Blog written by Bill Stadwiser, WCG Youth Program Director

modern_pressure_cookerAsk around, and you’ll find that pressure cookers have a reputation for being loud, expensive, and dangerous.  While this reputation was true for many of our parents’ (or perhaps grandparents) generation, modern pressure cookers are truly a delight to use. And while modern units have largely ditched the issues that have plagued the models of yesteryear, they’ve kept and even improved upon the tremendous time, energy, water, and nutritional efficiencies that make pressure-cooking attractive in the first place.

 

So if you’re interested in learning about pressure cookers, read on …


A Brief History of Pressure Cooking:

Pressure cookers have been around since the late 17th century. Original models were made out of a hodge-podge of materials, were prone to exploding, and were considered by many to be more of a scientific curiosity than a useful tool for the masses.  By the mid-1800s, a German inventor had made the first stove-top pressure cooker out of thinned cast iron, although these, too, acquired a dubious reputation as temperamental and, at times, dangerous.

 

old_time_pressure_cooker_adIt wasn’t until the 1900s that pressure-cooking underwent a renaissance of sorts with the introduction of mass-produced models made from 20th-century metalworking technology. In vogue nearing mid-century, you might remember a parent or grandparent cooking with one of these lightweight, portable, and notoriously noisy contraptions. Like their predecessors, these “first-generation” pressure cookers also had a reputation for exploding, although less frequently, perhaps, than before.

 

The failings of all previous pressure cookers can be distilled down to four main issues:






 

 

 





Fortunately for us, manufacturers of modern pressure cookers have addressed all of these issues to create a variety of reliable, effective, adjustable, and, ultimately, safe products.  In short, if you follow the manufacturer’s instructions and safety precautions, the most dangerous part of owning a modern pressure cooker will likely be driving to and from the store to pick it up.

 

Advantages to Modern Stove-top Pressure Cookers







 

 

 

 

 

 

 






Disadvantages to Modern Stove-top Pressure Cookers







 

 

 

 






Tips on Selecting a Modern Stove-top Pressure Cooker:

 

pressure-cooker-diagramModern pressure cookers come in all shapes, sizes, and price points. Some manufacturers are even making electric models (not specifically covered in this post, but an intriguing development, nonetheless). That said, there are some common features to insist on when it comes time to select your new pressure cooker:







 

 






As always, read online reviews before purchasing so you know all the pluses and minuses of the particular model you’re considering.  Hope we have helped ease the intimidation of pressure cooking, and now you are inspired to cook under pressure.