Talk:Pressure cooking/Archive 1

Comment 1
What are the fusible materials used? To have a low melting point, seems possible that lead is present. Does this pose a danger and shouldn't this be included?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9926430 24.131.17.193 (talk) 23:57, 1 September 2010 (UTC)


 * Not sure, but bismuth alloys commonly have low melting temperatures.Wzrd1 (talk) 15:28, 1 October 2011 (UTC)

Comment 2
In India pressure cooker us used for everyday cooking ? Is this common in other countries as well

also, what about safety concerns? i've heard countless stories of pressure cookers exploding...are these fact or fiction?


 * I have also heard about exploding pressure cookers when they are used with cooking lentils. The theory was that when some lentils rise up with the boiling bubbles, they plug the holes and diabled the safety valve. I have not seen or confirm any of such explosions.  Since lentils are common food in India and they use pressure cooker everyday (see comment above), such combination may explain the numerous horror stories. Kowloonese 22:15, 23 October 2006 (UTC)

Is the comment "(completely undeserved)" a valid unbiased comment? Soapthgr8 19:17, 23 October 2006 (UTC)

Japan
In response to "In India pressure cooker us used for everyday cooking ? Is this common in other countries as well"
 * I am an American currently in Japan. Here I have seen many pressure cookers, it is very popular and they are sold at every department store and electronic store (best buy type electronic stores).
 * ChristopherMannMcKay 12:23, 3 January 2007 (UTC)

In Spain pressure cookers have always been very popular and you can normally find them at almost every house. It significantly speeds they many traditional "winter dishes" of the northern half of Spain like the cocido, puré de patatas, callos, etc... (a normal cocido takes around two and a half hours in a normal pot). --83.42.235.69 (talk) 11:52, 20 November 2014 (UTC)

Internal pressure
I have a simple question. Do standard pressure cookers operate at 15 psi or 15 psig? When I use the gas laws to determine the internal water temperature, I calculate ~257 F at 15.7 psi. However I have seen some references that state the internal pressure being 15 psi above atmospheric pressure which would lead to a significantly higher temperature. Thanks. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Apple crisp a (talk • contribs) 20:59, 14 March 2007 (UTC).


 * They operate at roughly 15 psig (gauge pressure). If you took the cooker from sea level all the way to the top of Mount Everest (about 29,000 feet), where atmospheric pressure is about 5 psi, one-third that of sea level, the operating pressure of the cooker will drop by the same amount, about 10 psi.  However, the absolute pressure inside the cooker will still be 5 psi + 15 psi = 20 psi, somewhat greater than standard atmospheric pressure at sea level (14.7 psi), so the cooking temperature will exceed the boiling point of water at sea level.  At sea level, the operating absolute pressure inside the cooker is 14.7 psi + 15 psi = 29.7 psi. &mdash;QuicksilverT @ 09:42, 27 September 2008 (UTC)

Can someone expain why the atmospheric pressure affects the internal pressure of the cooker? Since most cookers have the pressure regulated by the internal pressure lifting a weight on the lid, I should have thought that atmospheric pressure would be unimportant once the cooker is up to pressure as the weight is forced down by gravity, not air pressure. Hope I am making sense? 80.104.113.227 (talk) 21:10, 16 August 2009 (UTC)


 * As 'Quicksilver' mentioned above, the key principle is that the pressure inside the vessel is the sum of atmosperic pressure and 15psig (achieved by the weight controlled pressure regulator). The absolute pressure is therefore variable depending on ambient atmosperic pressure.

For example, if used in vacuum the total pressure would be 15psi (both gauge and absolute). All of this assumes that gravity is constant. 99.238.20.122 (talk) 00:42, 1 February 2016 (UTC)


 * Please note that gas (air/steam) pressure can be measured either relative to the local barometric pressure or in absolute terms. As answered above, all pressure cookers (retail, and probably commercial and industrial as well, but you'd have to check that) use relative pressure. So, the absolute pressure (which determines the temperature of cooking) is B+P where B is barometric and P is gauge pressure. If B is 13 then and the cooker is set for 15 psi, then the total will be 28; while at standard atmospheric 14.7 psi pressure it would be 29.7 psi. You can look up the difference in temperature on any steam table (or calculator) be sure to verify whether units are relative or absolute. And yes, any machine can fail, meaning any pressure cooker should be assumed to have the potential to generate pressures sufficient to rupture the unit and behave as a bomb. As a chemist, we call these reactors "pressure bombs", not "pressure cookers", but then again the retail units are much more carefully designed to be "fool proof". (The reality is nothing will ever be fool proof: fools are far too clever (as the joke goes)). With proper maintenance and handling, retail units are safe. Abuse, damage, or just old age should strongly warn you to replace unit. I would never use any unit with plastic structural or control part when they hit the 10 year mark. FWIWAbitslow (talk) 23:33, 12 April 2016 (UTC)

