Casa Essentials Aluminum Pressure Cooker, 5 Qt. Review

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(More customer reviews)Like the other poster, I got this at Macy's for around $33. It's the budget Fagor line. Apparently what this means is a few simple things:
1. it's aluminum, not stainless steel
2. it's 9", not 10"
3. it's old-fashioned
4. it works, but with some caveats
Let's take each of those in reverse:
4. Fagor knows what they're doing.
3. This means that the pressure technology is the old kind, where pressure builds up and starts rocking a little bobbin on the steam vent. This noisy constant buzzing if off-putting to some cooks, but you want to hear it because it means everything's steaming along.
Newer designs have dials and assorted pressure settings, that give you more control and allow you to release the steam instantly and safely. This one is lower-tech. When you turn off the burner, it slowly loses pressure (okay for beans and meats, not so great for veggies and seafood). To instantly release, you have to carry it to your sink and run cold water over it. However, this is easy enough if your sink is close, and it works every time.
It does have an auto-locking mechanism (so it cannot be opened when pressurized), and it has two more safety features: a backup steam vent, and if all else fails the gasket blows. Ideally, these features would never be employed, but it's nice to have them.
2. It's 5 qts., which might be small for some. I'm generally cooking for two, and you can fit a whole 4 lb. chicken in it or three or so lamb shanks (and it cooks beautifully), so it's just fine for me. The proportions are ample and aesthetically pleasing.
1. Many people cook fine with uncoated aluminum all over the world. You have to make your own choice how you feel about that. However, it's not completely non-reactive: acids like citrus and vinegar can lead to pitting of the metal. This isn't the pot for frequent tomato gravy. Unfortunately, I tried those things eventually and found it did end up affecting flavor of other items.
Bottom line, I've made 16-bean soup, beef stew, whole chicken and chicken-cut-up, baked beans, ham hocks and black beans, and am online today to buy a springform pan to try and make a cheesecake in it. I use it weekly since I bought it, and I find it a great time saver. Some tips for flavor: brown first if possible. I haven't had a real problem with sticking (no worse than other pans). Use a trivet under big pieces of meat (I found some on ebay). Do all your spicing with dry herbs at the beginning; they will rehydrate beautifully. Add as little oil or fat as possible; remember it's got nowhere to go once sealed, and meats will baste themselves. However, you should use oil with beans, to prevent foaming.
I do agree that it's a good starter cooker, but I have since upgraded to a stainless steel model. I miss that bouncing bobbin, though!


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Cook faster without sacrificing flavor. This pressure cooker is an ingenious, energy-efficient alternative to traditional cooking, preparing food up 70% faster while retaining up to 50% more vitamins and minerals. You'll enjoy amazing meals in minutes! One-year warranty.

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Vasconia 6 Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker Review

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(More customer reviews)Bought two of these beauties, and couldn't be more pleased. I'm thinking about throwing away most of my other pots and pans. They seem to be well made, and are loaded with safety features: locking handle when under pressure, pressure relief valves, and a little window that the gasket covers which acts as a fail safe if the pressure gets too high. I think these are the greatest things since remote control for the TV! The kids say the pressure cookers make the best food they have ever had! I tell them it is really the cook. Forget the knife, roasts are so tender all you need is a fork. They work great on my indoor flat top electric range and my outdoor gas range. One negative - they aren't supposed to be stored with the lid in place. Apparently it is not good for the gasket. This is probably true for all pressure cookers that have a gasket. Forget the cookers with gauges, the weight is worth its weight in gold - well maybe silver. Enjoy!


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Vasconia 6 Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker

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Fagor Splendid 6-Quart Pressure Cooker Review

