presto pressure cooker safety valve free sample

The pressure relief valve is a warning device that is designed to provide both visual and audio signals to indicate that the vent pipe has been blocked and is no longer regulating pressure and there is excessive pressure in the cooker.

This part is for use only with the models 0136511 Presto® 6-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker and 0137005 Presto® 8-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker.

There is no international pressure cooker  organization that sets a global standard.  Pressure cooker UL Rating, which is an American Appliance Testing standard, only states that a domestic pressure cooker “operate at a nominal pressure of 15 psi (103 kPa) or less.” While in Europe the CE rating, the equivalent to the American certification, state that a “simple pressure vessel” can be above .5 bar (7.2 psi) and below 50 bar (720 PSI) . American manufactured pressure cookers adhere to a standard for pressure canners set by USDA in 1917 – 15 psi.

While some European pressure cookers are sold world-wide many of these manufacturers make a separate model specifically for the American market that reaches 15 psi.  Some European manufacturers are switching to a single model distributed world-wide that reaches 15 psi. At the writing of this article,  American pressure cooker manufacturers only sell their pressure cookers in the United States.

All recipes and cooking time charts on this website are written to accommodate both “standard” and “non-standard” pressure cookers.  When necessary,  times are written in a range – standard pressure cookers should use the shorter cooking time (13 minutes) and non-standard pressure cookers the longer (20 minutes).

This comes down to the difference in measuring systems between the United States (imperial) and the rest of the world (metric).  Pressure in the rest of the world is measured  inkilopascals (kPa) and bars while the U.S.it is measured with pounds per square inch (psi).

European manufactured pressure cookers are designed to cook at 1 bar or 100 kpa (metric pressure measurements) and that translates to 14.5 psi (this is rounded up to 15 psi) but American manufactured pressure cookers are designed to reach a full 15 psi (see below, for information on electric pressure cookers).

The rise in pressure inside the pressure cooker directly correlates to the rise in boiling point – the maximum cooking temperature that can be achieved at a given pressure.

The pressure cooker adds pressure above the current atmospheric pressure. Since there is a pressure difference in the atmosphere between one altitude and another, the pressure cooker’s pressure will vary accordingly.

Moving up in the atmosphere, or going to higher altitude, the atmospheric pressure decreases.  So in Denver Colorado (about 5,000 feet) the atmospheric pressure averages only 12.2 psi- add 15 psi of pressure generated by the cooker and there the food is cooking at just 27.2 psi of absolute pressure -almost 3 psi less pressure than pressure cooking at sea level!

The same 15 psi pressure cooker will cook 15 psi in San Francisco, California (sea level) but only 12.5 psi in Denver, Colorado (5,000 feet).  Now, “standard pressure cooker” has become “non-standard” in Denver.  This means that the recipes will need the same timing adjustments used  for non-standard pressure cookers (see pie chart, above).

Increase pressure cooking time by 5% for every 1000 ft above 2000 ft elevation (see table, below). Multiply the recommended cooking time by the number on the table. The result will likely be a decimal value just round that up to the next minute.above...increase by..or multiply by..

The transformation from a Renaissance “bone digester” invented by French scientist Denis Papin (in 1689) to pressure canners (1905)  and finally to the pressure cooker we know today began in 1926. The Home Exhibition in Paris introduced the first model for home use. The pressure cooker made it out of Europe and into the United States via the 1939 New York Fair where the National Pressure Cooker Company launched the first U.S. model.

Aluminum pressure cookers took off in the U.S. and many companies began producing them. Then, America’s involvement in WWII halted the production of pressure cookers and their factories were dedicated to producing munitions for the overseas war.

Once the war ended, European and American pressure cooker manufacturers began to develop and produce pressure cookers independently from each other. While in America unscrupulous factories made and sold sub-standard pressure cookers – that eventually went on to mar the cooker’s reputation and halt innovation- European manufactures continued to develop, perfect and innovate their designs adding multiple redundant safety mechanisms, selectable pressure levels and more features.

The 90’s started the trickle of European manufactured pressure cookers, and their features into America. It’s also when the patent for the first electric pressure cooker was filed by Chinese scientist, Mr. Yong Guang Wang.  The electric pressure cooker was developed independently from stovetop pressure cookers in that they were based on the ever-popular electric rice cookers (hence the resemblance) and are manufactured in a range of pressures – depending on the manufacturer or design team.

At the time of the writing of this article, most electric pressure cookers reach 15 psi but they do not cook at 15 psi.  As illustrated by the graphic below – electric pressure cookers reach 15 psi briefly during the warming process.

Electric pressure cookers build pressure up to 15 psi but then maintain a lower pressure during the cooking.  In the  graph below the “operating pressure” is 11.6 even though the cooker reaches 15 psi while it’s building pressure. “Operating Pressure” is the true pressure at which an electric pressure cooker cooks.

Valve Release Pressure – the pressure at which the main regulating valve releases pressure (2 to 4 psi more than the operating pressure depending on the manufacturer).

Electric pressure cookers will have the “valve release pressure” written in very small text on the underside of the pressure release valve either on the plastic housing, or the metal part of the valve.

When home canning fills your shelves and appears in daily family meals, you could use a large-capacity pot, like the Mirro 22-Quart Pressure Canner. The large, tall pot lets you safely process more than 25 pounds of beets, potatoes, or other low-acid vegetables in one batch. Bigger can be better if you’re preserving a season’s salmon catch or turning venison or beef into stew meat.

Mirro’s history is a bit more scattered than the other big names in pressure canning, but it’s been around since the early 1900s. It began changing corporate hands in the 1980s, and after several shifts ended up with France’s Groupe SEB, which also owns All-Clad, Tefal, and Imusa. Through it all, little seems to have changed in the canner’s design.

I spent a couple of weeks testing this large-capacity pressure canner and cooker with large and small batches to see how it stacked up against the competition. Here’s what I found.

Mirro’s largest canner has two uses: pressure canning and pressure cooking. Older versions of the user’s manual mentioned using it as a water-bath canner, but my test unit’s booklet (dated September 2019) says to use “a conventional cooking pot” instead.

Like most full-size pressure canners, Mirro’s 22-quart model can hold 7 quart-sized jars, but this canner is so large that you can stack two layers of smaller jars. You’ll pack in the greatest number of regular-mouth ones: 18 pint-sized and 24 half-pint jars. Mirro provides two canning racks to make stacking easy. Set one rack on the pot’s bottom and one between the jar layers.