Disadvantages
Only advantages, and no disadvantages are listed. 72.228.5.43 23:33, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

I own one (as do almost all spanish houses) and I could not say a disadvantage. Well, maybe the price, they are around 40-50€ for a 8L. But you get the money back very fast in gas or electricity bills. Still, a pressure cooker suits Spanish dish recipes... may not be that useful in other cultures --83.42.235.69 (talk) 11:54, 20 November 2014 (UTC)

How to release pressure
I have read conflicting advice on how to release pressure normally from a pressure cooker. Some sources say to just remove the rocker, or use a pressure dump valve which some newer pressure cookers include. Other sources say you shouldn't do this (for varying reasons, such as the food somehow reaching the open valve and causing a big hot mess), and you should cool it by running it under water or placing it in an ice bath.

Does anyone have a good source to cite for this that they could add to the article? Bigpeteb 18:41, 15 May 2007 (UTC)


 * I don't have a source, but I will tell you that we normally put the pressure cooker under a stream or spray of cool running water and wait for the button on the emergency pressure relief valve to "drop", indicating that the interior pressure closely matches the ambient pressure. Just taking the rocker off produces a very powerful jet of steam and wife always figures that I'm just goofing around when I do that ;-).


 * Atlant 22:14, 15 May 2007 (UTC)

The best way is to take it off the heat and just wait. Second best is to put into a water bath - this doesn't cause any great commotion in the stuff being cooked, possibly overflowing an internal pot. Third best is run water over the top. Worst is opening the valve. This causes commotion in the contents, dirties the air and possibly clogs the valve, which is usually a pain to clean.

tOM —Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.246.54.217 (talk) 19:17, 4 July 2008 (UTC)


 * One shouldn't remove the rocker while the cooker is still very hot. When you remove the cooker from the heat source, the rocker will very quickly become quiescent, but the contents are still well above the ambient boiling point at the cooker's one-atmosphere internal overpressure.  Removing the rocker allows the pressure to drop, and the contents now are superheated at the reduced pressure, causing them to begin boiling violently.  If you don't want to wipe pea soup from your ceiling, leave the rocker on until the cooker has cooled and the interlock disengages. &mdash;QuicksilverT @ 09:30, 27 September 2008 (UTC)

Depends what you are doing. If you are steaming vegetables, you must reduce pressure quickly by plunging the pan into cold water or by pouring cold water over the pan, else the contents are liable to overcook. I note the manufacturer Prestige did not recommend removing the weight to release steam on its old Hi-Dome models, though I have seen newer models which have a mechanism which, in effect, does the same thing (but perhaps with less risk of scalding the user).

However, if you are, say, cooking soup, overcooking is less important and the disadvantages of the quick loss of pressure as listed by others above become more apparent, and it is then best to wait. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.104.113.227 (talk) 20:59, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

NPOV
The wording of the operation section has some poorly worded statements that seem very POV.76.85.197.118 (talk) 10:20, 18 May 2008 (UTC)

Operation
Under Operation: "Some claim that the pressure cooker is easy to cook with in comparison to other modern gadgets - it is certainly versatile."

Weasel words, yes? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.182.167.253 (talk) 04:36, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Proposed edit
This page is clearly in need of editing for several reasons: amongst others it contains extraneous matter which is somewhat peripheral to its subject.

Most of the comments on this page are simply discussion of pressure cookers, or requests for information about them, not discussion of what should be the contents of an encyclopedia page on the subject. If nobody defends them I propose to remove them.

In the section "NPOV" below we are told "The wording of the operation section has some poorly worded statements that seem very POV". It would be helpful to be told what statements, and what is poor about their wording. However, it is clear that Neutral Point of View is not always maintained.

The comment under "Operation" above is clearly valid.

Of the comments in the "This article or section has multiple issues" template on the main page:
 * 1) "It uses first-person or second-person inappropriately or excessively." I can't see that it does. Maybe this feature has already been edited out, in which case the tag should be removed. If not, maybe someone can point out specific examples.
 * 2) "Its neutrality is disputed." Yes.
 * 3) "It may need copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone or spelling." It would be helpful if the person who tagged this would say why.

