Presto 01362 6-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this cooker 6 months ago from amazon for $35, and frankly, although the reviews I read on this product all said that it's great, I was very skeptical about the $35 price tag and was not expecting much. On top of that, both my mother and my mother-in-law warned me that cheap pressure cookers are dangerous, and I *must* buy something more expensive for safety reasons. I am just very glad that they were both wrong!
This is definitely one of the best purchases I have made on amazon. I still cannot believe they sell this for $35! The pot does not feel cheap at all. It has very sturdy handles, and a thick, heavy bottom, which holds in heat well. I like this pan so much that sometimes I use it instead of my skillet to sautee meat, because of the deeper pot + the cover, less cleaning up for me :-)
I love making soup and stock, but it usually takes up so much of my time when the stock is simmering. With this pressure cooker, I can make a meat-fall-off-the-bone soup in an hour!
Some might find this pot to be a little on the small side, but this pot works great for my wife and I. Although we have guests over regularly, I find the capacity of the pot to be very good. I would guess that this pot would work well for up to a 4-person family.
Pros:
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- Cheap, at $35, it's hard to beat
- Sturdy, I was afraid that the plastic handles would break easily, but they are in fact quite strong
- Stainless steel makes it great for browning meat pieces for stew or stock, and it heats up fast and holds heat well.
- Safe, you cannot open it when it's pressurized.
- Dish washer safe, though I prefer to wash it by hand.
Cons:
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- The handle can be tricky to hold with one hand. My hands are small, and when you've closed the top, the handle is kind of big. Luckily, I don't need to do this very often, and when I need to move it around, I just use both handles.
- The top cap can be tricky to clean. I usually soak it in hot soapy water, and then clean it thoroughly with Q-tip.
Watch outs:
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- The handle curves in a way that it catches any dripping liquid, I've hurt myself once when I wasn't careful at opening the cover.
- Do *NOT* remove the cap while it's blowing! The steam from inside is extremely hot and as soon as you remove the cap, the hot steam will shoot up faster than you can move your hand(s) away.
Tips:
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- I keep some water bottles in my freezer, and when I need to cool this off in a hurry, I can make a bath of cold water in my sink, put the hot pot inside, and throw the froze water bottles in. This usually cools it down very fast, great when I want to refrigerate it overnight to skim off the fat, and didn't want to wait too long for it to cool down.

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

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Brita 42629 Slim Pitcher Review

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(More customer reviews)We got this pitcher as a wedding gift and we've been using it now for over 3 years. It's the same picther, we aren't particularly careful with it, and still it looks and works like when we first got it. It's a great size and fits nicely in our fridge. The sides stay clear (unlike some pitchers that yellow) and the top is solid. We were so happy with it we got one for someone else as a wedding gift some time ago.
Some others have mentioned black granules, but we've only seen them in the top of the pitcher (the filter area, not the area that filtered-water goes that you drink). It's our non-scientific understanding that those are part of the carbon-filtering system in the Brita filters. In the 3 years of use, I don't think we've ever seen them in our filtered drinking water - if we have, it was maybe once.
The only other con for the pitcher is you may have to wait a while to fill it. The top part that holds water that is passing through the Brita filter is smaller than the part that holds filtered water, so it takes about two to three fills of the top part to fill the filtered part. The filtering is also a little slow, but not a problem.