The pressure canner comes fully assembled with its operating valves tucked in a small box. Before you start canning or cooking, Mirro recommends running the canner under minimal pressure with just water and baking soda. This treatment didn’t seem to prevent the aluminum interior from darkening, which seemed to be the intent, but it was a great way to give the canner a test run.

This canner’s key feature is its weighted gauge. Mirro includes three regulators, calling them operating valves, that can be swapped out depending on what you’re canning or cooking. Weighted gauges lock you into broad pressure targets, so you may be processing jars under more pressure than they need to safely seal. The upside is a weighted gauge doesn’t need annual accuracy testing. The company recommends swapping out the gasket annually and having the entire setup checked at an approved service center every 10 years.

The canner tested well when processing beans in mixed batches and sealed all lids when I jarred up soup. It took practice to get a steady regulator jiggle on my gas stove. Setting the pot on a larger burner helped, but at my 3,000-foot elevation, I still had to adjust the burner heat more often than with dial-gauge canners to keep the pressure steady.

It also took a few tries to lock the canner’s lid closed so that it would build pressure. It was easy to over-twist the lid, but perfect top-to-bottom alignment still vented steam through the pressure indicator and handle rim. Turning until the top handle was just slightly forward of the lower one on both sides immediately popped up the pressure indicator once the canner started to steam. This may be a quirk of the specific pot I tested and not all Mirro canners.

Even though Mirro sells this model as a pressure cooker, you’d probably skip this use unless you’re feeding a large, hungry crew. The recipes in an enclosed booklet are all scaled for small pressure cookers, so you’d have to make triple batches and plan to feed 24 to 36 people from this pot.

This large canner typically sells for $100 or less, making it one of the most affordable ways to fill your shelves with home-canned goods. For that price, you get a second rack for double decking and operating valves at three pressure levels, pieces that are sometimes sold as add-ons to other pressure canners. Mirro’s design also requires less maintenance than many pressure canners, cutting down on your costs down the road.

Although it’s less expensive than much of the competition, the canner has more limitations. You’ll want to choose another brand if you have a flat cooktop. If you’re nervous about pressure canning for the first time, you may prefer a model with a dial gauge so that you get more feedback on what’s happening inside the sealed pot.

Mirro’s pressure canner is easy on the budget at initial purchase and over time, but you have some other options that keep you in a similar price range.

Presto 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker:Presto’s 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker (view at Amazon) holds a couple more jars than Mirro’s similarly sized model and doubles as a water-bath canner for jars ranging from half-pints to quarts. It sells for a few more dollars (with a retail price of $109), but needs less frequent gasket replacements. Its dial gauge does need annual testing, which could require shipping it off to Presto.

Presto 16-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker:To step down in size and save some cupboard space, consider Presto’s 16-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker (view at Amazon). It’s nearly the same price as Mirro’s larger canner but also works as a water-bath canner for pint-sized and smaller jars. It has the same maintenance needs and costs as Presto’s larger model and can be used on glass cooktops that can handle its 41-pound loaded weight.

The Mirro 22-Quart Pressure Canner has basic looks and features and packs lots of jars inside. Experienced canners at low elevations may love this low-maintenance, weighted-gauge model. Novice canners and anyone living at a high elevation will want to do some research before processing the first batch.

A pressure cooker is a sealed cooking vessel that uses high pressure to increase the boiling point of liquids. This allows food to cook more quickly and with less water and energy than with standard cooking methods.  However, pressure cookers can be dangerous.  Manufacturing defects and design defects are frequently the cause of pressure cooker explosions.  Some common injuries from pressure cooker use are steam burns, contact burns, splashed/spilled hot liquids, and explosion.  However, proper use can minimize the risk of these types of injuries when using a pressure cooker.

Faulty Gaskets that Allow Premature Opening – A faulty gasket that allows the premature opening of the pot during high pressure can cause steam and contact burns.

Inspect the Pressure Cooker Before Cooking – The rubber gasket between the pot and lid is critical to the proper functioning of a pressure cooker.  Before cooking, ensure the gasket is clean and is not cracked or dried out.  Some manufacturers suggest replacing the rubber gasket once a year, depending on how frequently you use your pressure cooker.

Don’t Overfill the Pressure Cooker –A pressure cooker should never be over two-thirds full.  This is to prevent food from blocking the vents in the lid of the cooker.  For foods that swell or froth (i.e. beans, rice, pasta), only fill the cooker halfway.

Use Enough Liquid –Pressure cookers are designed to cook food by using steam under extreme pressure.  Steam cannot be created without some form of liquid.  At least half a cup of liquid is needed to create enough steam to properly use the cooker.

Be Mindful of the Type of Food Being Cooked –Froth produced during the cooking process by certain foods (i.e. pasta, split peas, oatmeal, applesauce and cranberries) can block the steam valves and vents of the cooker.  Before cooking these foods in a pressure cooker, ensure your recipe calls for the same size cooker as yours and do not overfill the cooker.  Never fry food in a standard pressure cooker.  Some pressure cookers are specifically designed for the purpose of frying.  A small amount of oil can be included in a recipe, but frying in a cooker that is not made for frying can melt the gasket and other parts.

Release Pressure in a Safe Way –Pressure can be released three ways:  Natural release by removing the cooker from heat and allowing it to sit until the pressure reduces; cold water release by running cold water over the lid of the closed cooker; or quick release by using the steam release valve to expel steam.  Always be sure to protect  your face, hands and body when releasing pressure and remember that steam may still escape when opening the pressure cooker—even if you believe you have properly released the pressure.

Clean the Cooker Properly –When you have finished using your pressure cooker, remove the gasket and clean it separately from other parts of the cooker.  Clean out the release valve with a toothpick.  To reduce unnecessary wear on the gasket, store your cooker with the lid upside down on the pot rather than locked in place.

Stories of Great Aunt Wanda blowing up her kitchen with a pressure canner abound… which has resulted in a whole lot of us who are slightly petrified at the thought of using a hissing, pressurizing “bomb” to preserve food in our kitchens.

Because not only is pressure canning far safer than you’ve likely been led to believe, there are a bunch of benefits that make it a skill well-worth learning.

