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Well, I am quite puzzled. Even an 11psi InstantPot gives almost al-dente chickpeas at 13 minutes. It APPEARS that you may not have to make time adjustments with your Vitaquick - for some reason. But now you know if anything comes out under-done to just add more time. I'm going to ask Fissler if they'll send me a U.S. model to test myself (I only have the Euro one). All of the magic happens in the valve so I definitely want to know from them more about the specs of the US vs. EU valves - with more detail than what is written in the manual to pass a UL certification. Ciao, L

It was getting late in the day for me and my mild dyslexia made that sentence look perfect before I hit "post". Yes, that is what I meant - thank you for giving me the opportunity to clarify! Ciao, L

I did not brine the chickpeas, and didn't try a 22 min. version (I didn't have any more chickpeas to test, and also felt the 13 min. version was already over cooked. Maybe the 13 min natural release was too long.) FWIW, I used a 6L model, have a gas stove and am at sea level. .Hmm... interesting. And... your particular Vitaquick also takes about 5 minutes to gain and loose pressure as as it does for Jo? Does the rim of the lid have U.S. stamped on it? You are correct, that 100kpa is the "over pressure" release and not the operating (or cooking) pressure. Comparatively this over-pressure safety release happens at 17.4psi for Kuhn Rikon (that operates at 15psi) and 21.7psi for the WMF (which operates at 14psi) - we can safely deduce that the over-pressure release will be 2-7psi less than the operating pressure. The over-pressure safety release can only equal the operating pressure in the case of venting cookers - but then the "operation" is a quite different animal. It's more of a yo-yo-like in that with every release from the valve the pressure inside drops lightly and it starts to build back up until the next release. Ciao, L

I want to make it crystal clear that I'm not holding anything against ATK or Fissler. I personally reported chipping and splitting handles directly to Fissler in 2012 - for their new model someone wrote an amazon review and posted photos of their handles chipping and breaking. Both in this forum and on amazon reviews customers reported getting the wrong manual with the pressure cooker, earlier a participant also even quoted an email to customer support. The Fissler U.S. manual states, and Fissler product manager confirmed, to me personally the U.S. Vitaquick pressure cooker operates at 60kpa. As far as America's Test Kitchen is concerned, they reported measuring a pressure cooker reaching a temperature level that is not technically possible given the information the manufacturer themselves has published about that pressure cooker. You can calculate if this information is correct yourself by plugging in 60kpa into the Atonine equation and working out the temperature it equates to. I do fault ATK for putting out a cookbook with cooking times that are vastly different from those that have been published and tested elsewhere. I am not the first or only critic of their reviews another pressure cooker expert published an entire article about the flaws of ATK's reviews when they published them 1996. I have open, up-front and completely honest and transparent in my interactions here and elsewhere - my username is my real last name. I have nothing to hide and no official cookbook to sell until mine is published next year.

The chickpeas should NOT be brined for the test. I asked Ojisan if he did because its unusual that a truly LOW pressure cooker could give him tender results in that amount of time. Brining beans cuts cooking time significantly -also in the pressure cooker. I have not had the opportunity, yet, to test and calculate how much cooking time brining cuts from the recommended pressure cookingtime - though I suspect it's close to half. Personally, I think the only way we're going to figure out this U.S. Vitaquick is if I get one in-house to test and measure myself with the proper tools (like a remote logging thermometer). Ciao, L

JoNorvelle, something is definitely fishy. I haven't stopped with my fact-finding mission, yet. I work with all pressure cooker manufacturers but I do so as an advocate for the consumer. That's why I'm not afraid to write a negative product review and I won't stop asking questions until the answers start to make sense. Ciao, L

Ojisan, that sounds great... did you get a chance to try a cup at 22 min? Did you brine them when soaking? Ciao, L