(Originally At this point there was a link to a copy of a proposed edited version of the page, with an invitation for comments. No comments came, so I transferred the edited version to the article.)

JamesBWatson (talk) 19:12, 10 September 2008 (UTC)


 * Good work. Chris Cunningham (not at work) - talk 10:05, 20 September 2008 (UTC)


 * Following my comment above nobody objected to my proposal to remove irrelevant material, so I did so. Subsequently another user reverted my change, with the note "Please don't remove comments from talk pages: they help future editors to undertstand the rationale behind edits made. this applies doubly to other people's comments". While I did not totally agree with his argument I could see that it had some merit, and decided to accept it. JamesBWatson (talk) 20:23, 18 October 2008 (UTC)

Possibly link to another article
Once this page is complete I think that perhaps the subject matter should be linked to "Vapor Pressure" and perhaps incorporated there as a real world example.

Cajun eclectic (talk) 00:40, 24 September 2008 (UTC)cajun eclectic

Commercial links
An anonymous editor operating from IP address 99.248.73.32 has repeatedly added commercial links to this and other pages. Wikipedia is not an advertising service, and such links will be removed. JamesBWatson (talk) 17:54, 1 December 2008 (UTC)
 * Every single link in the current article is a link to one commercial website. Deleting all of them as of now. --Archstanton (talk) 09:14, 12 February 2011 (UTC)
 * Every single link was great, but now we don't have any. I don't see many people looking for new external links.  It looks like people are more interested in deleting external links instead of actually finding them!  Thanks for ruining the page! TurboForce (talk) 10:34, 12 February 2011 (UTC)
 * How many times do people have to tell you that Wikipedia is not an advertising service? --Archstanton (talk) 22:13, 21 February 2011 (UTC)


 * How many times do I have to tell YOU that the links I posted were NOT commercial links and were ONLY factual pages? The page WAS perfectly fine, but now it's fallen into a huge mess.  Are you going to improve the page?  I'd like to see you try! TurboForce (talk) 20:58, 23 February 2011 (UTC)

Use at high altitudes
"There is a lightweight camping/mountaineering pressure cooker which weighs little more than a standard camping pot." No mention of the manufacturer or other information to research this claim. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.81.234.143 (talk) 19:29, 12 December 2009 (UTC)

A citation has been made directing to a free patent website, this does not show anything but the idea of a lightweight mountaineering pressure cooker, GSI makes a 2Kg 3l pressure cooker but this hardly meets the text of the article, I am returning the citation needed and removing this cite. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 109.66.11.114 (talk) 14:59, 26 March 2010 (UTC)

Please sort this out
The article is messy, no clear diagrams or descriptions. Why not tell users the common mistakes people make with pressure cookers like having the stove up too high when actually pressure cooking or releasing pressure wrongly when cooking foods that froth up like rice. Show more pictures and describe clearly how a pressure cooker works without going too deep into complex details. 81.109.84.24 (talk) 23:48, 31 March 2010 (UTC)


 * I share your impulse to explain the current state of usage. I've been in a kitchen store on a couple of occasions where there were discussions about this. However, Wikipedia is not a "how-to". I'm getting a little suspecious of even what is presented as basic information, frankly. This is a device I purchased recently, and followed instructions carefully, and which exploded in my kitchen, destroying the pot. Injury was only avoided by chance. The manufacturer gave me the runaround reporting the incident.


 * A local Iranian grocer informed me that pressure cookers are very commonly used in Iran. One can read in that what one will, but one thought is that the cookers are a cultural tradition that is not necessarily supported by pragmatic advantage.


 * The article is "messy" in part because underlying, verifiable WP:V truth is lacking. With Regards, Piano non troppo (talk) 19:58, 3 April 2010 (UTC)


 * Oh dear, the pressure cooking page has become a jumble of mess! I thought the goal of pressure cooking is to cook as much food possible in the shortest amount of time and using the least amount of fuel?  There is a lot of bad advice out there, like: using too much liquid, having the heat too high once the pressure has been reached, incorrect timing, not cleaning the steam vent, not replacing a damaged gasket/sealing ring and so on.  If we can work together and refer to the information on the Miss Vickie pressure cookery website - that site has tons of information about pressure cooking and there's an abundance of information on there which could be used for "ref" links.
 * Somebody has asked about the "disadvantages" of pressure cookers. I can suggest one (obvious) disadvantage: you have to release the pressure to see how well the food is cooking, which takes a bit longer than simply taking a lid off a saucepan.
 * What needs to be improved? How can the page layout be improved?  What essential information is missing?  Can we add suitable external links i.e. the Miss Vickie pressure cookery website? TurboForce (talk) 21:07, 16 April 2010 (UTC)


