A pressure cooker is a kitchen appliance that is used to prepare stews, soups and large pieces of meat in a short time. They come in handy when you are preparing a meal for many and all your cooking pots are full. They are used in simmering and browning food and can be set on a timer. Electric pressure cookers need less electricity and they are popular for cooking within a short time. Their internal temperatures can reach up to 240 F (120 degrees) depending on your geographical altitude. They save a lot of energy and retain large amounts of the food nutrients which lead to a better health.
In order to get the best electric pressure cooker, look out for the following features:
- Its ability to regulate pressure. There are three types of regulators which include spring valves, weighted valve and modified weight valves pressure regulators. The regulator should be able to support the best range of cooking pressure
- Should have a cover interlock. Its purpose is to serve as a safety measure as you will be able to promptly get rid of all the built up pressure just in case there is a blockage at the venting pipe.
- It should have cooking racks. It helps you prepare different kinds of food together but separately e.g. beef and chicken.
- Electric pressure cookers are versatile appliances so one should choose that provide or have a warranty period. This is to protect the pressure cooker against damages in future.
- Quart size. This depends on the size of the family or the meal to be served. It can be a size 4 for couples, size six for a family of three to five or size 8 for large families.
- The timer and scheduling features. They should have an integrated timer to keep track of the cooking time. The moments it reaches the pressure, it begins to do a count-down on the cooking time automatically.
- The price of the cooker. The thoughts of many is that the higher the price the better the quality. One should be able to know what fits in his/her budget and also consider it as a long term investment.
All the above features depict the characteristics of the best pressure cooker but there is one major characteristic that one should watch out for;
It should be stainless steel in nature which makes them durable and not damaged easily. This feature allows for intense cooking temperatures and intense cooking pressure. They are heavy and expensive but considered to last for a very long time. It is easy to clean and they do not retain flavors or smell of the food afterwards. They have the ability to steam with high and low pressure. The timer has a delay function whereby it can cook for as long as you want and it is easily programmable.
The following are few examples of the best electric pressure cookers;
Instant Pot IP-DUO60 which has a multifunctional features e.g. It’s a slow cooker, rice cooker, can be a steamer and a warmer and also browning food.
Secura 6-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker. It has the multifunction features and also cooks food quickly. It is very easy to use and the food comes out tasting great.
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