Yes! I am here to reassure you that, with a few precautions, pressure canning is absolutely nothing to worry about! Today’s pressure canners have two, if not three, safety valves. This way, if the primary vent ever somehow gets plugged, there’s still another route for the pressure to escape safely.

However, for low-acid foods (think beets, green beans, meats, potatoes), it is crucial that you use a pressure canner, since it reaches much higher temperatures and therefore preserves the food safely without the added “insurance” of the acid. (And nope. You can’t skip this step and just use a water bath canner instead. If you do, you run the risk of botulism in your canned foods, which is the deadliest form of food poisoning.)

With my pressure canner, I can preserve chunks of beef, pinto or navy beans, and chicken or beef broth to be stored at room temperature– not to mention pre-made suppers like homemade beef stew and chili.

These canners have a dial pressure gauge on top of the lid to tell you when the pressure has reached the appropriate level. The dial gauge must be checked every year by the manufacturer or your local County Extension Office to make sure the reading is accurate. Otherwise, you risk processing your foods at too-low pressure (can cause spoilage or botulism) or too-high pressure (aka: possible explosions…)

These canners don’t have gauges, but instead have removable, weighted regulators that are used to determine pressure. You can adjust the pressure in the canner by added more or less weights to the lid.

These canners not only have a dial gauge on top of the lid, they also have a removable, weighted regulator as well. This regulator weight usually has three settings: 5, 10, and 15 pounds. The weight is what you use to determine pressure– the dial is just a back-up in this case.

Although this is not the cheapest pressure canner on the market, I don’t mind paying a little extra for something I know that will last for years and years. As some of my readers mentioned, this is something you could definitely pass down to your children and grandchildren. It’s a quality piece of equipment. I’ve had my canner for 9 years and it looks as good as the day I pulled it out of the box.

It’s very important that youtighten two opposite wing nuts at the same time when you go to attach the lid to the base. If you only tighten one at a time, the lid can become unevenly attached to the base. This can result in loss of pressure and an unsuccessful canning adventure.

Oh, and that little black rubber dot you see to the left of the handle? That’s the overpressure plug. There’s not much you need to know about that, other than it’s an added safety feature *just in case* the pressure in the canner ever becomes too high. (If that happens, it will pop out).

This can be accomplished by placing them in a pot of hot water, allowing them to sit in a sinkful of hot water, or by running them through a quick cycle in the dishwasher. One of the neat parts of pressure canning is that you don’t have to sterilize the jars like you do with a water bath canner. The high heat of the pressure canning process takes care of that. However, you do want to heat them up to prevent breaking and cracking when you place the hot food inside.

First, you need to look for how many pounds of pressure that the particular food needs to be processed at. Usually, the recipe will specify between 5, 10, and 15 pounds. (These are the three settings on your weighted gauge.) If you are at a high altitude like me, (over 6,000 feet…) you will need to adjust accordingly. My All-American manual recommends that, regardless of what the recipe says, always use 15 pounds of pressure when processing foods at 2,000+ feet above sea level.

Once the canner reaches the proper pressure (15 pounds in my case), the weighted gauge will begin to jiggle and rattle. This is when you set your timer for the actual food processing time.

Now comes the part of the process that takes a little practice, but it’s not difficult. You want to hear a jiggle from the weighted gauge around 1-4 times per minute. This tells you that the pressure is staying at the correct level. You DO NOT want the gauge to constantly jiggle through-out the timed period– this would indicate that the pressure in the canner is too high.

Use your oven mitt again, as it’s still usually pretty hot. As long as the pressure in the canner is at zero and the weighted gauge is removed, you are safe to remove the lid. Just make sure to crack it away from your face so you don’t end up with a nasty steam burn.

Instant Pots or other pressure cookers are very different than pressure canners. You cannot regulate the pressure/temperature accurately enough and therefore they are unsafe to use for canning.

I’ve created a very simple canning eBook that will tell you EVERYTHING you need to know to get started canning on your homestead. It covers equipment, safety, water bath canning, pressure canning, and everything in between.

This invention relates to pressure cookers and particularly to those which are utilized in the home to prepare food for the table and includes canners.

Such cookers conventionally consist of a vessel or body having an open top through which water and food to be cooked or jars containing food to be "canned" are loaded, the top being afterwards closed by a cover which is releaseably sealed fluid-tight to the cooker body to produce a closed container in which pressure develops when subjected to heat to effect the cooking or canning process, to result in a superpressure condition in which the pressure within the cooker exceeds that ambient to the cooker.

Conventionally, the cover of such cookers is provided with a vertical vent pipe on which loosely rests a weight to regulate the pressure developed in the cooker during the cooking act. Such cookers commonly also contain a plug, usually in the cover, which is designed to be ejected to relieve pressure within the cooker before it reaches a dangerous level.

In one pressure cooker available commercially, both the cover and the cooker body are provided with circumferentially spaced lugs at their periphery which are interengaged by relative rotation of the cooker body and its cover, the effect of which is to urge the upper edge of the cooker body against an appropriately located gasket or other resilient member supported by the cover thereover so as to effect the required fluid tight seal therebetween.

Pressure cookers including the described type are used by persons of varying skills and understanding of the operation of a pressure cooker, and who, on occasion may incompletely or improperly secure the cover to the cooker body. Experience has indicated that a substantial risk exists that the cover may be blown from the cooker body should the cover, through carelessness or otherwise, be incompletely locked to the cooker body. This may occur because, in closing the cover on the cooker, the cover lugs were imperfectly engaged beneath the cooker body lugs. The potential hazard also exists when an attempt is made prematurely to rotate the cover to remove it before the cooker pressure has been reduced to a safe level.

For these and other reasons, much effort has been expended by manufacturers in an effort to incorporate safety devices in such cookers which would lessen the possibility of injury to the user, and bystanders or the surrounding environs as well.

For example, in Wittenberg U.S. Pat. No. 2,627,997, there is disclosed a safety lock for pressure cookers wherein the cooker body and cover lugs are provided with one or more relieved areas or recesses which come into play to interrupt cover rotation should a user attempt to separate the cover from the body before the internal pressure in the cooker has dissipated. In the cover rotating act, high portions of one set of lugs catch within the relieved areas of the other lugs so as to permit axial separate of the cover from the body which is sufficient to interrupt the seal and allow pressure to escape, but at the same time preventing further relative rotation of the member toward an unlocked position until the pressure has subsided.

