Presto 1781 23-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker/Canner
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List Price: Our Price: $75.42 You Save: $34.57 (31%) Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 business days Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Presto 1781 23-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker/Canner
Customer Review: Top Quality Canner/Cooker
Summary: 5 Stars
I have had this canner/cooker for over 2 years now. It is made to last which is unusual for a product made in China! I have used this vessel to can chili, soups, and stews. I have also cooked pinto beans, a whole turkey, soups, stews, and meat in it.
It has never given me any problems. It is exceptionally easy to clean. It fits perfectly in my double basin kitchen sink.
To anyone who is buying one of these, please be sure to check the pressure gage closely for any defects or abnormalities before using. I have read in the comments below that some of these may have caused the product to fail. One would be led to believe that improper attachement of the gage to the lid would be the primary cause and not malfunction as this is a part that requires you to attach it.
My mother and grandmother have used Presto Pressure cookers for over 50 years and have never had any issues with them.
The key to any pressure cooker is to inspect all of its parts, including the rings, seals, and gages before you use it and every time you use it. The rings and seals are made of rubber which will naturally detoriate over time. Presto recommends replacing these parts every three years.
Like most things, if you perform proper maintaince on them they will last.
I hope this post was helfull to you!
Customer Review: Excellent Pressure Canner and Cooker
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this after much searching & researching about canning food. I decided to get the 23 quart for it's size. WOW. This thing is one big monster. I will admit at first I was so scared to use it, but I FOLLOWED DIRECTIONS, educated myself and am now very comfortable and confident using it! As for the other reviewer that said he/she had an "explosion". I absolutely do not see how this is even possible. If you follow the directions and place the lid on securely you will not have any issues.
I have now successfully canned my first batch of stewed tomatoes. I will be pressure cooking an entire turkey in it this weekend and look forward to canning pears in the near future. This canner/cooker is solid, a great buy and will be used in my home for many many years to come. The price was reasonable as compared to buying in the dept. stores (buying it on Amazon WITH shipping was still less than Walmart).
A few NEGATIVEs:? MADE IN CHINA. I would love to see more things made here in the U.S.A.
Also, poorly packaged. The box was very thin, torn up and there was only a few things of styrofoam holding the canner in place. It was not damaged in anyway but they packaged it very poorly.
Customer Review: Canning success
Summary: 5 Stars
I feel that I made the absolute best purchase I could have with this canner, both in terms of it being the right tool and the best value. You'll also need a jar lifter and a funnel.
For those who want to can for the first time, as I just did, I would like to offer a couple of things to think about:
* at the current time, it is cheaper to just buy canned goods, however, that can change quickly so it is good to have the skill and equipment on hand, and you can can local and organic. Tomatoes are about a dollar each in the grocery store, but way cheaper by the bushel. If you grow your own food, raise your own chickens, etc, then you can save money.
* I am dreading my electric bill. It takes a lot of energy to reach pressure and sustain it for 10 minutes.
* You can get 7 quarts in a batch, and then you top it off with 7 or so pint jars on a second layer.
* We were going to can vegetables but then decided it would be much nicer to cook up a bunch of soups, chili, etc. We're glad that we decided on that.
It was easier to be successful at this than it seems. Just be sure to read up on how to kill Botulism before it kills you.
Customer Review: Presto....ChangeO
Summary: 5 Stars
Never having canned before, I did a lot of research on what's out there including cooker/cans that were twice as expensive. Chose the Presto 23-Quart because of reputation, size and features. Excellent product with a very good direction/receipe/care book. Presto has an excellent support web site with more detailed answers and how to's if you need it. And if that weren't enough they have a really good toll free customer service line with LIVE American support. Try finding that in this day and age.
Extremely simply to operate even for a neophyte like me. This baby holds a lot and my success ratio on the first two tries was 100%. I did pressure canning of an Italian sauce with meat and then did the boiling method for homemade pickles. Again, all you have to do is simply follow the directions. I would emphaize the importance of filling your jars to between 1/2 and 1/4 of an inch from the top for success.
You will simply love this product. Now you can take some of your favorite items and preserve them for a year or more instead of having to fix them with a lot of frequency.
Save yourself $100 or more dollars and get the Presto
Customer Review: Explosion on First Use
Summary: 1 Stars
Based on the good reviews I ordered the Presto 23-qt canner. I carefully cleaned everything and assembled exactly as the manual said.
Loaded in my first batch of salsa and turned on the heat. Canner was soon steaming away. After 10 minutes I placed the regulator on and watched the gauge come up. At 11 lbs I turned down the heat. Pressure was holding steady so I walked to the sink. As soon as I did there was a loud boom and the pressure gage went sailing across the kitchen.
The 3/8 inch brass shaft of the gauge had simply fractured, sending the nut and washer into the canner and the gauge across the kitchen.
Upon examination part of the brass is discolored and crystaline. Possible a defective casting?
In any event this is not acceptable. I'm glad I wasn't looking at the gauge up close when this happened! It could have been a lethal weapon.
The rest of the canner appears to be of excellent workmanship. I will get with Amazon in the morning to see what can be done and will post a follow-up.
Don't know if I should get a new gauge or send the whole thing back. I am not a happy customer.