Pressure Cooker

[CarolnJim]

I just purchased, at Bed Bath and Beyond, a 5 quart aluminum pressure cooker. It's a special buy so the sign said until gone... $14.99 and I used my 20% off coupon .. final price about $13.00 with tax. I figured for that, it was worth getting..

It's really nice; lightweight 5 quart with no long handle, came with an instruction book. Just thought someone else might be interested.

[Dana T]

Thanks! I'll go check it out!

[Curtis F.]

IMHO: Aluminum is not a good metal for the inside of cooking pans. It leaches into many foods during cooking and can be pitted by acidic foods. Tomato based foods are especially corrosive to aluminum cookware. Aluminum and other ingested metals are also suspected to be involved in dementia and alzhiemers.

Great price, but I will never buy another aluminum pan.

[Donna D.]

Aluminum and other ingested metals are also suspected to be involved in dementia and alzhiemers.

Great price, but I will never buy another aluminum pan.

Curtis is correct, there has been research done on the effects of aluminum in alzhiemers patients. And while there may be some correlation, the largest is genetics. Is there dementia or alzhiemers in your family? If so, you may wish to pay particular attention to aluminum products and their effects.

However, there are lots and lots of everyday containers and products in use that contain aluminum. Do you drink beverages or eat food that is canned in aluminum container? Such as beer, soda, tomato juice, iced tea, etc. The biggest product use that the population uses everyday is deodorant/anti-perspirants. The ingredient is Aluminum Sesquichlorohydrate found in a 25% concentration that you apply DIRECTLY on your skin... usually at least once a day. THAT may be a much larger concern.

I find it far less of a concern for a piece of cooking utensile such as this pressure cooker, that may be used once a week or once a month, etc.

YMMV

[Rick kl]

I hope aluminum beer cans don't count!

[Terry G]

I hope aluminum beer cans don't count!

Aluminum beer and soda cans have an epoxy coating on the inside that's supposed to keep the contents away from the metal. A lot of beer drinkers seem to prefer bottles but that's probably because the glass stay cold longer. I've never noticed a difference in taste and a lot of microbrewers are shifting to cans now to save money. But I think Donna makes a great point about anti-perspirants that contain Aluminum Sesquichlorohydrate. That scares me and I only use deodorants. Sweating is a natural body function.

[Casita Greg]

Lucky for us beer afficionados, aluminum beverage cans have a lining which prevents the contents from coming into direct contact with the aluminum itself. Then again...there's always bottles!

I agree with the above posts about aluminum and its purported deletrious effects on our bodies. I too don't have or use any aluminum cookware for the same reasons mentioned above.

I'll brag a little bit about my "Rolls Royce" pressure cooker. Kuhn Ricon are all stainless steel, Swiss made, and are probably the best ones made on the planet. I got the biggest one they make (12 Quart,) which I also use for canning as well as cooking. The only down side is that they certainly ain't cheap! But you get what you pay for. Certainly no comparison at all to a $15 aluminum one. I hope it doesn't blow up on you, as some of those lesser priced ones have a bad reputation of doing just that!

http://kuhnrikon.com/products/pressure_coo...sure.php3?id=16

[CarolnJim]

For the use we will have for it, I'm not afraid of the aluminum... I won't be using it for everyday at home. Here's the same pressure cooker sold at Sears.
http://www.mysears.com/Basic-Essentials-5-...er-review-25cf0

I'm not recommending this product because I haven't used it yet - just passing on what I believe to be a good price for a pressure cooker.

===========
Here's one of the reviews..

Basic Essentials 5 qt. Aluminum Pressure Cooker —
The ONLY complaint I could have about this pressure cooker is that I wish it came in a 6 qt size rather than 5 qt. Beyond that, it is streamlined in terms of function (EASY TO USE!!!!!!!) and produces beautiful soups, meats and desserts. I had previously owned a heavier stainless steel model and now much prefer this aluminum model-MUCH lighter, and very even heating throughout. A dream machine, especially at the price. I use it almost every day. And it comes with 3 great recipes on the box. Instructions are clear and precise. You can't go wrong with this model. Enjoy and have fun!

[Dana T]

Today I finally remembered to go to BB&B to see if they still had any of these pressure cookers left. They still had one on display.

But the top was stuck!

Out of curiosity I looked at the next larger size, the 6 quart, and its top was stuck too!

On either of the pressure cookers I could move the top a little bit, but the pressure interlock would not release. So I looked a little more closely and realized that the 5 quart and 6 quart used lids that are almost the same diameter, but the interlocks operated in the opposite directions. Someone had interchanged the lids on the two pressure cookers. A few minutes of teasing the interlock pins of the two lids allowed me to get them off, and when I swapped the lids both cookers were fully operational.