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The Brita 42629 Slim Pitcher ensures that you will always have healthful, purified drinking water at your fingertips. With a capacity of 40 ounces, this smartly designed, compact water pitcher is perfect for small households. With Brita's advanced filtration process, you can enjoy water that's free of harmful substances and unappealing chlorine taste. Using this pitcher for your drinking water needs is also an easy way to help the environment by decreasing the need for bottled water.
Compact, Efficient, and Portable Thanks to its slim, compact design, the Brita Slim Pitcher can be stored in narrow spaces like refrigerator doors, avoiding the hassle of sacrificing valuable shelf space. Despite its compact size, the pitcher holds up 40 fluid ounces of water, the equivalent of five 8-ounce glasses. The sleek design makes for effortless transport, refilling, and pouring.
Reduces Impurities and Cuts Down on Chlorine Taste The pitcher's included Ion Exchange Resin filter acts as a magnet for impurities that are often found in tap water, such as lead, copper, mercury, cadmium, and zinc. The filter removes these impurities, reducing their potentially harmful effects. The filtering process also reduces that taste and odor of chlorine, thanks to special sponge-like filtration system.
The end result is clean, better tasting water that is healthier for everyone. This is especially good news for children and pregnant or nursing women who are more susceptible to potential harm from lead and other impurities. Filters should be changed every 40 gallons or two months and are not intended for use with microbiologically unsafe water.
All Brita Pitchers are universally compatible with Brita Pitcher Replacement Filters.
Improves Your Health and Invigorates Your Senses Water is a vital resource in energizing your mind and body, and using a Brita Pitcher ensures that the water you're drinking is in top quality. Proper hydration helps your body control temperature, keeps skin clear and glowing, and transports nutrients to the brain and other organs. It also acts as a powerful aid in digestion, metabolism, and detoxification. Brita recognizes the importance of water to human wellbeing and takes special care to optimize the healthfulness of your drinking water, so you can keep fit and energized.
A Simple Way to Support the Environment It's estimated that one Brita pitcher filter can substitute for the use of 300 water bottles, many of which end up in landfills. By using Brita filters, which are now recyclable through a Brita and Preserve filter recycling program, you lower your impact on the environment while benefiting your own health and possibly your wallet, too. Plus, your support of the Brita Products Company goes toward helping environmental efforts like the Brita Climate Ride, a five-day bike ride whose participants raise money for climate change awareness.
About The Brita Products Company The Brita Products Company is a leader in the production of freestanding water-filtration systems designed to improve the quality of drinking water by reducing its impurities. Heinz Hankammer, the company's creator, realized the need for enhancing the healthfulness and taste of potable water in 1966. He and his family first accomplished this goal under a pear tree in the family garden and have been working to carry out their mission ever since. The company is named after Heinz Hankhammer's daughter, Brita. As a corporation, Brita is committed to community and environmental outreach through projects like FilterForGood.com, a campaign dedicated to the reduction of bottled water waste.
What's in the Box Brita Slim Pitcher and one Brita Pitcher Replacement Filter

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Fagor Duo Combi 5-Piece Pressure Cooker Set Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Fagor is the least expensive brand that I am aware of which also has the 'modern' features desirable in pressure cookers. To learn more about pressure cookers and what is desirable go to missvickie.com (a non-commercial site devoted to pressure cooker enthusiasts.) Some of these features deal with safety, e.g. you don't have to worry about plugging the steam escape with Fagor. Fagor cookers also reach a pressure of 15psi (which is important.) Unless a brand advertises that they do reach 15psi, assume that they don't. I suggest getting an extra gasket when you buy the item as you will need one at one point (they don't last forever). I must also compliment the company on its service. I bought this item, and sent in a rebate form (for a free stock pot). They sent me a nice paella pan by mistake. I was satisfied, however I called them to make sure that there was no mistake. They answered the phone right away (without the common maze of annoyingly slow and complex menu options.) The woman I talked to was very personable. This woman checked on what happened, called me back, and told me that they would also send the stock pot to me, and for me to go ahead and keep the paella pan. I will update this if needed as time goes on, as I have more experience using this item.


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Enjoy fast%2C easy%2C and healthy cooking with Fagor%27s Duo Combi pressure cooker set%2C featuring 4%2Dquart and 8%2Dquart pots and one Duo pressure cooker lid%2E Pressure cooking enables quicker cooking times while helping you retain essential nutrients and vitamins%2E Fagor%27s Duo line of pressure cookers offer dual pressure settings%2C a sleek black%2C ergonomically designed handle%2C automatic pressure release position%2C and visual pressure indicator%2E The pots and pressure cooker lid are made from premium quality 18%2F10 stainless steel%2C and they can be used on any type of cooking surface%2E This Duo Combi set also includes a glass lid that fits both pots and a stainless steel steamer basket with trivet%2E It%27s covered by a 10%2Dyear warranty%2E

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Fagor Splendid 6-Quart Pressure Cooker Review

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

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

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