A pressure cooker can be useful when you want to cook dishes under pressure. The sealed pot can build up pressure while heating, allowing suitable ingredients to cook faster than with traditional cooking.
But a pressure cooker works differently than a regular cooking pot. How do you fill it? Why should it not be completely full? When can you open the lid? And what capacity do you need: 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 liters?
In this guide, we explain the basics step by step. Want to view the different models first? Then discover the pressure cookers at TEKZEN.
Quick answer: how do you use a pressure cooker?
Check the pot, add the required ingredients and liquid, close the lid, and heat according to the manual. After cooking, release the pressure in the way that is appropriate for your model and dish. Only open the pot when the pressure indicator and user manual indicate that it is safe to do so.
What capacity is suitable for your dish?
The stated liters indicate the nominal capacity, not the amount of food you may cook under pressure. The maximum fill level depends on the markings, the model, and the dish. Therefore, compare your usual recipes with the permitted fill level before choosing a size.
What is a pressure cooker?
A pressure cooker is a pot that is sealed during cooking. Instead of allowing the steam that builds up to constantly escape, as with a regular pot, pressure is built up in the pressure cooker.
Due to the higher pressure, water in the sealed pot can reach a higher temperature before boiling. This allows suitable ingredients to cook faster.
A pressure cooker is therefore also called a high-pressure cooker or pressure cooker.
Within the current range of pressure cookers at TEKZEN, you will find stainless steel models from Kadirelli and Cheffinger in various capacities.
How does a pressure cooker work?
The principle is based on steam and pressure.
When the liquid in the sealed pot is heated, steam is created. Because the lid is sealed during cooking, this steam cannot escape in the same way as with a regular cooking pot.
This causes the pressure in the pot to increase.
A pressure cooker therefore has features to control the pressure during cooking. The exact operation varies by model, so always follow the manual of your specific pressure cooker.
What can you make in a pressure cooker?
A pressure cooker can be used for various dishes and ingredients. For example, think of suitable preparations with potatoes, vegetables, meat, legumes, soup, and stews.
Especially ingredients that normally require a longer cooking time can be interesting to cook under pressure.
However, not every dish or ingredient requires the same cooking time. Therefore, use a recipe that is specifically suitable for a pressure cooker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Step 1: check the pressure cooker
Before you start, it is important to check that the pot is correctly assembled.
Check the lid, seal, and safety features according to the user manual of your model.
Do not use a pressure cooker when parts are damaged or not functioning correctly.
When cooking under pressure, correct operation is extra important. Therefore, read the complete manual of a new pressure cooker before using it.
Step 2: add ingredients and liquid
Put the ingredients in the pot and add the required amount of liquid according to the recipe and the manufacturer's instructions.
Enough liquid is important because the pressure cooker needs steam to build up pressure.
The amount of liquid needed varies by pot and preparation. Therefore, do not simply use one standard amount for every dish.
How full can a pressure cooker be?
A pressure cooker should not simply be filled to the brim.
There must be enough free space left in the pot to safely build up pressure. For ingredients that expand or foam during cooking, other maximum fill limits may also apply.
The exact maximum fill level varies by model and preparation.
Therefore, always follow the fill markings and instructions of your pressure cooker's manufacturer.
Step 3: close the lid correctly
Place the lid on the pot according to the instructions and check that it is properly locked.
The way this is done may vary by pressure cooker. Therefore, never force the lid when it does not seem to close properly.
Before you start heating, check again that all parts are correctly placed.
Step 4: heat the pressure cooker
Once the pot is correctly filled and sealed, it can be heated.
During heating, steam is created and pressure builds up. When the desired working pressure is reached, the heat source must be adjusted for many preparations.
However, the exact procedure varies by pressure cooker. Therefore, follow the instructions of your model for reaching and maintaining the correct pressure.
When does the cooking time of a pressure cooker begin?
A common mistake is to start the cooking time immediately as soon as the pot is on the stove.
For many pressure cooker recipes, the indicated cooking time is calculated from the moment the correct pressure is reached.
This means that the total time may also include the heating phase and the pressure release.
Therefore, always check how the cooking time is indicated in the recipe.
Step 5: release the pressure safely
After cooking, the pressure in the pot must decrease sufficiently before the lid can be opened.
How you do this depends on the pressure cooker and the dish.
For some preparations, you let the pressure release gradually on its own. Other models may have a feature that allows pressure to be controlled and reduced according to the user manual.
Never try to force open a pressure cooker when it is still under pressure.
When can you open a pressure cooker?
Only open the pot when, according to the manufacturer's instructions, enough pressure has been released and the mechanism indicates that opening it is safe.
Keep in mind that the contents may still be very hot.
Open the lid carefully and ensure that hot steam does not come toward your face or hands.
4-liter pressure cooker
Within the current range of TEKZEN, 4 liters is the smallest available capacity.
This capacity is interesting when you are deliberately looking for a more compact pressure cooker and generally do not prepare very large quantities at the same time.
TEKZEN currently has both a Kadirelli and a Cheffinger 4-liter pressure cooker.
5-liter pressure cooker
A 5-liter pressure cooker is an intermediate size between the compact 4-liter version and the larger models.
Within the current range, you will find this capacity with Kadirelli.
A 5-liter pot can be interesting when you want a little more space than 4 liters, but do not immediately need a large high-pressure cooker.
6-liter pressure cooker
The 6-liter pressure cooker is a spacious medium size within the current range.