 * I don't see an easy way to fix the article, vis-a-vis TurboForce's issues. The "purpose" of a technical object is defined by the inventor, the producer, the marketing department, whoever. E.g., the purpose might legitimately be that one doesn't have to worry about a (properly used) pressure cooker boiling over. Conventional pots do, a pressure cooker tends not to.


 * There shouldn't be any advice in Wikipedia at all, since this is an encyclopedia, not a "how to". In the case of dangerous and common misuse, perhaps an exception should be made.


 * A reliable non-commercial reference might be useful, but Miss Vickie's is motivated to promote a product. I.e., quote, "I'm thrilled to announce that my new cookbook, Miss Vickie's Big Book of Pressure Cooker Recipes" She has an agenda, and having had a bad experience -- recently -- with a pressure cooker that the local culinary store swore was past all urban legend problems, I'm disinclined to believe anyone who has a financial stake in current usage. Regards, Piano non troppo (talk) 00:11, 18 April 2010 (UTC)


 * I would like to see a reliable and non-commercial external link added. I have yet to find an in-depth website about pressure cookers.  I agree that Wikipedia is NOT "how to", however we could list some common mistakes, as listing common mistakes is not "how to" in my opinion.  "How to" would be written like: "you must keep the steam vent clear at all times", when talking about safety features, compared to providing facts, like this: "the safety devices will be triggered if the steam vent becomes blocked through misuse e.g. food blockage".  Pressure cookers can be dangerous, however the article does say, I quote: "there is still a risk of explosion, especially if cookers are not thoroughly and regularly maintained". TurboForce (talk) 00:56, 18 April 2010 (UTC)


 * Wiki is in a unique position to warn about hazards. A number of times I've had the urge to "cross the line" and add how-to material to articles. In fact, I actually did in an article where the (unstated) hazard was so great, and so likely, it seemed irresponsible to omit it. Perhaps there is some workaround? In the Audubon Society Nature Guides -- almost entirely not-how-to -- an exception is made to alert readers when a plant or animal is lethal. Perhaps there could be some link in a Wikipedia article? A red icon at the top, signifying warnings in an external Wiki how-to? (Or a link elsewhere, as in Miss Vickie's?) Just passing thoughts. Regards, Piano non troppo (talk) 12:51, 18 April 2010 (UTC)


 * I'm not just talking about hazards and explosions; I would like to know how the pressure cooking page can be improved. I've made one minor edit for now. TurboForce (talk) 18:24, 18 April 2010 (UTC)


 * 15 May 2010 - the page has still not been improved much. Please can we discuss what needs improving and do something about it.  Thank you. TurboForce (talk) 22:54, 15 May 2010 (UTC)

Autoclave?
Why is it necessary to repeatedly assert "the device can be called an autoclave", "thus be called autoclave rather then pressure cookers", "devices big enough to contain more then a few home canning jars will be called autoclave"...?? Never mind, I rolled it back. --jpgordon:==( o ) 14:44, 24 June 2010 (UTC)

Cooking times are not absolute!
In this paragraph in the Pressure cooking page:

"The higher temperature causes the food to cook faster; cooking times can typically be reduced by about 70 percent. For example, shredded cabbage is cooked in one minute, fresh green beans in three minutes, small to medium-sized potatoes cook in about eight minutes (depending on thickness and type), and a whole chicken takes only twenty minutes. Brown rice and lentils and beans can be cooked in ten minutes instead of 45."

The problem is, not all modern pressure cookers are made to cook under 15psi, sadly. The maximum pressure of many European models can be as low as 11psi or usually between 11psi and 13psi instead of 15psi. I think only 2 manufacturers in Europe sell models that use the proper 15psi, in which case the cooking times would be more accurate. The lower the pressure, the longer the cooking time.

The timing of potatoes can be hit or miss. If cooking white potatoes such as King Edward potatoes that are only 1" in thickness (that is about 1oz pieces), the cooking time will be 5 - 6 minutes in a 15psi pressure cooker; if cooked for 8 minutes they would become a little mushy (and any other vegetables cooked with them e.g. in a steam basket would be overcooked!).

