Description
Product Description
The smart choice for healthy, favorful meals, fast and easy. Cooks 3 to 10 times faster than ordinary cooking methods – even faster than a microwave for many foods. Chicken, fish, meat and vegetables cook to perfection fast. Helps tenderize economical cuts of meat. Works on regular and smooth-top ranges. Cover lock indicator shows when there is pressure inside the cooker and prevents the cover from being removed until pressure is safely reduced. Includes a special rack for cooking several foods at once with no intermingling of flavors. Dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. Liquid capacity: 4 quarts. Do not use this pressure cooker for pressure frying with oil (3.8 liters).
Amazon.com
Pressure cookers have experienced renewed popularity over the last several years because cooks have rediscovered what some cooks (particularly grandmas) have known for a long time–they’re really fast. And it’s easy to cook healthfully with pressure cookers, since the food retains so much more of its nutrients and flavor. Presto’s 4-quart stainless steel pressure cooker is a multi-purpose pot that can stand in as a conventional saucepan as well as perform the kitchen magic that pressure cookers are famous for. Chicken Cacciatore cooks in 8 minutes! This professional-quality stainless steel pressure cooker is a handy addition to any well-rounded set of kitchen tools.
The heavy-duty lid locks down during cooking; an inner sealing ring keeps the steam in. In addition to a pop-up pressure indicator and a simple steam release mechanism, there is an overpressure plug that will let off steam if it builds up excessively. This pressure cooker is useful for weeknight dinners or for any meal that needs to come together quickly. An accompanying booklet contains more than 65 recipes, ranging from basic soup stocks to stews and pot roasts–even desserts like 5-minute custards! Tenderize lean cuts of beef or pork; or cook chicken, fish, or vegetables faster than you can in a microwave, and without losing moisture.
Nonabrasive cleansers are best for cleaning this stainless steel pressure cooker, though occasional use of a fine metal polish will help the exterior keep its shine. The Presto 4-quart pressure cooker is fully immersible; in addition, the sealing ring should be removed after each use to allow cleaning of the inside rim of the lid. The vent pipe is simple to keep clean with a small brush or pipe cleaner, and both the air vent/cover lock and the overpressure plug are removable. The pressure cooker measures 9 inches in diameter (16-1/2 inches including handles) and 6-1/2 inches tall (including lid). Presto guarantees this pressure cooker with an extended 12-year warranty. A detailed instruction and recipe booklet is included; special safety issues that pertain to pressure cookers are clearly explained. –Garland Withers
Information
| Size | 6 Quarts, 4 Quarts |
|---|---|
| Style | Cooker |
| Special Features | Locking Lid |
| Controller Type | Hand Control |
| Operation Mode | Automatic |
| Voltage | 1.2E+2 Volts |
| Closure Type | Outer Lid |
| Item Dimensions D x W x H | 5.1"D x 15.75"W x 6.5"H |
| Is the item dishwasher safe? | Yes |
| Brand Name | Presto |
| Model Number | 01341 |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 00075741013411 |
| UPC | 075741013411 |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (14,862) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when('A', 'cf').execute(function(A) { 4.5 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #6,270 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining) #6 in Pressure Cookers |
| ASIN | B00002N602 |
| Item Type Name | Pressure cooker |
| Included Components | Complete Instruction/Recipe Book, Cooking Rack, Presto 01341 4-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker |
| Item Height | 9.88 inches |
| Manufacturer | Presto |
| Unit Count | 1.0 Count |
| Warranty Description | 1 Year Limited |
| Brand | Presto |
| Capacity | 4 Quarts |
| Material | Stainless steel |
| Color | Silver |
| Finish Type | Stainless Steel |
| Product Dimensions | 5.1"D x 15.75"W x 6.5"H |
| Special Feature | Locking Lid |
| Wattage | 1E+3 |
| Item Weight | 5.8 Pounds |
| Control Method | Touch |
| Feature | Helper handle for ease of handling. Dishwasher safe for easy cleaning with sealing ring and overpressure plug removed. |
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Very good quality and fast.
Ideal for preparing shredded meat, grains, ribs, and much more — quick, easy to use, and super easy to clean thanks to its excellent material.
One person found this helpful
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Presto Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker
I use this to cook Indian legumes or Dals as they are known commonly. Also cook unsoaked garbanzos and kidney beans as weii. While dals take 15 to 30 minutes of cooking under pressure, garbanzos and kidney beans might take 40 minutes to an hour. While it’s necessary to use the pot safely because of pressure, does alleviate having to soak ingredients for hours prior to cooking. While some Indian varieties do whistle, this one doesn’t, so will need to follow timing requirements for each ingredient. Not too complicated though! Happy to have it when one craves for spicy Dals without much preplanning. Not very happy that the wooden handles need frequent tightening! Great price at Amazon!
