooker is an excellent form of investment that you should consider due to its usefulness. You need to consider a good quality pressure cooker when investing in one for home or commercial use.
Having the right material for your pressure cooker is important so that it can last for many years to come. It is also important for the material of the pressure cooker to be able to handle highly acidic food that can potentially leave stains in your pots. This can be hard to clean and can result in leaking chemicals or a bad metal taste in your food.
You also need to consider a pressure cooker that is easy to clean with most kitchen cleaning aids. In fact, some pressure cookers may be tossed into the dishwasher as one of its plus points, which adds to its total convenience overall and is great for those who need to use them for restaurants that constantly need fast food preparation skills.
IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAILS | |
---|---|---|---|
Our PickOur Pick | T-fal P45007 Clipso |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
Step-up PickStep-up Pick | Instant Pot DUO |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
Budget PickBudget Pick | Presto 01362 6-Quart |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
Yedi Programmable Cooker |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → | |
Presto 01745 16-Quart |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → | |
NuWave Stainless Steel |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → | |
All American Cooker |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → | |
Fissler 8.5qt Vitaquick |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → | |
Mirro 92180A Polished |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → | |
Viking Stainless Steel |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
How We Picked
In choosing the best pressure cooker for your needs, you should know about the following:
Home or commercial use: you need to consider whether the pressure cooker is for home or commercial use. For business purposes, you need a heavy duty pressure cooker that is made of stainless steel material and will not easily get broken with repeated use. If you just need a good pressure cooker for making home cooked meals then you can consider a budget friendly one.
Size of cooker: the pressure cooker should be the right size for your stove as well as for how many food items you need to cook on a daily basis for your pressure cooker. Some cookers are of regular size while some that are meant for business use are usually bigger in capacity and in size overall.
Type of stove you are using: some pressure cookers are okay to use with induction stoves as well as electric stoves. However there are other pressure cookers that do not work at all in such technologies. Therefore, it is important to know if your pressure cooker works with your current stove setup and if the material is okay with it.
Durability: consider a highly durable pressure cooker that will last for years to come because this cooker is usually more expensive than other cookers out there. Consider materials that are of heavy duty, especially if it will be for business or restaurant use, so that you can get a return for your investment in the months or years to come.
Food grade materials: while most pressure cookers are made of stainless steel, it should also be noted that any cookware should be made out of food grade material in order to be safe for your food and for your family, as well as for your customers.
Stay cool handle: the handle for the pressure cooker should not be too hot to touch. Having a stay cool handle for your pressure cooker enables you to make it easier to handle your cooked food in the pressure cooker. This is especially helpful for businesses and restaurant cooks so they don’t run into accidents often while having to cope with a speedy serving time in every order of the customer.
Cooking capacity: consider a pressure cooker that fits your cooking items and has just the right capacity for them. If you handle a takeout stall, you may need a small to medium pressure cooker but for restaurants, they may need a larger pressure cooker because there may be many customers who are ordering at the same time, so you can save more cooking time and effort in the long run.
Our Pick
The T-fal P45007 Clipso is our best pressure cooker, which has up to 12 psi of pressure and has a capacity of 6.3 quarts. It is safe to use in the dishwasher and is made out of stainless steel material so it is quite durable.
There is a variable steam release valve so that you do not run into accidents from this pressure cooker. The heat distribution is good due to the encapsulated base.
Flaws but Not Dealbrakers
The only concern about the T-fal P45007 Clipso that is not a deal breaker is that it is a manual stovetop pressure cooker, so it requires perfect timing and precision to cook with.
Step-up Pick
Our step-up pick is the Instant Pot DUO, which is an electric pressure cooker that can be used as a rice cooker, steamer, yogurt maker and the like. It is a 9 in 1 cooker that has a total of 6 quarts in its capacity. It is fully electric with an LCD screen.
It has a 3-ply bottom so that it doesn’t stain your kitchen table or countertop. Being UL certified, it is energy efficient and is programmable.