Another point worth mentioning is that an increased quantity of food will cook in the same amount of time. If you cook 4 servings of potatoes along with a basket of vegetables above, it will cook in the same amount of time as a smaller amount of the same food. Compared to a microwave oven, the more food you cook in a microwave oven at once, the longer it takes to cook. Bear in mind that the more food in the pressure cooker, the longer it takes to come to pressure. For safety, should never be more than 2/3 full with solid food that doesn't froth. TurboForce (talk) 19:12, 17 July 2010 (UTC)


 * UPDATE: potatoes cut to 1 inch can be cooked in 8 minutes with the "normal" release method. If the "natural" release method is used, then the potatoes would be overcooked in 8 minutes, so 6 minutes are needed with the "natural" release method, used for keeping skins intact on unpeeled potatoes.  Since other vegetables can be added after partially cooking the potatoes for a few minutes, this avoids over-cooking the other vegetables. I will be correcting the cooking times for potatoes. TurboForce (talk) 02:04, 18 December 2011 (UTC)

Air release
Apparently it is best to release all of the air out of the pressure cooker with the steam from the boiling liquid. For example, with the first generation pressure cookers which have a weight placed on the steam valve, it is best to place the weight on it when the steam is being emitted and not before, as explained here On some pressure cookers, the steam raises a pressure indicator—which also acts as a lock and prevents the lid from being opened now that the pressure cooker is full of steam.

This link is an example of a claim made by the manufacturer, Tefal, which they refer to as an "air draining system" or in plain English, removing all of the air before pressurising.

With ref links, I hope we can mention the improved effects of releasing air before pressurising? TurboForce (talk) 20:48, 3 October 2010 (UTC)

External links in the page
I have reverted the page back, so the external links are back again. I've yet to find any other external links that are suitable. TurboForce (talk) 11:07, 14 February 2011 (UTC)


 * I've checked every external link from the article's page and NONE of them have any commercial content in them. All of the external link pages present facts only and are perfect for the pressure cooking page. TurboForce (talk) 11:40, 14 February 2011 (UTC)
 * That is not an acceptable excuse for having them in, TurboForce. It is supposed to be an article about pressure cookers, not about recipes and other "how to" guides that can then conveniently be "validated" by the commercial links. Suggest you have a good read of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Spam. --Archstanton (talk) 21:51, 21 February 2011 (UTC)
 * I don't share your opinion about the nature of the missvickie.com website either. It is a blog run on a commercial basis, particularly around the sale of a cookbook. You say that it "presents facts only" but the articles are nevertheless opinion pieces on a commercial blog. Do you know who "PCUser" at the missvickie.com website's forum is, incidentally? It seems a bit of a coincidence that there are threads such as http://pressurecookerrecipes22484.yuku.com/topic/1298/Improving-the-Pressure-cooking-page-on-Wikipedia inciting members of the forum to come and edit this wikipedia page and, lo and behold, here is someone who militantly restores all the links to said site within a couple of hours of them being taken down. A big coincidence, I'm sure. --Archstanton (talk) 23:20, 21 February 2011 (UTC)

vaseline degreades gromit
i know vaseline degrades latex. Perhaps petroleum jelly might do the same for the gasket. Need to confirm and delete if nessessary leaving cooking oil... Assuming o-ring grease is toxic  Jago25 98 (talk) 22:04, 17 April 2011 (UTC)jago25_98


 * Silicone gaskets are not the same as rubber latex. Remember that the gasket in a pressure cooker must withstand the heat of the pan and superheated steam and I don't think rubber or latex would last long under such harsh conditions?  Any signs of wear means that a new gasket is required.  Maybe rewording the sentence about vaseline/petroleum jelly on rubber and non-rubber gaskets would be a good idea? TurboForce (talk) 11:11, 26 April 2011 (UTC)


 * I've just edited the pressure cooking page as a result of this discussion. TurboForce (talk) 11:24, 26 April 2011 (UTC)

"High dome" pressure cookers.
Are there any advantages or disadvantages of "high dome" pressure cookers? Do high dome or low dome pressure cookers deliver the best results? TurboForce (talk) 12:34, 16 September 2011 (UTC)


 * My understanding, though I can't find a link for citation, is that the high dome vs low dome have zero functional impact, but instead are purely engineering/material based designs. An ideal pressure vessel would be a sphere. But, one cannot easily place a sphere on a stove and manufacturing a sphere is problematic as well, so the pot is the shape of choice, it's flat bottom sits well on stoves, the roundness is a compromise for the sphere and the top would be domed, high dome for a weaker metal or lowered dome for higher strength or lower pressure. As for cooking, the dome contributes nothing, it is the heat and pressure of steam that perform the cooking.

