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Presto is an entry-level brand that manufactures several incredibly popular stovetop pressure cookers. I’ve enumerated and evaluated their five units below. Presto’s low-priced pots are ideal for beginning cooks and young families.
Not only does Presto manufacture an assortment of affordable pressure cookers and canners, but its products are also trendy. They are among the most popular pressure cookers on the market today.
Although Presto cookers are not as stylish or durable as some high-end models from other brands, they are still known for producing safe, user-friendly cookware.
Their smaller pressure cookers range in size from 4 to 8 quarts and are available in stainless steel and aluminum at a lower cost. They also have a sizeable 23-quart pressure canner, which I describe in greater detail below.
If you are looking for an inexpensive pressure cooker that gets the job done with little flash or fanfare, then this line is for you. My reviews of the Presto line of pressure cookers are provided below.
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What Is A Pressure Cooker?
A pressure cooker is an airtight vessel that uses steam to cook food rapidly, be it an electric appliance or a piece of cookware. By heating a small quantity of liquid within a closed container, you can create steam that cannot escape. This steam buildup will increase the vessel’s temperature and pressure, ultimately cooking the food inside.
Why Should You Buy A Pressure Cooker?
Pressure cooking was conceived for the first time in the 17th century. This cooking technique has changed significantly since then. However, the benefits of pressure cooking have remained relatively unchanged over time.
But, despite the long history of this cooking method, is a pressure cooker truly necessary? Almost certainly not. You could likely prepare many of the same foods and recipes without purchasing a pressure cooker. However, owning one has numerous advantages, and it will significantly improve your daily meals.
1. You will save time.
This has always been the most excellent selling point for pressure cooker ownership. Many of your favorite dishes can be prepared in less time than other cooking methods. In contrast to the 30 to 60 minutes required to cook soaked beans on the stove, a pressure cooker will have them ready in less than 10 minutes.
2. More nutrients will be retained in your food
According to research, pressure cooking can help preserve many of the vitamins and nutrients in various foods. Arguably, this cooking method is superior to all others in nutrient retention. Since pressure cookers cook food more quickly and retain more liquids, you receive more nutritional benefits from the foods you consume.
3. It benefits the environment.
The cooking time savings result in energy savings as well. A pressure cooker will take considerably less time than a stovetop or oven, resulting in less energy consumption. In terms of total cooking time, a microwave may be able to cook faster. Still, it typically requires more energy to operate and results in food of inferior quality due to the destruction of nutrients. Using a pressure cooker can reduce the time and energy needed for each recipe while maintaining the quality and nutritional value of the food.
4. It requires less cleaning.
With a pressure cooker, you can eliminate several additional cooking vessels. Many recipes require combining ingredients in the unit, leaving you only the cutting board, knife, and blender to clean.
5. Your food will have greater flavor
A pressure cooker utilizes the liquids in the pot rather than allowing them to evaporate and take with them some of the flavors. The food itself absorbs your flavors. This leaves you with a delicious and savory meal, preserving the vitamins and nutrients and delightful flavors.
5. Relax. modern pressure cookers are safe
And if you are concerned about old tales of pressure cookers exploding, you need not worry. Yes, it has occurred in numerous kitchens, but as technology advances, pressure cookers have become increasingly safer. With many brands producing these devices, consumer demand has necessitated safety innovations, making them as safe as other cooking methods. These small appliances are as safe as your oven or stove when appropriately used.
Select Suitable Pressure Cooker Size
The size of the pressure cooker you’ll need does not depend on what you’ll be cooking but on how many people and how frequently you’ll be cooking.
- A standard pressure cooker of 3 to 5 liters will suffice for a small family of 3 to 4 who cook frequently.
- A larger/joint family of 5 or more people will require a 5- to a 9-liter pressure cooker.
- If you are cooking for one or preparing baby food, 1-1.5 liters is the ideal size.
The size is crucial when purchasing a pressure cooker; slightly smaller will require you to cook food more than two or three times, wasting fuel and time.
A larger than the necessary size would burn more fuel and spend more time on flame, necessitating more outstanding cleaning efforts and reducing lifespan.
Considerations When Purchasing a Pressure Cooker
A pressure cooker is necessary for the kitchen if you want to cook food more quickly. In other words, if you dislike purchasing it, you will eventually risk not having food prepared in time for your guests. No wonder pressure cooking has become an integral part of every traditional and modern kitchen in the world. Here are some factors to consider when purchasing a pressure cooker.
Gone are the days when pressure cookers were considered a standard kitchen appliance. The pressure cooker has returned to prominence with improved safety features and the ability to cook food at high temperatures. Therefore, the necessity of having a pressure cooker in the home cannot be questioned. You’ve come to the right place if you’ve been looking for some quick tips on how to buy it and find the right one.
Before moving on, let’s examine the various types of pressure cookers:
Stove Pressure Cooker
As the name implies, you have control over the temperature with this stove, as with any other standard stove. If you’re looking for the highest quality cooker, it’s recommended that you opt for stainless steel. However, aluminum pressure cookers are also gaining popularity because they are inexpensive but less durable. In addition, aluminum reacts with acidic foods, so there is a chance of hearing a small explosion in the kitchen.
Electric Pressure Cooker
As a result of the rapid development of technology, electric pressure cookers are now equipped with programmable features and cooking functions of the highest caliber. For your information, the best electric cookers can quickly cook rice and yogurt and regulate the heat transfer to the food being prepared. However, you must exercise caution when selecting the kitchen benchtop. When preparing multiple dishes, many individuals use them to rest the cooker. Here, we advise purchasing Kitchen Benchtops from Kaboodle for the highest quality home materials.
The Features to Consider
Now that you understand the available pressure cookers, you may proceed. Here are some safety features you should search for:
- Cover Locking: This is an essential factor to consider when purchasing a pressure cooker. Cover locking will prevent the cooker from exploding on a person even if the pot lid is not tightly secured.
- Steam Baskets: They are also dividers and allow for the simultaneous cooking of multiple dishes.
- A Lid with the Quick-Release Valve: This is done to release the steam from the pressure cooker rapidly.
- Pressure Indicator: This alert you if the contents are still under pressure during the cooking process.
How to Select the Best Presto Pressure Cooker
Although there is no best pressure cooker, it is recommended that you read customer reviews before purchasing one. It would be best if you did not decide to buy from a particular platform unless you are confident in the reviews provided by customers. Determine your needs and determine which pressure cooker will assist you in preparing the most frequently consumed foods.
Presto Pressure Cooker Reviews
You will find summaries of my reviews for all currently available Presto pressure cookers. In addition to these brief reviews, I’ve included links to each product’s sales page for additional information and pricing and to my detailed review page.
1. Best Overall: Presto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker
User reviews
Great product. Like the size and simplicity of use
no need to check gauge or buy another regulator. I just received my unit and although I have not used the unit, I have read the book completely and called presto and they say there’s no need to have the gauge checked. If it’s new, it’s ready go to, just follow the cleaning instructions on page 6 and 7 of the book. They also state there’s no reason to buy another 15lb rocker because it comes with one. I ordered the extra rocker for $12 but the unit came last night and has a 15lb rocker in it. Pressure regulator would be the better more proper term, not rocker. I also work in the air pressure industry for a living and we rarely test our gauges unless something obvious is happening and we have variable testing at our facility that goes from 10psi to 300 psi, which that kind of pressure can be dangerous. So I’m not sure why people think they need to get their gauge tested. Even if the gauge is faulty, the rocker is going to rock at 15lbs and never let the pot get higher than this. Additionally, the books states there is a vent pipe (page4) is the “primary pressure relief valve and will release pressure in excess of 15 pounds. The pressure regulator sits loosely on the vent pipe.” That’s a quote. So this unit is designed to be at 15 lbs or below which the pot can handle. I’m not sure why anyone would blow the lid off unless they rolled their rubber ring, their ring was old or not seated properly or the top was not locked. Again, I haven’t used the unit yet, and will follow up soon with a review on that, but from my perspective, I’m going to can tomatoes over the next couple of days and that is 11 lbs of pressure which means I will need my gauge and my rocker should never rock. I have to play with the heat to find where my stove dial holds the pot at 11 lbs and make sure I never see the pressure regulator move or that means the pot has reached 15 lbs. ?? Some of these reviews were confusing and also caused me to buy a 15 lb regulator that came with the unit. It seems unnecessary. ?? Sure seems it’s ready to go out of the box, no need to check or buy another item.Okay, I went home and used it last night. I have updates. First, this is a great unit. I can’t imagine anyone blowing the lid off if you align it and lock it down. I filled it with water, put it on and ran it up to 15 lbs of pressure. On my stove it took 19 minutes to get there but that’s going to vary. I think I understand why people suggest getting the variable weight. In my case, I can a lot of tomatoes. I need this at 10-11 pounds for 15 minutes. I either have to play with the heat setting on my stove to get it to stay at 10-11 pounds, while keeping an eye on it, OR if you buy the rocker weight that is 5-10-15 lbs, you can take it apart, make it a 10 lb rocker and just set it and forget it. I see the logic but don’t think that makes buyin the other part necessary, it just saves a little time. Plus, for tomatoes, they suggest 11 lbs. If you are anal and want 11, the variable weight can’t do that. if you don’t mind 10-11 pounds, no big deal. Either way, I didn’t take my cooker to have the gauge tested, This is ready to go out of the box. Just make sure and put a little oil on the ring to keep it in good shape and you might just want to have a back up ring on hand as the unit ages so that on that weekend you want to can, if the ring splits, you slide the new one in and keep going. Great unit and it’s HUGE! I love it.Another update…this baby is getting a good workout. Canned a bunch of sauce last night, working on more as I type. We bought the additional weight/rocker that you can make 5-10-15 pounds. Put it at 10 pounds and let it pressure for 16 minutes. Gets the tomato sauce in the jars up to 240 degrees killing all that might be present. Great pressure canner. Highly recommend. Again, still don’t understand how anyone could blow the lid off if you align this properly. No blown lids here. Just gotta read the book and use it properly I think.Another update – well, we’ve done 7 gallons of roma tomato sauce, 5 quarts a session and this pressure canner is great. It’s so easy to lock the lid. I’ve also realized it has a special lock that when pressure starts to build, but even before it can be read on the gauge, the lock pops up and there’s no way you can open this canner with pressure so no danger. I will say that when my 16 minutes at 11 lbs for tomato sauce are up, I take a kitchen knife and lean the pressure rocker over to let the steam out quickly. Within 4-5 minutes, all the pressure has bleed out, the lock goes back down and I take the lid off. This is not in the book, but I was just dying to see how the jars looks. As I took them out, they were still boiling and we put a laser temp gauge on them and they were reading 210-215. Given the heat was turned off over 4-5 minutes ago, it’s reasonable to assume it was indeed up to 240 which is what is needed to kill all the stuff for tomato sauce. Keep in mind, this is different for every food, for every size and for every elevation. So read the book for your food and it will tell you what to do. I recommend citric acid as well as the adjustable pressure regulator (rocker) and a canning kit, particularly to get the jars out. Taking them out at 215 degrees is careful business. But it’s cool to see them boiling inside the jars. And within 10 minutes, they are down to 160 which is when the ‘tinning’ or vacuming starts. As you know, the cooling is what causes the air tight seal, not the pressure canning. Pressure canning is to raise the temp up high enough to kill all the germs, when you take them out, they do the tinning sounds and you can hear all the tops going ting, ting…..ting…then you know you are getting a great seal!
