Do you want to save time and make cooking a breeze? Then you need a pressure cooker. If you don’t know what to look for before buying one, you’re in the right place. 

Let’s take a detailed look at their features and which factors it’s a good idea to consider before making your final decision.

Capacity

Capacity plays an important role when making a choice. It has to do with the number of people living in a household, the amounts of food cooked daily, as well as the type of food. You can find different sizes, depending on your needs:

• Small pressure cooker (4-5lt): It can cover the daily needs of a couple or one person. It is also ideal for cooking appetizers, side dishes and smaller portions.
• Medium pressure cooker (6-7lt): It is the most popular choice for families of 3 people. Suitable for preparing large portions and main meals, such as soups, stews or dishes with olive oil. 
• Large pressure cooker (8lt and above): It is aimed at larger families (4 people and above) with a need for larger amounts of food per day. It is also suitable for use at family gatherings or dinner with friends.

Keep in mind that some foods may expand during cooking or absorb a lot of the food's liquids. Choose a larger pressure cooker if you often cook legumes, such as beans and lentils. And don't forget to add extra water!

Material

18/10 Stainless Steel

If you are looking for cookware made from high-quality materials, then a 18/10 stainless steel pressure cooker is the ideal choice for you! It contains 18% chromium, which offers resistance to rust and wear, and 10% nickel, which provides shine, easy cleaning, and a longer lifespan. These materials make the cookware more thermally stable, offering better and safer cooking.

Stainless steel

This is also a very durable material, which does not wear out and is not easily affected by food. Pressure cookers made from this material often have a very solid and heavy base, which distributes heat evenly for perfect cooking. It is a good choice for you if you are looking for a pressure cooker with a good value for money.

Aluminum

As for aluminum, it is a much more affordable material. Aluminum pressure cookers are lighter and easier to use for any user. Due to their thinner design, they heat up more easily and provide even faster cooking. A suitable choice for you if you are looking for an easy-to-use pressure cooker at an affordable price. 

Most are made of stainless steel, but you can also find some aluminum pressure cookers.

Pressure Settings

You can find pressure cookers with a single pressure level. These are simpler devices, affordably priced, where you set the pressure the same for every type of food. 

On the other hand, there are pressure cookers with multiple pressure settings, which offer greater flexibility and adaptability for each different type of food. For example, choose low pressure for foods that cook quickly and will break down if overcooked, such as vegetables, and higher pressure for foods that require a longer cooking time, such as meat.

Safety Features

• Pressure release valve: The valve is an important part of the pressure cooker. It ensures the safe release of the steam created inside the vessel during cooking, from excessive pressure. Before choosing a pressure cooker, it is a good idea to make sure it has an easy-to-use valve and to check it before use.
• Lid lock: The lid of the pressure cooker must fit properly before cooking begins and must not be removed until all pressure has been successfully released. This is achieved with the correct pressure cooker gasket.
• Release system: In case the pressure rises excessively inside the pressure cooker, steam should be released through the gasket located on the side of the valve, as a backup safety measure.
• Cool-Touch handles: As with any cookware, look for pressure cookers that have handles for safe handling.

Usage

In general, you can cook anything in a pressure cooker that you can in a regular pot, but in a much shorter time. This can mean half the time, but even 85% faster meals.

In the table below, you can see indicative cooking times for some basic foods and dishes, both in a pot and in a pressure cooker:

Don't forget! Taking into account the above individual features and combining those that suit your needs and the use you want to make of your pot, you can arrive at the ideal choice for you. Before you decide, you can also take a look at the reviews from other users, so you can see their opinions and experiences, which may help you reach your final decision much more easily.