Presto 8-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker
|
List Price: Our Price: $61.07 You Save: $57.93 (49%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $53.13 (click here) Category: Kitchen See more product details |
|---|
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Presto 8-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker
Customer Review: I Like Presto Pressure Cookers
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently "rediscovered" pressure cooking as a great way to quickly prepare foods. I dusted off my Mother-in-Laws 1970's vintage aluminum canning pressure cooker (a Presto) and tried it on several foods including dry beans and BBQ chicken. It worked well enough but was a bear to clean after each use. I stayed at my Sister's for a few weeks and talked her into buying the 8qt Presto. It worked great! We prepared many meals and after she got over her initial doubts in using a pressure cooker (to many stories of older pressure cookers exploding), she has become a pressure cooking queen. When I got home, I also purchased this pressure cooker. I'll highlight both the pros and cons of this pressure cooker as I see them: Pros: 1) get the stainless, its by far easier to clean, 2) the pressure weight adjusts to closed for cooking and release pressure open, it is a better design than the older "rocker" style weight, 3) cooks at 15 lbs psi rather than the older 25 lbs psi without sacraficing cooking time, 4) has a good interlock safety device that will not allow the lid to be unlocked without all the pressure released first, and 5), has a good quality finish including strong handles; should last a lifetime. Cons: the only con is sometimes, it's hard to lock the lid in place to create a seal thus allow pressure to build. I think I know what the problem is; as you engage the locking lugs, you need to push down. Not a large problem but when you have food boiling inside, you want to be safe. All in all, I think this is a quality purchase and highly recommend it.Customer Review: Love the two handles. I use it twice a week, minimum.
Summary: 5 Stars
I have had this pressure cooker for almost two months and I could not be more pleased. The solid construction and dual handles make moving this thing around a breeze. It's easy to clean, and the stainless steel looks pretty sharp, too. I like the way the lid locks in place under pressure. The sandwiched-aluminum base heats evenly and provides a nice weight to the pan. I find that the 8-quart size is more than enough to make a meal (with leftovers) for my family of five.
Garbanzo beans, my favorite, cook up in about 11 minutes, plus natural pressure release- buttery and delicious every time. Tonight I made a pot roast for the family in about 35 minutes, quick pressure release; another hit. Risotto takes about 10 minutes and this cooker makes an ordinarily time-consuming dish into practically a convenience food. Homemade seitan cooks in 20 minutes. The instruction book includes some basic recipes, but you'll probably want to buy a pressure-cooker specific cookbook.
If you are like me, you're spending a lot less time and money in restaurants these days. It feels great to be able to make a healthy, inexpensive, and satisfying meal for my family after coming home from work. For example, I wouldn't *think* of making a pot roast after work if I had to make it in the oven- we'd all be in bed before it was done! We also eat a lot of dry beans now- they are dirt cheap, full of protein and vitamins, and when cooked properly in the pressure cooker they taste great. We'll never go back to canned beans.
Customer Review: love this pressure cooker
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased the Presto 8-qt pressure cooker less than a month ago. So far, I have cooked roast beef, roast chicken, barbecued spare ribs, smoked pork shoulder, spaghetti sauce, roast pork loin, and baked beans in it. With the exception of the beans, I have been very happy with everything that I've done. I was even able to crisp the skin on the chicken and the fat on the pork loin after cooking using the broiler of my oven for just a few minutes - they looked like they had roasted in the oven for hours and tasted delicious. All of the meats were completely cooked and the flavors went all the way through the meats. The meats were moist and tender. The spaghetti sauce tasted like it had simmered all day in the kitchen when it really only took 10 minutes! I'm so glad that I got this pressure cooker.
I don't know why, but the pressure cooker would not come up to pressure when I tried the beans. I ended up with a burnt bottom on that one. Perhaps the next time I try the beans, I will put them in a metal bowl resting on the cooking rack (I bought that separately) with water in the bottom of the cooker rather than trying with the beans directly in the cooker.
I do recommend that you purchase the cooking rack as well. I got the one for the presto 6-quart cooker. The 8-quart uses the same size. The steamer basket and trivet raise large roasts above the limit on the cooker. See http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006GCC5E/ref=oss_product
Customer Review: I'm loving this. Plenty of safety features. Why is it rusting and staining?
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this a month ago. I am amazed that my beans cook in 5 minutes. I thought I remembered much longer from my childhood. I have used this 8 qt. pressure cooker for beans, rice, broccoli steaming, and vegetable soups. Everything has come out perfectly even though I sometimes do not turn the stove down as low as I should once pressure is acheived. For very tender vegetables like broccoli florets, I simply throw them in the water after opening the cooker.
I left the cooker soaking in my sink perhaps a bit long (a few days) this week, and when I got back to it, there was rust. I am not too disappointed about that. I also found a few spots that look like pitting on the inside bottom of the pot. I tried scouring them with a green nylon pad, but they persist. I didn't expect pitting and rusting from a stainless steel pot. Nevertheless, I expect to have many happy years of cooking from this pressure cooker.
One feature I really love about this cooker is the safety redundancy.
1. The steam escape has multiple tiny holes inside the lid. Makes clogging very unlikely.
2. As usual, there is a rubber emergency pressure relief stopper to prevent explosion.
3. There is a lid lock to prevent opening when the cooker is pressurized.
4. Two handles is very safe.
A final touch I like is the spring retainer on the pressure weight to help avoid dropping it when you turn the lid upside down.
Customer Review: Couldn't be more pleased
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently had to retire the 8qt pressure cooker I had used for over 15 years, because the manufacturer is now defunct, and parts are no longer available. This was a great sadness to me. I ordered this Presto pressure cooker as a replacement. I am so pleased with it. The basic simplicity of this appliance makes it easy to use, easy to clean, and easy to maintain. I highly recommend this pressure cooker. It performs beautifully, I am amazed how little heat is required to maintain full pressure.
Some decriptions of this product say it is a "pressure cooker/canner". I think it is a stretch to call this a canner. Anyone who is serious about canning should invest in a true pressure canner. Go online or contact your local extension office for more information on how pressure cookers and pressure canners differ, and why cookers are not recommended for canning.
If you are new to pressure cooking, or if you want to expand your knowledge and skills, I recommend "Miss Vickie's Big Book of Pressure Cooking". It truly is everything you need to know, plus fantastic recipes. The book has no photos, but we all know what food looks like. While pictures might enhance the book's appeal, completeness of the recipe instructions makes them unnecessary.
Now, some praise for Amazon.com also. This was the best price around, and shipping was free. They shipped fast, and it arrived in perfect conditoin.