Now, when making a pot roast or similar dish in a large pot (I use a cast iron one), the lid CAN have a purpose, such as basting the meat. In that application, there are small spikes or similar projections on the lid, where the condensed vapor can form drops to baste the meat in the pot.Wzrd1 (talk) 15:56, 1 October 2011 (UTC)


 * Thank you Wzrd1. Web citations about pressure cookers are hard to find or the citations can link to websites which have a commercial interest elsewhere on the site.  Some users on Wikipedia don't want them kind of ref citations added.

I would like to mention "high dome" and "low dome" in the article, but I'm not yet sure how to mention it in more than one sentence? I have seen a "high dome" pressure cooker for sale and I think the only extra benefit is the increased space between the base of the pressure cooker and the top of the lid on the inside. This subject may sound trivial to read here, but I'm sure it's worth mentioning in the article? TurboForce (talk) 19:39, 1 October 2011 (UTC)

Note: lids secured by the screw tightened onto the centre must have a higher dome (lower radius) or be thicker to prevent the lid from lifting at the edge whereas lids that are secured by the edge (with interlocks or screws) can be built thinner or with a much lower dome since they cannot lift at the edge. Centre secured lids are arguably safer since in an overpressure situation the lid will deform and vent rather than burst right off. The ideal shape of a lid secured by the centre is not a sphere but I cannot remember what it was, if somebody finds it it may be worth mentioning. TurboForce (talk) 15:06, 9 May 2014 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by MasterTriangle12 (talk • contribs)

Pressure
I am currently in an experiment using a pressure cooker. I am trying to figure out what amount of pressure (on a normal stove) a pressure cooker can get to. Does anyone know? :)


 * Maximum pressure should be 15psi. On some new models, especially those sold in Europe, the maximum pressure may be lower than the industry standard 15psi and may be as low as 11psi, which will require longer cooking times and the results will be "hit and miss" compared to 15psi!  The manufacturer's instructions should tell you the maximum working pressure and it should be the same regardless of the stove top used, unless you are using the pressure cooker at a very high altitude above sea level.  If you don't have the manufacturer's instruction book, look for the maker's name and model printed or embossed on the pressure cooker and look online to see if you can download an electronic version of the instruction manual, which will require Adobe Reader to be installed if you can't open it after downloading.  I know these discussion pages are not supposed to be used as forums for help on the subject, but if you feel the Pressure cooking article on Wikipedia is not giving you enough information, please discuss that here.  Also, please add one space and ~ after your comments.  Thanks. TurboForce (talk) 11:59, 12 November 2011 (UTC)

Pressure cooker canning
I am new to the whole pressure cooker/canning thing, and I have learned that there is a combination pressure cooker/canner. Since I have recently purchased an electric pressure cooker, I would like to know if it can be used for canning. Haven't been able to find that information. Teresaweinberg (talk) 19:42, 20 April 2012 (UTC)


 * I would not recommend canning unless you know exactly what you're doing! Normal pressure cookers are NOT suitable for canning.  Read more about canning with pressure canners by clicking here.  Canning is not as popular here in Europe and I've never tried canning foods.  I think the risks of home canning outweigh any benefits. TurboForce (talk) 21:00, 20 April 2012 (UTC)


 * I do a lot of home canning including pressure canning. The main rule for using a pressure canner is to make sure it is at least 12 quarts and can hold 7 canning jars.  Anything smaller than that, though, will be too small to be useful.  Mateinsixtynine (talk) 21:02, 1 July 2012 (UTC)


 * As long as anyone who does pressure canning follows tried and trusted methods, follows the times exactly and ONLY uses a pressure canner and NEVER attempt canning in an ordinary pressure cooker, you will cut the risk of lethal botulism poisoning. I will provide the link again for anyone who has not read all the text above, please click here to read more about pressure canning and its risks! Also pressure frying should NEVER be done in an ordinary pressure cooker.  Maybe I should mention in the pressure cooking page that ordinary pressure cookers are not suitable for pressure canning and also not suitable for pressure frying? TurboForce (talk) 22:40, 1 July 2012 (UTC)


