Pressure Cooker - Quality

[PrincessFiona60]

I'm in the market for a new pressure cooker. I've narrowed it down to these:

Amazon.com: Fagor Duo Combi 5-Piece Pressure Cooker Set: Kitchen & Dining

Amazon.com: Kuhn Rikon 6-Piece Duromatic Duo Pressure Cooker Set: Kitchen & Dining


Both are in my price range, both have two pans, one smaller one larger and they are both Stainless Steel.

Opinions please.

[pacanis]

Isn't pressure frying supposed to be how KFC and others get their chicken to have that great coating texture? I've seen that method used on shows, also. That alone would sway me towards the KR, even at the higher price. A whole new method to cook with!

[Katie H]

I have the Kuhn Rikon set and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I love the small and large vessels equally. As for Kuhn Rikon pressure cooking, I have nothing but good things to say. I've worn out two other pressure cookers in my cooking career and would've purchased another like my last one (made by Revere), but they no longer make pressure cookers. Boo, hiss! I loooooooved my old one, but I love the Kuhn Rikon one just as well.

[FrankZ]

We got the 10QT Fagor Futuro and so far it has been useful. It does do canning as well.

I don't know how it compares to other ones as this is our first (modern) foray into pressure cooking.

[CWS4322]

I would like advice on a SS electric pressure cooker (interior pan SS) for my mom. She has dementia but still lives in the home. She uses a Presto pressure cooker but lately has been forgetting that she has s/thing in it. She should be in a home but my dad isn't willing to go there and insists that she continue to cook. For some reason (I think it is because her mom used a pressure cooker), she remembers how to do things in a pressure cooker (as long as my dad doesn't take her into town after she's started whatever she's making). I am going to take care of my mom in April and would like to buy a SS electric pressure cooker while I am there. Where they live there is a Target, Home Depot, Walmart, K-Mart, and Ace Hardware. I live in Canada so I don't know the brands. I would like something that shuts off automatically and is reliable and doesn't have a lot of complexity re: programming. I don't know what is available. I've searched on line but it is hard to know what is what. Help? Thanks. For those other Forum members who have a parent with dementia and live far away (my bro and I are 1400 miles away), I feel for you.

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by pacanis

Isn't pressure frying supposed to be how KFC and others get their chicken to have that great coating texture? I've seen that method used on shows, also. That alone would sway me towards the KR, even at the higher price. A whole new method to cook with!

I wouldn't even consider pressure frying...scary thought! Just cooking (usually braising) with pressure.

[pacanis]

Bummer. I'd get the Fagor then.

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by Katie H

I have the Kuhn Rikon set and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I love the small and large vessels equally. As for Kuhn Rikon pressure cooking, I have nothing but good things to say. I've worn out two other pressure cookers in my cooking career and would've purchased another like my last one (made by Revere), but they no longer make pressure cookers. Boo, hiss! I loooooooved my old one, but I love the Kuhn Rikon one just as well.

Thank you, Katie! I like the quality of Kuhn Rikon knives and gadgets. Have heard good things about the pressure cookers. I know of someone using a 60 year old KK and has only had to replace the gasket.

Originally Posted by FrankZ

We got the 10QT Fagor Futuro and so far it has been useful. It does do canning as well.

I don't know how it compares to other ones as this is our first (modern) foray into pressure cooking.

Thanks, Frank! I was hoping you were finding the Fagor useful. That and KK were the one's I had read were stainless steel.

[FrankZ]

As I understand it you won't be using your PC for pressure frying. Something about hot oil, melting the gasket and exploding.

You need a device designed to do pressure frying.

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by FrankZ

As I understand it you won't be using your PC for pressure frying. Something about hot oil, melting the gasket and exploding.

You need a device designed to do pressure frying.

Not even considering it...besides, fried foods are not on the menu anymore.

[LindaZ]

I am afraid of pressure cookers - had one explode when I was a kid - my dad used to make souse from pigs feet in the pressure cooker. One time he didn't have the lid on right and the thing exploded, sounded like a bomb dropped on the house, showering the kitchen with jellied pigs feets goo. I had to help clean it off the walls, floor, stove, ceiling - yuck. A few years later we sold the old stove and when it was pulled out from the wall, what did we find - you guessed it - more pigs feet goo. Sorry, just had to share. I'm too traumatized to own a pressure cooker - but have fun with yours.