That's unfortunate that the receptionist sent you incorrect information. I got my info directly from the Fissler product manager in Idar-Oberstein Germany who double-checked with her colleagues in the laboratory before getting back to me. Of the ones I have personally used all of the Kuhn Rikon (in this discussion there details about "where" 15psi is), stove-top Fagor and "Super-fast" Magefesa opearate at 14.5psi (they round that up form 15). I have read, but not seen for myself, that American pressure cookers (for example, Presto) actually operate at 15psi - but they do not make them with spring valves. WMF makes a cooker that is equally as fancy as Fissler and -so far- has not had any pieces fall off and fall apart for me (because I keep using the cookers after my reviews) and it operates at 14psi (rounded up from 13.8). According to the manual, and my experience, the Fissler Blue Point made for the U.S. operates at 15psi. I don't know what happened in the meantime to make the new models designed for the U.S. so much weaker - obviously manufacturers cannot share their business strategy and decisions with everyone. If you do decide to keep the Fissler, I write my recipes (on the website and in books) for 9-15psi cookers - not everyone does that nor do they have the experience of cooking with a lower pressure cooker (I learned to pressure cook on one if its any consolation - but it was a €30 Italian grocery store cooker). At least for my recipes, when you see a range of cooking time you'll want to use the longer time with your cooker. Ciao, L

And BTW, I have a question in to Fissler U.S.A. about whether they sent the U.S. or Euro Vitaquick to America's Test Kitchen.

Ok, I finally got a copy of the manual and I COMPLETELY understand your confusion. I e-mailed Germany and asked if there was a type-o in the manual (not outside the realm of possibility) because along with the manual I received confirmation that the lid for the U.S. Vitaquick was made to adhere to separate pressure criteria - just as the Blue Point lid. Well, the Blue Point lid (and valve) for the U.S. were designed to have an operating pressure of 15psi. So, now I'm asking my contacts in Germany if the manual for the U.S. Vitaquick contains a type-o or whether it was deliberately spec'd to actually operate ad a lower pressure than the Euro version. It may take some time to get clarification or confirmation, but I'm on it. Ciao, L OK, I got the official word from Germany. The Fissler Vitaquick designed for the U.S. does reach a lower pressure than their European model- the manual is correct. The European Vitaquick operates at 80kpa (equivalent to 11.6 psi or about 243F) at the second ring and U.S. Vitaquick operates at 60kpa (equivalent to 8.7psi or about 237F) at the second ring - about because the equation that is used to calculate temperature from pressure does not give an absolute "correct" result but the temperatures are accurate within 3%. Fissler also sent me a PDF of the U.S. Manual to share - so anyone who hasn't received the correct manual with their Vitaquick can download it from the Free Pressure Cooker Manual Library or contact Fissler USA if you want a paper version mailed to you. This new information clarifies and confirms two things: - The only way America's Test Kitchen could have gotten a U.S. Vitaquick to reach 250F is if they were measuring the temperature while the cooker was being pushed into over-pressure (in other words on heat that is too high for the cooker with the primary valve spewing tons of steam out as a safety precaution). - The reason JoNorvelleWalker's Vitaquick reaches "high" pressure so quickly is because it is not actually reaching high pressure at all. Instead it is reaching the equivalent of "low pressure" (defined as 6-8psi) which most cookers only need an average of 5 minutes to reach. I hope this clears things up for everyone here, as well. Ciao, L P.S. That's 22 minutes of chickpea pressure cooking time for you Jo.

P.S. If you're game to do some experimenting while we're waiting to hear back from Germany.... Take two cups of (not dusty) chickpeas and soak them overnight. Then, tomorrow morning pressure cook half of the soaked chickpeas for 13 minutes at high pressure in four cups of water with natural release. If they are perfectly cooked (not crunchy but not too tender either -in other words edible) then the cooker operates at around 15 psi. If they are still crunchy and raw, set them aside and pressure cook the last half in four cups of water for 22 minutes with natural release - if they are perfectly done and not mush, then it is true that the cooker operates at a lower pressure. In my manuscript for the upcoming hip pressure cooking cookbook - I wrote at the head of the legume chapter that I tell time by chickpeas... so if you ever get to see the actual book now you'll know I wasn't kidding!!! When you're done you can make yourself hummus and pasta e ceci.