 * These 2012 Talk contributions reads like a forum on a subject not found in the article. Perhaps canning (as it relates to pressure cooking) could be added to the article as a section, with cited sources (if this were even thought relevant to the subject) but, otherwise, this whole canning debate needs removal. Wiki Talk is intended solely for an exchange of ideas on how to improve an article, not for general chat around any possibly related topic.Humboles (talk) 09:02, 10 December 2022 (UTC)

High altitudes and pressure over the ambient atmospheric pressure
Given that a 15 psi pressure cooker can boil water at 121 °C ABOVE the ambient atmospheric pressure, would that be the case at any altitude? Yes, water has a lower boiling point at high altitudes, but the pressure inside the pressure cooker is always that same pressure level at any altitude. A 15 psi pressure cooker or 13 psi pressure cooker is still going to be 15 psi or 13 psi inside the pot at sea level or at 7000 feet above sea level, but is the boiling point of water the same inside the pressurised cooker at the higher altitude i.e. 121°C at 15 psi regardless of altitude? TurboForce (talk) 11:41, 12 August 2012 (UTC)

Hello from future. Read manual, it sqys add 1minute to published recipee for every 1000 feet of elevation. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2600:1700:CDA0:1060:2D5B:9111:8D9F:B20D (talk) 10:46, 3 December 2021 (UTC)

Pressure cooking
Can u put cans of say like tuna in the cooker to extend the shelf life — Preceding unsigned comment added by Captenweb (talk • contribs) 20:00, 28 November 2012 (UTC)


 * Simple answer: NO. Don't try it! TurboForce (talk) 00:53, 29 November 2012 (UTC)
 * These discussion pages are not forums. Please use the discussion pages only for improving Wikipedia articles. TurboForce (talk) 00:56, 29 November 2012 (UTC)
 * Tuna may already be pressure cooked in the can? Note 100 percent sure but to speed up their whole cooking line they might do it 209.205.67.99 (talk) 02:19, 21 February 2024 (UTC)

Use by "terrorists"
It is being reported today that the two bombs used in the Boston Marathan were "pressure cooker" bombs, and that pressure cookers were used for their timers - and this is what is used in places like Afghanistan. My question - do pressure cookers have electronic timers on them??? Does the heat not fry the electronics??? I am sure this stuff is already all over the internet (they know about it in Afghanistan), but don't know how to find it. I would have thought they would have been used because they can hold/build-up pressure (but I guess you would use a pipe for that with a screw-on end. Thanks in advance to anybody who knows. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2.99.59.2 (talk) 18:50, 16 April 2013 (UTC)

electric cooker image
the wmf pot pictured has no internal heating, it is just an ordinary pot with a batterypowered digital countdown timer 176.0.0.29 (talk) 22:32, 10 June 2015 (UTC)

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Feedback page for pressure cooking and its misuse
I would like to make a few points regarding the feedback page for pressure cooking.


 * Wikipedia does NOT and will NOT provide "how to" information on any subject, including pressure cooking.
 * Pages on Wikipedia exist for providing information about a subject, NOT recipes, commercial content, where to find parts, where to buy pressure cookers etc.
 * The feedback pages are used for improving Wikipedia articles and feedback should be written about improving the article, instead of silly "one word" entries or nonsense, like this (quoted): "I am looking for a cloth cover for my electric pressure cooker!!"
 * Usage advice on suitable heat sources, safety features etc. are specific for each make/model of pressure cooker. This information is included in the manufacturer's instruction manual for your pressure cooker; Wikipedia cannot provide information about specific pressure cooker makes and models.

By now, I'm sure you understand what the feedback page is and how to use the feedback page for its intended purpose. If you would like to discuss the pressure cooking page, please use THIS page rather than the feedback page.

Please encourage other people with knowledge about pressure cooking to contribute towards the pressure cooking page, such as providing diagrams, technical information and improving readability. I can't do everything myself and don't forget I've been editing the pressure cooking page for several years. TurboForce (talk) 23:54, 19 November 2012 (UTC)

15 psi?
The article claims that pressure cookers operate at 15 psi. An anonymous editor seems to dispute this and has left the following comment in the article: the working pressure of a pressure cooker is rounded UP to 15 PSI from 1 bar - so if you START with incorrect information, a converter is not going to give you the right information, please look it up or ask a manufacturer and correct. Is there a reliable source that we can use to either verify or correct the 15 psi claim? Deli nk (talk) 12:58, 20 March 2013 (UTC)