Budget Pick
The Presto 01362 6-Quart is our budget pick, which also has a capacity of 6 quarts. It comes with a recipe book and it has a cover lock indicator so that your food stays safe when you want to preserve them for later use.
This cooker is dishwasher safe so you can clean it up right after. The handle is made for you to easily transfer the pot to cool down.
Best Pressure Cooker that is Electric
The Yedi Programmable Cooker has an electronic set of controls and is UL listed with various settings for pressure cooking as well as for sautéing, for cooking rice, for steaming, for slow cooking and the like. It has a delayed cooking option and comes with a measuring cup and 2 cooking spoons.
Best Pressure Cooker that is also a Canner
The Presto 01745 16-Quart is a good veggie, fish and meat pressure cooker that comes with a canning rack. It comes with a recipe book and can be durable due to the aluminum being resistant to warping. You can use it for making jams.
Best Pressure Cooker for Stovetop Use
The NuWave Stainless Steel has a capacity of 6.5 quarts and is made of premium grade stainless steel for longer lasting durability. You can use it for all stovetop types: gas, electric or induction type. It only needs some oil to cook.
Best Pressure Cooker for Restaurant Use
For restaurants and large families, the 21.5-quart All American Cooker is for you. It has 3 settings: low (5 psi), medium (10 psi) and high (15 psi) and has a clamping action for the nuts so it’s easy to secure and open. It has the capability to can foods as well.
Best Pressure Cooker that is Stackable
The Fissler 8.5qt Vitaquick has a conical shape so it is stackable, which is good for kitchens that do not have a lot of space. It has an inner measuring scale for meat and veggies and it is easy to clean due to the material.
Best Pressure Cooker made of Aluminum
The Mirro 92180A Polished is made of aluminum that is corrosion free and of heavy gauge to prevent warping. It can be cleaned in the dishwasher and has an easy locking lid system to prevent spills. It has a 10 year warranty for the cooker and 1 year for the parts.
Best Pressure Cooker made of Stainless Steel
The Viking Stainless Steel a durable and easy to lock pressure cooker, containing up to 8 quarts of capacity. You can even use it in an induction stove safely and it has some measuring markings for easily measuring food. It has high and low pressure settings and a clamp style lid for security.
The Competition
Other pressure cookers were not in this list because the handles were flimsy and they were not compatible with most stove types. It is important for a pressure cooker to be highly durable and also dependable whether it is for home or business use.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are pressure cookers and how do I ensure they work well for my food?
A: A pressure cooker is a kind of cooking apparatus which makes meat tender and also helps cook food better than regular cookers. They can be ideal for those who need to cook food in the fastest way possible.
A pressure cooker that has new features makes it convenient. In order to ensure that your pressure cooker works well for your food:
Consider a high end model with a multipurpose design and timer. A pressure cooker that is of a higher price can have extras such as a timer that will make it easier to measure how much you need to cook the food in the pressure cooker. The multipurpose design for the pressure cooker makes it applicable for those who need to do more than just pressure cooking such as using it as an alternative to a sauce pan.
Make sure it is the right size for your cooking needs and the amount of servings you cook on a daily basis. If you have a small family and don’t need to cook a large heap of food then a small to medium sized pressure cooker should be good for you. Just make sure that it is big enough to be able to cook your food without getting cramped. Restaurants may need a bigger pressure cooker in terms of capacity.
Choose a newer model that does not cause a lot of fuss in the kitchen on its operation. If you consider a newer pressure cooker then it will be easier to use because of its user friendly features. A good pressure cooker that you can find today has mostly semi automatic methods so that you don’t have to constantly time the cooking in your pressure cooker when you cook different kinds of recipes.
Those with a thick base and a good quality metal can last longer. A durable metal or stainless steel pressure cooker should be considered if you want to have a business or use it for a restaurant, or simply want the best pressure cooker for your needs and for durability for use in longer years to come. Stain from acidic foods can potentially break the pressure cooker, so it should be made out of stainless steel for the best durability.