Ok, I finally got a copy of the manual and I COMPLETELY understand your confusion. I e-mailed Germany and asked if there was a type-o in the manual (not outside the realm of possibility) because along with the manual I received confirmation that the lid for the U.S. Vitaquick was made to adhere to separate pressure criteria - just as the Blue Point lid. Well, the Blue Point lid (and valve) for the U.S. were designed to have an operating pressure of 15psi. So, now I'm asking my contacts in Germany if the manual for the U.S. Vitaquick contains a type-o or whether it was deliberately spec'd to actually operate ad a lower pressure than the Euro version. It may take some time to get clarification or confirmation, but I'm on it. Ciao, L

. . . I did not realize that it should take 10 minutes, however. Is that true for all pressure cookers? Mine are WMF - two sizes, a large and a small.

I second your idea to use a digital timer - the pressure cooker should take an average of 10 minutes to reach full pressure (depending on the model, size and fill level). Ciao, L

I'm having a terrible time getting a straight answer from Fissler U.S. myself. I want to clarify that my direct experience and knowledge of the Fissler U.S. lids is limited to their previous model - the Blue Point. Until I hear back from someone knowledgeable (I'm about to shoot an e-mail straight to Germany) I cannot confirm whether the U.S. Vitaquick lid and valves are designed to OPERATE at 15psi. ATK's measurement of 250F/15psi for the Vitaquick is not a significant data point because in reading between the lines of their reviews, it appears that some cookers were measured while loosing pressure while others were in over-pressure. ANY cooker can REACH 15psi (even an 11 psi electric cooker) the useful information to the cook is whether they MAINTAIN it during cooking at pressure (this is called Operating Pressure) - which is used to determine pressure cooking times. Ciao, LP.S. If your pressure cooker is reaching pressure in just a couple of minutes you're either using induction or butane gas - they run really hot and the rules for reaching pressure are different for those heat sources.

Technically, once the pressure cooker has lost pressure the vessel is no longer sealed. At the beginning of pressure cooking the pressure cooker expels all of the air and then seals shut just as it begins to build pressure. As you know, if there is too much pressure, the valve opens to release it without letting in any air. However, when the pressure comes down and - eventually - there is no more pressure in the cooker the valve un-locks and air (and whatever else) enter the cooker, again. The same food safety rules apply to pressure cooked food as with any other cooking method. Ciao, L

Interesting! This is the first time I have heard anyone call legume cooking romantic. One pressure cooker manufacturer I work with promotes the fact that you can't smell the cooking - but, like you, I do not find it not to be a benefit (especially for the measly 20-30 minutes it takes). A less modern venting cooker will likely release more aroma. However--- I don't miss waking up early to start the Bolognese for a lasagna lunch and have the house smell like ragu for about four hours (and beyond the lasagna) because now I can I can pressure cook it in as much time as it takes my oven to pre-heat! Ciao, L

It sounds like the clay pot reduces and intensifies the bean cooking liquid - is that why you've moved to cooking them that way? Next time you're in a hurry try pressure cooking your beans but only adding 1 1/2 cups of water for each cup of dried soaked beans. So, for two cups of beans soaked overnight, pressure cook them in just three cups of water (with natural release as you do with your clay pot). The beans and their cooking liquid will be super-charged with flavor! Ciao, L