In Wyman U.S. Pat. No. 2,614,722, there is disclosed a pressure cooker in which the cover is assembled by locating one-half the circumferential extent of its edge beneath an inwardly turned lip on the cooker body also having an angular extension of 180°. Once in place, the opposite edge is locked by latching a hook on the cover handle beneath a second shorter lip at the opposite side of the cooker. A pin loosely mounted in the cover rises to indicate pressure developing in the cover and pressure is relieved by swinging back a weighted valve which is hinged to the cover handle and in the cooking operation sits on a vent pipe in the cover adjacent said handles. A loosely mounted pin in the cover rises therethrough to indicate the presence of pressure developing in the cooker; and in the illustrated form, also passes through a notch provided in the edge of a lip fixed to the cooker above the cover to prevent opening thereof.

In Steere U.S. Pat. No. 1,208,041, pressure developing in the cooker acts against a diaphram fixed to the underside of the cover. This causes a plunger to rise and force radially extending rods to engage beneath peripheral portions of the cooker kettle and so prevents cover removal. In Saporta U.S. Pat. No. 1,821,726, pressure developing in the cooker acts on a pin causing it to rise into a position where it inhibits loosening of a wing nut utilized to clamp the cover to the kettle.

Numerous manually manipulated interlocks also have been utilized in the past to vent the pressure kettle in the act of unclamping or removing the cover from the kettle.

In accordance with the present invention, the cover of a pressure cooker is sealed fluid tight over and about the open top of the cooker body utilizing circumferentially spaced lugs on the cover which interengage beneath similarly located lugs spaced about the cooker body so that, with related rotation of the cover and body, the cover is effectively drawn toward the cooker body and the top edge of the cooker body is forced to effect a seal with a resilient gasket confined interiorly of the cover. Such a method of sealing the cover of a pressure cooker thereto is well-known.

However, it is a feature of the present invention that lugs of one set are so keyed to the lugs of the other set that the cover may be closed over the top edge of the cooker body in only one position of its lugs relative to the spaces between the body lugs. In that one position, a pressure-operated lock is located immediately ahead of a lock bracket or abutment fixed to the cooker body so that when the cover is fully rotated to effect the required seal the lock is relocated to assure that whenever pressure exists in the cooker to a dangerously high level, the cover cannot be removed as by forcibly rotating the cover in reverse in an attempt to overcome the frictional engagement existing between the cooker body lugs and the underengaging cover lugs. Secondly, the locking means is so arranged that when the cover is not locked and is only incompletely locked to the cooker body, dangerously high pressure cannot develop within the cooking.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the locking member normally hangs loosely through a vent opening provided in the cover margin and preferably is located radially opposite a handle attached to the cover. The locking member includes a retainer cap which in the relaxed condition of the locking member closes the vent opening. It also has an enlarged head or catch portion at its lower end which hangs low enough to pass freely beneath the lock bracket or abutment as the cover is rotated to engage its lugs beneath the cooker body lugs and draw the cover downwardly to effect its seal with the cooker body. Once the cover has been rotated far enough to center the cover lugs beneath the cooker body lugs, the catch portion of the locking member has moved far enough to clear the lock bracket. Thereafter, as heat is applied to the cooker, the forming steam acts on the catch portion causing it to rise, and the retainer cap to lift off the vent opening, allowing the cooler non-saturated air to escape. If the cover has been rotated far enough that the locking member has cleared the lock bracket, as the steam pressure builds up, the locking member will continue to rise until its catch portion seals against the underside of the cover. At this height, it is in direct line with the abutment portion of the lock bracket where it will remain as long as there is more than 0.5 p.s.i. in the cooker. Any attempt to open the pressure cooker during this time, by reverse rotating the cover, will be defeated by the catch portion of the locking member. However, should the user through carelessness or otherwise have failed initially to rotate the cover far enough so that the locking member clears the lock bracket, then as pressure starts to develop in the cooker, the lock member will rise enough to lift the retained cap off the vent opening. However, the catch portion is prevented by the abutment of the lock bracket from rising further and so the cooker remains vented to atmosphere and dangerously high pressure does not build up in the cooker.

An important feature of the invention, therefore, is the relation of the dimensions of the abutment portion of the cooker portion and the catch portion of the cooker cover to the angle through which the cover is rotated to effect the fluid tight seal therebetween and the cover body.

A further feature is that the lugs of the cover and of the cooker body are so arranged and related to each other that in the one position in which the cover an be assembled over the top of the cooker body to locate the cover lugs below the body lugs, the catch portion is located immediately ahead of the abutment portion so that with any interengagement of the cooker body and cover lugs, the catch portion is located beneath the lock bracket abutment to prevent pressure build up in the cooker except and until the lugs have been properly aligned, and to locate the locking member in its operative locking position.

A further feature of the invention is the stop means provided which limit rotation of the cover relative to the cooker body to an angle which is just sufficient to relocate the catch portion to the opposite side of the lock bracket and clear of its abutment portion.

Thus, an important feature of the invention is that means are provided which maintain the cover locked against rotation when the cooker is in a pressurized state and also prevents build up of dangerously high pressure in the cooker when the cover is not properly locked to the cooker body, thus eliminating the potential hazard of the cooker being opened when in a pressurized state.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a weighted pressure regulating valve which is centered on the cover to control the pressure which develops within the cooker during the cooking operation and the captivation of an overpressure plug separate from said pressure regulating valve and vent opening in which the cover interlock operates.

A further feature of the invention is the captivation of said overpressure plug in a cavity provided between the cover and an overhanging portion of the cover handle. The cavity serves to catch or restrain the overpressure release plug when ejected from the cover in response to excessive pressure build up in the cooker. At the same time, said overhang portion of the cover handle causes the escaping fluids which discharge through the plug-vacated opening in the cover to be directed away from the cooker handles to minimize possible injury to a user who instinctively grasps the disabled cooker by its handles in an effort to move the cooker off the heat source or to a more appropriate and safer location.

Thus, the invention provides a pressure cooker which not only assures proper regulation of the developed pressure during cooking, but provides one which cannot be placed in a pressurized state except when its cover is properly secured to the cooker body so that the cover cannot be, accidentally or intentionally, forced open when the cooker is in a pressurized state.

At the same time, the invention provides a pressure cooker that is both safe and effective in its operation; and, from a manufacturing point of view, is economical and practical to manufacture.