Does the Trick. I bought this pressure cooker because I live in an area where I can grow tons of food and my freezer was overfull and can only can high acid foods with my water-bath canner. I know, terrible problem! I have used the pressure canner to can stock, apple juice and homemade pumpkin curry soup so far. Unfortunately I didn’t decide to get it until after my garden was finished for the year.. I found the instructions very easy to follow, and am confident that so long as I follow the (simple) directions I will enjoy years of canning safely for my family. While the cost seemed high, the quality was as described (great) and I will likely pass this down to my granddaughter one day.
Great canner for the price. I got this specifically for canning, and have used it now to make pickles, apples, applesauce, applebutter, roasted peppers and am going to be doing squash next. It has worked great, it seems of good quality, but this is ENORMOUS! I don’t think I really realized how big it would be. Due to it’s size you have the advantage of being able to get the water deep enough to hold 2 tiers of pint cans for a boiling water bath (though getting an extra rack would make that easier), and it holds 7 quart jars as well. Thing is though that the 16 quart says it can hold 7 quart jars as well, and while probably it couldn’t do 2 rows of pints as a boiling water bath, I bet it gets up to temperature alot faster and doesn’t take up so much space. Those are really my only complaints with this, it takes quite a while to build up pressure and it is just so big I have no choice but to stick it in the room I keep my canned products, no room in my kitchen.That said, before I bought this I had no idea you can use a pressure canner to cook. I tried using this to make a beef roast, and it was UNBELIEVABLE! In like 40 minutes I had beef that fell apart like I had roasted it all day, only it was juicier and the flavor was MUCH BETTER penetrated through, amazing! Of course the problem was clean up… it’s just so big that it barely fits in my sink. I ended up finding an 8qt pressure cooker that I’ve been using since to do my day to day cooking with (and you can save money buying cheaper meats that will taste like you cooked them all day!) and I pull out this for the canning… though I am seriously considering doing my Thanksgiving turkey in this!! (I bet it will be good too).This is I am finding out what is known as “first generation” for a pressure cooker, and it makes quite a bit of noise, but that doesn’t bother me so much, those others are alot more $$ of of my pocket… I can handle a little noise, thank you. If what you want is a really big quality pressure canner that looks like it will probably last the rest of your life (with maybe a replacement gauge or seal or something along the way), this is a great choice for the money.
Muy buen producto , la calidad es buena, trabaja muy bien. (Solo que el indicador de presión es de plástico)
Ainda não usei.. Quando usar, deixo uma nota sobre o produto.Usei, e é perfeita!Um enlatador de pressão mais que completo !Cozinha com perfeição, e faz o vácuo direitinho.Aprovei o resultado.Recomendo a compra.É uma cultura que deveria ser mais praticada aqui no Brasil, mais falada inclusive.
So, my pressure canner did not come with a manual and I was nervous about safety issues as I had never used one before. I’ve used a pressure cooker and that is NOT the same thing.I called customer support and the woman was quite rude. Basically made me feel like I was an idiot and told me to read the manual…which I would have except I never received one with my canner. I did get a link to one online which I went through.This canner can hold 16 1/2 pint jars (500ml). I had to take the handles off the canning basket in order to take advantage of the extra height for 2 levels of jars.I also have an induction stove so I had to use a magnetic flat plate between the aluminum canner in order for the burner to turn on. By doing that it does take away from high heat and it took 45 minutes before the pressure canner reached 11 psi where I started the 100 minute countdown requirement for raw beef.After 100 minutes, I turned the stove off and let the canner depressurize and cool completely. The jars at the bottom were oily and I guess that’s because I must have had some seepage from a jar that probably had one cube too many. I can’t tell which jar because they are all sealed very well. I just gave them all a soapy bath so they’re all sparkly clean. Adding 1/2c of white vinegar to the 3 quarts of water also helped to keep the jars from being affected with hard water. The inside of the aluminum pot now has a black ring stain all around which nothing – not even an SOS pad can remove.Overall, I highly recommend this pressure canner. It’s my 2nd time canning meat and with how well this has turned out I am super excited to start canning chicken, pork and salmon. I will also pressure can many other vegetables. With the price of food and not knowing if we’ll ever have black outs or brown outs, I am confident I will be able to feed my family with foods that I would normally freeze or refrigerate. Pressure canned meat can last up to 2 years. Bonus is when you crack open a jar, it smells like roast beef (I just place raw beef trimmed of most fat in the jars – nothing else). The juice it creates does have some ‘scum’ so I give that to my dogs. It’s like beef nectar to them. Then I rinse the meat off. It’s super tender and just delicious.
Perfect … nice and big for sterilising 1 litre jars. The trivet is nice and stable. Works great on my electric stove top
La uso para mi negocio y es de excelente calidad, hasta el día de hoy todo funciona bien,la recomiendo para negocio es muy útil
The Presto 1781 pressure canner is an excellent introduction to pressure canning. It is large enough to do a substantial amount of home canning but costs significantly less than comparable canners from other brands. This beginner pressure canner is my favorite because it comes with a canning kit bundle, so you don’t have to make any additional purchases to get started canning, despite its low price. This unit resembles canners of comparable size.
Heavy-gauge aluminum is used in its construction, and previous customers appear to be highly pleased with this purchase. Click above for pricing information or the link to read my complete review of the Presto 01781 23-Quart pressure Canner.
They are designed for effortless and secure home pressure canning. Canning is the only safe method recommended for preserving meats, vegetables, poultry, and seafood.
Included is a comprehensive 80-page instruction/recipe book. It has simple instructions for canning and pressure cooking, as well as recipes and processing times. In addition, a canning/cooking rack is included.
Key Features
- The only method recommended safe by the US Department of Agriculture for canning vegetables, meats, poultry, and seafood
- Doubles as a boiling-water canner for preserving fruits, jams, jellies, pickles, and salsa; Handy as a large capacity pressure cooker
- Constructed of warp-resistant heavy-gauge aluminum for fast, even heating; Works on regular and smooth-top ranges; Extended 12-year limited warranty
- Deluxe pressure dial gauge registers the complete range of processing pressures; This precise measurement is especially important at higher altitudes
- Extra-large size is great for big canning jobs; Includes canning/cooking rack and complete 76-page instruction and recipe book
PROS
- Works on most cooktops
- Built to last
- Lightweight for size
CONS
- Needs recalibration occasionally
- Comes with only one rack
2. Best for Induction Ranges: Presto 01784 23-Quart Induction Compatible Pressure Canner
User reviews
A solid standard. Got me a proper canner for my 42nd birthday. This baby means business. Eight pints per level, and two levels possible. I’ve been doing eight at a time. I’ve canned green beans, pinto beans, tomato sauce, pickles and chicken bone broth. Once I got my lid situation sorted (don’t trust off-brand lids!–use Ball), I’ve had no trouble putting up lovely jars for the winter. I am somewhat careful with my glass-top electric stove, as this fully loaded canner weighs in heavily, but so far so good! The pressure gauge is responsive and seemingly accurate; the stout aluminum build will hold up for generations, and the bouncing weight works as designed. The bottom of the canner is clad, so I may opt to get an induction burner so I don’t stress my glass cooktop. Overall, a solid heirloom of a canner, at a fair price. Instructions are good too, though I splurged on a few books with recipes and techniques too.
Works great. I bought this after buying the non induction pot! I’m a prepper! I’m buying two more as well! I also bought the nuwave precision induction cooktop! Together they make canning so simple! Once I’m at the right pressure it maintains my pressure perfectly and with this combination I don’t have to babysit it nearly as much! It’s almost set it and forget it!
Great quality, great instructions included. This is my first pressure canner. Very good quality, heavy duty. I have found myself going over the instructions every time I’ve used it and I’ve used it about 10 separate times. Can use it for pressure canning, boiling water canning, pressure cooking foods. Detailed instructions included on basic canning process and then canning different foods. There is no basket, just a tray the sits above the bottom of the pan and there are no slots to set each bottle so they don’t touch. It doesn’t hold as much as it claims to. I got 6 quart bottles to fit, you may get by with 7. For pints, I’ve done about 8-9 at a time. As with all pressure canners, I don’t like having to wait for the pressure to go back down and then letting the cooker cool for another 10 minutes before you can put in the next batch. It’s still worth it! And good price for what you get!
A Godsend for canning. I LOVED being able to use this on my glass stove top. It did scratch my new stove top but it worked great. I canned almost 100 quarts of green beans so far. It holds 7 quarts at a time and I didn’t can any pints. It’s a VERY WELL MADE CANNER. I strongly recommend this, it’s my first time using a canner and it’s very easy to use. I bought an extrametal plate in case I am going to use pint’s because you can stack them up on top of each other.
Happy. Works great!
Great Canner for the Money, Not Quite Perfect. My wife wanted a pressure canner, and after looking at all of the various models, this is the best for the money. Unfortunately, it was hard to get.We had decided on the Presto 01781 when we discovered this model, the 01784 Induction Compatible model. Even if you don’t have an induction stove, the stainless steel clad bottom provides more even heating and is a little heavier duty. Unable to find it anywhere, including on Amazon, I ordered it directly from Presto who were also out of stock, but they said that they were expecting a shipment around the end of July, 2020. On the morning of July 15, 2020, Amazon suddenly had the 01784 in stock. I ordered it and it was delivered on July 17, 2020. On July 16, 2020, the listing on Amazon once again said, “Currently unavailable. We don’t know when or if this item will be back in stock.” Also, in the meantime, the canner that I purchased directly from Presto 2 months earlier arrived a week after the one from Amazon. It’s for sale.We started using it the next day canning 2 gallons of chili (16 pint jars) in one load. The next day, my wife canned a bunch of green beans, mixed vegetables, and peppers, all things you can’t can with a water bath canner.I encourage anyone buying this pressure canner/cooker to also buy the Presto Canner Pressure Regulator OEM Part Number 50332. This gives you the option of 5, 10 or 15 pounds pressure. An additional canning rack is also necessary if you want to stack the jars. There is a 2-pack available on Amazon of 11″ canning racks with detachable legs. The 1.9″ legs will put the jars just above the water which in my opinion is better than having just the bottom 3/4″ of the jar setting in the water with the rest of the jar out.The single 15 pound regulator and no second rack being included is why I only give this pressure canner 4 stars. Other than that, its a great canner. Spend a few more bucks on a regulator and a rack and you can make it perfect.
