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Pressure Cookers: 2011 and beyond


Chris Amirault

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Does anybody know if there are any differences between the Fagor Duo and Splendid lines other than the two pressure settings available on the Duo?

The 10 qt versions are only $2 different on Amazon so it seems like the Duo is a no-brainer but wanted to make sure there wasn't something else I was missing. Fagor's website doesn't have a comparison page between models so it's hard to determine what other differences might exist.

http://www.amazon.com/Fagor-10-Quart-Pressure-Cooker-Canner/dp/B0000CFH7X

http://www.amazon.com/Fagor-Splendid-10-Quart-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B00008UA5V/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

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Does anybody know if there are any differences between the Fagor Duo and Splendid lines other than the two pressure settings available on the Duo?

The 10 qt versions are only $2 different on Amazon so it seems like the Duo is a no-brainer but wanted to make sure there wasn't something else I was missing.

Jump on the Duo if it's almost the same price as the Splendid - that is their economy model. I see from the links that you also get accessories with the Duo that are not included with the Splendid. Spend the $2 and get two pressure settings AND accessories!

Ciao,

L

hip pressure cooking - making pressure cooking hip, one recipe at a time!

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  • 1 month later...

For those who have Kuhn Rikon pressure cookers. Are they supposed to be completely silent and non-venting when pressurized? I just bought a new one and there is hissing as it's pressurizing and while at pressure... just wondering if this is normal or if somehow my pressure cooker is defective. Here's a YouTube of my cooker in action...note at 1:22 where you can see some moisture come out of the bottom of the vent even though it is just at high pressure (second red line).

edit: the only thing in the cooker is about a cup of water

Edited by RogerC (log)
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This hiss before the valve pops up is normal - if you help it you can cut this short.

What then happened to first red ring - normal pressure

Then second red ring - normal higher pressure

Then more than the second red ring - you are now into pressures above the two defined by the red rings. So above normal, so you should start to expect venting and finally the safety valve to blow. You went way past the 2nd red line in the video.

With the Kuhn Rikon using say induction on full power to bring to preasure then reduce to what you think would be static can be misleading. I tend to go full power till it hit's the bar, then down to 5 when that holds steady, down to 4 and then 2.5 h will keep it steady. Full power then down to 2.5 never works/

Edited by ermintrude (log)

Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.

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Thanks for the post. I understand that after going past the second valve, there should be significant venting as this prevents overpressure. However, there is some venting/hissing throughout the whole time, from before the cooker pressurizes (I understand this also), but also while it is going from one red line to two red lines (this is the part I am unsure about). You can hear the hissing in the video and also see some moisture get pushed out by the steam at 1:22. I was under the impression that from one red line to two red lines there should be no venting at all with the KR pressure cooker, but perhaps people just meant less venting than normal pressure cookers. I am just trying to figure out from other owners if this is the case or if I should be expecting silent operation from one red line to two red lines.

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  • 1 month later...

I just got around to testing my replacement cooker today. It seems better than the first and I'm probably being over vigilante, but at pressure there is a very subtle hiss and occasionally vapor is visible on the steam guard. According to Kuhn, this is normal operation.

Below are two pictures, showing the pressure settings I used when testing for any hiss - it was present in both. Also linked is an out of focus video, but you can hear the hiss in it and see the wisp of vapor I am talking about (around 4-5 seconds on). I am under the impression that the first photo is the proper setting for pressure, but I tried both.

DSCF7237.JPG

DSCF7238.JPG

So am I being crazy or is this normal?

It looks normal to me, just a quiet hiss

Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.

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"Looking to buy one, is the general consensus for a kuhn rikon?"

i have no experience with any other pressure cooker.

i am pleased with the 8 1/2 quart duromatic. it's extremely simple in design, everything appears quite substantial.

it's very quiet. it will work on gas, electric or induction hobs. i suspect it will last forever.

there certainly are cheaper pressure cookers.

i'm not sure what size i would get if i did it all over...your only suppose to fill the pot 2/3 full max, to prevent foam/boil over from fouling the pressure/vent mechanisms.

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I have the electric Cuisinart. I would not normally have bought it but I had a Williams-Sonoma credit I needed to use *that day* and I couldn't find anything else. That said I have been very happy with it and have used it quite a bit.

Mark

My eG Food Blog

www.markiscooking.com

My NEW Ribs site: BlasphemyRibs.com

My NEWER laser stuff site: Lightmade Designs

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Pressure cookers are like popcorn, you'l won't be happy with just one. I use a 21 quart pressure canner for both pressure canning and as a hot water bath container that resides in the garage. And yes, I have the seal checked annually by the Extension Service. Right now I use an countertop cuisinart pressure cooker nearly daily. I also have several pressure Kuhn Rikon cookers that were put back when I tried a combination induction, radiant smooth top. With a smooth top you heat the pressure cooker on one burner then once pressure is achieved you move to a burner heated on low. I don't like the extra attention and it's difficult to keep the heat low. Which is fine now that Viking discontinued and no longer provides parts for the stovetop. So I'm now thinking about my choices: propane, induction or radiant. If I didn't have stainless lined copper pots that I loved then the decision would be easy but propane would be easier with pressure canning.