TEKZEN currently has a 6-liter Kadirelli version and a 22 cm Cheffinger pressure cooker with a capacity of 6 liters.
This capacity can be interesting when you regularly prepare slightly larger quantities.
7-liter pressure cooker
If you want even more capacity, there is a 7-liter pressure cooker.
Within the current range, this capacity is offered by Kadirelli.
The 7-liter version is the largest pressure cooker within the current Kadirelli series at TEKZEN.
8-liter pressure cooker
The largest capacity within the current collection is 8 liters.
The 8-liter Cheffinger pressure cooker has a diameter of 24 cm and is therefore interesting when you are deliberately looking for a larger pressure cooker.
View the different capacities side by side in the pressure cookers at TEKZEN collection.
What size pressure cooker do you need?
Which capacity fits best depends mainly on how much you normally prepare.
- 4 liters: compact capacity for smaller preparations;
- 5 liters: an intermediate size when 4 liters is too small;
- 6 liters: a spacious medium size for various preparations;
- 7 liters: larger capacity for larger quantities;
- 8 liters: the largest capacity within the current TEKZEN range.
Use this mainly as a practical comparison. The number of people alone is not sufficient to determine the right size. Someone who likes to cook several portions in advance may need more capacity than a household of the same size that always makes small quantities.
Can a pressure cooker be used on induction?
That depends on the bottom of the pressure cooker. Not every pot is automatically suitable for an induction cooktop.
The current Kadirelli and Cheffinger pressure cookers within the TEKZEN range are all offered as suitable for induction.
For this, view the current stainless steel pressure cookers for induction at TEKZEN.
Stainless steel pressure cooker
All current pressure cookers within this collection are made of stainless steel.
With Kadirelli, you can choose from 4, 5, 6, and 7 liters. Cheffinger has 4, 6, and 8-liter versions.
This means you can choose not only by brand, but especially by the capacity that best suits your cooking habits.
Kadirelli or Cheffinger pressure cooker?
The biggest differences within the current range are mainly in the available sizes.
Kadirelli currently offers 4, 5, 6, and 7 liters. This gives you several consecutive capacity sizes to choose from.
Cheffinger has 4, 6, and 8-liter versions. The 4 and 6-liter models have a diameter of 22 cm, while the 8-liter version measures 24 cm.
Which one suits best therefore depends mainly on the capacity and size you are looking for.
Pressure cooker or regular cooking pot?
The most important difference is the way the dish is prepared.
With a regular cooking pot, steam can escape during cooking. A pressure cooker is sealed and builds up pressure, allowing suitable ingredients to cook faster.
This does not mean that a pressure cooker completely replaces a regular cooking pot. For daily preparations, it may actually be useful to have both types of pots.
Want to compare different regular cooking pots? Then also view the cooking pots at TEKZEN.
Pressure cooker or soup pot?
A soup pot works without the sealed high-pressure preparation of a pressure cooker.
Therefore, a regular soup pot is suitable for traditional preparations where you want to be able to easily stir, taste, or add ingredients during cooking.
A pressure cooker is sealed precisely to build up pressure.
Are you unsure which type of pot best suits your way of cooking? Then also read our guide What size soup pot do you need?. There we compare soup pots of different sizes, among other things, and explain the difference with a pressure cooker.
Can you make soup in a pressure cooker?
A pressure cooker can be used for various suitable soups.
However, keep in mind that you cannot simply open the pot during cooking to add ingredients or taste as long as it is under pressure.
Furthermore, follow the maximum fill level of your model. For dishes that foam or expand during preparation, additional restrictions may apply.
Can you cook meat in a pressure cooker?
Various meat and stew dishes can be suitable for preparation under pressure.
The advantage is especially interesting for dishes that need to cook for relatively long periods using a traditional preparation method.
Cooking times vary greatly by type of meat, quantity, and recipe. Therefore, always use a recipe for a pressure cooker instead of automatically adopting the cooking time of a regular pot.
Can you cook legumes in a pressure cooker?
Various legumes can also be cooked in a pressure cooker.
The required cooking time and any soaking time vary by type. Furthermore, keep in mind that certain ingredients expand or foam during preparation.
Therefore, check both the recipe and the user manual of the pot before you start.
Common mistakes with a pressure cooker
A pressure cooker is not complicated when you use it correctly, but it is important to follow the rules of use.
Common mistakes are filling the pot too full, using insufficient liquid, not checking the seal, using incorrect cooking times, or trying to open the lid before the pressure has sufficiently decreased.
Therefore, do not only use general cooking tips, but always follow the instructions that specifically belong to your pressure cooker.
How do you clean a pressure cooker?
Let the pot cool down completely after use and ensure that there is no longer any pressure before you take it apart.
Clean the pot and loose parts according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Pay extra attention to parts that are important for the safe functioning of the pot, such as the seal and the pressure control parts.
Regularly check these parts for dirt, wear, or damage.
Buy a pressure cooker at TEKZEN
A pressure cooker is especially interesting when you regularly prepare dishes that are suitable for cooking under pressure and you want to shorten the cooking time.
When choosing, pay attention especially to capacity, material, size, suitability for your cooktop, and the way you want to use the pot.
The current collection at TEKZEN consists of 7 stainless steel pressure cookers from Kadirelli and Cheffinger. You can choose from 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 liters, and all current models are offered as suitable for induction.
View the pressure cookers at TEKZEN or discover the complete collection of pots at TEKZEN when you want to compare different types of pots.
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