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(More customer reviews)1. Cooking with a pressure cooker
Think of a pressure cooker as a crock pot on steroids. The increased pressure inside the sealed vessel results in an elevated boiling point, producing a higher cooking temperature for faster cooking. The standard pressure for these cookers is 15 psi, raising the boiling point from 212f to 250f. Current design features considerably improve the safety of these pots over WWII vintage kitchen bombs.
Pressure cookers are perfect for pot roasts, stews, soups, stocks and long-simmering sauces, reducing cooking times by as much as seventy percent. Beans cook faster in a pressure cooker, although their soaking time is unaffected. Rice will cook faster, too, although the convenience of a dedicated rice cooker is beyond dispute.
Some pressure cookers let users select a second, lower pressure setting (8 psi, bp @ 215f), which yields considerably less accelerated cooking. Why slow down a high-speed cooker? Because some foods, like veggies and fish, cook quickly, and when cooked at 15 psi it is difficult to control doneness. (Recipes for these foods call for running cold water over the pot lid to quickly reduce the pressure and lower the temperature to stop the cooking. For more usual dishes, one would merely turn off the heat and let the cooking coast to a stop.) Pot-count or hubris may move some chefs to use their pressure cookers to prepare delicate foods regardless of the risk of under/over-cooking. The low pressure setting is intended to help these people. For most cooks, foods that cook quickly are better prepared using conventional methods. Arguably, a clever chef could use a pressure cooker as their only pot for all purposes, a desirable feature when living out of a knapsack on a desert isle where time is money or fuel is precious.
For most cooks, a pressure cooker will not be an essential kitchen utensil, but it is desirable for its ability to shorten long simmer times. An eight-quart pot is probably the most versatile size for most users, because the pot can only be filled to half or at most two-thirds capacity. If veggies are to be steamed rather than boiled, you will need a steamer insert. Expect a learning curve as you discover how to operate the pot and adjust cooking times. A pressure cooker should be stored unassembled, and the gasket (about $10) may need to be replaced occasionally. All parts should be hand washed. The the pot and lid are ruined if dinged where the gasket seats.
2. The Fagor Pressure Cooker
Fagor in Spain is like General Dynamics in the US - a huge industrial conglomerate. Their "Commercial" (and similar "Splendid") model pressure cooker has a substantial heft to it and seems ready to withstand the rigors of the kitchen. An aluminum heat dispersion disc, completely encapsulated in stainless steel, is bonded to the bottom of the thick-walled stainless steel pot. The stainless steel lid is similarly substantial, and is polished to a mirror finish. The handles seen sturdy enough, although they are plastic and subject to damage. An order form for replacement parts is provided in the box and parts are available over the Internet (www.fagoramerica.com). An instruction booklet is incluye, imperfectly translated from the Spanish. An 80-page recipe book is also included, with full color photographs of fabulous dishes, several of which cannot be prepared in the cooker(!).
The regulator control dial on this unit has three positions: Pressurized (15 psi), open, and remove valve. The lid has a safety interlock that prevents it from being opened while the pot is pressurized, and a small plastic rod pops up to indicate the interlock is active. (One reviewer suggested this rod indicates the pot has reached 15 psi, but this is not so; you know the pot has reached 15 psi when steam starts to escape from the regulator valve.) Another safety feature is a slot in the lid that allows part of the gasket to blow out if the pot has been over-filled.
I was attracted to this model pressure cooker because it seemed to represent an attractive price-performance point. My experience has confirmed that. The value of a second, low pressure setting is arguable for all but the most dedicated pressure cooker users, and fancy features like a pressure gauge seem minimally useful. If I were to buy another pressure cooker, I would likely select this model again, albeit in an 8-qt version to compliment the 4-qt size that seemed the best size for this bachelor cook.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Fagor Splendid 6-Quart Pressure Cooker

Fagor makes it easy to prepare a meal with this 6%2Dquart pressure cooker%2E Just put all your ingredients in the cooker%2C lock the lid%2C and begin cooking%2E It has a triple safety system with a safety locking handle to prevent accidental opening under pressure%2C a dual pressure control valve%2C and two independent over pressure release valves to avoid pressure build up%2E It also has a built in diffuser base that allows for even heat distribution of heat for even cooking%2E

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Presto 8-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this pressure-cooker three years ago on the recommendation of another person who has used hers for ten years. This pot cooks tomato sauce that tastes as if it were cooked on the stovetop all day, and makes stews in a third of the time. I LOVE this appliance for homey winter comfort foods! It's not scary to use and very easy to clean up. I also recommend buying Lorna Sass's pressure-cooking books for really tasty recipes that are easy to prepare.

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Cooks lighter meals, healthier, fast and easy. Durable polished aluminum for even heating. Includes special ergonomic handles, cooking rack, and recipe book. Pressure regulator maintains proper cooking temperature automatically. Cover lock indicators show at a glance when there is pressure inside the cooker. Pressure cooking preserves flavors and nutrients. Lean meats cook up tender and delicious!

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Presto 6-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker Review

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(More customer reviews)I have been using this cooker for over a year now, my recent purchase being a second and repeat purchase. It is actually a no-problem cooker and requires no attention at all. Except the lower handle, whose screw could become lose after few months and keeps demanding some action with the screw driver, the cooker is virtually trouble free. For the money I paid, it is a great purchase. As you would see, I have bought a second one.

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Cooks lighter meals, healthier, fast and easy. 3 to 10 times faster than ordinary methods - faster than a microwave. Chicken, fish, vegetables and more cook to perfection in minutes. Tenderizes leaner cuts of beef and pork. New ergonomically designed handles.

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