 * Pressure cooker manufacturers use different pressure UNITS to refer to the SAME pressure level. For example, Fagor will sell the same pressure cookers in the US, Europe and worldwide, but refer to the pressure level as "15 psi" in the US and "1 bar" in Europe, but the pressure regulator on these Fagor cookers are exactly the same.  Annoyingly, here in the UK, we see more examples of European weights and measures which most people are unfamiliar with e.g. kilometres instead of miles and yards, the "bar" unit instead of "psi" (pounds per square inch) and so on.  The pressure cooking page shows the different pressure units and their values, which are all correct.  The values are rounded because this is how the pressure cooker manufacturers do it.  The anonymous editor is not checking the ref link page properly. TurboForce (talk) 16:49, 20 March 2013 (UTC)

Pressure units
Hello. I find this page, and specifically the section called "the science of pressure cooking" too much americanocentric; I think the metric system units (bar or atm) should be given before the american unit psi, and not the other way around. Andraaide (talk) 18:31, 12 March 2014 (UTC)
 * I agree with you. MetalFusion81 (talk) 16:36, 14 March 2014 (UTC)

Remove lengthy text
The article needs to be shortened. Please help remove excess wording and trim it down. By the way, can you please refrain from removing valid British English and replacing it with American words - it's totally unnecessary. Why the previous editor has done that I have no idea! MetalFusion81 (talk) 20:54, 12 December 2014 (UTC)

The comparison diagram
Ummm... what exactly is this, and how is it to be interpreted? 2601:141:200:1A28:295E:F907:49BF:2926 (talk) 23:44, 14 November 2015 (UTC)

I edited the lede
The lede stated that steam increases the unit's internal temperature. This is simply wrong. There is some heat (or energy) source; electric coils, gas burner, induction, microwave, magnetic field (exotic) which causes the heating and temperature rise. Since steam does transfer that heat to the food, it could be argued that the claim isn't completely wrong. I disagree, it confuses the source of the heat (some source external to the chamber (if not the unit)) with the internal transfer of that heat from the steam to the food. Food may also be heated by conduction thru the vessel walls, for example. In some cases the heat transfer may be from the food to the steam, as another counter to the claim. I think the lede should mention how efficient steam is at heating food, but steam doesn't increase the unit's internal temperature except arguably in the case of microwave direct heating of the water molecules in the gas phase (ie steam).Abitslow (talk) 23:45, 12 April 2016 (UTC)

First generation pressure cookers
It is said that only newer style pressure cookers have adjustable weights. My mother had a pressure cooker with adjustable weights at least in 1972, if not earlier. You can hardly call 45 year old technology 'new style'. Hippocrocopig (talk) 11:56, 18 February 2017 (UTC)

— Preceding unsigned comment added by Hippocrocopig (talk • contribs) 11:36, 18 February 2017 (UTC)


 * These types of pressure cookers are still being manufactured today, albiet with improved safety features compared to decades' ago. MetalFusion81 (talk) 12:56, 20 February 2017 (UTC)

Pressure cooking saves energy?
I don't agree. Although the cooking time is reduced, the amount of heat (energy) required to raise the temperature to the set-point of the valve is much higher than for open pan cooking. Furthermore, heat loss to the atmosphere is proportional to the difference in temperature between the pan and the atmosphere; therefore a pressure cooker actually loses MORE heat to the atmosphere (per unit time) than a pan boiling at 100 degC does. Hippocrocopig (talk) 11:55, 18 February 2017 (UTC)


 * Compared to boiling the same food at 100°C, you normally use more WATER (which takes longer and more energy to reach boiling point) and require more TIME. Pressure cookers use much less water and — provided the heat is kept low enough to maintain pressure — use no more energy. When I've used a pressure cooker on gas, I've been able to maintain 15 psi pressure on the lowest flame (this will vary depending on the wattage of the burner, higher wattage gas burners produce more heat, sometimes considerably more!). The secret is using much less liquid, otherwise the pressure cooker will use the same amount of energy or maybe even more if too much liquid is used. Also consider that some foods release their own juices into the liquid during pressure cooking, so you won't need as much to start with and there is very little loss of liquid in the sealed environment of the pressure cooker; if the heat is kept too high energy will be wasted and more liquid will be lost. MetalFusion81 (talk) 12:56, 20 February 2017 (UTC)


 * Pressure cookers' comparatively lower energy usage is attested by lay discourse and Google search results. Here's a source of scholarly origin but intended for lay consumption: . 174.22.2.175 (talk) 00:33, 8 March 2017 (UTC)