You can also add a steamer basket for certain ingredients that should not be mixed with liquid. A steamer basket can be a great add on if you also want to cook some Asian foods such as dumplings and the like. Steaming is usually done along with a pressure cooker so it is great to have a steamer basket as well in your package.
Q: What are the benefits of using a pressure cooker?
A: A pressure cooker can have the following benefits:
You get more nutrients from your food. When you cook food in a pressure cooker, you can cook it faster so that the nutrients on your food will not deteriorate or lose quality over time. Most people and restaurants turn to a pressure cooker because it can reduce up to 70 percent of total cooking time for an average recipe, which makes it easier to keep the food rich in nutrients.
You also save electricity in the long run. Running a pressure cooker on a stove makes it easier to cook and thus saves energy if you use induction or electric stoves. This is important for restaurants and households that depend on such stove types so that you can greatly reduce your monthly bill impact even when you consider using these kinds of electric powered stoves.
You can save time when you cook with a pressure cooker. The faster foods cook, the better you can handle the rest of the day. A pressure cooker is designed not just to cook fast but to cook with precision, evenness and can be like a microwave oven in its quickness.
If you want to cook up something fast and you don’t have a lot of time to prepare, a pressure cooker can be a great way to do it, which is crucial for food service and restaurant use.
Because the pressure cooker cooks fast, less heat is produced. A pressure cooker can produce only a significant amount of heat and it works much like an electric kettle that only heats up briefly, which is good for both your food and your kitchen. The pressure cooker is great for those who live in kitchens that are too hot, or if you have a dirty kitchen outdoors and the sun is glaring at your spot.
Making sure that your kitchen’s temperature remains cool is important when cooking, and that’s when a pressure cooker can help you out.
A pressure cooker is also a lot easier to clean up. This is because most of them can be nonstick with their coating and they can also have special designs that eliminate spatters and splashes that could happen when you cook around the stove. This makes the pressure cooker a great tool for those who constantly need to wipe their induction stove or electric stove from spills of food.
Food preservation is another good benefit from a pressure cooker. Because of its sealed design, if you want to store some food for later that you might eat or prepare for a group or the family, or for yourself, you can use a pressure cooker to store your homemade canned goods such as vegetables and the like due to its pressure sealing method.
Q: Is it safe or healthy to cook food in a pressure cooker?
A: Cooking in a pressure cooker can get some people wondering if it is safe to use it. However, we have the answer to that, as it is deemed safe to cook in a pressure cooker due to the following:
It keeps the nutrients preserved better than slow cooking. A pressure cooker cooks food faster and this actually makes the food retain the vitamins and minerals more than with slow cooking. When you cook the food slow instead of using a pressure cooker, the slow heat will potentially degrade the quality of the food, the nutrients and the minerals. Think of it as cooking veggies for a long time, resulting in a sloppy mess that you wouldn’t want to happen.
The time in cooking food doesn’t affect food in a bad way. The best way to cook food more efficiently is to apply high heat for a short amount of time, so that it will not lose its flavors and its nutrients due to the slow cooking. Contrary to popular belief, a pressure cooker does not degrade food quality just because it cooks quickly. In fact, it is better than slow cooking due to the retention of nutrients.
Most pressure cookers are made of high quality stainless steel, which means they don’t leak chemicals. While most cookware have nonstick coating and those with materials that might potentially leach harsh metal tastes and bad chemicals that may get into your food items. This is why investing in a high quality pressure cooker that has been made out of good quality stainless steel is important to keep your food healthy when cooked.
Q: How do I maximize my usage of a pressure cooker in the home kitchen or in a restaurant?
A: To make the best use out of your pressure cooker, you may need to consider the following:
Look for recipes that involve the use of pressure cooking. There are many recipes online that you can use to make foods and recipes that can be cooked in your pressure cooker. This saves you a lot of time and effort and the kids and your entire family may even help out or love your recipe when they eat. Consider most meat and veggie recipes for your pressure cooker for a healthy and balanced meal.