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With a smooth top you heat the pressure cooker on one burner then once pressure is achieved you move to a burner heated on low. I don't like the extra attention and it's difficult to keep the heat low. Which is fine now that Viking discontinued and no longer provides parts for the stovetop. So I'm now thinking about my choices: propane, induction or radiant. If I didn't have stainless lined copper pots that I loved then the decision would be easy but propane would be easier with pressure canning.

I have trouble adjusting the gas heat for my Fagor pressure cooker. It goes along merrily for a while (more than 15 minutes) then the pressure releases. Very annoying when doing stock. I think it would be a lot easier with induction where the heat-by-number is more reproducible and you should be able to adjust to very low heat.

Then again I have a lot of trouble with this particular pressure cooker in getting it to seal properly and come up to pressure. I have to wait for it to boil and fiddle with the latch and the lid and sometimes press down on the top. Higher heat seems to make everything click into place better and once it seals it seems ok and I can lower the heat after a bit. I sent it back but they returned it saying it worked fine.

It's almost never bad to feed someone.

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What I love about the electric is you can set it up and basically wait for the beep to tell you it's done. I don't have to stress over the temp and pressure. Has both low and high pressure settings and you can also sauté and brown in the same pot.

Mark

My eG Food Blog

www.markiscooking.com

My NEW Ribs site: BlasphemyRibs.com

My NEWER laser stuff site: Lightmade Designs

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I have trouble adjusting the gas heat for my Fagor pressure cooker. It goes along merrily for a while (more than 15 minutes) then the pressure releases. Very annoying when doing stock. I think it would be a lot easier with induction where the heat-by-number is more reproducible and you should be able to adjust to very low heat.

Haresfur, the problems you describe may be because your Fagor has not reached full pressure before you turned down the heat - this is a common frustration because their "pressure signal" actually signals the BEGINNING of pressure instead of full pressure.

Fagor recommends waiting until it releases lots of steam (goes into over-pressure) before turning down the heat. I recommend an easier way: Just touch the pressure signal (the little dot that pops up). If it falls back down it has not reached pressure. If it's a little springy to the touch it is reaching pressure but not there yet. If it is hard and solid to the touch, it has reached full pressure and you can turn down the heat. The whole procedure could take anywhere from 3-5 minutes.

This should make it easier to adjust the heat and expect it to stay there for an hour or more!

Ciao,

L

hip pressure cooking - making pressure cooking hip, one recipe at a time!

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I have trouble adjusting the gas heat for my Fagor pressure cooker. It goes along merrily for a while (more than 15 minutes) then the pressure releases. Very annoying when doing stock. I think it would be a lot easier with induction where the heat-by-number is more reproducible and you should be able to adjust to very low heat.

Haresfur, the problems you describe may be because your Fagor has not reached full pressure before you turned down the heat - this is a common frustration because their "pressure signal" actually signals the BEGINNING of pressure instead of full pressure.

Fagor recommends waiting until it releases lots of steam (goes into over-pressure) before turning down the heat. I recommend an easier way: Just touch the pressure signal (the little dot that pops up). If it falls back down it has not reached pressure. If it's a little springy to the touch it is reaching pressure but not there yet. If it is hard and solid to the touch, it has reached full pressure and you can turn down the heat. The whole procedure could take anywhere from 3-5 minutes.

This should make it easier to adjust the heat and expect it to stay there for an hour or more!

Ciao,

L

Thanks for the advice! I think that will help with some of the problems but there is clearly something strange about the lid. Once the pressure is up it is fine but often the button won't even pop up until I fiddle with it. I think I'll have to experiment with my flame diffuser to see if I can adjust the temperature better.

It's almost never bad to feed someone.

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This is a re-post of an earlier post, removed because it contained commercial photographs that weren't mine.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I'd be most grateful for input on two 8-liter Kuhn Rikon pressure cookers, rendered here in mindblowing Photoshop silhouette:

8LiterPressureCookersilhouettes.jpg

The Family Style Stockpot, on the left, is 11 inches in diameter, and 5 inches tall without the lid.

The plain Stockpot, on the right, is 8¾ inches in diameter, and 8¾ inches tall without the lid.

According to the printed specs, the two cookers do not differ in quality or construction. Where they differ is in shape, and — more to the point — cost. The wider, shorter Family Style Stockpot is $160 more expensive than the narrower, taller model.

I can see where the shorter, wider Family Style Stockpot might better accomodate bundt molds, springforms, or ramekins. That aside, what other advantages would justify spending an additional $160?

Would appreciate your thoughts, and thanks!

Edited by BrooksNYC (log)
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I can't possibly see how that size differential would warrant the price differential... And if anything, I think the family style shape might be a disadvantage when I want to submerge items for stock in liquid -- for chicken carcasses or large beef bones, submerging them would be much harder in something only 5 inches tall (especially given that you can't actually have liquid all the way up that five inches -- my guess is that 4 inches would be the max liquid height... Similarly, even getting a particularly large roast might be tricky given the low height of the family style pot. And while some people certainly do molds / puddings / etc in their pressure cooker, my guess is that for the vast majority of home users, that is not the main function they serve...

