Best Pressure Cookers in India 2020- A Review

The most common appliance you find in every Indian Kitchen is the Pressure cooker. A pressure cooker is a handy kitchen appliance to reduce cooking time, especially if you are a mother.

Apart from saving time, pressure cookers have other benefits like –requires less water to cook than other conventional cooking types. So, the food cooking in it will retain more minerals and vitamins. As the food will not be exposed to air while cooking, nutrients will not get oxidized.

you have to consider few factors while purchasing a pressure cooker:

1. Capacity
2. Material
3. Outer Lid or Inner Lid
4. compatibility with induction cooktop [if you have induction cooktop]
5. other factors like warranty, durability, dishwasher compatibility etc.,

TOP PRESSURE COOKERS IN INDIA 2020

Hawkins Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker, 5 Litres, Silver:

Buy  @  Amazon

Features:

• Induction compatible and works on gas, Ideal for cooking for 5 - 7 Persons
• The base stays flat, does not bugle or separate
• Cooks tasty food can also be used for frying
• Colour: Silver, Material: Stainless Steel
• Package Contents: 1-Piece Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker (5 Litres)
• Warranty Information: 5 Years
• Base flat diameter: 158 mm; Base thickness: 5.81 mm; Other Features: Easy to Clean and Extremely Hygienic, Ensures Uniform Heating, Can be Used Safely for Light and Deep Frying and Pressure Cooking, Corrosion Resistant, Base Always Stays Flat.

Pros:

1. Works on Gas + Induction cooktops

2. Longer lasting Gasket

3. Perfect Sealing through better design

4. The Hawkins Pressure-Locked Safety lid

Cons:

1. Stainless steel base hence consumes more fuel than the copper-based or high anodized pressure cookers.
2. made the opening area under the Gasket a little less sharp to prevent accidental cuts.

Prestige Deluxe Alpha Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker, 5.5 Litres, Silver

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Features:

1. Well-insulated handle with double screws for easy durability and comfort
2. Highly durable stainless steel body that provides sturdiness
3. Convenient pressure indicator and Alpha Base induction bottom
4. Well-controlled
5.  GRS and Euroclad induction base
6. Colour: Silver, Material: Stainless Steel, Lid Type: Outer Lid

Pros:

• High Durability and Toughness
• 3 Level safety system
• Pure stainless steel with aluminium steel base
• Easy Locking Mechanism
• Suitable on both Induction and LPG Gas Stove
• Resistant to corrosion
• ISI mark for quality and safety
• 10 years warranty

Cons:

• Slightly heavy to hold it

Hawkins Contura Black Hard Anodised Pressure Cooker

Buy @  Amazon

Features:

• Brand: Hawkins, collection: Contura, type: pressure cooker
• Colour: black, body material: aluminium, induction base: no; Base flat diameter: 150 mm; Base thickness: 3.25 mm
• Type of lid: inner, dimensions: 419 mm h x 253 mm l x 177 mm b, weight: 1.46 Kgs
• 5-year Guarantee Under the terms of the written guarantee, your pressure cooker is guaranteed for 5 years. The guarantee card comes packed inside your pressure cooker carton

• Unique Curved Body

Pros:

1. Hard Anodised Body

2. Food-grade Superior Stainless Steel Lid

3. Locked Safety Lid

Cons:

1. Not compatible with an induction cooktop.

Prestige Deluxe Plus Junior Induction Base Hard Anodized Pressure Handi, 4.8 Litres, Black

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Features:

• Material Type: Hard Anodised; Base type: Induction base; Capacity: 4.8 L; Lid type: Outer Lid; Base thickness (in mm): 3.5 mm; Weight: 1.7 kg; Colour Black;
• Warranty: 5 years
• For any issues, contact_us on: [1800-123-334548]
• BASE: Prestige Deluxe Duo+ HA base is Stainless steel perforated (holes) plate, machine pressed to Aluminium cooker base. Apart from being compatible with induction cooktops, the unique base ensures even heat distribution without heat spots.
• BODY: It is an outer lid pressure cooker made from virgin aluminium which is hard anodised for aesthetic looks and long-lasting durability. The Handi shape of the body makes it ideal for cooking a variety of Indian cuisines. It comes with a stainless steel outer lid which looks aesthetic and is more durable.
• PRECISION WEIGHT VALVE: It is the first level of safety feature to release pressure above 1kg/cm2, which makes the cooking safe and time saving for you.
• CONTROLLED GASKET RELEASE SYSTEM: This is the 2nd level of safety provide in Prestige pressure cooker, in case there is any blockage of vent tube, the CGRS will release the steam from cooktop. Thus making it extremely safe for usage.
• DOUBLE SCREW DURABLE HANDLES: The sturdy handles with flame guard provide extra grip and comfort, making it ideal for regular use and durability.