Do not put too much in the pressure cooker. It is recommended that you make it at least only half full depending if your other ingredients may expand when cooked. Much like with doing laundry, consider having some space for the food to cook when you put it in the pressure cooker. Otherwise, some foods will be left slightly uncooked or cooked too much when you put it in the pressure cooker.
You can use your pressure cooker for caramelizing sugars. Consider a pressure cooker for caramelizing or even browning anything. It is a multipurpose cooking tool that you can use for a lot of different recipes – just look for ones that might need it.
Do know that some ingredients require different times of cooking. There are certain ingredients that might take some time to be cooked in the pressure cooker, like hard meats and lean meats, but some pressure cooker items can take really quick time to get cooked in the cooker. It depends upon the food item and it pays to research on different food items.
Seafood |
||
Type of Food |
Fresh Cooking Time |
Frozen Cooking Time |
Fish fillet |
2 to 3 minutes |
3 to 4 minutes |
Lobster |
2 to 3 minutes |
3 to 4 minutes |
Shrimp |
1 to 3 minutes |
2 to 4 minutes |
Crab |
2 to 3 minutes |
4 to 5 minutes |
Mussels |
1 to 2 minutes |
2 to 3 minutes |
Rice and Grains |
||
Type of Food |
Ratio of Grain and Water |
Cooking Time |
Congee |
1:4 to 1:7 |
15 to 20 minutes |
Oats |
1:2 to 1:3 |
2 to 5 minutes |
Jasmine rice |
1:1 |
4 minutes |
White rice |
1:1 |
4 minutes |
Brown rice |
1:1 |
20 to 22 minutes |
Quinoa |
1:1 1/4 |
1 minute |
Corn |
1:3 |
25 to 30 |
Legumes |
||
Type of Food |
Dry Cooking Time |
Soaked Cooking Time |
Lentils |
4 to 6 minutes |
N/A |
Chickpeas |
35 to 40 minutes |
10 to 15 minutes |
Black eyed peas |
6 to 7 minutes |
4 to 5 minutes |
Black beans |
20 to 25 minutes |
4 to 6 minutes |
Peas |
6 to 10 minutes |
N/A |
Soy beans |
35 to 45 minutes |
18 to 20 minutes |
Pinto beans |
25 to 30 minutes |
7 to 9 minutes |
Meat |
|
Type of Food |
Dry Cooking Time |
Beef ribs |
20 to 25 minutes |
Duck |
10 to 15 minutes |
Roast beef |
15 minutes per 1 lb |
Chicken breasts |
6 to 8 minutes |
Whole chicken |
8 minutes per 1 lb |
Lamb |
15 minutes per 1 lb |
Pork ribs |
15 to 20 minutes |
Sliced ham |
9 to 12 minutes |
Quail |
8 minutes per 1 lb |
Turkey |
7 to 20 minutes |
Veal |
12 minutes per 1 lb |
Vegetables |
||
Type of Food |
Fresh Cooking Time |
Frozen Cooking Time |
Broccoli |
1 to 4 minutes |
2 to 5 minutes |
Celery |
2 to 3 minutes |
3 to 4 minutes |
Artichoke |
4 to 11 minutes |
5 to 13 minutes |
Carrots |
2 to 8 minutes |
3 to 9 minutes |
Beetroot |
11 to 25 minutes |
13 to 30 minutes |
Cabbage |
2 to 3 minutes |
3 to 5 minutes |
Celery |
2 to 3 minutes |
3 to 4 minutes |
Okra |
2 to 3 minutes |
3 to 4 minutes |
Potatoes |
2 to 4 minutes |
3 to 6 minutes |
Leeks |
2 to 3 minutes |
3 to 4 minutes |
Eggplant |
2 to 3 minutes |
3 to 4 minutes |
Sweet potato |
2 to 4 minutes |
4 to 6 minutes |
Tomatoes |
N/A |
4 to 5 minutes |
Fruits |
||
Type of Food |
Fresh Cooking Time |
Dried Cooking Time |
Raisin |
N/A |
4 to 5 minutes |
Pear |
2 to 4 minutes |
4 to 6 minutes |
Apple |
1 to 4 minutes |
3 to 5 minutes |
Peach |
2 to 3 minutes |
4 to 5 minutes |
Plum |
2 to 3 minutes |
4 to 5 minutes |
Two burners can be heated the same time if you use an electric stove. This is to save time when waiting to heat up the stove (since electric stoves can mostly take centuries to heat up). A pressure cooker, when used on an electric stove, should be prepared with sufficient heat to activate its quick cooking properties.