So far so good. This canner is of high quality, and it holds the pressure. So far I’ve canned 3 times with it. Each time, every lid “popped”. It holds 4 half gallon jars, to give you an idea of the size. So far I’m very happy with it.
Love it. Just new to the canning world but this pot is worth it! Heavy duty and easy to use.
I love that I can use it on an induction hob. Works great, reliable. Large capacity. Easy to use. Was worried that it might be too large for the hob to heat it, but it was not a problem at all. Does a great job. Follow the instructions/directions.
Lo recomiendo ampliamente he cocinado de todo hasta cochinita pibil la cocción es perfecta
Product arrived in excellent condition. It was double boxed and it came very quickly all the way to NZ. Thanks Team.
This product came as described and works beautifully right out if the box. The instructions are easy to follow and there are some recipes in the booklet to get you started on your canning journey!
buena calidad en su material, si la recomiendo
This 23-quart model from Presto is compatible with gas, electric, and smooth-top ranges thanks to its stainless steel-clad base. Users note that it’s consistent on all range types, simple to use, and durable if treated with care.
Except for the stainless-steel bottom, the induction canner is identical to Presto’s highly rated 23-quart aluminum pressure canner. It features a large processing capacity and a steam dial pressure gauge. Notably, a portable burner may not be the best option for this product (or any other canner), as they may lack the required heating power to achieve canning pressure.
This canner is compatible with induction ranges; I am happy with it and recommend it. Everything about it is of high quality, and the metal is particularly thick at the bottom. The lid, locking mechanism, gauge, and handles are all durable and of high quality; this product will last a very long time.
Key Features
- Extra-large 23-quart induction compatible pressure canner.
- Easy, confident home pressure canning—the only safe method recommended by the USDA for canning vegetables, meats, poultry, and seafood.
- Doubles as a boiling water canner for fruits, jams, jellies, pickles, and salsa
- Heavy-gauge aluminum with induction compatible stainless steel-clad base.
- Works on gas, electric, smooth-top, and induction ranges.
PROS
- Works on all cooktops
- Large capacity
CONS
- May not work with portable induction burners
3. Best Electric: 12 Qt Electric Pressure Canner
User reviews
Very useful appliance. I bought on of these in the beginning of the pandemic and I absolutely love it.It has a million and one uses and it works beautifully as long as you replace all the rubber parts regularly as they tend to shrink over time.I don’t know what they stopped making these. The smaller one is too small in my opinion. This one is just the right size.
Simplifies Canning and Reduces Heat in Kitchen. This is my second Presto device…somewhere along the way improvements have been made to allow a by-pass of the warming phase for jars (assuming they are already warm). It does have a limit of capacity compared to a monster, stove top pot but the automation is so, so appreciated. Our water has a high mineral content and I experienced dis-coloration of the pot and aluminum bottom rack. On my second machine using distilled water solved this problem—a few more dollars to spend but the machine still looks new.
Cheap lid lock. Bought this in March for corned beef recipe. On 3rd use of cooker, the green safety latch broke making the pressure cooker settings absolutely useless. It is a shame that presto would put out a product that woun even last a year. They used to he a good name.******UPDATE******Do not buy Presto Products expecting them to honor their warranty. Reached out to them, they wanted pictures. Sent them pictures of broken part. They wanted me to send them the item with me paying postage so they could get it and determine if it ws a defective latch and if so repair it and charge me for return postage as well. With size and weight, it would have cost more than the cooker would have. Unable to use in current condition, so ending up on trash. I’m just lucky it wasn’t under full pressure when it aimed or it would have done serious damage and possibly burned me or anyone around it. Not a safe design, and I noice they are using same design on other cookers. BEWARE!
It was meant to be. First one came damaged, but they quickly replaced it! I love this pressure cooker. I accidentally ordered this… I meant to order the digital canner by Presto which looks identical to this one just a different model. I decided to keep it when I realized how much better it worked than my current pressure cooker. So easy to use. Food tastes great. Very pleased! I’m still planning on purchasing their canner too! 5 stars!
Absolutely ❤. Been waiting for this presto digital pressure canner. It is not recommended by the usda BUT I absolutely love this. It isn’t so big and heavy as the 23 qt. It is perfect for me, a 67 yr. old. I can put up leftovers in minutes. It can sit right on counter for easy use. Just wish it could be made differently to allow the safe approved canning measures. I have canned soups, stews, meats and vegies. Everything sealed perfect.
Very large cooker and clear display. I own 3 traditional pressure cookers and a regular slow cooker. I wanted to give this a try to see what the hype was all about.SETUPAt first it was a bit overwhelming learning how to use it. I wish there was a better created manual and quick guide. There was a sticker on the display that I peeled off but left a lot of sticky residue on it. The only part I had to “assemble” was to plug in the cord. I washed the lid and the inner pot before using it.COOKING TIME!I cooked pork in it with some water and soy sauce to make a pork bun. I used the default rib setting that cooks it at high pressure at 20 minutes. I closed the lid, turned the green knob, and made sure the vent is set to cooking mode.CONTROLSThe controls were easy to set. There’s a turn dial on the front and you turn to the cooking mode you want. Then you press start. The other button is stop. Off we go!RESULTSIt first heated up the pot and then proceeded to cook. There is a count down and a progress meter. They did a good job with the user interfacing in keeping it simple.TASTEAfter 20 minutes, I turned the black vent dial to the release mode and let it air out the pressure for a few minutes. The results were pretty good. The pork was well cooked and very tender.CLEANUPThe inner pot is nonstick and was very easy to clean. I also cleaned the lid.FINAL THOUGHTSThis is a HUGE cooker. The inner pot is 10 quarts alone and the outer pot is even larger. IT will be a challenge to find a place to put this. My wife wasn’t happy with the size of the cooker. After using it a few times, it’s easy to use and clean. Compared to regular stove pressure cookers, it’s nice have a cook timer and the release valve is very easy to use. This cooker is also much quieter than traditional cookers. Somehow it controls the pressure better.
A great price for this. This is my second one. Most people buy these and use them once or twice because they don’t take the time to discover what all you can do with them.We live in south florida and we don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen when we can be outside.We make full meals, lasagna, cakes, cheesecake etc in this.
New World Record Used once and Died 2nd time. Five stars is so that those of us that looks for 5 star reviews, even when so many 1 star, to be discouraged:Used Once!!! A new record of bad quality!!! Second time turned on and died 5 minutes later…Returning and getting InstantYouKnowThename 10qt on used market since they do not make the 10qt any longer.
This digital canner’s 12-quart capacity makes it more suitable for single batches than many stovetop models. It can accommodate up to five quart-sized jars, but only when pressure-canning; the interior was too small for me to process quarts in boiling water. Up to eight pint-sized jars fit snugly, and I could barely fit ten half-pints with their rings.
The digital canner from Presto directs most of the canning process. The canner comes with a comprehensive instruction manual, and a highly detailed quick start guide that explain its operation. However, once the jars were filled and ready to be sealed, most of my involvement consisted of pressing a few buttons to set the canner’s processing path: pressure or water bath.
The instructions address essential aspects of the USDA-recommended canning procedures for stovetop canners, such as the 10-minute venting and cooling periods that ensure safe processing. The canner cycles through these phases automatically, and the countdowns matched the time on the clock, which I found reassuring.
The canner automatically selects the correct pressure and temperature. If you are accustomed to canning on a stovetop, you may find it odd that there is no readout or independent way to verify these settings; you must rely on Presto.
Key Features
- Automated for simple home canning.
- No adjustments needed for pressure canning at high altitudes.
- Doubles as a boiling water canner for preserving fruits, jams, jellies, and salsa.
- Innovative sensor automatically detects and holds the exact temperature for the required time for safe home canning
- Digital interface guides user through each canning method
- LED display icons illuminate each step from start to completion.
- Includes recipes with standard processing times in accordance with USDA guidelines
- Preheats jars and keeps them hot until each jar is filled.
- Ten built-in safety features including cover locking system
- Includes instruction/recipe book, QuickStart guide, and canning rack.
See full review here: Presto 02144 12 Qt Electric Pressure Canner
PROS
- Easy to use
- Simple controls
- Cycles automatically through processing steps
- Built-in venting and cooling times
CONS
- Food safety not yet verified by USDA
- Hard-to-read labels for vent/can positions
4. Best Small: Presto Precise™ 6-Quart Multi-use Programmable Pressure Cooker Plus
User reviews
Best I’ve seen so far. I’ve been buying and using pressure cookers for many years. This is my 4th electric. Having previous experience with manual cookers, I’ve always been frustrated by the million pre-set buttons on the front of the units. My first was a Cuisinart (wore out the inner pan), then a Crock Pot (lid melted on the stove), then a Kalorik (abandoned due to poor construction and safety issues). I was excited to see this unit made by Presto, the manufacturer of the manual units I’ve been using for many years.The look of the unit is awesome – although I do wish I could turn off the display lights when it’s not in use.I love that it’s easy to set the cooking time and pressure manually.I also love the safety features built into the lid construction. The lid closes easily, locks into place, then is secured by a second lock that cannot be opened unless the unit has released pressure (the pressure valve physically blocks it when the unit is at pressure). Way to go, Presto!It is easy to manipulate the pressure release without danger of burning your hand, and easy to set it so it stays open.Above all – the unit cooks well and as expected. Using my memorized cooking times and pressures, my food comes out perfectly. Rice, hard boiled eggs and bone stock all came out beautifully at the expected cooking times and pressures.Highly recommend this cooker!
Great product. I’ve been using this cooker to can soups and even meats. Works great although you can only put pint jars or smaller in it. Also great for cooking meats fast.
Easier to use than a “Power Cooker”. I had a “Power Cooker” which is a copy of a Instant Pot. It worked good for a few years before failing to build up stream.The Presto pressure cooker works flawlessly so far. I’ve done 4 roasts so far without any issues. Looks like the green locking handle is where pressure sensor is located. Never could find the pressure sensor on the Power Cooker or Instant Pot.The only slight drawback is a plastic lip between the cooking pot and the case. Liquids can drop in this tight space and you might have to spend a few mins cleaning it out with a paper towel and a thin fork or spoon handle.I looked a serval of these pressure cookers on Amazon. Lot of the pressure cookers good reviews, but I always look at the bad reviews. Several of them have a common theme of they stop working around 6 to 8 months later due to the cooker stopped building steam. One of the Instant Pots caught fire and a German made model blew the lid off while cooking.The Presto got good reviews including the previous model
Works great. It’s super simple to use, it looks nice and I even bought a damaged one from Amazon warehouse. It has simple presets and works great!