Pros:

1. High anodized material makes it long-lasting.
2. It is a healthy appliance because food acids do not react with the material
3. Compatible with induction stoves

Cons:

1. Odd shape restricts the type of utensil you keep inside for cooking

Pigeon By Stovekraft Favourite Induction Base Aluminium Pressure Cooker with Outer Lid, Silver

Buy @ Amazon

Features:

• Material type: Aluminium; Base type: Induction base; No. of pieces: 1; Capacity: 5L; Lid Type: Outer Lid; Weight: 1.72; Colour Silver;
• Warranty: 5 years; Covered in Warranty: Manufacturing Defect; Not covered in warranty: Damages due to the usage of the product
• For any issues, contact_us on: [1800-425-66666]
• Gas Stovetop and Induction Stovetop Compatible
• Made from high-quality aluminium. Dishwasher Safe: Yes
• ISI Certified Pressure Cooker
• Ergonomic User-Friendly Handle
• Faster and EvenCooking.

Pros:

1. made from aluminium, hence economic and light in weight
2. Highly safe because of enhanced levels of safety
3. Ideal for small Indian families of 3 to 4 person

Cons:

1. Aluminium cookers are prone to corrosion.

Butterfly Superb Plus Induction Base Hard Anodised Aluminium Pressure Cooker, 5 litres

Buy @ Amazon

Features:

• Ergonomically and Aesthetically designed, easy-grip, stay-cool handle
• Handle with special lock arrangement for uni-directional rotation
• Specially formulated food -grade rubber gasket for longer life and Gasket release system for safety
• Fast and energy-efficient cooking
• Precisely designed weight set for fast cooking
• Non-toxic, scratch - resistance and easy to clean
• Peel proof, induction compatible base
• 5-year warranty on the product

Pros:

1. high-quality aluminium body
2. Food grade rubber gasket makes it a hygienic product
3. 3L capacity is ideal for small families

Cons:

1. Aluminium cookers are prone to corrosion.

Hawkins Futura Hard Anodised Induction Compatible Pressure Cooker, 5 Litre

Buy @ Amazon

Feature:

• Ideal for 4 to 6 persons
• Hard anodised body and lid: non-reactive with food; will not tarnish, stays looking new for years
• Base 6.35 mm thick: stays flat, heats evenly and is ideal for light frying before pressure cooking
• Induction models available in 2 Litre, 3 Litre, 4 Litre, 5 Litre, 6 Litre
• Super-fast – 46 per cent faster than a microwave oven; Fingertip steam release
• Package Contents: 1 - Pressure Cooker Lid, 1 - Rubber Gasket, 1 - Vent Weight, 1 - Guarantee Card, 1 - Cookbook, 1 - Cleaning Brush, 1 - Service Centre Directory, 1 - Cooker Body, 1 - Grid
• Warranty: 5 years on product
• Base flat diameter:179 mm; Base thickness: 6.35 mm

The beautiful, durable black finish given by 60 microns

 thick hard anodising has two benefits. It makes the pressure cooker absorb heat faster making it more energy-efficient. And the pressure cooker stays looking new for years.

The unique pressure regulating system gives you the convenience of finger-tip pressure release and prevents clogging of the steam vent. The double-thick base stays flat, heats evenly and is ideal for light frying before pressure cooking. Suitable for gas, electric, ceramic and halogen cooktops.

Pros:

1. energy-efficient.

2.  beautiful, durable black finish.

3. Suitable for gas, electric, ceramic and halogen cooktops

Why would you want to buy a Pressure Cooker?

Well, the pressure cooker first came into the market in the 17th century and since then it stayed in the market without ever losing its popularity. 

Some of the benefits-

• It cooks faster- This is the main reason why you would want to invest in a pressure cooker. It is faster than any other cooking method. While it takes 30 to 50 minutes to cook a pot of soaked grains, a pressure cooker does the same job in less than 10 minutes.

• Adds nutritional value- Pressure cooker involves a closed and fast cooking method. The lids remain closed thought the cooking process. Pots and pans which take longer time in cooking evaporate the moistures from the foods and the nutrients lose its value. While a pressure cooker with closed lids traps all the moisture in and also preserves the nutrients and vitamins of the food items.