You can also incorporate other cooking equipment such as ovens and broilers for your recipe. There are certain food items and recipes that may also require the use of a broiler as well as an oven and other cookers to make the dish. For instance, you may also want to use a sauce pan other than a pressure cooker to help build up the sauce for the meat or fish.
Consider which foods can be cooked in a pressure cooker. One of the things you should avoid or take caution is when cooking fish, so that it doesn’t get burned. Pressure cooking may also sometimes damage vegetables if you don’t time them properly. Always consider timing the pressure cooker whenever you prepare special types of foods, and read online or on a cookbook first whether the food you want to cook is okay to cook in a pressure cooker.
Always use the timer properly. The timer has a specific purpose of timing your food so that it will not become too raw or too burned when you cooked it with the pressure cooker. We stated above some tables that can help you determine the cooking times of most foods and food types depending on the type of recipe that you have.
Get the right size of pressure cooker. Consider a pressure cooker that is sufficient for your food items. If you often cook whole meat such as chicken or turkey or poultry, consider getting a larger pressure cooker for that purpose. Otherwise, if you just cook for a small family or for yourself then getting a small to medium sized and capacity pressure cooker can be okay for you.
If your pressure cooker is old and noisy, get a newer model. There are certain types of pressure cookers that are kind of jarring in their kitchen noise. These are the older models that your grandma probably uses. If the noise bothers you and the cooking efficiency as well, you can replace that with a newer model so that it will be able to cook in a quieter way.
Q: What common recipes can I cook with a pressure cooker?
A: A pressure cooker may be able to help you cook the following meals:
· Meat stews
· Chicken recipes
· Vegetable soups
· Curry
· Bean recipes
· Risotto
· Seafood recipes
· Noodle soups
· Tomato sauce
Q: What are the pros and cons of using a pressure cooker?
A: The following are the possible advantages and disadvantages of using a pressure cooker:
Pros:
· It’s fast in cooking. Pressure cookers speed up your time and efforts when cooking recipes.
· You can multitask in the kitchen. Cook multiple foods in just one go – good for restaurants.
· Modern ones are so easy to use. Even your grandma can use a 21st century pressure cooker.
Cons:
· Old models can be intimidating to use. These ones usually have more complicated apparatus.
· Some models are noisy (old ones). The jarring noise might make you not want to use it.
· Despite some models having a timer, know how to measure the time of your cooking.
Q: What are the possible effects of cooking rice in a pressure cooker?
A: A pressure cooker that cooks rice is a good thing for those running restaurants or having to feed large families. However, compared to cooking in a rice cooker, pressure cooking rice can have some effects on the rice, albeit positive:
It makes rice softer in its overall texture. This can be either good or bad depending on your personal tastes and preference. There are some rice recipes that require you to gelatinize or make rice a little fluffier than regular meal rice. There are also special rice types that are used for sticky foods such as maki, sushi and rice cakes.
It helps you digest rice better. Because of the gelatinization of the rice, you can actually get the starch, fiber and protein better due to its easy release from the rice itself. This makes rice easier to digest compared to when cooked in a pot or in a rice cooker. High pressure helps release the nutrients and retain them better, much like with other foods.
Cooking in a pressure cooker helps keep bad bacteria away. If your rice might have been stored in an unclean place, no matter how you wash it, bad bacteria and mold might have gotten into the rice even when you cook it in a rice cooker. A super high temperature completely eliminate these bad stuff in the rice so you can make sure that your rice is healthy and delicious.