Bought “used as new”. I was thrilled to buy this product even if gently used. It was, it looked new. Apparently, whoever bought it previously pulled out the paperwork and didn’t replace it upon return. Without documentation to guide me I just didn’t try to use it.
Very good cooker. This is a very nice cooker it was just wasn’t what we thought it was. We ask to send it back and the are taking it back for us. The People were very nice and with Amazon’s help it’s on it’s way back.
Pressure cooker. I decided to keep this item and glad I did. I love it.
Not built well. Gone are the days of buying anything expecting it to last long. This pressure cooker is no exception. First of all, its not cheap and when it was working I loved it. So easy to make things that cooked in a fraction of the time. Its not easy to clean and the lid broke about 2 months after purchasing it. Because you have to have an airtight seal its virtually useless now. I’m the only person living here and I take great care of my things so to say I was upset is an understatement. Why do they make plastic parts so fragile? This should have lasted years and based upon what it cost forever but for now it will sit as a glorified paper weight in my pantry until I see if they make parts for this.
This is a great little pot,it douse everything it says we are very happy with this.
Es muy fácil y rápido cocinar
Necesitó instrucciones de uso en esoañol
Preajustes de coccion y tiempo excelentes y con opción de ponerlos manualmente. Recomendado
Enjoy the benefits of a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, and steamer with this 6-quart Pressure Cooker Plus with stainless steel exterior and multiple functions. It offers 19 user-friendly programmed settings, including high/low-pressure cooking, high/low slow cooking, brown, sauté, and keep warm, in addition to settings for ribs, roast, fish, poultry, high/low vegetables, rice, multigrain, stew, soup, beans, and desserts.
This exclusive Presto Precise model incorporates cutting-edge technology that senses the temperature within the pot to maintain the same pressure. No altitude adjustments are needed. The large digital display and control knob make navigating the LED screen’s displayed programmed options simple.
Simply configure, and the rest is automatic! It maintains the appropriate temperature with pre-programmed settings for pressure cooking, then reduces the pressure and switches to keep warm mode when the cooking time has expired. Saves time, energy, and money by cooking nutritious, flavorful meals up to 70% faster than conventional methods!
The quick pressure release valve provides a rapid reduction in pressure. This model has nine safety features, including a cover locking system that prevents the cover from being opened until the pressure has been safely reduced. The nonstick pot is removable for simple cleanup and dishwasher safe. It includes both a cooking rack and an instruction/recipe book.
Key Features
- Multi-function cooker with 19 programmed settings
- Large digital display and control knob simplify function setting.
- Cooks up to 70% faster than ordinary methods, saving time, energy, and money.
- Nine built-in safety features including a cover locking system that prevents cover from opening until pressure is safely reduced.
- Nonstick pot removes for easy cleaning; dishwasher safe.
- Included Components: Instruction Book
- Pressure Cooker/Slower cooker, only. If seeking a digital canner, check out our model 02144 canner.
PROS
- Very versatile with great results on all types of foods
- Nonstick cooking pot is lightweight and easy to clean
- Includes 19 pre-sets and can also be programmed manually
- Designed with Lid lock system and 7 other built-in safety features
- Costs less than leading brands
- 1-year limited warranty
CONS
- Cooking pot is not stainless steel
- Construction quality may be slightly lower than leading brand
- Does not include a delay timer
5. Presto 01370 8-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker
User reviews
It’s a Whole New World. I’ve been using my 8-quart pressure cooker for about two years now. I waited to post a review until I had some experience with it.Hands down, this is the BEST addition to my kitchen in 39 years of cooking. Not only does it cook food faster, it cooks it better. Foods are more flavorful, roasts are more tender. You can even cook them from frozen. It’s not the best way, but in a pinch, it will do.I have been using it for making bone broth, and it is amazing. When I’m done cooking it (in one hour, not twelve), the bones crumble. You could feed them to a dog. And the broths are amazingly flavorful.Here are a few things I’ve learned:1. If your pot stops steaming, or the steam slows way down, turn off the heat, vent off and investigate. So far paying attention to this has saved me from burning several dishes because I did not add in enough liquid for the amount of time I needed to cook, and once unnecessarily, but still worth investigating. This CAN mean that the vents are blocked, and pressure is building. Even though there is a safety valve, using it is still dangerous, and always a cleaning disaster. This has never happened to me, but it’s happened to others which you can read about in the unsatisfied customer reviews.2. If you are cooking something for a long time, use the basket. This will raise your food just a wee bit off the bottom of the pan, and prevent burning and sticking.3. When removing the lid, tip it away from you, and make sure your face isn’t over the pot.4. When using a ceramic-top stove, bring it to temp on high, but then reduce the temperature to the lowest temp that will continue the pot steaming steadily. On my stove that means starting it at ten, but turning it down to between 5 and 6. This will help preserve the liquid in your pot and prevent burning, particularly if you are making a soup or cooking dry beans or pasta (in soup).I’ve been cooking for 39 years, since I was a small child. Growing up, we never had a pressure cooker, and I had some vague notion that they were dangerous. And it’s true. Respect your pressure cooker. Pay attention to it if it stops talking. Don’t try to open it until the little metal valve drops. Always check the holes in the lid before use to make sure they are clear. Replace your gasket and plug if they look worn, and every couple of years whether they need it or not.Other complaints I’ve seen are that it is very difficult to open and close. That is true. Especially when I was first using it. I was also challenged by lining it up just correctly. There is an arrow on the lid that is probably supposed to direct me to line it up with something, but I have no idea what. I’ve looked all over the outside, and I can’t find anything. I’ve developed the knack, and the learning curve was longer than I care to admit.There were also a couple of times where I could not get it to close. I just had to completely take off the lid and start over. I think it had something to do with the lock valve and after a couple of tries, it just went on like it always does.Putting on the lid has also gotten easier with age, and I have no idea if it’s because it was just “tighter” when it was new, and has eased, or if I’ve just figured it out. Put a little oil on the gasket once it a while. It helps.That’s about it. If you’re hesitant, I’d encourage you to give it a go. Not only is cooking faster and easier, it’s also tastier!
Should have bought this sooner! I am VERY PLEASED to have it. It simply works beautifully. I can eat healthier because I can cook a batch of beans in less than 40 minutes. Depending on the bean or legume, some can cook in 15 minutes. Home cooked means I control all ingredients including salt. Most canned foods are HIGH in sodium and/ or potassium. The product is Easy care, easy clean, has a secure regulator, includes simple directions include cooking instructions for many foods, as well as some recipes. Arrived at my home in Oregon on the very next day after placing my order. I would buy this product again. Only wish I had done it sooner.
Best Bang for the Buck. After researching available pressure cookers on the market, I went with this one.Features I was looking for:1. 8 Qt. Capacity. Perhaps the 6 qt. would have fit our needs 80% of the time, but for the other 20%, when a big stew or batch of stock was necessary, this pot gives us the flexibility in one pot.2. Stainless Steel. Easy to clean. Additionally, this PC has the tri-ply base, so it efficiently handles heat, and allows you to saute or brown ingredients prior to putting them under pressure.3. Reputable Manufacturer and Worry-free spare parts. Presto fit the bill perfectly. They’ve been around forever, and parts are readily available from a variety of sources.I had a 6 qt aluminum prior to this pressure cooker. The aluminum cooker was a basic model with the rocking top. It did what it was supposed to do and did it well. However, I found myself wanting a larger capacity cooker with the above features.This Presto doesn’t have the fancy bells and whistles of some of the other manufacturers, but it is safe and it performs just as well. A pressure cooker either holds its pressure or it doesn’t– I wasn’t convinced I needed to pay 2-4 times as much for a unit that didn’t perform noticeably better or give me any real additional benefits.The pressure regulator on this unit doesn’t rock– it simply begins to emit a wisp of steam when it comes to pressure. The lever controls 2 things– pressure or venting. When you slide the lever to “vent”, the steam exhausts straight upwards. It’s not dangerous to your hands, but can also exhaust part of your liquid– this is a drawback in my opinion. However, it’s only a slight drawback for me because I prefer to depressurize the unit by running the cooker under cold water to minimize steam escaping into my kitchen.The handles are a bit different than those found on other cookers. This has 2 small handles versus a long handle and a shorter “helper handle.” I wasn’t sure if I’d like the handles, but I find I’m always handling the cooker with 2 hands anyway and don’t mind not having a long handle.Here’s an interesting thing I noticed as I compare my old aluminum with this Presto– it takes significantly less energy to keep the Presto at pressure than the aluminum. When the aluminum unit came to pressure, I’d turn down the burner to about 4 or 5 to keep it at pressure. On this Presto, I can go all the way down to “1/Lo” and it keeps chugging right along.Some of my favorite things to make with this include:1. Stocks. Chicken, Beef or Veal– these stocks come out perfect in 45-50 minutes versus the 4 hours I used to spend developing all the flavors. Thick and rich– can’t beat it.2. Soups. Use some of the stock you’ve either made fresh or have frozen from before. Brown your meat, saute your mirpoix, add your fresh or frozen veggies and any other liquids, and then “lock and load” for appropriate time. Yummy!3. Risotto. Follow Miss Vickie’s instructions on her website. OMG!! Cook like Top Chef!4. BBQ. Use this for a quick braise, then finish it off on the grill. Fall-off-the-bone tender!5. Beans. Any time, any where. I used to not do as much with beans since to cook them on the stovetop, you’d use just as much energy and time to cook the whole bag as half a bag–so….. I’d cook the whole bag. Then I’d have leftovers that would go bad. Not anymore. Now I cook the exact amount I need because the time/energy used in the PC is negligible. I like to give the beans a full soak and then cook for just a few minutes.6. Anything else that usually involves “T-I-M-E” because with a pressure cooker, time is no longer a 4-letter word for a busy person!This is a good quality piece of cookware that should last you a lifetime.
I like this new style. My wife is accustomed to the old pss,pss,pss, aluminum style, but she’s coming around. I will get back to you.
Buena calidad, fácil de usar, el manual solo viene en inglés, muy recomendable.!
This product as a stand alone item is excellent and I would recommend any person getting into preserving to make the plunge and buy this
Facil de usar, Buena capacidad y uso muy intuitivo. La comida qda deliciosa.
J’ai toujours eux des presto et mes préférés sont ceux de cette marqu pour en avoir essayé d’autres comme T-Fale et langostina je vient d’en acheter 2 de lea marques soit celui-ci et le 4 litres. Toujours très satisfaite
This is one of Presto’s larger 8-quart stainless steel pressure cookers. It resembles a small stockpot rather than a saucepan and has a sandwiched bottom for even heating. Aluminum is sandwiched between two layers of steel to form the base. This model is only available in size, but it includes its steaming basket, making it incredibly simple to steam food at home quickly and perfectly every time.
