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Best Pressure Cookers
A necessity in the kitchen for any busy household, pressure cookers are an investment in money, health and time. They reduce cooking time and use less energy and water, helping you save money on your energy and water bills. Continue Reading...
Best Pressure Cooker
Undoubtedly a popular pick, the $239 Philips Original AIO Multi Cooker allows you to slow cook, pressure cook, saute, sear, steam and bake, all using one ultra-effective kitchen appliance.
Price (RRP) $239.00
Price$249Bing Lee
- Build Quality4.7 (99)
- Value for Money4.7 (99)
- Ease of Use4.6 (103)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 4.6 (100)
- Safety4.8 (78)
- Pressurising Speed4.6 (70)
- TypeElectric
- Dishwasher Safe PartsNo
- Colour / FinishStainless Steel
- Outer Body Construction MaterialStainless Steel
- Power1,300 W
- Cord Length1.2 m
- Searing FunctionYes
- DisplayLCD
Though a tad pricey at $369.95, the 6-litre Breville Fast Slow Pro’s status as a three-times ProductReview.com.au Award winner can attest to its high quality performance in the kitchen.
Price (RRP) $369.95
Price$399Bing Lee
- Build Quality3.4 (45)
- Value for Money3.2 (45)
- Ease of Use4.2 (41)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 4.2 (41)
- Safety4.5 (38)
- Pressurising Speed3.5 (37)
- TypeElectric
- Dishwasher Safe PartsYes
- Colour / FinishBrushed Stainless Steel
- Dimensions 343 x 323 x 248 mm
- Outer Body Construction MaterialStainless Steel
- Power1,100 W
- Removable CordYes
- Searing FunctionYes
- DisplayLCD
Tefal Cook4Me+
· includes 3 listingsWith its one-touch dial allowing you to scroll through a digital database of recipes, the $349 Tefal Cook4Me+ provides step-by-step instructions to let you easily make meals at home.
Price (RRP) $299.00
Price from$399.95Bing Lee
- Build Quality4.4 (78)
- Value for Money3.9 (75)
- Ease of Use4.3 (78)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 4.4 (78)
- Safety4.6 (74)
- Pressurising Speed4.4 (65)
- TypeElectric
- Dishwasher Safe PartsYes
- Colour / FinishBlack, Red and White
- Power1,450 W
- Removable CordYes
- Searing FunctionYes
- DisplayLCD
Functioning as a 2-in-1 pressure and slow cooker with other handy functions, the $219 Breville the Fast Slow Cooker automatically adjusts the time, temperature and pressure of your dishes.
Price (RRP) $199.95
- Build Quality2.9 (15)
- Value for Money2.7 (14)
- Ease of Use3.9 (14)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 4.0 (14)
- Safety3.0 (6)
- Pressurising Speed2.8 (5)
- TypeElectric
- Colour / FinishBrushed Stainless Steel
- Dimensions 337 x 288 x 335 mm
- Outer Body Construction MaterialStainless Steel
- Power1,100 W
- Searing FunctionYes
- DisplayLCD
The Crock Pot Express Multi-Cooker features 5 versatile cooking functions and 7 one-touch meal settings, allowing it to quickly become a kitchen favourite.
Price (RRP) $179.00
Price$179Bing Lee
- Build Quality3.7 (18)
- Value for Money3.7 (18)
- Ease of Use4.2 (18)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 4.0 (18)
- Safety4.0 (13)
- Pressurising Speed3.2 (13)
- TypeElectric
- Dishwasher Safe PartsYes
- Colour / FinishStainless Steel
- Dimensions 350 x 300 x 300 mm
- Outer Body Construction MaterialStainless Steel
- Power1,000 W
- Cord Length0.9 m
- Searing FunctionYes
- DisplayTouchscreen
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Designed for entertaining and cooking for the whole family, the Crock-Pot Express Multi-Cooker’s 8 cooking functions can give you delicious meals at the touch of a button.