Q: How does the retention rate of nutrients in pressure cooking compare to boiling, roasting and steaming?
A: This chart below can help you find out how much nutrients are retained when you cook food in a pressure cooker, versus roasting, steaming and boiling methods:
Type of Cooking Method |
Retention of Nutrients |
Boiling or conventional cooking |
40 to 75 percent |
Roasting |
90 percent |
Steaming |
90 percent |
Pressure cooking |
90 to 95 percent |
Q: What sizes of pressure cookers are available out there:
A: There are many sizes of pressure cookers that you can buy or use for your home or restaurant business. Here is a chart comparing sizes (in quarts and liters) as well as the inner dimensions:
Size |
Size in quarts / liters |
Diameter |
Height |
Best for |
Small |
4 |
10 inches |
3 inches |
Small families |
5 |
9 inches |
6 inches |
|
|
6 |
9 inches |
7 inches |
|
|
Medium |
7 |
9 inches |
7.5 inches |
Medium sized families |
8 |
9 inches |
9 inches |
|
|
Large |
9.5 |
10 inches |
8 inches |
Restaurants and large families |
12 |
11 inches |
8 inches |
|
Q: Which is better: stainless steel, aluminum or a nonstick pressure cooker?
A: A pressure cooker can be either made of nonstick material, aluminum or stainless steel. Here are the different kinds of pressure cookers and whether stainless steel, aluminum or nonstick is better:
Electric pressure cookers:
· Stainless steel is the best for durability purposes because it can withstand high acid foods and super high temperatures. They are more expensive, however.
· Nonstick pressure cookers are easier to clean and can be a little cheaper, but the coating might wear off and might leach into your food or make the cooker ineffective.
Stovetop pressure cookers:
· Stainless steel is the most durable because it does not warp easily and does not contain the metal aftertaste that much. Its finish is also something that looks attractive without much maintenance for the years to come.
· Aluminum is cheaper for a pressure cooker and since it heats up faster due to being a heat conductor, it can cook your food better. The only downside is that its durability is not like stainless steel. However, it is lightweight to carry, making accidents less of a thing.
Q: What is the difference between an electric pressure cooker and a stovetop pressure cooker?
A: The pressure cooker can be divided into two major types: electric and stovetop. Here is a comparison of the two:
Criteria |
Electric Pressure Cooker |
Stove Pressure Cooker |
Price |
Electric pressure cookers are more expensive due to the material. |
Stove pressure cookers are simpler so they are cheaper. |
Cooking time |
Can take more time to cook food, since you need to wait for the heat to build up, sine it is electric. |
Stove pressure cookers cook more quickly because they can ignite and heat up faster and right away. |
Size |
Has larger sizes compared to stove cookers because they are mostly for heavy duty use. |
Has small to medium sized cookers since they are mostly for small to medium sized families. |
Storage |
Electric pressure cookers are usually bulkier to store. |
Stove pressure cookers tend to be smaller so they’re easier to store. |
Timer |
Nearly all electric pressure cookers have a timer for easily watching over your food. |
Some don’t have a timer so it can be hard to time your food and recipe while it cooks. |
Q: What things should I avoid when using a pressure cooker when cooking in an induction stove?
A: There are certain precautions that you should know about when using a pressure cooker when cooking in an induction stove, such as the following:
· Make sure the aromatic ingredients go first before you turn on the stove and put the oil.
· Pre-heating is a no-no because it already gets hot within 15 seconds or less.
· Keep the heat to a medium because high heat might ruin the food.
· Always keep an eye out for whatever you are cooking.
· The timer should be set properly to avoid overcooking food.
· Wide cookers can be adjusted for the heat within 5 minutes of pressure cooking.
Q: Why should I not fill the pressure cooker with too much liquid?
A: A pressure cooker should not be filled with too much liquid because:
Evaporation is less inside a pressure cooker. A pressure cooker is completely sealed unlike a regular cooker or pot so the air will not be too much around the inside of the pressure cooker, making the evaporation process less likely to happen.
