Presto 8-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker

List Price: $109.99

Actual Price: $76.95 You save: $33.04

Features:

Heavy-duty 8-quart stainless steel pressure cooker
Comfortably ergonomic, stay-cool black plastic handles
Strong-lock lid with steam vent, pressure indicator, and overpressure plug
Comes with rack for steaming food
15-1/2 by 8 inches; 12-year warranty

Editorial Review

Pressure cookers have experienced renewed popularity over the last several years because cooks have rediscovered what some cooks (particularly grandmas) have known for a long time--they're really fast. And it's easy to cook healthfully with pressure cookers, since the food retains so much more of its nutrients and flavor. Presto's 8-quart pressure cooker is a multi-purpose pot that can stand in as a conventional soup pot as well as perform the kitchen magic that pressure cookers are famous for. Chicken Cacciatore cooks in 8 minutes! And it's big enough for home canning, too. (The USDA recommends pressure canning as the only safe method for low-acid foods such as vegetables, meats, and poultry.) This professional-quality stainless steel pressure cooker is a handy addition to any well-rounded set of kitchen tools.

The heavy-duty lid locks down during cooking; an inner sealing ring keeps the steam in. In addition to a pop-up pressure indicator and a simple steam release mechanism, there is an overpressure plug that will let off steam if it builds up excessively. This pressure cooker is useful for weeknight dinners or for any meal that needs to come together quickly. An accompanying booklet contains 75 recipes, ranging from basic soup stocks to stews and pot roasts--even desserts like Petite Pumpkin Custards! Tenderize lean cuts of beef or pork; or cook chicken, fish, or vegetables faster than you can in a microwave, and without losing moisture.

Nonabrasive cleansers are best for cleaning this stainless steel pressure cooker, though occasional use of a fine metal polish will help the exterior keep its shine. The Presto 8-quart pressure cooker is fully immersible; in addition, the sealing ring should be removed after each use to allow cleaning of the inside rim of the lid. The vent pipe is simple to keep clean with a small brush or pipe cleaner, and both the air vent/cover lock and the overpressure plug are removable. The pressure cooker measures 10-1/2 inches in diameter (15-1/2 inches including handles) and 8-1/2 inches tall (including lid). Presto guarantees this pressure cooker with an extended 12-year warranty. A detailed instruction and recipe booklet is included; special safety issues that pertain to pressure cookers are clearly explained. --Garland Withers

User Reviews

Rating:
Summary:	Worth the price, be brave and try it out
Comment:	My wife insisted on getting a pressure cooker, I just didn't see a use for it. Finally gave in and tried it out. 1st use - Red Bean & taro sweet soup - usually red beans has to soak in water for about 6-8 hours, and cook for about 2 hours. We did the cooking without soaking the beans, pressure cook for 10 minutes with slow cool down. WOW, it was perfect, the beans cooked thoroughly. 2nd time - Black glutinous rice w/ coconut milk - this type of rice is extremely difficult to cook, takes forever. 24-36 hours of presoak, and couple hours in the rice cooker. I've never sucessfully cooked it before, this time with the pressure cooker, it was SUCCESS!! This is a heavenly dessert, my diet is completely thrown out the window. Why you have to be brave? When we started using it, really don't know what we were doing. Accidentally poked the rubber lid while pressure was building and it shot up and stem blew out like crazy, thought it was going to blow up. lol Had to read the instructions carefully before using it. After 1 use, you'll get the idea, most items takes 10-15 min to cook and slow cool down.

Rating:
Summary:	big cooler
Comment:	Bought this for my son for xmas. Stainlees steel and 8 quarts is a great size. Shipping was fast. Amazon made my xmas shopping easy. Thank You!

Rating:
Summary:	As good as expected
Comment:	Pretty darn good product,(wish it were American made). Simple to use, I would highly recommend Lorna Sass's cookbook to go with it. Her instructions for using PC much clearer than manufacture's, and also has good basic recipes with many easy variations. Have been using it for fast and healthy meals after work. Meat loaf and potatoes cooked in same pot in 10 minutes WOW. Barley soup in 15, big energy saving also.

Rating:
Summary:	This pressure cooker works great!!!
Comment:	I have been using this pressure cooker for over a month now and love the convenience and quality. I have cooked several chuck roasts with wonderful results in a 1/4 of the time it usually takes when cooking the conventional way. I've also cooked pork roasts with good results. I can't really think of anything I don't like about it. I'm looking forward to making soups, etc,.

Rating:
Summary:	Presto 8-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker/Canner
Comment:	Very well constructed. Excellent capacity. New pressure technology is superior to old style on my 20-year old unit. Easier to use and comes complete with needed accessories. Nothing extra to buy. I recommend it.