Price (RRP) $219.00
Price$219Bing Lee
- Build Quality4.0 (36)
- Value for Money4.1 (36)
- Ease of Use4.4 (38)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 4.3 (38)
- Safety4.3 (15)
- Pressurising Speed4.0 (13)
- TypeElectric
- Dishwasher Safe PartsYes
- Colour / FinishStainless Steel
- Dimensions 395 x 370 x 350 mm
- Outer Body Construction MaterialStainless Steel
- Cord Length0.9 m
- Removable CordNo
- Searing FunctionYes
- DisplayTouchscreen
- Build Quality5.0 (4)
- Value for Money5.0 (4)
- Ease of Use4.8 (4)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 4.8 (4)
- Safety5.0 (2)
- Pressurising Speed5.0 (1)
- Dishwasher Safe PartsNo
- Colour / FinishStainless Steel
- Dimensions 332 x 304 x 320 mm
- Outer Body Construction MaterialStainless Steel
- Power2,400 W
- Searing FunctionYes
Price (RRP) $699.00
Price$699.95Bing Lee
- Build Quality4.7 (21)
- Value for Money3.7 (19)
- Ease of Use4.3 (21)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 4.1 (21)
- Safety4.7 (17)
- Pressurising Speed4.4 (19)
- TypeElectric
- Dishwasher Safe PartsYes
- Colour / FinishBlack
- Power1,600 W
- Removable CordYes
- DisplayTouchscreen
- Build Quality4.4 (9)
- Value for Money4.4 (9)
- Ease of Use3.6 (9)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 4.2 (9)
- Safety4.6 (8)
- Pressurising Speed4.0 (8)
- TypeElectric
- Dishwasher Safe PartsYes
- Colour / FinishSilver
- Dimensions 536 x 370 x 730 mm
- Outer Body Construction MaterialStainless Steel
- Power1,000 W
- Cord Length1.2 m
- Searing FunctionYes
Price (RRP) $499.00
Price$499.95Bing Lee
- Build Quality4.5 (26)
- Value for Money3.8 (24)
- Ease of Use4.1 (27)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 4.3 (27)
- Safety4.8 (25)
- Pressurising Speed4.3 (24)
- TypeElectric
- Dishwasher Safe PartsYes
- Colour / FinishBlack/Chrome
- Power1,450 W
- Removable CordYes
- Searing FunctionYes
- DisplayLCD
ALDI Pressure Cookers
· includes 5 listingsPrice (RRP) $69.99 to $79.99
- Build Quality4.7 (3)
- Value for Money4.7 (3)
- Ease of Use4.7 (3)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 4.7 (3)
- Safety5.0 (2)
- Pressurising Speed4.0 (2)
- TypeElectric
- Dishwasher Safe PartsYes
- Colour / FinishSilver and Silver and Black
- Power1,000 W
- DisplayLCD
Price (RRP) $219.00
Price$157Billy Guyatts
- Build Quality2.9 (13)
- Value for Money3.4 (13)
- Ease of Use3.7 (13)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 3.8 (13)
- Safety3.9 (13)
- Pressurising Speed3.2 (10)
- TypeElectric
- Dishwasher Safe PartsYes
- Colour / FinishStainless Steel
- Dimensions 340 x 340 x 300 mm
- Power940 W
- Cord Length0.9 m
- Removable CordYes
- DisplayLCD
- Build Quality1.8 (10)
- Value for Money1.5 (11)
- Ease of Use1.9 (10)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 2.3 (11)
- Safety2.3 (7)
- Pressurising Speed1.6 (8)
- TypeStove-top
- Dishwasher Safe PartsYes
- Colour / FinishStainless Steel
- Dimensions 265 x 360 x 220 mm
- Outer Body Construction MaterialStainless Steel
Scanpan Pressure Cooker
· includes 2 listingsPrice (RRP) $369.00 to $419.00
- Build Quality3.4 (5)
- Value for Money3.4 (5)
- Ease of Use3.0 (5)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 3.4 (5)
- Safety3.4 (5)
- Pressurising Speed3.2 (5)
- TypeStove-top
- Dishwasher Safe PartsYes
- Colour / FinishStainless Steel
- Outer Body Construction MaterialStainless Steel
Cuisinart Pressure Cooker
· includes 3 listingsPrice (RRP) $239.00
- Build Quality4.0 (5)
- Value for Money2.2 (5)
- Ease of Use3.6 (5)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 4.4 (5)
- Safety4.2 (5)
- Pressurising Speed3.2 (5)
- TypeElectric
- Colour / FinishBrushed Stainless
- Outer Body Construction MaterialStainless Steel
- Power1,000 W
- DisplayLCD
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Price (RRP) $349.00
Price$349Bing Lee
- Build Quality4.5 (6)
- Value for Money4.4 (5)
- Ease of Use4.5 (6)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 4.5 (6)
- Safety4.8 (6)
- Pressurising Speed4.5 (6)
- TypeElectric
- Colour / FinishBlack, Silver
- Power1,500 W
- Cord Length1.2 m
- DisplayTouchscreen
Price (RRP) $249.00
Price$249Bing Lee
- Build Quality5.0 (5)
- Value for Money5.0 (4)
- Ease of Use5.0 (5)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 4.6 (5)
- Safety5.0 (3)
- Pressurising Speed5.0 (3)
- Dishwasher Safe PartsYes
- Colour / FinishDark Stainless
- Dimensions 435 x 320 x 300 mm
- Power1,100 W
- Cord Length0.6 m
- Build Quality2.6 (26)
- Value for Money2.1 (27)
- Ease of Use2.8 (27)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 2.8 (27)
- Safety3.3 (17)
- Pressurising Speed2.5 (15)
- TypeElectric
- Colour / FinishBlack
- Dimensions 371 x 350 x 490 mm
- Outer Body Construction MaterialStainless Steel
- Power1,000 W
- Removable CordYes
- Searing FunctionNo
- DisplayLCD
Price (RRP) $199.00
Price$199Bing Lee
- Build Quality3.5 (6)
- Value for Money3.7 (6)
- Ease of Use4.2 (6)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 4.3 (6)
- Safety3.3 (3)
- Pressurising Speed2.7 (3)
- Dishwasher Safe PartsYes
- Colour / FinishDark Stainless Steel
- Dimensions 350 x 300 x 350 mm
- Power1,000 W
- Cord Length0.9 m
- Build Quality3.7 (6)
- Value for Money3.3 (4)
- Ease of Use2.2 (6)
- Cleaning & Maintenance 3.8 (6)
- Safety3.5 (4)
- Pressurising Speed3.5 (4)
- TypeElectric
- Colour / FinishStainless Steel
- Dimensions 328 x 305 x 316 mm
- Outer Body Construction MaterialStainless Steel
Is it worth getting a pressure cooker?