This is a more expensive stovetop model from Presto. Still, I appreciate its safety features and “quick-cool” release valve, which are like those of many higher-end models from competing brands. The price is on the higher end of the entry-level range, so look at the above information or click here to read my complete review of the Presto 01370 stovetop pressure cooker.
Key Features
- Chicken, fish, meat, and vegetables cook to perfection in minutes. Quickly cooks and tenderizes economical cuts of meat.
- Stainless steel construction with a special tri-clad base for fast, uniform heating. Ideal for use on regular and smooth top ranges.
- Pressure regulator maintains proper cooking pressure automatically. Pressure regulator/steam release valve offers an effortless “quick cool” option.
- Cover lock indicator shows at a glance when there is pressure inside the cooker and prevents the cover from beig opened until pressure is safely reduced.
- Stainless steel steaming basket for cooking several foods at once with no intermingling of flavors. Includes a 64-page instruction/recipe book.
PROS
- Features tri-clad base that provides fast and uniform heating
- Built-in regulator/steam release valve offers an effortless quick cool option
- Steaming basket allows for cooking several foods at once without intermingling of flavors
CONS
- The lid may be difficult to open/close
6. Presto 01282 8-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker
User reviews
Works perfectly. I use a pressure cooker at least once a week. I am replacing the one I had. This is my third pressure cooker in 50 years…..they last forever and make food quickly. Chicken soup takes 15 minutes
Works like you would expect. This is a great pressure cooker! It is bigger than my last one but does not seem to take any more time to cook! It looks nice and cleans easy! Yay! Thank you!
Quality. Excellent product
Pressure cooker. Love this has to replace my old one . Works like a charm. Sturdy and perfect for any kitchen . Makes cooking easier because it is so fast and it’s safe just follow the instructions . Love the make and quality
Well made. Good size and very good material
Best Pressure Cooker – Why ? – Because The Fake Ones Are No Good. I did a dumb thing with my old Presto. I was making a pot roast & somehow I got the cover misaligned with the pot. It was stuck – could not get it off or on correctly. I tried all the stuff that I could think of to dislodge it and I “broke my pick” trying to fix it, and decided to call Presto for help. The lady had no new clues either. Everything she suggested, I had tried already. Sadly I dumped the whole ready to cook pot roast & all the ingredients into the trash along with the Presto.Now I went on a search for a new pressure cooker. Costco had one of those “name brand, on TV” electric, do it all, pressure cookers for sale. I decided to try it. I did not even take it out of the box after reading the instruction manual. There are so any cautions & warnings with using it that I really did not feel comfortable to use it.Back to presto on Amazon. I found the same product that I had & just could not wait 2 days for it to arrive to make another pot roast. That meal was great.Yes, it doesn’t have all that fancy settings stuff and “press it & forget it” – but they just do not get same results as the Presto – is just not as good. I have also tried making some other meals that I have not tried before. They were easy to make and tasty & I wondered why I did not try this before.This size pot is perfect for doing a large hunk of meat for pot roasts & plenty of room for chicken, pork, or other dishes. I take JUST THE pot and rinse it out & I put it into the dishwasher. Perfectly cleaned. DO NOT put the lid into the dishwasher even if you take the gasket off. There still is a rubber plug in the lid that will dry out & make the pressure cooker a possible hazard. Just take the gasket off and clean the lid by hand – it is very easy & takes no time.I now am very carefully putting the lid on making sure it is all lined up & the top and pot are perfectly engaged. I know this one will last along time.
presto rating. easy to use, clean
After removing cooker from stove make sure you run cold water on lid to relieve pressure. Pressure cooker works great.
It is very good quality and I liked it. I cooked red beans in it and the result was perfect and quick.
So far it’s worked great. Rack works well and doesn’t reduce cooking space hardly at all. Rattler isn’t annoyingly loud even watching TV in the next room, unless you have it boiling too hard. Thought I might find it annoying, turns out it’s actually a great way to tell if it’s working normally without having to get up. Handle wiggles a bit but it hasn’t given me any trouble so far. As long as you know this isn’t the same as a normal pot, you have to check on it a bit as it comes up to temperature, etc, you’ll be happy buying this. One thing is that if, at the end of cooking, you press the emergency release to check for pressure, and there isn’t any pressure, and it’s wet with water, it just pops off inside. This is no big deal, you just rinse it and put it back in, and I could solve this by not being an idiot, so I can’t count that against it.
Fast get the done the handle is not very strong metal with plastic is would be better, I own 6q same brand for 15yrs work perfect need rubber gasket.
My daughter is happy with it. That makes me happy.
Good lord (in a good way). My husband cannot get over his new toy😁. He accomplished his cooking in no time.
A wise option for healthy, delicious, and quick meals, it cooks 3 to 10 times faster than conventional methods and even faster than a microwave for many foods. The chicken, fish, meat, and vegetables cook quickly to perfection. Aids in tenderizing inexpensive cuts of meat.
Functions on standard and smooth-top ranges. The cover lock indicator indicates the presence of internal pressure and prevents the cover from being removed until the pressure has been safely reduced.
Includes a unique rack for cooking multiple foods simultaneously without flavor mixing. Dishwasher-safe to facilitate cleaning. Liquid capacity: 8 quarts (7.6 liters).
Key Features
- The smart choice for preparing today’s lower calorie foods.
- Cooks three to ten times faster than ordinary cooking methods!
- Pressure cooking preserves flavors and nutrients, and even tenderizes lean cuts of meat.
- Pressure regulator maintains the proper cooking pressure automatically.
- Works on regular, smooth-top, and induction ranges. Luxurious stainless steel for long lasting beauty and easy cleaning.
- Includes cooking rack and complete 64-page instruction/recipe book.
PROS
- Built-in cover lock indicator shows if there is pressure inside the cooker briefly
- Made of heavy-gauge aluminum that provides quick and even heating
- Pressure cooking preserves flavors and nutrients and even tenderizes lean cuts of meat
CONS
- The bottom may warp easily
7. Presto 01362 6-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker
User reviews
Excellent value. Reviewed many pressure cookers before deciding on this one. While it requires a bit of assembly (handles and valve) these are minor issues. Very well made cooker and the 64 page booklet included useful information and recipes. Bought the 4 quart model since use for one person most of the time. Not having used pressure cooker before appreciated the warnings and useful tips on how to use safely. Like the fact that Presto has replacement seals when needed. Obviously cooker is useless if do not have this seal and in time am sure will require replacement. Buying one for my daughter as well who is busy career woman and wants to eat healthy and quickly. Keeping nutrients and vitamins in the food a plus as is the savings in time cooking a good meal. Easy to recommend this item.The instruction book that comes with this cooker is probably one of the best I have read in recent years. At the same time it is also very detailed in the care, maintenance and handling of the cooker. For example, it recommends replacing the seal and the safety plug once every two years. Of course that probably depends on the amount of use and the care you take of the product. In any case recommends replacing the safety plug when you replace the seal. Both are available on Amazon but this will mean a continuing cost to use the product. At the moment using Amazon Prime cost is about $15 for the pair of items or roughly $7.50 a year if replace every two years. I do highly recommend anyone wanting to use the product to read the instructions very carefully and perhaps highlight the key items. For example what foods to cook and more important what foods not to cook. What level in the pot to use for various items depending on their expansion during cooking. Also you need to look through the hole for the safety plug to be sure it is clear and use pipe cleaners to clean that hole and also the hole through the nut, all explained very clearly in the instructions. Various tips on how to clean (and how not to clean) the pot are very useful. If you have induction stove you will need the stainless steel pot since the aluminum pots are not magnetic, but then you probably knew that.Today with so many instructions written in China often they are difficult to read or not very worthwhile. The instructions with this cooker are quite different. They are important to use the product safely and to get the most value out of the product. If you are someone who seldom reads instructions or is not willing to spend an hour or so learning about this cooking method or who will not take the time to follow the safety instructions then you probably should consider a different method of cooking. But an hour or so spent learning about he product will pay off in better cooking, shorter time spent cooking and more healthy eating. I ordered a second cooker for my busy career oriented daughter but then cancelled the order after reading the instructions as I am not sure as busy as she is that she would read and follow them. I plan to show her mine and see if she will spend the time to learn the system. If so will order again for her. Or give her mine and buy second for myself. To me it is worth spending the time to learn about safely using this product but I can see that it is not for everyone. It is not a pot you just pour water into, stick lid on and fire up the burners. But once you learn how to take care of it and use it I think you will be extremely pleased with the cooking experience. And the time spent learning and caring for the cooker will pay off in shorter and better cooking. For those willing to invest a little time, bon appetite!
Better than expected. Great value. Based on the price I worried it would be too cheaply made but my first impression is that it’s of higher quality than expected. You have to put it together which involves attaching the handles with four screws. Takes about a minute.It does feel a little on the lightweight side compared to my similar sized pots; the handles in particular. I was afraid of stripping the screws that hold the handles on so I wouldn’t feel comfortable lifting it full with just the one handle (as I would with a regular saucepan). It’s possible I’m just being over-protective because it’s new and the handles would actually be fine.I’d been researching pressure cookers forever and price wasn’t an issue for me. Two popular pressure cooking websites seem to look down on rocker-style cookers, but if you look at the European models, all of them have one flaw or another. Fagor handles break off and there’s no indication you’re at pressure besides the amount of steam coming out. The Kuhn Rikon has a decorative plastic valve cover that breaks, and valve parts need frequent replacement. WMF only sells their lower-end models in the US, their handles crack, and US customer service is poor. The Fissler Vitaquick seems nice but many units have shipped with defective valves (easy to replace though). By contrast, the rocker-type pressure cookers seem bulletproof. Considering the price difference and that I wasn’t really sure what size to get, this Presto seemed like an economically risk-free introduction to pressure cooking.Most of the negative comments seem to be focused on the screws rusting. I can’t tell if Presto has switched them to stainless but after one water test and one beef stew, I haven’t seen anything yet. The screws that hold the handles on aren’t exposed to the inside at all, so I think they’ll be fine. there’s only two screws on the inside (pre-installed) that attach the lid handle. If I do notice rust, I’ll replace them with stainless versions (specs helpfully pointed out in another review). It seems people have also gotten replacement stainless versions from Presto when they complained about the originals.It comes with a trivet. I don’t think I’ll use it because I never needed one for normal braising. It’s made of aluminum which seems to bother some people. The health risks af aluminum cookware have long been debunked by Cooks Illustrated and others. Most restaurants use aluminum for everything because it’s cheap and performs better than stainless. Aluminum will tarnish and pit over time but I don’t fuss over how my pots and pans look. However I believe the Presto 6 quart aluminum version doesn’t have a very thick (or flat) bottom so for $12 dollars more, this seems like a better value.My first attempt at using it (beef stew) left me quite impressed. I used a pound of beef, a bunch of peppers and onions, and 1.5 cups of beef stock. Since the rocker-style loses steam faster (needing a higher neat setting), I was worried about running out of liquid and having food burn and stick to the bottom. Nothing stuck and it used up a lot less liquid than expected. It might have actually gained liquid from the beef and vegetables. I was amazed it was able to tenderize the meat after only 20 minutes (plus 10 to depressurize).I still believe you get what you pay for and I might eventually end up with a Kuhn Rikon or Fissler, but my first impressions are that this is a great product for the price.