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Thanks, Emily. At only five inches deep (minus the lid), the Family Style Stockpot is awfully shallow, isn't it?

As a vegetarian, I'm primarily a soup/stew/vegetable man, but any non-vegetarian trying to choose between these two cookers should take your points to heart. That's a $379.00 pressure cooker! As a buyer, I'd be pretty cross to discover that it wouldn't accommodate a roast.

I won't be cooking any roasts, but you've swayed me towards the taller, skinnier, cheaper model. The narrower footprint might actually be a better fit for my lilliputian gas burners (my apartment has a 1940s stove).

Again, thanks for chiming in.

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I can't possibly see how that size differential would warrant the price differential...

I don't have the 8L but the 5L braiser (low and wide), and 5L stockpot (tall and skinny) The braiser top and base weigh 4.04k while the stockpot weighs 2.87k. You're paying for the extra metal. I can assure you that there will be a similar difference between the two 8L models.

In a pressure cooker, the lid takes most of the pressure - so having a larger surface area (616 cm2 for the braiser vs 380 cm2 for the stockpot) necessitates a heftier lid (the gasket is also significantly thicker). The wider base also requires a wider aluminum disk. The cost difference is commiserate with the materials used.

I won't be cooking any roasts, but you've swayed me towards the taller, skinnier, cheaper model. The narrower footprint might actually be a better fit for my lilliputian gas burners (my apartment has a 1940s stove).

All that being said, I do not recommend the braiser as your FIRST or ONLY pressure cooker. The shape is not conducive to doing advanced pressure cooking techniques that involve stacking multiple foods and cooking them at the same time. The Braiser is FANTASTIC for meat, but not only that. The larger area makes it easy to quickly sautee or brown veggies, and also evaporates and reduces liquids more quickly than the stockpot. I only recommend the braiser for people who already have one cooker and want to move all of their cooking to pressure cooking.

Let me know if I can answer any more questions!

Ciao,

L

hip pressure cooking - making pressure cooking hip, one recipe at a time!

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I'd be most grateful for input on two 8-liter Kuhn Rikon pressure cookers, (...)

I can see where the shorter, wider Family Style Stockpot might better accomodate bundt molds, springforms, or ramekins. That aside, what other advantages would justify spending an additional $160?

Would appreciate your thoughts, and thanks!

I have the 5L and 12L wide Kuhn-Rikons, as well as a couple from other brand with the standard taller shape. I find the wider base really handy, in fact nowadays I use the KRs by default and turn to the others only when I need the different size or shape.

The wider base is great for browning the food, and I find it better for rices and stews where I can fit more meat pieces in just one row. It also heats faster as the wider base matches a bigger induction heating surface. And great for evaporating and reducing. The 5L is so good that I use it as my default braiser for most dishes, either pressure cooked or not.

That said, I agree with Laura that as a first/only cooker, and having small burners, the standard shape will likely serve you better.

Enrique

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Thank you all very much for your input. It's greatly appreciated.

For the record, this would be my second pressure cooker. I also have the "standard" 5-liter Kuhn Rikon Duromatic (8.75" diameter, 6" tall, without lid), which has been fantastic.

With this second purchase, I'm looking for a cooker to do the same sort of cooking I've been doing (soups, beans, stews, vegetables), but in larger quantities — two pounds of beans, for example, instead of one.

In a pressure cooker, the lid takes most of the pressure - so having a larger surface area (616 cm2 for the braiser vs 380 cm2 for the stockpot) necessitates a heftier lid (the gasket is also significantly thicker). The wider base also requires a wider aluminum disk.

Great stuff, Laura, and grazie mille. I'm already a fan of your site, so it's a nice surprise bumping into you on eGullet. Hattip.gif

The larger area makes it easy to quickly sautee or brown veggies, and also evaporates and reduces liquids more quickly than the stockpot.

My current pressure cooker does a good enough job with vegetable sautees and risottos that I'm still leaning towards a taller cooker with this next purchase. (And am looking forward to experimenting with your multiple food stacking techniques.)

I have the 5L and 12L wide Kuhn-Rikons
Thanks, Enrique. Since my main goal is to cook and freeze big batches of soups and stews, I'm actually dithering between the 12-liter and the 8-liter. Out of curiosity, does it require a block and tackle to lift the 12-liter?
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Just wondering what the verdict is on Scanpan? I read earlier a description of 'good, not great'. We got a lot of Scanpan stuff for our wedding and I've grown to really like it.

I've been casually looking around in Australia at 8 litre pressure cookers. A Kuhn Rikon is approaching $300 while the Fagor Duo and Scanpan models are $150. There's a Scanpan 2 pk which combines an 8 litre pressure cooker and a 3 litre one for $180, which looks like a good deal when compared to the Kuhn Rikon.

So I'm wondering what makes the Kuhn Rikon and the Fagor preferable over the Scanpan?

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