Good pressure cookers?

[Otter]

My mother used to pressure cook foods - very fast and very tender. I'm thinking of getting one, but do not want to add a skylight to my kitchen. Are they reasonably safe, and if so, what is a good brand?

 

[cookienut]

I've had a Mirro one for over 20 years and was always afraid to use it until about 10 years ago when my mother actually showed me how easy it was. But a few years ago I bought one that was electric and digital, so I just have to set it and walk away, plus it keeps the food warm for 4 hours. The electric ones are great, you don't have to stay by the stove and wait till it reaches pressure and then change the temp. There are really no best ones, the new ones today, the electrical and digital ones all have a rapid release button, and the ones you put on the stove, you just leave it on the stove after you remove the jiggler and just wait until it stops steaming, you don't have to really run it under cold water, I never did that, I am not in that much of a hurry to eat. The one I have I happed to see a few years ago on HSN, it is a slow cooker/pressure cooker so it comes in real handy. But I had another brand a few years ago and it was pretty good too. I suggest you just shop around for one with the preferences you prefer and for a pressure cooker you can afford. The electric and digital ones are a bit more expensive but they are great and will last a very long time if you take care of it. A few excellent quality brands are Presto, Kuhn, Panasonic, Farbarware and Innova. Decide how many quarts you need, if you want a plain one, electric and/or a digital programmable one. Once you get one, I assure you, you will love it.

 

[Psiguyy]

A well made somewhat modern pressure cooker will not blow up. It should have a pressure release valve or plug that pops if the pressure gets too high.

I prefer the old fashioned kind with the jiggling weight on the top. It's a tried and true design that's worked faithfully for generations of Americans. There are other more modern designs, especially the European ones, that look like they're easier to use. They're more expensive than the usual American made pressure cookers.

 

[bege]

I can't seem to get past the constant hissing noise that they make. My Mother had one and so did my MIL. I can still hear it in my head. Brrrrr or rather Hisssssssssssssssssss.

 

[momcooks]

I have an electric one. I love it! Mine's a Cooks Essentials, but it looks exactly like the one Farberware has.

 

[cookienut]

Also, the electric ones don't make any giggling noise, at least mine doesn't. I would never go back to the ones you put on the stove.

 

[Psiguyy]

Awww. I love that jiggling pfft pfft pfft sound.

 

[Yakuta]

I have used one almost all my cooking life

I can't imagine cooking stews or any other curries that I prepare without a pressure cooker and not to mention beans.

Pressure cookers are absolutely safe if they are made by a reputable manufacturer.

I have a SEB (mother company of TFAL, Krups and now I believe of AllClad) and it's absolutely fantastic. It's heavy duty and clad kind. I paid a good amount for it and got a friend to purchase it from France.

I really like it and it's effortless not to mention speedy to cook in it and clean up is a breeze as well.