You should know what you are dealing with here, and it’s best to be straight to the point about cookers to get the best information possible. To choose the best pressure cooker, some knowledge is required.

You will choose from a lot of different sizes and stainless steel and aluminum pots. Professional chefs prefer a stainless pressure cooker because it is nonreactive and can be safely cleaned in a dishwasher, but aluminum is also a good choice if weight is a consideration. The double, heat resistant handles are your best bet. A 6 quart pressure cooker is minimum family size. If you plan to use it as a canner, go for a larger one.

Even if the price is your primary consideration, you should stick with a brand name product. Quality control is likely to be better but more importantly you want to be able to get replacement parts when you need them five or ten years from now. Valves dissapear. The gaskets do get damaged and wear out in time. Your cooker will lose its functionality if you happen to have a loose fitting lid.

Lots of pressure cookers come with useful features like trivers, racks and vegetable steamers. Because most chefs brown meats before putting the lid, sticking occurs. But, its best if you aim to avoid nonstick interiors. The risk of peeling interior coating is bigger problem then a little extra cleaning. The nonstick interior becomes less of a problem when you deal with and electric cooker.

Another pressure cooker that is worth considering is Cuisinart. The digital display and a push button controls make it a great package. If you program the Cusinart cooker, you can use browning, sautering, simmering and warming. Electronic thermostat gets advantage over the stovetop control that needs to be set in precise position. But, you can’t open a cooker until the cooker lets you and this is how you lose some flexibility. With the stove top models you can instantly drop the pressure and open the lid by putting the unit under cold water.