Del tamaño Perfecto y excelente calidad
It’s been many years (30+) since I bought a new ‘Presto’ pressure cooker. My last one (shown ) performed faultlessly for thirty years until the rubber seal finally gave out. This new ‘Stainless steel’ Presto didn’t disappoint. It’s priced competitively and shown to be of superior quality.
most likely the very best entry level pressure cooker offered now . Quality is amazing and 3ply technology
Na culinária diária. Excelente qualidade!
I AM VERY HAPPY WITH THIS PRESSURE COOKER-PRESTO STAINLESS STEEL 4 LTRI ALSO HAVE 6 LTR COOKER OF THE SAME WHICH I ORDERD IN 2019.I USE BOTH FOR MY COOKING EVERYDAY.I WOULD BE VERY OBLIGED IF YOU COULD GIVE ME DISCOUNTS FOR ANY PARTS THAT I ORDER IN FUTUREEG..SEALING RING WITH AIR VENT AND OVERPRESSURE PLUG, REGULATOR, HANDLES ETC
The Presto 1362 is available in both 4 and 6-quart capacities. It is made of stainless steel and is their top-selling product on Amazon. This is probably the best entry-level pressure cooker on the market today. The 18/10 stainless steel is thick enough to provide a sturdy feel and ensure safe cooking.
The pressure valves are simple to clean, and the pot is dishwasher safe and even compatible with induction stoves. The price is comparable to other pressure cookers on the market, so it should be affordable for almost everyone. However, I have much more to say about it. Follow the link to read my comprehensive Presto 01362 pressure cooker review.
The most significant aspect of this model is its widespread acceptance. The model has nearly 3,000 reviews on Amazon, with an average rating of 4.4 stars out of 5.
This is an awe-inspiring result, especially considering how many pressure cookers are sold on Amazon. The relatively low price also makes this a great way to get started with pressure cooking and means you don’t have to make a significant financial commitment to testing out this cooking method.
Key Features
- Chicken, fish, meat, and vegetables cook to perfection fast; Helps tenderize economical cuts of meat
- Pressure regulator maintains the proper cooking pressure automatically; Complete 64-page instruction/recipe book included
- Ideal for use on regular, smooth-top and induction ranges; Our stainless-steel pressure cooker may also be washed in an automatic dishwasher. When washing in a dishwasher, you must first remove the sealing ring and overpressure plug from the cover as these parts must be hand washed
- Cover lock indicator shows when there is pressure inside the cooker and prevents the cover from being opened until pressure is safely reduced
- Helper handle for ease of handling; Extended 12-year limited warranty
PROS
- Comes at an affordable and fair price
- Has the strength and durability due to the stainless steel
- Easy to clean
- Offers a much healthier cooking surface
- Has been used and rated positively rated by hundreds of customers
- Several safety features that are easy to understand
- Long warranty
CONS
- The pressure cooker requires a bit of assembly you need to assemble both handles
- There is only one pressure level available for the Presto. No low or medium setting options for pressure
- There is no automatic release feature built into the pressure cooker
8. Presto 01264 6-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker
User reviews
Will Do In A Pinch. Didn’t know what size to get but careful reading of instructions and what I make I determined this was the best size for me. Couldn’t decide between a 4qt and a 6 qt. I wanted a 6 qt but Amazon forced you to buy Amazon Prime if you wanted the 6 qt and I didn’t want that FORCED on me as I don’t want Prime Membership right now and didn’t want the hassle to quit later.But as it turned out the 4 qt is more than enough for one or two people or even if you have a small child. It’s well and simply made and very cheap compared to others out there. Was not sure about the crude rocking cap but it works, is reliable and simple to see if the pressure is correct by it’s gentle rocking.One decision to buy this was the gasket and other rubber seals are cheap to replace. The other one I looked at and really liked, the gasket and rubber replacements would cost me nearly $18 dollars a year to upkeep paying for another of their Pressure Cookers in only 3 YEARS!!The aluminum used is soft and scratches and stains easily and is not hardened i.e anodized. I wish it was but the cost would go higher too. But the manual gives a way to remove stains. Have not tried it as the light stains don’t bother me. I also did NOT detect any aluminum taste with dishes that contain acidic ingredients. A well-known site tested for aluminum and said it leeches .0025 of aluminum, but said when you take an antacid, one tablet contains 250 mg of aluminum! Drinking from soda cans can give you 1 or 2 mg of it.If that still bothers you go get a stainless-steel one. But the shape changes compared to the aluminum one even though they have the same capacity. I think the SS model is flatter and not as tall.I bought it mostly to cook beans in it and it excels at that. I tried their bean recipe and it’s good as any. Completely satisfied. I also use it to cook soups, stews and am still experimenting. I don’t know which is better at the moment for doing the latter as I only had this for a few months. Whether traditional cooking, i.e. Crockpot (failed at beans unless you buy it canned) or traditional stove, coil or gas.I can’t seem to get the full flavor nuances on the latter when using the Pressure Cooker, however, strangely, we did gobble up everything made by it. Cabbage in soup gets overcooked, though, as this is powerful and and has only one setting at 15 lbs. Perhaps delicate herbs and flavoring get smothered by the extreme pressure? Maybe not either, as I’m still experimenting in amounts and may take me a year or more to determine the truth, as I don’t use fresh herbs and tend to customize my recipes on the fly.I might add, also, it has a strangely very comfortable handle.See you in one year. 😉
Where has this thing been all my life. I bought this about a year ago, and for the vast majority of that time, it sat in my cupboard waiting to be used. I really wish I had used it sooner.I’m the family cook and time in the kitchen is always a hot, steamy affair. Considering I hate to sweat, the less time I spend sweating in there, the better.We’ve started going to stews and lower quality cuts of meat (gotta love food-for-fuel-caused increases in prices!) for our dishes and that involves way too much time sweating. So I finally decided to check out the pressure cooker laying fallow in the cupboard in the hopes of making my time in the kitchen both shorter and more productive.And boy did it deliver!If you look at my other reviews, I almost never gush. I’m a hyper-critical son of a female dog (sorry, Mom!) and can find fault in just about anything. But this thing is amazing. The 6qt bucket cooks 3-5 pounds of meat in under an hour. With the right spices, the meat is extremely flavorful, and it’s always falling apart tender. The spice combinations can be complicated, or as simple as salt and pepper – it’s up to the cook.Use is simple, with the only real consideration being the amount of water in it and the cooking time (in general, if you want it to cook longer, use more water, less if cooking for less time), the charts for which are freely available on the Internet. It makes cooking rice, barley and meats – usually things that can take a lot of time – insanely fast. That the results are generally more flavorful and aromatic only adds icing to the pressure-cooker cake.Instructions included are kind of rudimentary, but the idea is to heat it up on high until the top knob starts to dance, then turn the heat WAY DOWN, to a point just enough to keep the dance going. If you’ve ever simmered anything in a covered pot, you have an idea of how low that heat may be. It depends on your stove, of course, and some fiddling to find the “sweet dance spot” may be required. Once you know the SDS, you can walk away for the requisite amount of cooking time until it’s time to take it off the burner.Once you get the hang of it, you will wonder why you ever lived your life without one.We’re converting toward pressure cooking (it uses a lot less electricity cooking due to the faster cooking times on lower heat) because you can take inferior products and make gourmet-tasting meals.Now, least you think I’m shilling here, some down-sides to the 6qt model I got.-Learning curve. If you cook a lot, you’ll learn how to use this quickly. If you don’t, chances are you’re going to have a lot of overcooked food. Note cooking times and water to avoid that.-The screw holding the handle to the pot comes loose occasionally. A screwdriver fixes that.-It’s enormous, so if you have an older dishwasher, likely you’ll be washing it by hand. Finding storage space in small apartments for that size may be an issue as well. You might want to consider your actual use needs before getting one this large (I needed large).-It can be a bit “loud”. My wife hates the sound of it, even if she loves the results of what it cooks. I don’t find it that annoying, so your mileage may vary there.And that’s pretty much it as far as negatives go. I can easily deal with all of them, and even with my hypercritical, ready-to-objectively-bash-everything attitude, I can’t find any credible reason not to give this thing less than the five stars it deserves.An absolutely stellar product.
Works good. Fast and easy to use
Works great. great product. Tried making deep fried chicken. Really good and cooked the chicken in 8 minutes.only needed about 5 minutes cooking time as it continues to cook in the cool down stage.
Love it. Budget friendly and great
Love it. This 4 quart Pressure Cooker is the perfect size for two people. I have had two pressure cookers and used them all the time. We downsized and I did not have room for the two of them. I missed using them. I saw this Presto 4 quart and thought it would be perfect for just the two of us. It is!
Great product. Works really properly and fast cooking!
Quality and functionality. I have one for myself and that I bought many years ago and still work like a charm. So, I asked my daughter in law if she wanted one and she said yes. then I bought this one and asked to be shipped to her address. She said, she’s not afraid of using this pressure cooker and she’s going to use a lot to cook delicious meals for her family. Presto is still the most best quality pressure cooker in the market and I’m glad that I was able to get here on Amazon.
Excelente su tamaño rápida y ligera
Excelente calidad, coce muy bien los alimentos.
Best cooker ever!
Handle gets loose, but otherwise a very good cooker.
Excelente producto, compré una de 4L y ahora compraré la de 6L ya que necesito más espacio, sin embargo; la pequeña cumple su función perfectamente.
The Presto 1264 pressure cookers line is comparable to the preceding models. However, they are made of aluminum, which makes them lighter, better at conducting heat, and cheaper.
There are both pros and cons. Most people feel safer cooking under pressure in steel, but this aluminum pot is still safe if you follow the instructions in the manual.
This inexpensive pressure cooker is available in 4, 6, and 8-quart capacities and is affordable enough to buy a set. Click the price link above or follow the link to read my complete review of the Presto 01264 pressure cooker.
This brand, presto, is rapidly becoming one of my favorites. Their products are trustworthy and of high quality. I anticipate many more years of pressure cooker use. I prepare many grains and meats with mine. In my kitchen, chicken has never been cooked so quickly and tenderly.
If I had the option to purchase a pressure cooker again, the only thing I would do differently would be to buy a stainless-steel Presto model. Aluminum was the most economical option then, and it also allowed me to learn how to use a pressure cooker before committing. Still, if your budget allows it, I recommend purchasing a stainless-steel pressure cooker.
