Presto 01370 8-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker

This is my first pressure cooker, and I couldn't be happier. This turned out the best pot roast and potatoes I've ever had, ribs so moist and tender I just plucked out the bone with some tongs, and I'm looking forward to trying many different things in this pot. First of all, the pot itself is very high quality. Better than my Calphalon Commercial pots in my opinion. It has an amazing mirror polish finish to it, which does take a bit of extra effort to keep looking new. And a nice, thick, triple-clad bottom that heats amazingly evenly and both takes and holds heat beautifully. Judging by how things brown in it and the evenness of bubbles in simmering liquids, this spreads the heat out very evenly, unlike some of my other pots and pans. And it can take a blast of high heat (of course with liquid in the pot) in order to get it up to pressure quickly. No discoloration or suspicious clinks and clangs as it heats and expands. Took a little bit for me to figure out exactly how it all worked, being I'd never used one before, but finally got it figured out and it worked exactly as designed. The instruction/recipe booklet that comes with it is very well done, compared to the usual confusing and poorly done quality of such things. Cleaning is a bit of a chore. Not particularly difficult, but I like to do a thorough job, and it's a fairly large pot to scrub out. I've found that I've had to use some Softsoap cleanser and non-scratch scouring pad to get some of the discoloration off the metal after cooking. This is just trying to keep it looking new... I'm sure I'll stop being so particular at some point and won't have to spend so much time scrubbing it. To clean, in addition to scrubbing and washing the pot inside and out, (and another reviewer said this one was light compared to her old one and she hoped it held up. It's plenty heavy for me to try to hold in one hand while rinsing with the other, etc. Not sure I'd like it if it were heavier.)... they also say to remove the plastic sealing gasket and wash that completely, which isn't tough. The over-pressure plug is easy to remove if you want to clean around that, and you can also remove the little metal post and gasket of the cover lock mechanism, though if you use the pot normally, you probably wouldn't needed to clean them very often. Water spots/stains appeared on the inside of the lid from cooking, but again, I'm sure they won't affect anything. Having never used a pressure cooker before, the first time I flipped the lever to do a quick release of the pressure, it startled me pretty good, as it instantly shoots out a jet of loud steam that would probably go 10 ft high if it didn't roll off the ceiling or range hood... and continues for around 3 minutes before settling down. Rather amazed that in all the instructions, nothing was said about being sure to avoid being over the pressure valve when you release it. I could see someone who didn't understand how it worked possibly leaning over it when they flipped the lever and if they did, they'd end up being scalded terribly on their face I'd imagine. Since it's winter and the air in the house is dry as a bone, I've actually used this as a sort of quickie humidifier. Just bring a few cups of water to pressure until steam is escaping the pressure valve, (I added some lemon juice to give a pleasant smell. Could use vanilla or whatever) and carry it to whatever room or area you want to humidify. I sat it on an upside-down cast iron pot lid, and then flipped the pressure relief lever and it blasted out a torrent of steam. Did it a few times and according to my thermometer/humidity gauge, it brought up the humidity in the room about 5% and left a nice scent. So... it's multi-purpose. ha! But the greatest thing about it is the FOOD. Just so tender and delicious. I particularly like to brown/sear meats in it in a tiny bit of oil, then add liquid and things like carrots/celery/potato and pressure cook for a bit. Leaves everything done perfectly and with a nice flavorful liquid that can easily be made into gravy. Haven't tried beans or vegetables, but meats come out amazingly flavorful and fork tender. So good. A good product and well made. Keep it clean and perhaps replace the gasket every year or so, and it should last forever.

This is WONDERFUL simple easy to understand easy to get parts not that expensive buy quality live with quality love the simple yet easy to understand pressure safety measures my mom used pressure cookers all my kid life , they fell out of favor because of slow cookers and prepared meals at the store this DRAMATICALLY cuts down cooking time. we've done chicken roll ups , enchiladas, pork roast with cherry dejon cause (WOW WOW WOW). I debated aluminum vs stainless, get stainless lifetime durable not that much heavier, we got the 8 quart for the flexibility in cooking stuff. and the quick release valve IS THE BOMB SIMPLE push left to pressure push right to quick release ---that means you don't have to put in the sink with cold water when the recipe calls for QUICK RELEASE this valve is GENIUS leave it to presto to make my mom's pressure cooker so easy and safe to use another great idea---they have a pop up indicator to tell if under pressure--wait for the thing to fall down and bingo its safe to remove the lid. Clean up is typical stainless steel. Handles make it easy to use as a serving dish ---i hate to clean dishes why not combine things. goes to the table easy. WE ARE SO IMPRESSED WITH THIS my wife thanks me each time we have used it. I know you can buy cheaper, more complex but remember this is a well established company easy to get parts. and because its stove top based like you mom or grandmother they can give you insights and make it a re-bonding event. Most of the recipes i've reviewed calls for 15psi----those fancy electric models are very nice but they cook at lower pressure SOOOOOO you have to adjust cooking times---hey wasn't one of the reasons you go pressure cooker is to cut down on the cooking time----well be aware check out the recipe books BEFORE you invest in that non-15psi unit I called up my mom told her about my family going back to pressure cookers and at 87 she had tons of recipes and how to's bonding is wonderful she loved the attention. Can't go wrong with this unit and its size. I suggest you get another , say its 4 qt cousin for doing multiple dishes at the same time as we did. we also bought from amazon pressure perfect (no pictures but GREAT BOOK), AND Great food fast by bob warden---we go those BEFORE we got the pressure cookers to plan and understand. You will enjoy this for generations---try the pork roast with the cherry dejon sauce by bob warden- amazing

