Presto 01264 6-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker, Silver

If you don't have a pressure cooker and have been considering it, you really can't go wrong with this one. I own Presto brand aluminum pressure cookers in three different sizes, this 4 quart being my most recent purchase. The 4 qt. does not have the additional "lip" on the opposite side that the 6 qt does (which in my opinion makes it easier to handle) however it is a bit smaller so it's not that bad. Just be careful when lifting it into the sink to apply cold water before letting it cool down to open. This 4 qt size is perfect for a single person, or making small meals. I used it the day it arrived to cook chicken in. The chicken was cooked to perfection, and falling off the bone in just 25 minutes! If you haven't used a pressure cooker before, and this will be your first time, I offer the following tips: Get your food in, seal it up, and set it on the burner you want to use. Turn the burner up to high. It can take up to 15 minutes for the knob on top to start rocking. Once it does, turn down the heat about halfway. It may be a little noisy to some if you are standing right next to it, but it is nothing to be alarmed about. It's normal. Don't turn the heat down until after the knob starts rocking or you will either delay your cooking time or end up with less than tender meat. I didn't know this the first time I used one of these, and of course I was cooking a very thick roast. Still even with the "refire" a roast that would have taken several hours in the oven only took about 75 minutes to be perfectly done. My first purchase was of a 23 quart for canning/jarring. Second was of a 6 quart a year after which since I purchased I have used every single day. And most recently this 4 quart which I used the day it arrived, and will use several times a week undoubtedly. If you have a busy lifestyle like me you really cant live without these. They greatly reduce your cooking time while still producing a fabulous meal. I've always loved to cook, and really cant fathom why I didn't incorporate these into my life years ago. I've gotten rid of several of the pots I had prior to purchasing these because they double as pots too. I could truly get by with these, and just one square griddle. I wouldn't hesitate to buy more, and will likely replace the ones I have with the stainless steel versions at some point. I will say that the aluminum versions do tend to rub black all over you for several cleanings. Also they tend to stain a lot easier. While the stainless steel are double the price if you can afford it they are worth it. If you cant at least get the aluminum for the convenience, and just upgrade to the stainless steel when you are able to. In closing I recommend you stop thinking about it, and just get one. They aren't that expensive, and they pay for themselves quickly. Because of course time is money.

Didn't know what size to get but careful reading of instructions and what I make I determined this was the best size for me. Couldn't decide between a 4qt and a 6 qt. I wanted a 6 qt but Amazon forced you to buy Amazon Prime if you wanted the 6 qt and I didn't want that FORCED on me as I don't want Prime Membership right now and didn't want the hassle to quit later. But as it turned out the 4 qt is more than enough for one or two people or even if you have a small child. It's well and simply made and very cheap compared to others out there. Was not sure about the crude rocking cap but it works, is reliable and simple to see if the pressure is correct by it's gentle rocking. One decision to buy this was the gasket and other rubber seals are cheap to replace. The other one I looked at and really liked, the gasket and rubber replacements would cost me nearly $18 dollars a year to upkeep paying for another of their Pressure Cookers in only 3 YEARS!! The aluminum used is soft and scratches and stains easily and is not hardened i.e anodized. I wish it was but the cost would go higher too. But the manual gives a way to remove stains. Have not tried it as the light stains don't bother me. I also did NOT detect any aluminum taste with dishes that contain acidic ingredients. A well-known site tested for aluminum and said it leeches .0025 of aluminum, but said when you take an antacid, one tablet contains 250 mg of aluminum! Drinking from soda cans can give you 1 or 2 mg of it. If that still bothers you go get a stainless-steel one. But the shape changes compared to the aluminum one even though they have the same capacity. I think the SS model is flatter and not as tall. I bought it mostly to cook beans in it and it excels at that. I tried their bean recipe and it's good as any. Completely satisfied. I also use it to cook soups, stews and am still experimenting. I don't know which is better at the moment for doing the latter as I only had this for a few months. Whether traditional cooking, i.e. Crockpot (failed at beans unless you buy it canned) or traditional stove, coil or gas. I can't seem to get the full flavor nuances on the latter when using the Pressure Cooker, however, strangely, we did gobble up everything made by it. Cabbage in soup gets overcooked, though, as this is powerful and and has only one setting at 15 lbs. Perhaps delicate herbs and flavoring get smothered by the extreme pressure? Maybe not either, as I'm still experimenting in amounts and may take me a year or more to determine the truth, as I don't use fresh herbs and tend to customize my recipes on the fly. I might add, also, it has a strangely very comfortable handle. See you in one year. ;)

Great product and long lasting, I have the same brand that I have had for the past 15 years but all it needed was a replacement rubber so I bought the replacement and returned this one. . You won’t regret buying trusted brand .

Overall the product is great. It works well, but does require a quick glance at instructions to get it right. The main thing is that a lot of pressure cookers don't actually continuously release steam, it only happens in bursts. This one is different and once it starts releasing, it doesn't stop and that's how it actually cooks. You'll have to reference either the manual or online documentation to understand how long things take. Overall, it makes stuff very quickly though. The main reason I'm docking a point is that I find it hard to believe that they still haven't figured out how to prevent water or foam from escaping directly. There's got to be a way. Directions mention something like aluminum foil or some stuff, but I'm not convinced. There has to a proper mechanical solution to this problem some day.

This pressure cooker is the best. I must say it works amazingly. First of all, this is the perfect size pressure cooker, it cooks super-fast, the flavor of your food is on another level. It is easy to clean (very important for me). I have cooked beans, meat, potatoes and several other items in it with excellent results. This 4 quarters size works perfectly for 4 people. Price is affordable and it's last long, I used it for long period of time. I am extremely pleased with this pressure cooker and would definitely recommend it !

Me gusto mucho esta compra; el tamaño es perfecto para mi marido y para mi; el material es fuerte y resistente.

The Presto 01241 4-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker cooks vegetables and any other food in a matter of a few minutes. Great product to use when you want to save time.

Best cooker ever!

I got this aluminum pressure cooker out of nostalgia. My Cuban mother-in-law taught me how to cook in one like this one when I was a teenager. I thought that 6Qt would be big enough, but it turned out to be so tiny! The flat portion of the inside bottom is just 7 inches wide whereas the inside top is 8.5". When using that pot as a regular pot choose a common non-pressurized lid accordingly, it does not come with one. It is made of stamped aluminum but the aluminum is thick. It is as thick as some of the cast aluminum pieces of cookware that I own. The bottom of the pot looks thicker from the outside, but it is the same stamped aluminum protruding, the same thickness of aluminum at the bottom. It does sit perfectly flat on our ceramic stovetop when new although I am not sure if it will change its shape and spin due to heating. The useful capacity for cooking rice and beans, soups and stews, or meat and chicken roasts of this 6Qt pot is just 3Qt which is not that much, closer to 2.5L so buyer beware. Should this cooker prove itself fully functional in time, I will get myself an 8Qt Presto, this one is really too tiny both in volume and in its bottom area diameter. The aluminum is brushed aluminum both inside and outside and it is so full of aluminum dust that my hands got black at the time of unpacking and assembling it. This must be cleaned not just with water and soap but scrubbed with cream of tartar powder and a wet sponge to get rid of the aluminum residue from the surface or else the food will get stained. The instructions for care and cleaning are excellent, simply top notch, and include advice on how to treat discoloration (blackening) of aluminum due to hard drinking water used during cooking.

Good size for small family