I asked the salesperson whether they had any more of the 5 quart in stock, he said no. I told him I would like to buy the display model and he said normally they would sell it, but it was non-functional -- the lid wouldn't come off. I told him what I had discovered, and showed him it was now functional, so he offered me a 10% discount and I bought it.

I believe the only reason I was successful in finding one is that some earlier shopper days ago had mixed up the lids.

And Kudos to the sales clerk for trying to stop me from buying a non-operational piece of equipment!

[Dana T]

IMHO: Aluminum is not a good metal for the inside of cooking pans. It leaches into many foods during cooking and can be pitted by acidic foods. Tomato based foods are especially corrosive to aluminum cookware. Aluminum and other ingested metals are also suspected to be involved in dementia and alzhiemers.

Great price, but I will never buy another aluminum pan.

You're right that acidic food should not be left in contact with aluminum. My parents had a SilverStone aluminum pot and I learned from them that the pot is used only for cooking, but not for food storage. The same lesson applies here as well.

Oh yeah, they got that pot as a wedding present when my father was 24, he lived to be 93, and he was done in by a viral infection that destroyed the heart muscle. No dementia at all....

[Mary F]

And, isn't it true that anodized aluminum is a whole different thing?

[CarolnJim]

I found this... http://environment.about.com/od/healthenvi...afecookware.htm


Stainless Steel Cookware Combines Different Metals
In fact, stainless steel is really a mixture of several different metals, including nickel, chromium and molybdenum, all of which can trickle into foods. However, unless your stainless steel cookware is dinged and pitted, the amount of metals likely to get into your food is negligible.

Anodized Aluminum Cookware May Be a Safer Alternative
These days, many health conscious cooks are turning to anodized aluminum cookware as a safer alternative. The electro-chemical anodizing process locks in the cookware’s base metal, aluminum, so that it can’t get into food, and makes for what many cooks consider an ideal non-stick and scratch-resistant cooking surface. Calphalon is the leading manufacturer of anodized aluminum cookware, but newer offerings from All Clad (endorsed by celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse) and others are coming on strong.

[Michael Pupeza]

I have a GSI 3 liter (quarts) anodized aluminum pressure cooker, available from several online stores that works quite well for 2 people. While not truly no-stick, it does clean up well and is easy to use, and very compact. Handy for the RV.
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___82051
http://www.wisementrading.com/campcookware...ssurecooker.htm
They seem to be unavailable right now from several of the stores, but, perhaps, are only back-ordered.
I do find that 3 liter is a bit small, and tend to use a 6 liter Presto SS pressure cooker more often.
Mike

I found this... http://environment.about.com/od/healthenvi...afecookware.htm


Stainless Steel Cookware Combines Different Metals
In fact, stainless steel is really a mixture of several different metals, including nickel, chromium and molybdenum, all of which can trickle into foods. However, unless your stainless steel cookware is dinged and pitted, the amount of metals likely to get into your food is negligible.

Anodized Aluminum Cookware May Be a Safer Alternative
These days, many health conscious cooks are turning to anodized aluminum cookware as a safer alternative. The electro-chemical anodizing process locks in the cookware’s base metal, aluminum, so that it can’t get into food, and makes for what many cooks consider an ideal non-stick and scratch-resistant cooking surface. Calphalon is the leading manufacturer of anodized aluminum cookware, but newer offerings from All Clad (endorsed by celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse) and others are coming on strong.

[DonDeutsch]

Next thing you will tell me is I shouldn't re-cycle my disposable water bottle by refilling it! LOL

[Terry R.]

Carolnjim, our bb&b didn't have the 14.99 one but they did have 6qt. one for 19.99. Just a thought if you are still in the market for a little bit bigger one. I wish I could gey the smaller one.

[Brian Van Snell]

IMHO: Aluminum is not a good metal for the inside of cooking pans. It leaches into many foods during cooking and can be pitted by acidic foods. Tomato based foods are especially corrosive to aluminum cookware. Aluminum and other ingested metals are also suspected to be involved in dementia and alzhiemers.

Great price, but I will never buy another aluminum pan.

Curtis:

You might want to look at the Canadian Alzheimer Society site http://www.alzheimer.ca/english/dise...uses-alumi.htm which says:

[b]Most researchers no longer regard aluminum as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. However, some researchers are still examining whether some people are at risk because their bodies have difficulties in handling foods containing the metals copper, iron, and aluminum.

Brian

[CarolnJim]

Carolnjim, our bb&b didn't have the 14.99 one but they did have 6qt. one for 19.99. Just a thought if you are still in the market for a little bit bigger one. I wish I could gey the smaller one.

Hi Terry

When I looked up the Pressure Cooker on the internet, I found that Sears sells the same 5 quart one that we have. It was selling for $19.99 ( if I remember right).

The 5 quart size is perfect. Cooks plenty of food for 4 people... we are only 2, so we have leftovers. Yum!

Our BB&B stills has them on sale.. Can you try another store?