The heat buildup can make evaporation faster as well. Aside from being trapped, the heat can also help the pressure cooker evaporate more steam when you do lift up the lid, so make sure it doesn’t have a lot of liquid to avoid losing water inside the pressure cooker.
Consider what the recipe and the user’s manual says about the liquid. At least 1 cup of liquid can be poured in the pressure cooker but the manual as well as the recipe can also help you determine the amount of water to put. Just make sure that you don’t go over the half of the pressure cooker.
Q: What are the two types of release methods in a pressure cooker?
A: Much like with regular cookers in the kitchen, a release method is a feature of a pressure cooker so that you can’t open them when the steam is still being released. There are two ways to do this:
The quick release method is ideal for soft foods. It takes less than a minute to do and requires putting the pressure cooker under cold water on your sink to release all of that pressure inside the cooker.
The natural release method is ideal for meat products, especially tough and lean meat. It takes up to 30 minutes and just let the pressure get released on its own while you cool the pressure cooker down naturally.
Q: How do I ensure that the items I cook would retain their flavors in a pressure cooker?
A: To retain the flavors of your food in a pressure cooker, you can follow these tips:
· Consider adding some fat or oil when sautéing veggies that are aromatic.
· You can also do the same oil technique for meat products.
· Veggies should be cooked at the last minute to ensure they don’t become mush.
· Sauces can be added with water so that they don’t become cakey in appearance.
· The pressure cooker should be cooled down slightly after sautéing veggies or meat. This is so you won’t lose the sauce for these foods.
· Make sure you completely follow the recipe directions, since pressure cooking is all about precision and timing.
Q: What is the pressure of a pressure cooker?
A: The pressure cooker can have low, medium or high pressure options, all of which have different ranges. Here is a good estimate of each:
· Low pressure: can be from 6 to 8 psi
· High pressure: can be 13 to 15 psi
Do note that electric pressure cookers may have a different set of values.
Q: What factors can affect the juiciness and the tenderness of meat when cooking in a pressure cooker?
A: A pressure cooker that cooks meat may affect its juiciness and tenderness, but can be depending on many factors and the way you cook, such as:
The length of cooking time can make the meat less juicier so you should consider cooking meat at high pressure at a quicker time.
Consider going for meat from younger animals (e.g. beef or pork) because the old ones tend to be more brittle. Some breeds of livestock may also be more brittle than others.
Q: Which foods can produce froth and can make pressure cooking messy?
A: Certain foods can produce some froth that may make your pressure cooking a bit of a mess, so take caution when cooking them and filling the pot with them:
· Pasta
· Cranberries
· Applesauce
· Oats
· Split peas
· Rhubarb
Q: What ingredients and equipment do I need to clean my pressure cooker?
A: A pressure cooker can be cleaned with the following tools and ingredients:
· Vinegar and dish soap – for cleaning and removing foul smells.
· Cotton or microfiber cloth – so you don’t damage the finish.
· Scrub brush – to get all of the stains out.
Q: Why should I go for a bigger pressure cooker?
A: A larger pressure cooker can have many benefits, such as the following:
· You can get more cooking jobs done in the long run.
· Some recipes that require larger amounts of liquid will be okay for your cooker.
· Most larger pressure cookers are more durable in material and are more convenient to heat up.
Wrapping It Up
The T-fal P45007 Clipso is our best pressure cooker for those who want a simple and easy to clean and maintain cooker made of stainless steel, with 12 psi of pressure and 6.3 quarts of capacity.
Jen Miller is a former electrical engineer and product specialist with more than 20 years of product design and testing experience. She has designed more than 200 products for Fortune 500 companies, in fields ranging from home appliances to sports gear and outdoor equipment. She founded Jen Reviews to share her knowledge and critical eye for what makes consumers tick, and adopts a strict no-BS approach to help the reader filter through the maze of products and marketing hype out there. She writes regularly and has been featured on Forbes, Fast Company, The Muse, The Huffington Post, Tiny Buddha and MindBodyGreen.