Ordinarily, an overnight soak in plenty of water (about four times the quantity) should take care of most beans. This might not be working for you due to the age of the beans - as beans get older they need more time to soak. It's always a good idea to purchase dried beans from a store with a very active bulk-bin so you know the beans have not been sitting in a package on the shelf collecting dust. Brining beans (soaking with salt) during soaking accelerates their cooking time during conventional cooking. Equally, brining, accelerates their bean cooking time in the pressure cooker as well. Under normal conditions with "fresh" dried beans the recommended pressure cooking time will turn beans to mush - I haven't quite had time to figure out the exact time savings - but it's significant! Here is a video that describes the process and talks a little bit about the science of brining beans... Ciao, L

I'm in the U.S. (from Italy) for a month of pressure cooker demonstrations, and you’re all invited! Come to see, hear and taste for yourself how much pressure cookers have changed and learn - why they cook so quickly, the latest safety mechanisms and some really neat home-cooking techniques. The menu includes an eggplant and olive dip, then a cannellini bean salad which is cooked together with pork ribs – a one pot meal recipe from my upcoming cookbook “hip pressure cooking” (St. Martin’s press Fall 2014). Dessert will show how you can kiss your oven goodbye in the summer with little steamed chocolate olive oil lemon cakes. The two hour demonstrations are free, include tasting the dishes and I stay behind for an extra hour to answer any questions I could not address during the demo and speak to the attendees individually. As a pressure cooker expert, I’m not representing any specific pressure cooker brand - the cooking demos for three different manufacturers. My goal is to get you pressure cooking, no matter what kind of pressure cooker you have or are planning to buy. Here is the schedule: August 8th, Thursday 12 noon, Williams-Sonoma, 122 N Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos, CA -(408) 354-7302 with FagorAugust 10th, Saturday 12 noon, Williams-Sonoma, 180 El Camino Real #701 Palo Alto, CA- (650) 321-3486 with FagorAugust 15th, Thursday 12 noon, Williams-Sonoma, 122 N Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos, CA -(408) 354-7302 with FagorAugust 16, Friday 12 noon, Williams-Sonoma, Westfield Valley Fair Mall, 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd, Santa Clara, CA - (408) 985-1507 with FagorAugust 17th, Saturday 11:30 AM, Pans on Fire, 3059-JK Hopyard Road, Pleasanton, CA - (925) 600-7267 with FagorAugust 21, Wednesday 6:00 PM, Bloomingdale's, 845 Market Street, San Francisco, CA - (415) 856-5300 with WMFAugust 22, Thursday 6:30 PM, Toque Blanche, 604 Main St, Half Moon Bay, CA - (650) 726-2898 with FagorAugust 24, Saturday 12 noon, Lodi Cooks, 5 N School St, Lodi, CA - (209) 334-5751 with MagefesaFor the small cooking schools (Pans on Fire, Toque Blanche and Lodi Cooks), be sure to call-ahead to reserve a spot. See you there! L NOTE: I do these demonstrations free of charge for the manufacturers and am only reimbursed for the ingredients used and gas spent to get there. There is no sales pitch at the demos and I do not personally gain from holding the events (though I do spend quite a bit of my own money come and stay in the U.S. and time to organize, prep and hold the demonstrations). Click here for the terms under which this event is listed in eG Forums.

The contents of the pressure cooker/canner HAVE to boil, otherwise there won't be enough steam to build pressure. What differentiates making stocks in a pressure cooker vs. the conventional method is that the contents ONLY boil when there is a pressure differential. In other words, only while the cooker is reaching and loosing pressure. If the cooker is maintaining a constant pressure the contents are still "boiling" but there are no actual bubbles forming and breaking to the surface. The faster the pressure differential changes (during release), the more violent the boil and turmoil inside the cooker. So always open stocks with natural release. Congrats on making fantastic stocks!!! L

Silicone gaskets are made in a mold that is coated with a powder to keep the silicone from sticking and pressure cookers are shined with a petroleum- based oil before boxing. You don't want to eat any of this stuff. Wash every part of the pressure cooker well before using. Ciao, L P.S. Congrats on your new pressure cooker!