It will be further appreciated that said described interlocks and pressure controls are either confined within the interior of the cooker or arranged in a manner as not to detract from the appearance of the cooker.

FIG. 1 thereof illustrates in side elevation, a first embodiment of the invention wherein the pressure cooker is constructed of cast or wrought metal such as aluminum or stainless steel;

FIG. 2 is a sectional fragmentary view taken through a fragmented portion of the pressure cooker along line 2--2 in FIG. 13, and illustrates details in the construction of the pressure-operated cover interlock;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 13, being partially fragmentary, and illustrates details in the construction of an overpressure release plug and its captivation by the overhang portion of the cover handle;

FIG. 6 is a view generally similar to FIG. 3 and shows the overpressure release plug ejected from the cover and confined within the cavity beneath the handle overhang portion and the path of the escaping fluid;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 3 through the overpressure release plug and shows details in the construction of said plug;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows and illustrates the exit in the terminal wall of the handle overhang through which the escaping fluids released by ejection of the overpressure release plug are directed;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the pressure cooker with the cover in place but with parts broken away to show the relationship of the cover lugs to the cooker body lugs when the cover is initially assembled with the cooker body and before being rotated clockwise to locate the cover interlock member in its locking position;

FIG. 12 is a view generally similar to FIG. 11 and illustrates the relationship of the plunger to the lock bracket of the cooker body when the cover has been rotated through an angle which incompletely locks the cover to the cooker body;

FIG. 13 is a view generally similar to FIG. 11 and illustrates the position of the cover interlock when the cover has been rotated to its fully locked position in which position the cover handle is aligned with the elongated cooker body handle;

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic view which illustrates the relationship the cover lugs, the cooker body lugs, the cover lock member, and the locking bracket of the cooker body assume when the cover is first assembled on the cooker body as illustrated by FIG. 11;

FIG. 15 illustrates the relationship which said cover lugs, cooker body lugs, the lock bracket and the locking member assume when the cover has been partially closed as illustrated by FIG. 12;

FIG. 16 illustrates the relationship which said cover lugs, cooker body lugs, lock bracket and locking member assume when the cover has been completely closed to the limit permitted by the stop means;

FIG. 18 illustrates an alternate construction of stop for limiting the rotation of the cover and thereby the location of the locking member in its operative position relative to the locking bracket of the cooker body.

Referring now more particularly to the several views wherein like parts are identified by like reference numerals, FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings illustrate the invention embodied in a pressure cooker of cast aluminum metal and of a size suitable for domestic use, the same being designated generally by reference numeral 20. Cooker 20 has a food receiving body member or vessel 21 with an open top through which it is loaded with food to be cooked or the like. Its body 21 is illustrated provided with an elongated handle 22 of a suitable heat insulating plastic such as phenolic resin which is secured to the cooker body wall by suitable means such as screw 23 (FIG. 3). Optionally, the cooker body 21 may be provided with a second smaller handle 24 of the so called server type, also of a heat insulating plastic such as phenolic resin, removably mounted to the cooker body wall as by a threaded screw 26 (FIG. 2). Cooker 20 is illustrated provided with a cover 27 adapted to fit on and be closed against the open top of the cooker body member 21 in fluid tight relation therewith. Cover 27 also has an elongated handle 28 which is connected to a surrounding continuous depending flange portion 29 of the cover as by a mounting screw 30 (FIG. 3). In the fully closed or locked position of the cover to the cooker body, the cover handle 28 has been rotated from its initially assembled offset relation (FIG. 11) into its superimposed aligned relationship over the handle 22 of the cooker body (FIG. 13). Said cover handle 28 also includes an overhang portion 31 which extends over a marginal portion of the cover 27 for a purpose as afterwards explained.

Disposed centrally of and establishing communication with the interior of the cooker body when closed by cover 27 is a vent pipe 32 on which a weighted indicator device 33 rests, the weight of said indicator 33 being relied upon to maintain a predetermined pressure within the cooker during the cooking or canning process as is conventional.

Considering now also FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, flange 29 of cover 27 is shown to be provided with a plurality of generally equally dimensioned circumferentially extending lugs 34 which are spaced apart by generally equi-sized recesses or relieved areas 35. One of said recesses 35a, however, is of substantial less circumferential or angular extent than are the others. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the cooker body 21 also has a plurality of generally equi-sized and spaced lugs 36 which are disposed immediately below the upper beveled top edge 37 thereof (FIG. 2) one lug 36a of said cooker body lugs, however, being smaller in angular extent than are the other lugs 36. The body lugs 36 and their separating spaces 38 are so related to the dimensions of the cover lugs 34 and their spacings 35 that the cover 27 can be assembled over the open top of the cooker body and the cover lugs 34 lowered through the spaces 38 between the cooker body lugs 36, only in one keyed position of the cover that position being when space 35a between the cover lugs is aligned with the cooker body lug 36a. In said keyed position of the cover 27 over the cooker body 21, (with the body lugs 36 projecting upwardly through the cover spaces 35 and the key body lug 36a through the cover space 35a as illustrated in FIG. 11) the cover may be rotated clockwise on the vertical axis of the cooker relative to the body 21 to force the cover lugs 34 beneath the cooker body lugs 36 and centered therebeneath in which position (FIG. 13), as illustrated by FIGS. 2 and 3, cover 27 and a gasket 40 support by lugs 34 are drawn against the beveled edge 37 of the cooker to effect a fluid tight seal between the cover and cooker body. As illustrated in FIGS. 14, 15 and 16, preferably the leading edges of the undersides of the cooker body lugs 36 all is slightly tapered or beveled to facilitate reception and movement of the cover lugs 34 therebeneath with clockwise rotation of the cover.

A feature of the invention is the novel means brought into play to interlock the cover to the cooker body when the cover is thus sealed thereto and which prevents the user from removing the cover whenever the cooker is in a pressurized state. Referring, therefore, now to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, said interlock means is seen to include an abutment member 50, which is suitably riveted or otherwise rigidly fixed to the cooker body 21, and a locking member 60 reciprocably mounted to cover 27. FIGS. 2 and 4 illustrates said abutment member 50 as being fixed by rivets 51 to the inner side of the cooker body vertical wall 21 and having an integral inwardly disposed horizontal portion 52, sometimes hereinafter referred to as a "lock abutment", located immediately adjacent said inner-side of cooker body wall and immediately above its top edge 37 and locking lugs 36.