Key Features
- Chicken, fish, meat, and vegetables cook to perfection fast. Helps tenderize economical cuts of meat. Strong heavy-gauge aluminum for quick, even heating.
- Works on regular and smooth-top ranges. Pressure regulator maintains the proper cooking pressure automatically.
- Cover lock indicator shows when there is pressure inside the cooker and prevents the cover from being opened until pressure is safely reduced.
- Helper handle for ease of handling. Also includes a special rack for cooking several foods at once with no intermingling of flavors.
- Extended 12-year limited warranty. Pressure cooking preserves flavors and nutrients and even tenderizes lean cuts of meat
PROS
- Made of heavy-gauge aluminum that ensures quick and even heating
- Built-in pressure regulator maintains the proper cooking pressure automatically
- Equipped with helper handle that provides ease of handling
CONS
- May be difficult to open/close
9. Presto 02141 6-Quart Electric Pressure Cooker
User reviews
Great all around unit. This unit although made in china…has many good features to it and once you get familiar with it ease of use. Like many foreign made products manual are written by individuals not familiar with the units or the language because they are translating into English and several other languages which they may be using google or some horribly inferior .This unit will likely replace my rice cooker as well but trying to eat healthy will not likely include rice. The rice cooker steams veggies but does not “pressure cook” big difference.The free delivery W/O prime was originally stated as about a week, but came much sooner (Wed rather than Sat or later) so this part was awesome! Very pleased…I cooked my lentils in about 20 min…time to heat up..cook…then cool enough to open. Also a Yam about the same, but it seemed to indicate sliced so I did and they were perfect! It slow cooks, steams and pressure cooks with preprogrammed setting but you can change if you desire.Great purchase and value,…I highly recommend
dedicated user. UPD – 4 years strong. No issues. Have made poached eggs, cheesecakes, stuffed chicken breasts and more in this thing. LOVE IT. Still 5 stars.ORIG – Bought this awhile ago, but wanted to use several times before I rate it. I use this on weekends to make my lunch and dinners for the week. I mainly use saute and pressure cook; slow cooking never really worked for me nor do any of the other fancy settings. This has cut my cooking time from all day to couple hours.Pros:1. Works as directed (always a good thing)2. Removable cord3. Is simple enough for tech challenged individuals to use4. Keeps flavor profiles intact5. Nonstick pot6. Even sauteing as opposed to my 2 IPs7. Price point for valueCons:1. Doesn’t have a stainless pot option (not necessarily a bad thing though)2. Hard to see red light (make brighter?)3. Browning is just okay (I use my cast iron skillet for such, extra item to wash but better searing)Overall, I highly recommend if you are simply interested in an electric pressure cooker. Like it better than my fancy IPs.
Great Cooker. Had a stove top pressure cooker for years from Presto. Now updating to this electric one which is even easier that I don’t need to watch the gas stove like before.We don’t need a lot of fancy functions so we stick to Presto. Easy to use and well made. May consider to get a stainless steel back up inner pit some day in case we accidentally scratch the nonstick inner pot, but so far we have been using silicone tongs and spatula to brown and take out the food when it’s done so no problem here.Highly recommend this cooker with all the necessary functions you really need.
PERFORMANCE. This product lives up to the Presto name. It is reliable and safe.
Works really well. Makes delicious meals. also it is very fast. I all so like crock pot that comes with it.
Great investment & Timesaver. I have used a stove top pressure cooker for years but my hubby wanted an electric one. So I found this one and I am SO VERY PLEASED 😌 the size is perfect and so easy to clean. Very quiet too ( although I kinda miss the steam train rocking sound…NOT). The browning option heats up quickly so don’t have to dirty another pan and all the goodies are left there to flavor the dish. I purchased some silicone baskets so I can cook in layers. The nonstick coating is not easy to scratch and the fact that it comes out makes cleaning up so simple. In the lid the plastic liner must come off to wash separately… It tends to hold the smells but it doesn’t seem to effect the dish. I highly recommend this product.
Long review with backstory ( point is I like it and recommend it!). Have wanted an “instant pot” aka a pressure cooker for awhile now , honestly just didn’t really have the money at the time to get one , I got an air fryer for Christmas as a gift and absolutely love it ( have wanted that for awhile as well) also got new pots and pans ( love them as well ) so I felt like the only thing left that I really wanted that I didn’t have was this ! Did some research , browsed all the ones on here , decided to go with this one , mostly because I felt the price was right , for the size especially, it is a great size for my small family . I won’t lie , I just got this a few days ago so haven’t got to experience a whole lot with it yet , but so far I have done hard boiled eggs , 6 mins flat ! They were the fastest , easiest peeling hard boiled eggs I have ever done ! I also did Italian dinner sausage in it last night in 15 mins flat ! It was amazing ! So far I am really enjoying the presto pressure cooker and I reccomend it ! It also came very quickly ! I’m very pleased !
Absolutely the best pressure/slow cooker for the price/size, no matter your budget! Look no further. I couldn’t be happier! Absolutely, without a doubt, this is the best pressure/slow cooker for the price/size! I did a ton of research before I spent my hard earned cash on a new pressure cooker, making sure that I got the most bang for my buck, and I haven’t been disappointed one bit. This cooker by Presto is so intuitive, very easy to use, that you just can’t go wrong! And cleanup is a snap with this cooker. I have been looking at air fryers as well, so the Presto air fryer will be on my list as well, especially with the holidays coming up in a couple of months! Good job, Presto! You designed and built an extremely high quality pressure cooker at a very reasonable, budget-friendly price!
ESTA OLLITA ESTA HERMOSA, Y FUNCIONA MUY BIEN , TENGO UNA CUISINART, PERO ESTA PRESTO LE LLEGA , LA RECOMIENDO
The Presto 02141 performs as well as more expensive models. The food is delicious and full of flavor. Internally, meat is tender and juicy. It is also important to note that pressure cookers make cooking quick and easy, which is why they are a helpful kitchen appliance.
Brown/Sauté, rice/multigrain, meat (chop/rib/roast), poultry/fish, soup/stew, vegetables (low & high pressure), desserts/beans, slow cook (low & high pressure), and keep warm are the nine cooking functions of the Presto 02141.
With so many cooking functions, the versatility of the Presto 02141 is high. You can prepare various foods, including steaks, barbecue ribs, beef ribs, chicken, pulled pork, beans, soup, rice, and vegetables, among others! They are all incredibly flavorful and delicious.
Once cooking is complete, the appliance enters “Keep warm” mode and gradually releases pressure. You can also use a lever to release pressure quickly.
The Presto 6-quart electric pressure cooker has eight safety features, including a cover lock system that restricts pressure buildup to when the cover is securely closed. The nonstick coating on the cooking pot makes it simple to clean.
Moreover, it is dishwasher safe. Presto 02141 offers exceptional value for the price. It is inexpensive, versatile, and cooks well. Obviously, as a less expensive model, it is not as good as more expensive models (such as the Ninja OP300 or Cuckoo A50), but it is close.
Key Features
- Pressure cooker and slow cooker in one
- Cook meat, fish, chicken, vegetables, beans, rice, grains, even desserts
- Fast and easy, just set and the rest is automatic
- Function settings for high pressure, low pressure, slow cook, brown, sauté, and keep Warm
- High-speed pressure-cooking preserves flavors and nutrients, tenderizes less expensive cuts of meat
- Included Components: 6-Quart Electric Pressure Cooker, Stainless and Black
- Item Shape: Round
PROS
- Offers a pressure cooker and slow cooker for convenient operation
- Features functional settings for both high pressure and low-pressure requirements
- High-speed pressure-cooking preserves flavors and nutrients
CONS
- Ordinary design
10. Presto 50 01365 6-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker
The Presto 1365 stainless steel pressure cooker is an upscale model of standard steel pressure cookers. The most significant advantage of this unit is its steel base sandwiched between two layers of aluminum.
The aluminum acts as a heat transfer, resulting in an even distribution of heat and improved cooking. This model is highly secure while remaining reasonably priced. Even removal is impossible when a pressure has built up. Please click above for pricing information or here for my review of the Presto 01365 pressure cooker.
Using a pressure cooker to cook meat is highly recommended. Food cooks quickly and efficiently, which is advantageous in the summer heat. I’ve used pressure cookers for most of my life, and I prefer this basic stainless-steel model to any fancier ones.
The components are readily accessible and straightforward to replace. It is simple to clean. The design’s straightforwardness and simplicity assure me that I know exactly how well everything is functioning.
Key Features
- High-speed pressure-cooking preserves flavors and nutrients
- Pressure regulator automatically maintains the proper cooking pressure
- Protective features include pressure release devices and a cover lock that keeps cooker from being opened until pressure is reduced
- Includes a stainless-steel rack and a 64-page instruction/recipe book. Fully immersible and dishwasher safe
- Tri-clad base is made with a layer of aluminum sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel. extended 12-year limited
PROS
- Food cooks quickly and efficiently
- Easy to clean
- The parts are easily available and a breeze to switch out
- The simplicity and straightforward design
CONS
- It lacks proper safety
- Some parts are made of aluminum
11. Presto 01755 16-Quart Aluminum canner Pressure Cooker
User reviews
Great. I am rating this 5 stars on the one water test I have done with it will update when I actually can. Easy to use and keep the pressure correct and works well on my Glass top stove.I was able to use it and my fears left pretty quickly because of all the safety features. The Guage works well. Just adjust heat if needed to keep the constant pressure. Make sure to read the manual that comes with it very helpful.
This works well and instructions are clear. There is definitely a learning curve to this pot and once I finally got it started, I was watching it to ensure that I was following the instructions as described exactly. It was packaged well, works well and I am glad I purchased this product.
Great product, but not for my stove. The product was shipped promptly in good packaging and with all pieces and parts present. Assembly of the gauge to the lid was very easy. I followed the instructions and practiced with 4 cups of water in the canner. The pressure regulator began to rock at the same time the gauge registered 15 psi. Good sign. I began a methodical process of reducing the heat to get to and maintain 11 psi, which is recommended for my altitude. I wanted to figure out what position my stove dial needed to be at or around for this to happen. Unfortunately, my 1994 electric coil range has too much variability at any given position on the dial to be able to maintain a fairly consistent pressure without frequent little adjustments. I did three “practice sessions” trying to nail down where I need to be on my stove’s dial to stay at 11 psi or only slightly above. Because of the size of the canner, I can only use it on the big burner on the front of the stove, so trying another burner was not an option. In the end I decided this unit on my particular stove would take way too much babysitting and adjusting, so I returned it. Disappointing, but maybe with a newer and different type of stove this would work for me. This is a solid priduct, hence the 5 stars. I share this experience because others may not be considering that the stove is a contributor to being able to use this type of canner successfully. I purchased a Presto 16-quart electric pressure canner instead and look forward to its arrival.