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 am not new to pressure cookers, I have a Presto Stainless 4 qt, and a very old 6 qt. aluminum Mirror. I love my Mirror because it is bigger and has a larger bottom for browning meats before pressure cooking them. But, I wanted a stainless steel, larger pressure cooker and so decided to purchase an 8 qt. After looking at the pressure cookers and reviews I was down to the Fagor and Presto brands. The Presto being more familiar to me and of a cheaper price was my pick. I am very happy with my selection. The cooker seems to work faster than my older models and, of course, takes more food quantity. After reading the description describing the changes in the old style jiggle top, and having to watch for the pressure button to rise I was concerned. Relax ladies, who liked to be able to listen rather than stand there and watch, the new pressure cooker is still basically a modified jiggle top that is set to the side. You still can hear it spit and spin as it gains pressure so you know when to turn the heat down. The only difference is that the jiggle top can now be turned to let steam escape. This is handy, although I still prefer the cold water method because when you let the steam escape through the jiggle top you might be getting your ceiling or surrounding cupboards wet - there is a large amount of steam that pours out straight up from the top. Another plus I like is that the rubber seal ring is white. My others are black and I like that I can see that the white ring is clean. For storage and handling the new short handles are great as opposed to having the one long handle which took more cupboard space and was harder to handle. I found the handles moved easily. The only reason I gave this cooker a 4, rather than a 5, is because I was hoping the bottom would be larger. The dimension given on Amazon is the top dimension including the lip, and this pot narrows down a little to the bottom. After researching the other models they are all this way and the only way to get a larger bottom is to buy a much, much, more expensive brand. I wish Presto would consider this because when browning meat before cooking, it would be nice to have more room on the bottom surface for big cuts.

I haven't been around a pressure cooker since I lived at home over 50 years ago. My momma had one and used it all the time. I got this one specifically to make broth. Stock, if you will. Chicken and beef. This baby takes 45 minutes when the alternative slow cook over the stove takes a minimum 4 hours. And it produces a clear stock - if you let it cool without releasing the pressure valve. Clear stock if you cool it under the faucet, too. It is sturdily built, fit and finish is about as good as it gets now-a-days, and it makes 8 quarts of top-notch broth. I use if for sipping in the morning and soup. Chicken cannellini bean with rice. Chicken noodle. In a few days Tom Kai Gai. Next week, something like beef barley maybe. Highly recommended.

Naturally, a $200 pressure cooker will be better but you don't have to spend that much. The Presto 8 quart is the perfect size for me. I would not want anything smaller. I might cook one ear of corn but no problem. I just put the supplied spacer rack in the pot, add one cup of water, add the corn and cook under pressure for about 3 or 4 minutes. I then turn off the gas, manually release the pressure and remove the corn with some metal tongs. Add a little butter and enjoy. The advantage is time but mostly energy consumption. The amount of energy used to get the job done is remarkably less. My first Presto had rust around the inner rim. Apparently the rust proof coating did not apply properly during manufacture. I contacted Presto and they replaced it. The replacement has a good coating and no rust. The more expensive pressure cookers probably have a better grade of metal where the Presto only has a stainless steel coating on a cheaper metal. I guess it is similar to solid gold or gold plated. If they both look the same and work the same then why pay more? You need to stay near the cooker until it reaches pressure. Once familiar with it I can venture away once the stove burner is set to maintain proper temperature and pressure. The sound of the escaping steam is sufficient for me. It would be nice if it would whistle so I could venture further from the kitchen during heat up. I am fascinated with pressure cookers in how they increase the atmospheric pressure by 50% and speed up cooking and save energy. I would like to see more recipes for pressure cookers. The book that comes with this cooker is OK but the recipes are not the best. They are simple and adequate. The bean soup recipe was a disaster for me. The chicken soup was acceptable. If you are new to pressure cookers, try corn on the cob, if it is in season. For future efforts do not over fill the cooker and make sure the recipe has enough fluids to prevent burning on the bottom of the pot. Avoid the recipes where people tend to go out on a limb to be different. I made chicken soup where Italian sausage was used so spice it up. Very bad. Experiment. Have fun. Have some backup food for the microwave if you make a mistake.