• No mess- Pressure cookers are generally quite easy to clean up because they cook being closed avoiding all the splatters, spills, and crumbs which a normal pan would leave on the stove’s surface.

• No loss of flavour - The pressure cooker uses the liquids from the pot and it stays in, which doesn’t let any of the items evaporate or take away the flavour in any case. In the face, your food would taste better because the flavours of the food stay, along with the vitamins.

• Safe to use- If you are afraid of pressure cooker busting out of high pressure then rest assured as it has become an old story now. With newer technology and innovations manufacturers are adding more and more safety features to the pressure cookers. These make them completely safe even the safest option to cook your favourite dishes.  

How do you buy the right pressure cooker?

Keep these points in mind when you intend to purchase your pressure cooker.

Select the size of the cooker you need: The size of the cooker depends on the size of the family. Pressure cookers come in various sizes ranging from 2 litres to even 10 litres. You have smaller cookers for cooking baby food. Such cookers have a capacity of 1 litre to 1.5 litres.

A standard Indian family of three to four persons would need a pressure cooker in the range of 3 to 5 litres. A bigger family or a joint family requires a cooker in the range of 5 to 8 litres.

Durability-  The hard anodized and stainless steel pressure cookers are durable appliances. 

Heath factor- The stainless steel and anodized pressure cookers are better in this regard.

Compatibility with the Induction Stove- Nowadays, people use induction stoves instead of the LPG gas stoves. Therefore, you should choose the pressure cooker that is compatible for use on the induction stove.

Inner Lid Cookers and Outer Lid Cookers- The inner lid-pressure cookers are safer as compared to the outer lid types because of the additional locking mechanism to hold the building up of extra pressure.

Warranty- Usually, the top pressure cooker brands in India offer extended warranties on their products. Select the pressure cooker brand that provides the maximum warranty.

Types of Pressure cookers – What Type do you want?

a) Stainless steel- The Strong and Durable Type

b) Aluminum Pressure Cookers- The Affordable Type

c) Hard-Anodized Aluminium Pressure Cookers: Best Quality and Expensive Type

FAQs:

What are the best pressure cooker brands in India?

The 4 brands which are the most popular in India are Prestige, Pigeon, Hawkins and Butterflies. 

Can I cook a small amount of food with a big pressure cooker?

The time duration consumed by both the small-sized cookers and the big sized cookers is similar. So, it entirely depends upon your interest. You may wish to buy a bigger cooker and yet cook smaller portions. Though, small ones are convenient to use and so would they cost lesser. Consider the size as per your interest.

Is health factor a concern while cooking in a pressure cooker?

Yes, water, which is used to cook the ingredients inside the cooker, may lead to losing some of the nutrients. The other factor is the reaction with acids, which plays a major role in messing up with the nutrients of the food. Hence, you need to find a material that is not reactive to acids and also the one which is a high conductor of heat to ensure nutrients are retained. In this case, the anodized pressure cooker has all the merits one should be looking for while purchasing the product.

Is it safe to cook in an Aluminum Pressure cooker?

Aluminium is not as deadly as the lead but it is also not good for you either. Aluminium is reactive with acidic food items such as tomato, lemon, and tamarind which are greatly used in Indian cooking. If you are sure that you won’t be cooking anything sour then an aluminium cooker is for you, if not sure avoid buying it in the first place.

What are the don’ts while using a pressure cooker?

There are many items that are strongly prohibited and you must ask about the same or read in the instruction manual. Another is when you open the lid of the cooker after your cooking is done, open it in the opposite direction of your face. Adhered by all the instructions which are mentioned in the manual and you will find it more than easy to get used to a pressure cooker quick.

What is the difference between Natural Release, Quick Release and Cold-Water Release?

These are the three different type of pressure release technique used for cooking different type of foods.
* Natural Release: Recommended for frothy foods, high- liquid foods, big meat pieces and all other foods that can be overcooked without an issue. You leave the cooker and the pressure will come down on its own.
* Quick Release: It is used for food items that have short cooking time. This includes soft vegetables, sea-food, adding vegetables halfway the cooking. You press and pull the steam release valve once the cooking over.
* Cold Water Release: The fastest cooking method for a stovetop pressure cooker. Put the cooker under a tap, run the water over the lid and along both the sides. Never place the valve underwater.