Pros
Cons
How does a pressure cooker work?
A pressure cooker (or 'high pressure cooker') is a cooking pot that uses highly pressurised steam to cook foods in a short time that can’t be achieved by other cooking methods.
This steam is created when you put a liquid such as water or broth inside the pressure cooker, along with food. The liquid boils, reaching hot temperatures of up to 120 degrees, which creates steam that reaches pressure to cook food fast.
The pressure cooker must remain airtight throughout the cooking process, often using a locking lid that creates a seal. After food is cooked, pressure then needs to be released.
There are two types of pressure cookers - stovetop pressure cookers and electric pressure cookers.
Which is better, a stovetop or electric pressure cooker?
The main difference is that stovetop pressure cookers require an external heating element to work, which is a cooktop. An electric pressure cooker, on the other hand, is a standalone appliance with a built-in heating element.
The other primary difference is that stovetop models require much more manual handling than electric pressure cookers, which take some of the pressure off with their automatic settings.
Stovetop pressure cookers · See All
Pros
Cons
Electric pressure cookers · See All
Pros
Cons
What can you cook in a pressure cooker?
Pressure cookers are a great way to cook a variety of dishes that require some amount of liquid to cook. This includes curries, soups, stews, vegetables (including tougher veggies like potatoes), lentils, tougher cuts of meat, and risotto.
On the other hand, pressure cookers aren't a suitable choice to cook delicate, fried or crispy food. This is because adding moisture to these foods (for example, those with a crumbed batter) will make them soggy. Delicate food will just be obliterated under the highly pressurised heat.
Factors to consider before buying a pressure cooker
Capacity
The capacity of your pressure cooker determines how many people you can cook for every time you prepare a dish. As a general guide, here's what to aim for when you're sourcing a correctly sized cooker:
- 3-4 litre capacity: These small pressure cookers offer a sufficient size for singles or couples.
- 5-litre capacity: This will be suitable for a household of 3 people.
- 5-6 litre capacity: Accomodates a household size of 4-5 people. Most electric pressure cookers are designed to hold this capacity.
- More than 6 people: Add an additional litre for every extra person you're cooking for.
It can be tricky to find a standalone pressure cooker with a capacity over 6 litres. You'll probably have better luck purchasing a stovetop cooker - which can have capacities of up to 20 litres, or a multi-function pressure cooker - such as the Crock-Pot Express Crock XL, which boasts a spacious 7.6-litre capacity.
Build quality
Stainless steel
This is the most durable construction material available, for both the outer body and cooking bowl of a pressure cooker. It lasts long because it doesn't dent or scratch easily. However, due to its solid construction, it will be heavier to carry. The finish is also more likely to attract fingerprints or other marks, requiring special attention when it comes to cleaning.
Aluminium and plastic
Both aluminium and plastic are frequently used in the outer body construction of budget pressure cookers. While these are lightweight and easy to carry, the material isn't especially resilient. As a result, it may become scratched or dented easily.
Ceramic inner pot
Ceramic serves as a high quality material for an inner cooking pot. Ceramic is a superior conductor of heat, and will allow your appliance to achieve the right amount of pressurised steam for cooking faster. A 100% ceramic inner pot doesn't have coatings or layers that peel off, allowing it to maintain its durability. It is a different beast to ceramic-coated inner pots.
Ceramic-coated inner pot
This refers to a pot that's manufactured with a synthetic ceramic coating, on top of a base metal such as aluminium or lead. This coating isn't particularly resilient, and has commonly been reported by reviewers to chip away or peel off, even after a few uses.
This can expose the metal underneath, traces of which can contaminate food that's cooking and become potentially toxic to health.