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by LindaZ

I am afraid of pressure cookers - had one explode when I was a kid - my dad used to make souse from pigs feet in the pressure cooker. One time he didn't have the lid on right and the thing exploded, sounded like a bomb dropped on the house, showering the kitchen with jellied pigs feets goo. I had to help clean it off the walls, floor, stove, ceiling - yuck. A few years later we sold the old stove and when it was pulled out from the wall, what did we find - you guessed it - more pigs feet goo. Sorry, just had to share. I'm too traumatized to own a pressure cooker - but have fun with yours.

I had one explode on me, from my own carelessness when I was a kid. Potatoes and cabbage on the ceiling and I avoided the full force. It was the stuff dripping off the ceiling that got me. Learned my lesson and I still love using them, I'm just very careful.

[FrankZ]

Originally Posted by LindaZ

I am afraid of pressure cookers - had one explode when I was a kid - my dad used to make souse from pigs feet in the pressure cooker. One time he didn't have the lid on right and the thing exploded, sounded like a bomb dropped on the house, showering the kitchen with jellied pigs feets goo. I had to help clean it off the walls, floor, stove, ceiling - yuck. A few years later we sold the old stove and when it was pulled out from the wall, what did we find - you guessed it - more pigs feet goo. Sorry, just had to share. I'm too traumatized to own a pressure cooker - but have fun with yours.

Oh this story again? Sheesh....

[PrincessFiona60]

At this point, I'm leaning towards the Fagor, with it I will be ridding myself of three pots. The steamer insert is almost a clincher. Besides the two older pressure cookers, I would be able to get rid of another pot with a steamer insert and lid.

[Josie1945]

Originally Posted by PrincessFiona60

I'm in the market for a new pressure cooker. I've narrowed it down to these:

Amazon.com: Fagor Duo Combi 5-Piece Pressure Cooker Set: Kitchen & Dining

Amazon.com: Kuhn Rikon 6-Piece Duromatic Duo Pressure Cooker Set: Kitchen & Dining


Both are in my price range, both have two pans, one smaller one larger and they are both Stainless Steel.

Opinions please.

Hi Princess, I have a fagor and a Kunn Rikon. I like them both but my favorite is the Fagor. You will enjoy having both sizes. I also have a low pressure fryer and I don't use it , I have used it before but I am not comfortable using it. I bought my Fagor set at a thrift shop never been used for $8.00 My Kuhn Rikon is a 6 quart. that my mother in law bought me as a gift.

Josie

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by Josie1945

Hi Princess, I have a fagor and a Kunn Rikon. I like them both but my favorite is the Fagor. You will enjoy having both sizes. I also have a low pressure fryer and I don't use it , I have used it before but I am not comfortable using it. I bought my Fagor set at a thrift shop never been used for $8.00 My Kuhn Rikon is a 6 quart. that my mother in law bought me as a gift.

Josie

Thank you, Josie! What size is your Fagor?

[joesfolk]

I own a Fagor and for my money it is worth it's weight in gold. I use it 2 or 3 times a week. And for those who don't know modern generation pressure cookers have many safety features that the old ones didn't. But as stated before a pressure cooker is not a pressure fryer. I owned one of those in the late 70's and it was a disappointment. No matter how it was used the chicken always came out too dark, really unsatisfying.

[Josie1945]

Princess the fagor set is a three quart and a six quart, I use both weekly.

Josie

[Rob Babcock]

While both are great cookers, the food scientists/instructors at the French Culinary Institute found the Kuhn Rikon was vastly superior to the Fagor at making stock. The Cliff Notes version is the KR has a superior seal system that prevents aromatics from venting from the cooker. They're not cheap, but I plan on eventually replacing my pressure cooker with a KR.

[FincaPerlitas]

I've had the Fagor set for about 2 years and use it frequently. I'm completely satisfied with it although I almost never use the smaller pot.

Incidentally, you cannot pressure fry in either of them, even though Kuhn Ricon refers to their smaller pot as a "pressure fry pan". True pressure frying requires specialized equipment with additional safety features and frys at lower pressure than most pressure cookers. Here's a link to Kuhn Ricon's FAQ about this: Kuhn Rikon Switzerland - Duromatic FAQ: Deep Frying