Electric Pressure Cooker

One of the latest technological advancements in the home appliance section is the Pressure cooker.

This is quite different from the electric rice cooker that many people have got accustomed to using. The electric pressure cooker is the electric equivalent of the regular steam pressure cooker with a lot more intelligence built into it.

Basic working of a pressure cooker

The concept of the pressure cooker is centered on the concept of pressure. As the pressure increases, the boiling point of water increases.

In the pressure cookers, the pressure is increased by heating water. As the temperature of water starts to increase, it releases steam.

Since the pressure cooker is an air tight unit, this steam cannot escape from the unit. This builds the pressure inside the cooker. This increased pressure increases the boiling point of the water and thus, the liquid is able to reach very high temperatures without boiling off into steam. This high temperature aids in rapid cooking of the food.

How is an electric pressure cooker built?

The electric pressure cooker consists of four parts. Each has a specific function that allows the unit to function effectively to deliver great results.

Inner Pot

This is the main vessel in which the food to be cooked is placed. Typically depending on the kind of food to be cooked on needs to decide the quantity of water to be added to this inner pot. This pot can be made of aluminum or stainless steel.

The steel vessels are more expensive, but very sturdy and dishwasher safe. The size of this pot determines the ultimate size of the electric cooker as well as its capacity.

Lid:

The lid is another important aspect of the cooker. It needs to be tough enough to latch on to the main housing to help build the pressure. It typically has a gasket holder which helps make the unit air tight. Lastly, it has a steam release unit which helps release the excess steam when the pressure inside the cooker gets too high.

Outer housing:

This is like the main body of the cooker. It houses the inner pot and also has a mechanism for the lid to fit in securely and tightly. It also houses the electric and electronic circuits of the cooker.

Electronic circuits:

The electric cookers tend to have some intelligence built into them using microprocessors. The primary aim of these microprocessors is to monitor the temperature and the pressure within the cooker and moderate it under safe levels. At the end you have a perfectly cooked food in your cooker, ready to be eaten directly or processed further.

Buying Guide for Electric Cooker

There are many factors that one needs to consider before finalising an electric cooker. While price always reigns supreme, there are many values for money factors that must take precedence over just the price. There is no point getting a cooker for a bargain just to find out it does not fit in your kitchen or is not good enough for your cooking needs.

Here are some important points to consider

Size of the cooker:

Kitchen counter space is always limited and premium. In fact, if you already have a large counter top microwave, you could be struggling to add the cooker to the same counter. So determine where you want to have your cooker and then shop for one that would fit in that place.

Capacity of the cooker:

Now everyone has different and unique uses for their cookers. Depending on how you use it, you need to determine the ideal capacity of the cooker for your house. Typically, it is tough to estimate the capacity in cubic feet sitting at home. The best approach is to just go to the store and look at some sample models to get an idea of what would be the best capacity for your needs.

Features:

While size and capacity are important, if you can get a feature rich cooker for comparable price, why not get than rather than settle for something that has fewer features. Look at various brands and pick one with great features.

Best Electric Pressure Cookers - Finding the best electric pressure cookers, compare on 3 - 6 quart electric pressure cooker, Cuisinart CPC-600, The Nesco PC6-25P and the Fagor 670040230 and find which one has a great value.

Deni Electric Pressure Cooker Review