Ease of Use
Features
The majority of these are only available with electric pressure cookers.
- Preset menu options let you make your favourite foods at the touch-of-a-button. For example, the Russell Hobbs Express Chef has one-touch buttons for making curries and soups.
- Adjustable pressure settings allow you to control the level of pressure and heat inside the appliance. A low setting may be preferable for foods that have partially been cooked, for example by searing them beforehand. A high setting, on the other hand, can speed up the time it takes to cook some meat you just grabbed out of the freezer.
- Pressure level indicator informs you of the level of pressure currently inside the cooker. This doubles as a safety mechanism, as it alerts you when it's safe to remove the pressure cooker lid after cooking.
- Searing function allows you to sear foods inside the pressure cooker pot before changing the setting to 'Pressure cook.' This infuses more flavours into the food.
- Steam-release valve is your friend when it comes to pressure cooking. Simply turn this valve when cooking is finished, to release the steam that's built up throughout the cooking process. This is an important step - opening the lid before releasing boiling hot steam is dangerous.
Pressurising speed and Release time
Pressure cooking is the fastest way of cooking meals. However, while some recipes may proudly proclaim that you can make curries in an easy three minutes, this isn't entirely true. That's because you'll also have to account for extra time taken for the appliance to build up pressure, and then release the pressurised steam afterwards.
So while it may take 3 minutes to cook that curry, you can add on about 10 minutes for an appliance to build up pressure, then another 15 minutes for it to release presssure afterwards. That's still only a total time of 28 minutes - but if you're expecting to be fed in a slick 3 minutes, your hangry self should probably be warned it's not going to happen.
To have a hot meal on the table faster, it's important to consider the pressurising speed and release time of a pressure cooker. This will naturally vary depending on the quantity of food in the pot, the amount of liquid, and the level of heat in the pot to begin with. However, it's also down to the efficiency and quality of a pressure cooker.
Reading reviews written by fellow pressure cooker owners can help you find out how speedy a pressure cooker actually is.
User friendliness
Pressure cookers are valued for their convenience. To continue with this theme, look for a pressure cooker that's easy to use, with clearly labelled buttons or controls, or an electronic display that clearly indicates settings, the amount of time remaining until cooking is complete, and any other useful information you need to know.
Cleaning and maintenance
Many pressure cookers have dishwasher safe parts. Whether this includes either the inner cooking pot, the cooker lid, or both - this makes your pressure cooker easy to clean.
Cleaning the gasket
When cleaning, remember to remove the gasket - the rubber or silicone seal underneath the lid - and clean it thoroughly. The gasket is an important part of the pressure cooker, as it's what keeps the cooker airtight so food can pressure cook properly.
However, it can become easily clogged with food, as well as retain flavours and smells of food after cooking. Since most people won’t think of a fish-flavoured chocolate pudding as being tasty, cleaning the gasket is beneficial for both the smooth running of your appliance and your culinary sensibilities.
Safety
Safety is an important consideration when it comes to pressure cookers. The contents inside pressure cookers become dangerously hot - exceeding even the boiling point of water to reach 121 degrees Celcius.
From a safety perspective, modern electric pressure cookers are more reliable than stovetop cookers. They are designed with safety as a paramount concern, and are often equipped with several different safety mechanisms to help all household members stay safe.
Choose a double locking lid
Unsafe pressure cookers will have a faulty design (such as faulty locking mechanisms) which can causes boiling hot contents and steam to explode from the cooker and injure bystanders. A pressure cooker released by Aldi in 2017 did just that, causing second and third degree burns to the poor people standing closeby.
Make sure any pressure cooker you buy is fitting with a lid that has a double locking mechanism. This is much safer than a single lock, or a lid that simply twists on and off without any lock at all.
Safe steam release
Choosing a pressure cooker with a safe steam release valve is also important. This means when you turn the valve to release steam, the hot steam should not in any way make contact with your hands or face.
Price
Pressure cookers range considerably in price from $60-$650.
The higher up the price scale you go, a pressure cooker is more likely to feature a sturdier build quality. These pressure cookers have a stainless steel outer body, and inner cooking pot.
A more expensive pressure is also more likely to function as a multi-cooker. For example, it may operate as a 2-in-1 pressure cooker and slow cooker, and also be equipped with a greater variety of pressure settings and features - including one-touch cooking programs.
Wrapping up
A pressure cooker is an undeniably handy kitchen addition for those times when you need meals in less than half an hour. For the ultimate convenience, an electric pressure cooker offers a set-and-forget functionality. However, if you prefer more manual control over cooking, a stovetop option may be preferable.
Also consider how many people you usually cook for, how easy a pressure cooker is to use and clean, and of course how safe it is. Choosing right the first time means less stress in the kitchen, and more days and nights of home cooked meals made in a jiffy.