Still referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the locking member 60 is illustrated as comprising an internally threaded cylindrical stem 62 into which a retainer cap 61 is threadedly connected. Stem 62 of the plunger 60 is illustrated as reciprocally mounted vertically through the bore 63 of a sleeve 64 fixed in a opening 66 provided in the cover 27. For this purpose, sleeve 64 has an integral flange portion 65 which engages the underside of the cover wall 27 about opening 66 and is held in place as at 67 by press fitting against the outer side of the cover about said opening. Preferably stem 62 has an outside diameter only slightly less than the inside diameter of the bore 63 through the sleeve 64 so that said bore constitutes a vent opening through which the interior of the cooker has communication with the outside. The bore walls are, preferably, suitably channeled lengthwise thereof as illustrated at 68 in FIG. 5 and the upper end of said bore 63 is slightly enlarged to provide a seat 69 against which the retainer cap 61 engages. Retainer cap 61 thus serves both to secure the locking member 60 within the cover opening 66 and to close the vent opening (bore 63) therethrough when the locking member 60 is in a relaxed state (the cooker being in an unpressurized state). At its lower end, the locking member has an enlarged head portion integral with stem 62 and hereinafter termed a catch portion 70. As illustrated by FIG. 2 in the relaxed state of the locking member 60, its catch portions 70 hangs free of and below the cover 27. It will be appreciated that as pressure develops within the fluid tight cooker, catch portion 70 of the locking member 60 will start to rise, first raising retainer cap off its seat 69 to permit escape of cooler dry air. As pressure builds up in the cooker in excess of 0.5 p.s.i., unless restricted, catch portion 70 rises engaging its gasket 71 against the underside of the sleeve portion 65 to reseal the vent opening (bore 63) in which the locking member reciprocates.

Considering now FIG. 14 with FIGS. 10 and 11, it will be seen that the locking member 60 is so mounted to the cover that when the cover is initially assembled over the cooker body top, the locking member is located immediately ahead of the cover abutment. As illustrated by FIG. 2, in the initial location of the lock member, and before the cooker is heated to develop pressure therein, its catch portion 70 hangs below said horizontal abutment portion 52 of the abutment member. With clockwise rotation of the cover, the cover lugs 34 are urged beneath the cooker body lugs 36 to draw the cover 27 and its sealing gasket 40 against the top edge 37 of the cooker body as aforedescribed to affect a fluid tight seal of the cover to the cooker body. As this occurs, catch portion 70 of the locking member 60 also passes beneath abutment portion 52 until the protruding end of screw 30 constituting a stop 80 comes into engagement with the approaching cooker body lug 36. Stop 80 as illustrated by FIG. 16 is so located as to halt further rotation of the cover when the cover lugs 34 are centered beneath the cooker body lugs 36 and the catch portion 70 of the locking member has just cleared the cover abutment portion 52. Thus when the cover and cooker body lugs are optionally aligned to effectively seal the cover to the cooker, the locking member 60 has also been located to a position when it is free to function as a lock. In its locking position, as heat is applied to the fluid tight sealed cooker in the cooking act, the developing pressure within the pressure cooker acts on the catch portion 70 of the locking member 60 causing it to rise, lifting the retainer cap 61 off its seat 69 and allowing the cooler non-saturated air to escape from the cooker through the bore and its channels around the plunger. As the steam pressure builds up to approximately 0.5 p.s.i., catch portion 70 rises urging its gasket 71 against the underside of the sleeve bore 63 so as to reseal the vent opening which the sleeve bore 63 and its channels constitute. As illustrated in FIG. 4 in this "sealing position" of the catch portion 70, it is also located in the path of the abutment 52 where it will remain as long as more than 0.5 p.s.i. exists in the cooker. Any attempt to open the pressure cooker by counterclockwise rotating the cover to release the frictional engagement of its lugs 34 beneath the cooker body lugs 36 will be resisted by the abutment, resistance to clockwise rotation of the cover being continued by the stop 80. Thus, the cooker cannot be open. Once the cooking has been completed, and the cooker has been removed from the heat and its interior steam pressure reduced to less than 0.5 p.s.i., the catch portion automatically drops to a position below the level of abutment 52 and the unit can be properly and safely opened by rotating the cover in a counterclockwise direction.

It will also be appreciated that should the user accidentally or intentionally fail to completely center the cover lugs 34 beneath the body lugs 36, as by stopping cover rotation short of engagement with stop 80 (FIGS. 12 and 15), the catch portion 70 of the locking member will not have cleared the abutment 52. Therefore, when heat is applied to the cooker, although the catch portion 70 will rise to a height sufficient to lift the retainer cap 61 off its seat 68 it will be trapped by the abutment short of sealing the vent opening and the interior of the cooker will remain vented to the atmosphere so that the cooker is not dangerously pressurized and the cover can be safely removed.

A further feature of the invention is the novel location of an overpressure release plug 90 beneath the overhang 31 of the cover handle 28. As shown in FIG. 3, plug 90 has a grooved peripheral edge 91 by which it is releaseably caught on the surrounding edge of an opening 92 in the base of a depressed area or well 93 formed in the cover 27 beneath the handle overhang 31. At spaced intervals about said periphery, said plug 90 also has vertically extending channels 94 which prevent buildup of a vacuum inside the cooker due to rapid cooling. Plug 90 thus provides pressure relief separate from and independent of the pressure regulating valve 33 and the vent opening 63 in which the cover interlock member 60 operates to prevent pressure developing within the cooker to a dangerous level. As illustrated by FIG. 6, when the pressure level in the cooker exceeds a level for which the plug 90 is designed to resist, it is ejected from opening 92 but is confined or captivated within the well 93 by the handle overhang 31. As illustrated by FIGS. 6 and 8, terminal wall 31a of said handle overhang 31 is provided with a restricted opening 31b immediate thereto and adjacent the cover surface which allows fluid escaping from opening 92 in the base of wall 93 vacated by the ejected plug 90 to be directed away from the handgrip portion 28a of the cover handle and toward the central area of the cover in which direction it is least likely to come into contact with the user who, for example, might instinctively attempt to grasp the cooker by its handles 22, 28 to remove the pressure cooker from its heat source to halt the cooker process.

