About

Brand

KUHN RIKON

Material

Stainless steel

Color

Silver

Capacity

5 Liters

Item Dimensions LxWxH

16.13 x 9.75 x 9 inches

Item Weight

6.5 Pounds

Operation Mode

Automatic

Is Dishwasher Safe

No

  • Type: Pressure cooker
  • Color: Silver
  • Model: Duromatic 5-liter
  • Weight: 6 lb-10 oz
  • Made In: Switzerland
  • Warranty: 10 years parts and workmanship
  • Dimensions: 17-1/4" x 9-3/4" x 9"
  • Composition: 18/10 Stainless steel, aluminum bottom core, phenolic handles and valves, silicon gasket
  • Manufacturer: Kuhn Rikon
  • Other versions: 7-Liter Pressure Cooker; 2 1/2-Liter Pressure Cooker; 6-Piece Pressure Cooker Set

Ambitions

Apparent goal: kids gift/registry home kitchens restaurants everywhere
Intended audience: novice advanced beginner good home cook gourmet professional
Diet/nutrition: does not apply scary empty promises helpful essential
Green?: not green neutral mixed blessing earth friendly green!
Innovative: step back standing still progress trendy genius
Problem solving: no better baby steps solid steps giant steps a revelation
Competition: outclassed follower in the pack strong challenger likely champ

Utility/Quality

Ease of use: impossible frustrating OK simple child's play
Intuitive: Ph.D. required barely logical effortless brilliant
Instructions: missing incomprehensible adequate unnecessary excellent
Quality: cheesy questionable good years of service impressive
Parts to lose: inevitable some/many one-piece self-storing not a problem
Power source: none hands batteries outlet green
Clean-up: nightmare wipe clean soap & water scouring pad dishwasher
Does it work?: not at all adequately well very well perfectly
Availability: airfare required online kitchen store department store supermarket

Packaging

Easy to open?: impossible maddening tolerable good opens itself
Green?: fills a landfill huge waste passable minimal waste impressive

Economy

Time saving: time wasting not really modest substantial huge
Labor saving: less efficient marginal a bit noticeable remarkable
Money saving: money wasted none $ $$ $$$
Beats the old way: worse no change better infinitely entirely new
Where will it live?: garage/attic drawer cabinet countertop elsewhere
If it quits: toss it craigslist repair upgrade replace

Summary

Fulfills ambitions: falls short almost there satisfies exceeds home run
How often used: once/twice ≥daily ≥weekly ≥monthly ≥yearly/holidays
Worth the space?: no does not apply w/unlimited space w/limited space absolutely
Need it?: a luxury discretionary basic equipment for serious cooks get it
Value: ouch! a little pricey worth splurging on the money a deal
Overall rating: skip it fair good very good excellent

Comments: A pressure cooker is a wonderful thing. Yes, there is a learning curve, but if you put in a little effort – and especially if you use it with some regularity – it becomes intuitive. You may have to look at a chart or cookbook (included) to determine cooking time for each food, whether to use pressure setting 1 or 2, whether to use the included trivet, and whether to let the pressure dissipate slowly or release it quickly.

But you can save as much as 70% of the cooking time, and that is especially meaningful with foods that require long cooking, such as soups, roasts, stews, vegetables, potatoes, some cereals and grains, and dried foods. Also, because so little water is used and the pressure cooker is sealed, few nutrients are lost to the cooking water or dissipate into the air.

There are some rules: do not use a pressure cooker for cranberries, apple compote, rhubarb, oatmeal, barley, peas, pasta, or other foods that foam, which could block the pressure valve. Do not overfill – no more than two-thirds full normally, and no more than half full for foods that expand, such as rice and certain cereals.

The Kuhn Rikon pressure cookers are made in Switzerland to exacting standards, with multiple safety features. The pressure valve is built in, rather than a separate (old-fashioned) weight. It can be used as a regular pot, and is an excellent conductor of heat. The pan can be cleaned in the dishwasher, but not the lid.

It is hugely expensive, which is partly due to the strength of the Swiss franc and partly due to Swiss engineering. But if you can regularly save a huge amount of cooking time, fuel for your stove, and most of the foods' nutrients, it becomes much easier to justify.