Well made. The one issue I would point to is that it only has one PSI setting-> 15psi or what is otherwise called "High Pressure". Most recipes call for the :standard" or high pressure. It used to be all only had one pressure but some of the new ones have 2 or 3. The most vital one is 15psi. It is also very important that the pressure cooker actually achieves the 15psi and I am quite confident the Presto 8 quart model does. Many pressure cookers don't and hence force you to extend the cooking time. I made some delicious "Chicken Cacciatore"-- flavors were out of this world- cooked to PERFECTION in just 8 minutes of high pressure. Just bring the pot to full pressure- a little metal bar pops up flush with the top of the pan lid(showing a silver disk through a round hole) and that tells you, you have reached full pressure- cooking time starts at this point and 8 minutes later, in this case you just turn off the heat and wait for the bar to fall- it makes a metallic clicking sound. Then you are ready to eat. Some recipes call for rapid release which on this pan just requires a turn of the dial to the right and you are able to open the pan. The pan comes with the dial detached-- just push it down on the stem with minimal effort- it will not go flush- notice you can turn it about 90 degrees to the left or right- one position allows for pressure to build while the other allows for quick release allowing you to open the pan when it is in pressure mode(always turn the burner off and move the pan to a cool burner if you are suing an electric stove). With gas ranges you can leave the pan on the same burner as the gas cools very quickly. You should also buy a stainless steel bowl with a handle that fits in the pressure cooker to cook rice in- just set the bowl in the included tray which sets upon an included rack- keeps rice from sticking to the bottom although I had very little trouble with that. Also the bottom is nice and thick the food cooked to perfection and clean up was very easy. Once the pot comes to pressure there is nearly no steam lost. The pot is extremely quiet compared to many other pressure cookers.

I ordered this to cook on an induction hotplate, so I was concerned about the base diameter. Just so everyone knows, the base is 7-7/8", which is great and not appreciably larger than the base of the 6qt pot (7-3/8"). I also tested the fit with mason jars: With the trivet in to keep the jars off the bottom, it holds 2 wide mouth quarts plus 2 wide mouth pints. Some other features I like: the safety interlock, the pressure release capability, the white gasket (doesn't smell like a tire factory, unlike the black kind which comes with the 6qt pot). The pressure control uses a weight instead of a spring: weights don't wear out or get `fatigue' so this is a plus. I also like that it is 8 quarts; this works out to a soup size of 4-6 quarts, which seems to be the minimum efficient size for a well-made soup; any smaller and you are forced to use partial vegetables, which is a pain. I use the same pot to can the extra. The canned soup is a real convenience when I don't have time to cook; pressure canned soup can be eaten right from the jar; basically, it is an MRE. The cook times are fast but not as fast as they are made to seem: The advertised time is `pressure time', which is very short. On each end of that there is warm-up (pressurization), and cool-down (depressurization, optional depending on what you're cooking). When cooking soup, you can speed things up by pre-heating the water while you put the soup together. The total time is still a big improvement over traditional cooking. Overall, I think pressure cooking is awesome and I think this is the best pressure pot available. updates: The second batch came in at about half an hour. I canned the extra. It seemed to work just fine; everything went smoothly and all the jars pinged. I've learned that this is an excellent way to cook tough meats like shank steaks. they can go from frozen to plate in about 15 minutes at 15psi. I added a Presto pressure gauge and created a thinner trivet; with a thinner trivet it fits four quarts perfectly, which I think is a huge improvement. The gauge makes canning much less dicey. Now it is extremely easy to throw together a 5-6-quart soup, eat one or two quarts for dinner, and can the rest. [Presto: these are things you should sell as options; IE, sell a premium version with the gauge and flat trivet for canning]

Me encanta ya tengo mas de medio año usandola, he hecho caldos de res, he puesto frijoles, me hice un flan y quedo excelente. Eso si como es acero inoxidable, es importante disolver la sal en el agua hirviendo para evitar que se manche y se corroe. Leean su instructivo ya que dependiendo de lo que vayas a cocinar cambia el tiempo y el maximo de agua que debes poner. La recomiendo

Very helpful

It appears well built and simple, which makes it seem like it doesn't have many opportunities to fail or break. Works with my induction cooker. I love the recipe book, which includes bean cooking times.

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

This is the best Presto product you can have! The new pressure relief system is awesome and the fast pressure relief option is so much better than the old system in the sink with cold water. The basket inside the pot is also a good add compare to the cheap plate in regular Presto pots.