In FIG. 17, a pressure cooker employing an alternate arrangement of the cover interlock and overpressure release plug in accordance with the invention is shown. In said FIG. 17, the pressure cooker is generally of a construction similar to that described in connection with the embodiment represented by FIG. 1 having a body 21" and a cover 27" with a margin 27a. The cooker includes interlock means comprising an abutment member 50" secured to body 21" and a locking member 61" reciprocably mounted to cover 27". The top edge of its body 21", however, has an outwardly turned lip portion which is interrupted at spaced interval to provide circumferentially spaced lugs 36" corresponding to the previously described lugs 36 and intervening spaces 38. Similarly, flange 29" of cover 27" is formed with an inturned lip which is also relieved at regular intervals to provide circumferentially extending lugs 34" with spaces therebetween as described in connection with lugs 34 and spaces 35 of the first embodiment. Said lugs 34" and 36" are similarly in a specific pattern such that spaced lugs 34" of the cover can pass through the spaces between the cover lugs 36" only in one rotated position of the cover, from which position, the cover may be rotated relative to the cooker body to engage its lugs 34" beneath the cooker body lugs 36", drawing the cover down and compressing this time a vee-sectioned gasket 40" between the cover margin 27a and the lugs 36" of the cover body 21". Again, in said one position of the cover assembly relative to the cooker body not only is the cover handle 28" displaced angularly from the cooker body handle 22" but the cover locking member 60" is located immediately ahead of the horizontal abutment portion 52" of the locking bracket fixed to the interior wall of the cooker body 21". As in the first described embodiment, catch portion 70" of cover locking member 60" in its relaxed state hangs below the abutment 52" so that with clockwise rotation of the cover, it passes beneath the abutment until halted by a stop 80" which limits rotation of the cover to an angular extent sufficient that catch portion 70" is moved beyond and just clears the opposite edge of the abutment 52". In the first described embodiment, said stop is illustrated at 80 as comprising the end of screw 30 which secures the cover handle to the cover. In this second embodiment of the invention, said stop is illustrated at 80" in FIG. 18 as comprising a downwardly turned lip on one of the body lugs 36". It also will be appreciated that said turned lip 80" may be formed on any one or more or all of either the cover or cooker body lugs to obtain the same useful result. It will be further appreciated that in both embodiments, preferably the angle through which the cover is rotated, to move the locking member and its catch portion clear of the abutment fixed to the cooker body, corresponds to an angle which is sufficient to move the cover handle from an offset relation to the cooker body handle 22 to one in superimposed relation thereover.

FIG. 17 also illustrates an alternate arrangement for captivating an overpressure release plug 90 beneath the overhang 31" of the cover handle 28 when it is ejected from the cover. In said alternative arrangement, an opening 92" is provided in the flat marginal portion of the cover, the edges of which are caught in the peripheral groove of the overpressure release plug 90". The underside of the handle overhang 31", however, has been reshaped to provide a cavity with sidewalls which substantially abut the flat surface of the cover about the plug and so provide an area or cavity 93" corresponding to well 93 which receives the plug 90" when it is ejected. Again, an opening 31B provided in the terminal wall 31a of the handle overhang which is insufficient to permit release of the ejected plug permits the escaping fluids to exit from beneath the handle overhang and be directed away from the handle.

Thus, it will be seen that a cooker according to the disclosed invention may be safely utilized by persons having a minimum of instruction or experience in the use and operation of pressure cookers. The cover lock abutment fixed to the cooker body and the cooperating locking member and catch portion reciprocally mounted to the cover are related to each other and to the inter-engaging cover lugs and body lugs so that the cover can be closed fluid tight only when the cover has been first assembled over the open top of the cooker body to locate the locking member properly relative to the cover abutment portion. In any position of the cover ineffective to locate the locking member in its pressure actuated locking position, the cooker remains vented to the surrounding atmosphere and dangerously high pressure does not build up in the cooker. Additionally, the pressure regulating valve acts to permit pressure to develop within the fluid tight and locked cooker until a pre-selected cooking pressure develops in the cooker, the value by reason of its rocking mount on the vent pipe thereafter maintaining the cooker at said pressure level. In the event the vent pipe becomes clogged during cooking, or for any other reason the pressure valve becomes inoperative to regulate pressure and the pressure within the cooker approaches a dangerous level, the over pressure release plug located in the margin of the cover is ejected to relieve said pressure build up. The ejected plug is captivated by the overhang of the handle so that the plug does not fly unrestricted into the surrounding environs and the escaping are directed away from the handle. Thus, a truly effective pressure cooker and one designed to minimize possible injury to the user and the surrounding environs during the cooking operation has been provided.

Pressure cookers have come a long way in recent years. Although pressure cooking is certainly nothing new, traditional cookware could be dangerous. Today’s pressure cookers use a sealing system that keeps contents safely inside, then release steam gradually. They’re so easy to operate, even a novice can handle them safely.

There are two major types of pressure cookers, though. The electric pressure cookers designed for making meals have become the most popular type. These units operate as slow cookers, pressure cookers and rice cookers in one handy device. You can even make yogurt and cheesecake in this type of cooker.

Another type of pressure cooking is geared specifically toward canning. Although you can cook meals in these units, they aren’t quite as user-friendly as all-in-one units. They also tend to have a much higher capacity, as they’re designed to hold multiple jars of foods.

If you participate in canning, a pressure cooker is the best way to go. The USDA says pressure canning is the only safe method for canning meat, fish, poultry and all vegetables. Traditional water bath canners can only reach temperatures of 212 degrees Fahrenheit, which isn’t hot enough to kill off bacteria that grows in foods with low acid levels. Pressure canning takes care of that, keeping you and your loved ones safe.

When your goal is cooking meals, though, you have a different set of considerations. Capacity is an important factor, but most popular pressure cookers can make meals for up to six people. Smaller households may still need that kind of capacity, though, since large items like whole chickens demand plenty of space. You may also like the fact that you can cook for groups on the rare occasions you have visitors to feed. If you plan to make items like cheesecakes in your pressure cooker, you’ll also need a special type of pan, so purchase that along with your pressure cooker.

(Large file- May take up to 2 minutes to load) How to find your Mirro Pressure Cooker/Canner Model Number Model numbers are found on the bottom of the pressure cooker/canner.

