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Fagor 2-by-1 Splendid 5-Piece Pressure Cooker Set

Fagor 2-by-1 Splendid 5-Piece Pressure Cooker Set

I've had my 8 qt and 4 qt set for two years, replacing an old Presto aluminum cooker and use it all the time. The 4 qt pot is great for making rice, risotto and other grain recipes. I use the steamer insert in the 8 qt to make (I kid you not) meatloaf and mashed potatoes in 15 minutes. If you are new to pressure cooking you can't go wrong with this set and Lorna Sass' book Pressure Perfect: Two Hour Taste in Twenty Minutes Using Your Pressure Cooker (source of the meatloaf recipes).

If you are used to the jiggle-top pressure cookers, you will notice that there's a valve at the top of this one with some steam coming out and a button that raises to let you know it is on high pressure. It is much quieter than the jiggle top style. I love that it is stainless steel, too. Besides being easier to keep clean, it's much better for cooking any tomato-based sauces, curries, etc.

If you are new to pressure cooking, you will particularly like having this in the summer when you don't want to run the oven. Rice is done with 3 minutes on high pressure and an additional 7 minutes off the stove.

Fagor Splendid 10-Quart Pressure Cooker/Canner

Fagor Splendid 10-Quart Pressure Cooker/Canner

I have wanted a pressure cooker for some time, and recently received this one as a gift. I have used it a number of times since getting it, and it is becoming my favorite cooking utensil. Since getting it, I have cooked:

- beans (less than 25 minutes to perfect texture with NO presoaking)

- chicken (25 minutes to fall-of-the bone tenderness)

- roast (the most tender, juicy and best tasting my family has eaten)

A 10-quart cooker may be somewhat larger than many people think they need. I love the large size because I can cook for family or for company and don't have to worry about not having enough room. This is a simple to use, easy to clean way to have delicious food for a family in a hurry. From taking a chiken out of the refrigerator to dinner on the table is often less than 40 minutes. While this is also true of other pressure cookers, the Fagor Splendid cooker has easy to use locking mechanisms, and it's simple design makes it reliable and easy to clean.

A couple of suggestions: Read the instructions. While this cooker is simple to use and clean, the instructions contain a number of very useful hints. Had I read the instructions beforehand, my first dish would have been less of a hassle than it was. Second, buy accessories. This pot is just a pot - no trivet, no basket, no spoons, nothing else. To do serious pressure cooking, you need some of these other utensils.

A final comment: you won't get better for this price. I recommend this for any serious cook who has limited time.