The very reason behind the rapid growth of fast food chains and take away restaurants is the lack of time in our lives. So, when you return home at the end of the day craving for some home-made food, wouldn’t you want something that would speed up your cooking process? That’s where pressure cookers come to the rescue. Apart from speeding up the process, pressure cookers also retain the essential nutrients in the food, which is lost in the traditional ways of cooking. Before buying a pressure cooker, remember to consider these factors.

What size should you buy?
You will probably be bewildered when it comes to deciding which size should be appropriate for you. For larger families, 9L would be good, but for a small family comprising 3 or 4 members, 4L ones would just be perfect. And if you feel you might get occasional visits by guests who would love home-made food, then keep the bigger one in store. Always remember you should not stuff the pressure cooker up to the lid; fill only two-thirds of it. If you are cooking something with a foamy nature, then it’s best to fill only one and half part of it.

Stove-top pressure cooker versus electric pressure cooker
As the name suggests, electric pressure cookers come with a lot of automated functions including heat regulation. All you have to do is move your fingertips. They have an integrated heat technology. On the other hand, the stove-top pressure cookers need manual heating. You will be able to regulate the heat all by yourself. But you can easily repair it if something happens to any of its parts, but not so simple with the electric pressure cooker. The stove-top ones have a reputation to last long. If you are unsure of manually regulating the heat which is required in case of the stove-top pressure cookers, then go for the electric ones because in this case, you just need to start it by pressing a switch and your work is done. You don’t even have to switch it off, the electric ones switch themselves off when the food is cooked.

Other points to keep in mind

• Before buying, take care of the pressure level. The pressure level should be at least 15PSI as that is the standard for most recipes and that is how you can achieve the fastest cooking. It is advisable to check the specification while buying rather than regretting later.
• Choose a pressure cooker with the best quality stainless steel. The information will be given at the bottom of the pressure cooker; you just need to check the label and make sure it is marked at 18/10 stainless steel.
• Check the warranty information before buying a pressure cooker.