 Ideal sizes, saves more time than energy |
| Review Date: January 7, 2008 |
| Reviewer: B. Montgomery, Indiana USA |
I'm very happy with my pressure cookers, purchased a few months ago. I agonized over whether to purchase the 4 quart or 6 quart model, as I wanted both to be able to cook small amounts (e.g. 2 cups of rice) for small meals and larger amounts for dinner parties. This combination set is perfect, as it allows me to do both, without buying two lids and gaskets, and for considerably less than the cost of buying the two separately. I've made batches of beans and grains in the 4-quart pot, and a variety of soups in the 6 quart pot. It's also been great for cooking winter squash in just a few minutes.
The pressure cooker is easy to use and easy to clean (& I'm new to pressure cooking), and thus far the gasket has sealed with relative ease. The steaming basket and flimsy trivet aren't ideal, but this is a minor complaint.
I had hoped to save on my energy bill by pressure cooking - since food cooks in a fraction of the time, it should only use a fraction of the electricity / gas. I can't say that I've noticed any changes to my electric bill though, because it turns out that energy use for cooking is a relatively small part of overall energy use. According to Natural Resources Canada (from whom information happened to be conveniently available) the average household with an electric stove uses about 775 KWH (kilowatt hours) of electricity for the stove per year. At $0.12 per KWH, that would amount to about $95. Fagor claims that a pressure cooker reduces energy use by 70%. Assuming that you'll actually pressure cook one-fourth of what you cook on a stove-top that would mean that your average yearly savings would be $95*1/4*0.70, or about $17. Given that the pressure cooker set costs currently about $120, that means it would take about 7 years to recoup your investment in terms of energy savings (this would change a bit if you take into account that in winter the extra heat from cooking helps to heat the house, and in summer you have to pay twice, once to heat the stove and once to re-cool the kitchen). If you buy a new gasket every couple of years, it come out nearly even.
In conclusion, my pressure cookers have allowed me to eat more healthy foods - whole grains, legumes and winter squashes - without spending all day cooking. For that it's a good investment, but not so much to save energy. |
A great set
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| Review Date: February 13, 2010 |
| Reviewer: D. Rifkin, |
I've been using my Fagor set for about a month now, and I'm loving it. I've never had a pressure cooker before, and I'm finding that I'm much more inclined to include healthy beans and whole grains in my meals with the help of these pressure cookers. I didn't know what size would be the best, and I'm glad I went with the 4-quart and 6-quart. I like the 4-quart for when I just want to cook some grains quickly, or for simple one-ingredient side dishes (acorn squash, potatoes, etc.). The 6-quart is big enough for a stew dinner for about 6 people. I considered a larger pressure cooker, but was concerned that it would be difficult to move on and off the stovetop and that it would be cumbersome to wash. I haven't needed a larger size so I'm glad I didn't opt for the 8-quart.
The pressure lid is easy to use (easy locking system, straight-forward quick release); It's also easy to clean. I use these pots on an electric stove, and haven't had any trouble. I boil the contents on high, and then turn the burner to medium. (No need for two burners, as some cookbooks suggest.) These are very good quality pots, and I also use them for non-pressure cooking. |
Works great, even for beginners
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| Review Date: March 30, 2009 |
| Reviewer: B. Peters, San Francisco, CA |
This is my first pressure cooker and it works just fine. I had read a million reviews before finally purchasing one and was a little nervous about all the details and such but I didn't need to be. This is pretty idiot-proof...just put in the food and water, twist on the top, flip the lock and you're good to go!
Sure, you do need to check the steam output and lower the heat once it really starts going, but I have found that the worst thing that happens if you don't is that you get a little bit of stuff on the top of the pan as the steam rushes out really fast...nothing you can't just clean off.
Also, despite the manual saying to not put in dishwasher, I always do (aside from the gasket) and have had no probs after 4 months. |
arrived broken
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| Review Date: September 18, 2009 |
| Reviewer: C. Roth, Johnston, Iowa |
| I prefer not to review this item. It arrived broken twice. However, I was reimbursed for it and am satified. I purchased this item to give as a wedding gift. I already own a Fagor pressure cooker and I love it! I would buy one again. |
Fagor Splendid advantages and disadvantages
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| Review Date: January 10, 2005 |
| Reviewer: K. Nicholes, Montana mountains USA |
.....I am a longtime cook, skilled with old aluminum Presto pressure cookers. I received the Fagor Splendid 2-in-1 cooker as a requested gift about 3 years ago. My biggest complaint after a couple years of use was the fancy V-cross-section gasket, which stopped sealing properly after about a year of use, and is pricey to replace. 2009 update: Fagor has switched to a much longer lasting grey gasket (the early ones were turquoise) that seals better. I bought one a couple of years ago and it is still going strong.
.....I hardly use the shallower pan from this set, but the deep pan is wonderfully useful. It's stainless steel, not aluminum, so I don't worry about aluminum getting into the food. It's got a nice heavy bottom, and so is good for deepfrying and popping popcorn as well as pressure cooking. The tall capacity is nice, I can parboil a whole chicken before roasting it, without clogging the vent.
.....The complex safety features are kinda tricky to wash, but this is definitely a useful pan; it does a great job of hurry-up cooking. I am at a mile altitude, so a pressure cooker really is needed frequently in my kitchen.
.....Happy cooking, friend, I hope this info helps. |
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