Great Value. I had researched canners that can be used on smooth top stoves and this is the one that came up as the best. With all the abundance of the vegetables coming on in the garden, canning seemed like something I should do. I read the pamphlet that came with the canned a few times so it was embedded in my mind. I washed it in the hot soapy water and dried it and got everything ready to can. Filled the jars and the canned preformed just as the directions said. It is easy to clean and sure is a lot better than the old canner I used 40 years ago. Today, we are planning on canning all day! This is a top rated canner and my biggest concern was my smooth top stove as I read a lot of canner could not be used on my stove. This one is just great all the way around and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to start canning or even a pro of many years. Made perfect and not too heavy. Read the manual that came with it (it even has recipes). Per the manual, it can also be used as a water bath canner. So, I feel I have two canners in one that take care of all of my needs. Buy it, you won’t be sorry!!!
Good Intro to pressure canning. Experience & Reason bought:With over 30 years of pressure canning experience, I only bought this because my All American workhorse unit is too tall for the space in a secondary home kitchen. After using this as a canner a few times, I felt it was time to provide a review for the pressure canning characteristics (have not used as a cooker or hot water bath).Pros: Light weight and reasonable price; compact size; portable; readily available replacement parts; heats surprisingly quick; good primer instruction booklet; dual pressure gauges are a double safety check; the weighted gauge (“rocker”) is comparatively quiet (c/b a con also). A safety pop-up lock activates when under pressure (should be red color); No locks to tighten, just a twist of the inter locking lid. The etched volume lines inside the pot are somewhat difficult to see, but very practical and helpful. Maintenance is simple, minimal, and fast.Cons: Only one weighted gauge of 15# (a 3- piece set is available for greater utility). Clamping the top securely can be a bit trying for small or weak hands because the short, slick “handles” require a kind of wide “lobster claw” pinch to close tightly; plus they do not provide much surface area to grip when lifting or carrying. The lid does not have a handle, so one is tempted to grab the dial gauge (don’t). The “V” indicator on the rim is rather cryptic, and it would behoove the safety and function to be a contrasting color to the shiny aluminum.Based on my experience so far, this is a great beginner’s pressure cooker canner that won’t break the bank; it is easily transportable and designed for “low-volume” production, but with a 7 qt./14 pint capacity, it is plenty for most family canning needs. The low-profile design and reduced height allows it to fit between a stove and overhead microwave oven. So far I am pleased to have this kitchen assistant that is actually getting more frequent use. It is easy on the arms and back muscles when carrying or maneuvering. Unless one prefers to buy a premium canner cooker, I would recommend this product be considered. An inner wire rack (12″ diameter) that can lift/lower the jars is also a great accessory to canning operations.Final note: Buyer beware: most pressure canner descriptions prominently advertise the volume capacity of the POT, not the maximum numbers of jars or food it will hold. Do not be mislead by this advertising that can be confusing.
Perfect for mushroom cooking. Love this thing, big enough and not too big. Perfect for me to pressure cook my “mushrooms food”. Closes easily, doesn’t chatter unnecessarily, all around awesome. 4q and 4p, no problemo….
Great pressure canner. I use this to can green beans and carrots. I really like it especially using a gas stove at the cottage. Used it at home on my flat top and it still worked good just have to watch the pressure guage more closely keeping it on the correct lbs per pressure because the burner doesn’t cool or heat quickly so I had to constantly adjust the heat. I would still buy again.The set up and directions are easy to understand and follow.
Works well. Good price and no problems
It is the right size for my glass top stove, not too heavy. I have done beef stews, chicken stews and kidney beans. Perfect results. I wish l had it years ago.
I decided on the 16 quart model largely because I have a glass top stove. Although the 23 quart size can also be used on a glass top, lifting it to move it to a cool place on the stove once the cooking was done and I was waiting for it to cool would have been too difficult for me if the 23 quart size was used to its (greater) capacity. Dragging it from one place to the other could damage my stove top. Do keep in mind that the 16 quart is too short to safely water bath can quart/liter jars, so if you have a tall water bath canner, don’t get rid of it!I am very happy with the pressure cooker. The instructions are clear and following them exactly will lead to great and safe home canning. I made 7 pints of BBQ sauce the day it came.I decided to order the weighted regulator separately, which gives me the choice of a rocker at 5, 10, or 15 pounds pressure. Because finding a place to have the pressure gauge checked is next to impossible these days, I trust the regulator far more than the gauge. I ordered it from the US site, where even with the difference in exchange rates and shipping added in, was much, much less expensive.I had also ordered an extra canning rack from the US site. It is a perfect size for my tall stock pot, which is what I use for water bath canning tall quart jars, and is much cheaper than ordering from the Canadian site.If you are new to home canning, and do not want to spend money on a book, I highly recommend you look for the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning online. There does not seem to be a Canadian equivalent.
I have never used a pressure canner before had bought another and it didn’t work. So thought I would try this one due to the reviews. It worked great and wasn’t as scary as I thought. Will be pressure canning all kinds of things
Haven’t actually processed any thing but did conduct a test and canner worked as expected. Presto is a good name that has been around for a long time. Hope to get lots of use this summer to help preserve garden produce and help reduce food costs. Not a huge pot but big enough for my needs without breaking an arm moving the pot. Purchased the extra canning weight but don’t think I’ll have to use it. Also purchased extra racks for canner so I can stack 1/2 pt. jars in the pot if I want. A great purchase all around without spending a fortune on the other type of canner.
This is a wonderful pressure canner. Everything about it works perfectly. I am even considering buying the 23 qt model. The only thing that disappointed me was that it comes with a 15 pound weight only, therefore in order to use the 10 pounds pressure that I require, I had to buy a separate, 3 piece weight. I don’t understand why that isn’t standard with this canner.
The Presto 16-Quart pressure Canner is designed to make home pressure canning simple and secure. The only safe method recommended for canning vegetables, meats, poultry, and seafood by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Can be used to preserve fruits, jams, jellies, pickles, and salsa in half-pint and pint jars using boiling water. Compatible with gas, electric, and smooth-top stoves. A deluxe dial pressure gauge displays accurate processing pressures, which is particularly important in high altitude regions.
Special air vent/cover lock only allows pressure to build when the cover is properly closed and prevents the cover from being opened until the pressure has been safely reduced. It also provides a visual indication of the internal pressure. Useful as a pressure cooker with a large capacity for preparing meats, poultry, soups, desserts, and more.
Durable heavy-gauge aluminum construction for long life and rapid, even heating. Includes a cooking/canning rack and an 80-page instruction/recipe book for pressure cooking and canning. Regular mason jar Capacity: 12 half-pints, 10 pints, or 7 quarts (half-pints and pints only for boiling water processing). extended 12-year restriction
Key Features
- Designed for easy, confident home pressure canning.
- The only safe method recommended by the USDA for canning vegetables, meats, poultry, and seafood.
- Doubles as a boiling water canner for fruits, jams, jellies, pickles, and salsa in half-pint and pint jars.
- Works on gas, electric, and Smooth-top ranges.
- Deluxe pressure dial gauge registers precise processing pressures, which is especially important in high altitude areas.
- Air vent/cover lock allows pressure to build only when the cover is closed properly and prevents the cover from being opened until pressure is safely reduced.
- Handy as a large capacity pressure cooker for meats, poultry, soups, and desserts.
- Durable heavy-gauge aluminum for long life and fast, even heating. Cooking/canning rack.
- Easy-to-follow 80-page instruction/recipe book for canning and pressure cooking. Regular mason jar Capacity: 12 half-pints, 10 pints, or 7 quarts (half-pints and pints only for boiling water processing).
- Included Components: Air Vent and Cover Lock, Item Shape: Round
- Designed for easy, confident home pressure canning. The only method recommended safe for canning meats, vegetables, poultry and seafood.
- Easy -to-read dial gauge registers a complete range of processing pressures.
- Includes cooking/canning rack and complete instruction/recipe book.
- Mason jar capacity: 12 half-pints; 10 pints; 7 quarts.
- 13-1/4 by 14-1/2 by 11-3/4 inches; 12-year limited warranty.
PROS
- Built-in air vent and cover lock allows pressure to build only when the cover is closed properly
- Comes in a large capacity that easily cooks poultry, meats, soups, and desserts
- Features pressure dial gauge that registers precise processing pressures
CONS
- May get stained easily
Presto Pressure Cooker – FAQs
Include four patent numbers below. National Pressure Cooker Company, founded in 1905 as “Northwestern Steel and Iron Works” in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is now known as National Presto Industries. Don from Edgar Wolf Jr.
Presto is one of the most well-known brands of stovetop pressure cookers, and their models appear to be dependable and simple to operate. Therefore, this brand is frequently the best place to begin since some of its models are reasonably priced.
The Prestos are highly durable and quick. We have only replaced the seal gasket, rubber safety plug, and gauge grommet from our local hardware store. The canners are still in excellent condition, and if we ever had to buy again, we would purchase the same ones.
The aluminum acts as a heat transfer, resulting in an even distribution of heat and improved cooking. This model is highly secure while remaining reasonably priced.
The company asserts that it “meets USDA home canning guidelines for safely processing meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, and other low acid foods.” Many home canners and U.S. Department of Agriculture canning experts hold the Presto brand in high regard, so it would be a great benefit if the company designed an electric canner.
The Presto 16-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker are ideal for beginners. This pressure canner from Presto features durable, heavy-gauge aluminum construction that ensures quick, even heating and is compatible with gas, electric, and smooth-top stoves (but not induction cooktops).
Typically, a 4-quart pressure cooker can accommodate whole meal recipes for one or two individuals. The most popular size for families with two or more individuals.
Because they are designed to hold cans or jars during the heating process, pressure canners are typically larger than pressure cookers. A weight or dial gauge in a canner is used to monitor the pressure inside the pot.
Typically, 6-quart units are sufficient for most uses for families of average size. They are large enough to accommodate entire roasts and birds, as well as soups and stews for a family of three to seven.
Although stainless steel is more durable than aluminum, it does not conduct heat well, so cooking in a stainless-steel pressure cooker may take longer than in an aluminum pressure cooker.
Presto canners are highly durable and will last quite a while with proper care. One of the advantages of the Presto pressure canner is that it can be used on both electric and gas ranges.
Final Thoughts
If you are willing to spend a bit more on a better kitchen tool, I’d like to point you in the direction of two brands that produce excellent upgrades from the Presto line.
If you desire something slightly higher quality and more expensive, an upgrade to Fagor may be the way to go. Here you can find my Fagor reviews.
In addition, you may be interested in my reviews of Prestige pressure cookers, as they are priced similarly to Presto pressure cookers but come in various shapes and sizes.
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