The use of too much water in pressure cooker refers to braises or saute's converted to the pressure cooker. Since there is very little evaporation of the cooking liquid, and the food itself contributes liquid (that would otherwise evaporate in conventional cooking) you can find yourself boiling what you intended to braise. However, food that would conventionally be boiled would also be boiled in the pressure cooker. This includes beans. The most important thing you need to know about beans in the pressure cooker is that the maximum fill rules change. Where with most foods you should not fill the cooker more than 2/3 when it comes to beans (and any grain, fruit or any food that would foam and expand during cooking) the you should not fill your cooker more than 1/2 way. This includes the water, by-the-way. This is to ensure that neither the food (or the foam it produces) can interfere with the safety valves in the lid. Another way to ensure the valves are not obstructed is to open the cooker with a Natural Release. I wrote a whole guide about pressure cooking beans. I hope you find the information in it helpful: http://www.hippressurecooking.com/cannellini-and-mint-bean-salad-lesson-4-quick-soaking-beans/ Ciao, L

Linda, both Modernist Cuisine and the Ideas In Food blog have several pressure cooker recipes that use a canning jar - not for canning but as a Bain Marie container. Take a look here: http://modernistcuisine.com/recipes/garlic-confit/ And, here: http://blog.ideasinfood.com/ideas_in_food/2010/02/roux-in-a-jar.html Ciao, L

Thanks for the introduction, you guys are doing great and I only step-in to clarify things, or if no one answers a question now. Fissler's early marketing materials used to refer as the bases being conical for easy stacking - that has since been removed it from most places, but the photos are still there. One model still has the original text: "A practical advantage for several pots in the cupboard: they can be stacked in each other." http://www.fissler.co.uk/en/products/pressure_cookers/lines/vitavit_comfort.html In my opinion, the dis-advantages of a smaller cooking area outweigh the advantages of faster evaporation (or the ability to stack several cookers). If you want to do any braises, or recipes that require browning first, you would have to do in batches what you can brown in other cookers in one round. The Vitaquick is Fissler's the economy model - but that was not the deciding factor. I was visiting Fissler in Germany, almost two years ago, when they were deciding which model to introduce to the US. Headquarters had received feedback from the US marketing team that Americans would be confused by a dial-setting of the Vitavit. I mentioned that Fagor, one of the top-selling brands in the US, has had a dial setting for years - and no one has ever posted or commented in the websites I follow that they don't understand how to use it. I recommended they do more research. I have used the Euro Vitaquick and could never get it to work. It curdled flans, burned risotto's, ect. I sent it back to the manufacturer twice and they kept sending it back saying it worked. They sent me a replacement and it still didn't. I was reduced to just boiling potatoes when the last one finally kicked the bucket (valve failed). HOWEVER, the Vitaquick that is being sold in the US is not the same I used. Fissler made a different Vitaquick valve and lid to meet the 15psi "US standard." This might explain why a cooker I could not get to cook the most basic things got top ratings from America's Test Kitchen. Take a look at the reviews in this amazon listing and look at the product photos the reviewer uploaded. Unfortunately, it appears that the Vitaquick has similar durability issues that I had with the Vitavit: http://amzn.to/Z2zWXy The features on the Fissler cookers are really above and beyond most cookers I have seen. Fissler cookers are really a joy to use - when they work. They use top-quality stainless steel and distribute the heat so well their pans are ALMOST non-stick BUT I simply cannot understand the company's choice to use sub-standard materials for the handles that chip or valves that fail or don't even work out-of-the-box due because of manufacturing defects. The height of the 8 quart model might accommodate at least ONE 1-quart canning jar, I don't know if the width will let you use more than that.f you want to also do canning, take a look at a 10qt Fagor Cooker/Canner - it's wide enough to accommodate FOUR 1-quart canning jars. Fagor has several models but the Futuro (http://amzn.to/10LdddN) and the Duo (http://amzn.to/10LdddN) also have two pressure settings. Ciao, L