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Top 3 Best Pressure Cookers for 2013

Updated on February 5, 2013

It was my father in law who introduced me to the wonders of pressure cookers. Every time we visit their house, we would be feasting on all these delicious food that he cooked in his Mirro pressure cooker. My favorite are the flavorful kare kare and the super tender and juicy beef mechado; both of which are traditional Filipino beef stew recipes.

When we moved here in the US, he bought me my first pressure cooker when he came to visit. It was a 6 quart aluminum Presto pressure cooker and I admit, it stayed in my cupboard unopened for more than a month because I was too afraid too use it. But when I can't hold my craving anymore for all these Filipino dishes that he used to cook for us, I finally mastered the courage to use it. I took out the manual, read it and emailed my father in law for tips.

I am aware of all the horror stories about pressure cooker exploding or malfunctioning so I asked my husband to help me. Our first attempt at cooking the nilaga (beef stew chunks) was a success, and the rest, as they say is history.

Top 3 Best Pressure Cookers

In the past years, I have owned 3 pressure cookers, (you can tell, I fell in love with them). And I have to say, I have experienced the best of the best and the bad kind. Having said that, these are the top 3 best pressure cookers in the market and I believed a lot of consumers will agree with me.


My Fagor pressure cooker in action
My Fagor pressure cooker in action

Fagor Pressure Cooker - My All-Time Favorite

Fagor pressure cooker is the first one I bought for myself after I decided to upgrade the aluminum model that I have. And I have to say, I believe this is the best choice for someone who wants to maximize the benefits of pressure cookers. Here are the reasons why:

  • Made of 18/10 stainless steel, this thing is an absolute beauty with its sleek, polished and modern look. It looks so pretty on my stovetop.
  • It comes with all the safety features to make sure that there will be no explosion in the kitchen. With its visual pressure indicator & automatic pressure release system , you should have peace of mind everytime you use this cooker as nothing can go wrong. The lid won't open if there is still pressure inside and its loaded with safety valves.
  • Very versatile as it works on all types of cooking surfaces - whether it be induction, ceramic, electric or gas.
  • Price is affordable at $50-$100 and comes with a ten year warranty.

Demonstration of Fagor Pressure Cooker

Kuhn Rikon Pressure Cooker - "mercedes benz" of pressure cookers


It was New York times who tagged this cooker as the mercedes benz of pressure cookers with its exceptional quality and great craftsmanship. With Swiss engineering and attention to details, this is definitely the best pressure cookers in the market. Here are the reasons why:

  • They are constructed from the premium quality 18/10 stainless steel
  • They are loaded with tons of safety features such as integrated lid-locking system and 5 effective back up systems to make sure that there is no excessive pressure build up
  • There is also a strong aluminum core at the unit`s base to provide faster cooking. These cookers are convenient to use and any beginner can cook easily with the help of simple instructions and recipes that are provided with them.
  • Definitely not your grandma's pressure cooker, as they are innovative, modernized and absolutely safe.
  • The only con that comes with Kuhn Rikon is they are expensive, being a top of the line product. I am lucky to have a rich sister who lives in Switzerland and she was generous enough to give it to me when I asked for it as a birthday present. Priced at $200 and up, they are expensive. However, if you can afford it and want the best cookware for you kitchen, this is definitely a must buy.


Demonstration of Kuhn Rikon Pressure Cooker

Presto Pressure Cooker - For Budget Conscious Consumers

As I have said earlier, my first pressure cooker was a Presto. However, it was an aluminum model so it was a low end one. It does the job for me but it terms of safety and features I was not that impressed , that is why I upgraded to Fagor.

I do however believe that the Presto stainless steel pressure cooker is a competitive one with its more advanced features and modern look. I checked at amazon and they have a 4.5 star rating. Even better is price starts at less than $40.

Demonstration of Presto Pressure Cooker

Advantages of Pressure Cooker

Pressure cooker is a huge time saver. What can take hours in the stove can take literally 30 minutes or less in the pressure cooker. It cuts cooking down by 70% but the food came out even more flavorful and delicious.

Pressure cookers have really revolutionized the way we cook and their popularity is even rising more and more. In today`s fast-paced world, anything that can save our time and efforts is a huge plus. No wonder, pressure cookers are being used and recommended by large numbers of home cooks, gourmet and restaurant chefs.


With the advancements in pressure cooker`s technology, consumers are looking for effective ways to save more cooking time and efforts through pressure cooking while retaining all the food`s natural minerals.

So if you are passionate about cooking and haven't tried a pressure cooker yet, I suggest you get one for yourself and start now.


Split Pea Soup

Below is a recipe from the cookbook that I liked (title below). It's really good but it's a little fancy but it is definitely worth it.

Source for the recipe:

The Pressure Cooker Gourmet: 225 Recipes for Great-Tasting, Long-Simmered ...

By Victoria Wise

Cook Time

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ready in: 50 min
Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 1/2 cups dried small white (navy) beans
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 large springs fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery leaves
  • 1 3/4 pound piece smoked ham hock
  • 1 3/4 pound smoked ham shank
  • 1 small yellow or white onion, halved
  • 2 whole cloves, stuck into the onion halves
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • parsley (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place the beans, water, bay leaf, thyme, celery leaves, ham hock, ham shank and clove-stuck onion halves in the pressure cooker. Lock on the lid and bring to pressure over high heat, about 8 minutes. Reduce the head to medium-low to low and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 15 minutes to finish cooking.
  2. With the steam vent pointed away from your face, gently releas any remaining pressure and carefully remove the lid. Lift out and discard the bay leaf, thyme sprigs and onion. Lift out the ham, cut the meat off the bone and return the meat to the pot. Stir in the salt. Serve piping hot, reheating if necessary, sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and parsley, if using.
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