We tested four top-rated electric pressure cookers, one of the hottest kitchen appliances on the market. After 30 hours of cooking 50 pounds of meat, vegetables, beans and grains, we chose the Instant Pot – DUO60 as the best electric pressure cooker for its user-friendly interface, plus both high- and low-pressure settings. Also, for a stovetop option, the heavy-duty T-fal – P25107 delivers excellent heat conduction.

It became clear during our testing that the Instant Pot – DUO60 was the one to beat. It’s the only pressure cooker we tested that gave us exceptionally luscious meats and perfectly cooked rice, beans and eggs with almost no learning curve. All of the other pressure cookers had either too many or too few buttons, and even though we followed their instruction manuals precisely, food was often over-cooked or, more problematically, under-cooked.

The Instant Pot does exactly as advertised: an entire meal can be prepared in one pot. The saute function sears at three heat levels (221 ℉, 320 ℉ and 338 ℉) for light to dark browning, the meat/chili function pressure cooks and tenderizes the toughest cuts of meat, and the automatic “keep warm” function kicks in when the programmed cooking cycle completes.

We used the meat/stew, bean/chili, poultry, rice and saute functions for our tests. Each pre-programmed setting can be adjusted to add more time or pressure, but we found that generally, the settings were spot-on accurate. The chicken was very juicy, flavorful and tender in 20 minutes; after an hour the pot roast sliced easily and held together and unsoaked beans were perfectly cooked in 50 minutes.

Instant Pot’s claim that it replaces a number of kitchen appliances, like a rice cooker, has merit. Instant Pot’s rice function produced excellent rice, each grain individual and only slightly sticky. Every other pressure cooker gave us rice that was soft and very sticky, similar to Chinese take-out rice.

Food expert and chef Alton Brown recently wrote about the science behind easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs from a pressure cooker. It’s somewhat tricky to get them just right in a stovetop pressure cooker since you need to continually monitor the pressure and timing.

A feature that we like is how easily the Instant Pot seals. Once you’ve inserted the sturdy stainless steel inner pot, you lock the lid in place, by clicking it clockwise. The Instant Pot emits musical tones to let you know you’ve sealed it securely. For the other pressure cookers, we needed to carefully align arrows on the lid and casing, which was less foolproof.

The other pressure cookers we tested hissed and spat a little steam during cooking. The Instant Pot, however, was completely silent, a testament to the efficacy of its sealing.

The Instant Pot’s inventor, Robert Wang, took years to experiment with and test his invention, and his research and development are evident in the Instant Pot’s user-friendly functionality and thoughtful design. The other electric pressure cookers we tested were either the same price or a little cheaper than the Instant Pot, but none of them proved to be as reliable or easy to use. We recommend spending a few dollars more for this superior kitchen appliance.

Dual pressure settings allow you to select high pressure for tenderizing and cooking tough cuts of meat or low pressure for delicate foods and vegetables.

The Cuisinart – CPC-600 doesn’t have Instant Pot’s “bells and whistles,” but its much simpler functions still gave us great results. The Cuisinart has only three buttons: Menu, Time and Start/Cancel. The Menu button allows you to select high or low pressure, browning, saute, simmer and keep warm.

We found Cuisinart’s instruction and recipe booklets to be the best of all the pressure cookers we tested. The instruction booklet is written clearly with easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions. The flip side of the booklet is a collection of recipes and cook times for meats and vegetables. The recipes are not only interesting (for example, “Veal Shoulder Roast Stuffed with Sage Mushrooms” and “Not The Same Old Three-Bean Salad”) but very detailed as well.

The pressure value needs to be installed, and admittedly, we had trouble with the Cuisinart coming to pressure at the first try. We reinstalled the pressure value and discovered that it was quite sensitive and occasionally needed to be nudged to retain pressure. Other than this minor issue we had no problems operating the Cuisinart.

With a simple interface with essential functions for pressure control, browning, sautéing and simmering, the Cuisinart - CPC-600 is a great pressure cooker for first-time users. Its browning function might be even better than our top pick Instant Pot"s.See Price at Amazon.com

The recipe book calls for pressure-cooking pot roast for a substantial 99 minutes (the longest time that the Cuisinart can be programmed). As instructed, we allowed a natural release, but the beef was somewhat under-cooked. We set the roast for an additional 15 minutes, and this time, it came out fork-tender.

The Cuisinart has an excellent browning function. It’s hotter than the saute function, and it gave the beef and chicken a rich golden-brown color that we didn’t get with the other pressure cookers, including the Instant Pot.

The Cuisinart isn’t as expensive as Instant Pot, and if you don’t think you’ll need all the extra functions and just want a reliable pressure cooker, then the Cuisinart is an excellent choice.

Cuisinart’s instruction and recipe booklets are the best of all pressure cookers we tested. Instructions and recipes are clearly written with detailed easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions.

The T-fal – P25107 stovetop pressure cooker is constructed of heavy-gauge stainless steel, which proved very efficient in rapid pressurizing and evenly distributing heat. Despite its terrible user’s guide, the T-fal stovetop is a viable option if you prefer a more hands-on method for pressure cooking or don’t want to incur the expense of an electric pressure cooker.

The T-fal is outfitted with an accurate operating valve that controls pressure. It’s labeled 1 (low pressure) for delicate foods and vegetables, 2 (high pressure) for meat and frozen food, and it has a steam symbol for slow release. As with other stovetop pressure cookers, running a stream of cold water over the pressure cooker causes a rapid release.

The T-fal is heavy-duty and well-made, delivering both excellent heat conduction and pressure control. For a lower-cost stovetop model, you get a lot of bang for your buck.See Price at Amazon.com

Our first test was cooking rice. During the build-up of pressure, condensation appeared around the handle joints and dripped onto the cooktop. The user’s guide recommends 5 minutes for rice, and although we were initially uncertain that it had come to full pressure, we got the hang of waiting for the bobbin to hiss and pop up before beginning timing.

The T-fal – P25107 is well-priced for such a quality product. If you’re looking to buy a traditional stovetop pressure cooker, we recommend you consider purchasing this one.

The Power Pressure Cooker XL is manufactured by Tristar Products, a company better known for exercise and beauty products “as seen on TV.” Despite the substantial number of complaints posted on Amazon, there is a higher proportion of excellent-to-good ratings for this pressure cooker. Generally, we found it performed well, but there are several negatives about the Powe