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1.0 out of 5 stars
Fatal design flaw
I bought this pressure cooker March of 2013 and was delighted when I received it. I grew up with pressure cookers and my mother had an old Presto one. The sound of the rocker brought back many memories…but I digress. I had to put it together, not a big deal, but became concerned when I realized that the base handle, the one on the pot itself, the one the lid handle locked onto, had only one relatively small screw to hold it to the pot. I was quite surprised as I felt it should have 2 or at least a bolt anyway but decided to work with it and just be very careful. I was. I did not over tighten the screw. I never carried it, picked it up or used just the base handle in any way, I always used both pot handles. I was careful putting the lid on and locking it in place. I focused on NOT allowing the heat to get too close to the handle, all to no avail. The handle began to loosen anyway and then I realized the screws were rusting. Really? Rusty screws? Along with a steadily loosening handle? What the heck? Then I tried to tighten the screw on the base handle and the screw would not move. I’m guessing it rusted in place.In addition, the quality of the stainless steel is not so good, not so stainless. I use Bar Keeper’s Friend for all my stainless steel and it always does a fabulous job keeping the stainless clean and shiny, in some cases nearly like new. Not so with this Presto pressure cooker. No matter how hard I tried, there were always stains that would not come out, on the lid and on the sides inside the pot.In all fairness it did function beautifully as a pressure cooker. I’ve used it a lot, cooking rice, vegetables, pot roast, beans and other things and never had a problem in that way. However, it’s just not worth it to me when there are other significant design flaws.It appears to me that Presto, attempting to save money, downgraded their quality while appearing to keep this item the same. Not so. This is not worth the time it would take me to purchase another one and I will not buy from Presto again. They have lost a customer for good. Now I have to buy another pressure cooker which means I had to do research all over again. I made a selection but I tell you straight, this one is no longer worth it. Don’t waste your money on this pressure cooker, pay a little more and get one that is real stainless steel and will actually last you. This is not your mother’s or grandmother’s Presto pressure cooker that lasted for years. Frankly, you’d be lucky to get even a year out of it.
92 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Great cooking pot!
Love this pot. I can cook meat half as long as conventional cooking.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
WONDERFULLY EASY TO USE
I got this to combine with my presto 8 qt My wife likes homemade mashed potatoes…that’s what she makes for her family probably 4 times a week (we eat at home 95% of the evening meals –she is a wonderful mom and teaches our 11 and 13 her tips and tricks–she spoils us. But mashed potatoes take 20-30 minutes cook time. Well after reading bunch of things and watching video’s i said lets try this cut our cooking time by 2/3. So potatoes are easy now—1/ 1/2 cup water 5 russet potatoes cook 5 min at pressure (bobble rocking starts the timer) take off heat let come to base pressure. prep other things mix right in the same pan. easy peasy WOW they are done SAVED A TON OF TIMEOK OK i’ll get to the review—this is wonderful, simple effective EASY TO UNDERSTAND THE SAFETY VALVES. stainless steel for durability and EASY cleanup. its stove top (ours is gas lucky us) gets to the 15psi quickly, has a thick conducting bottom. Very easy to tell if still under pressure. you stop hearing the bobble head pressure thing, but look near the handle it has a pop up indicator that if its down its safe to open–very easy to understand…not intimidating easy on lid–HIGH QUALITY–i’d recommend this to friends in a heart beat. I bought both this and the 8 qt presto to give my family flexibilityi’d suggest this as well, maybe you could go with the lover priced 6 qt but the 8 qt quick release valve is THE BOMBto get this to quick release as per recipes (not all request it) reguires you to put under cold water till the safety indicator dropsits a tad of a hassle but thats pressure cooking. I don’t think this model comes with the newer style release valve —maybe but didn’t find it. if so get it with the same valve system as the 8 qtSIMPLY WONDERFUL no regrets would do it again—-but if presto makes this size with the newer valve i’d get thatI was at first intimidated by pressure cooking but this system really made the learning curve easy and quick.
5 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Better than expected. Great value.
Based on the price I worried it would be too cheaply made but my first impression is that it’s of higher quality than expected. You have to put it together which involves attaching the handles with four screws. Takes about a minute.It does feel a little on the lightweight side compared to my similar sized pots; the handles in particular. I was afraid of stripping the screws that hold the handles on so I wouldn’t feel comfortable lifting it full with just the one handle (as I would with a regular saucepan). It’s possible I’m just being over-protective because it’s new and the handles would actually be fine.I’d been researching pressure cookers forever and price wasn’t an issue for me. Two popular pressure cooking websites seem to look down on rocker-style cookers, but if you look at the European models, all of them have one flaw or another. Fagor handles break off and there’s no indication you’re at pressure besides the amount of steam coming out. The Kuhn Rikon has a decorative plastic valve cover that breaks, and valve parts need frequent replacement. WMF only sells their lower-end models in the US, their handles crack, and US customer service is poor. The Fissler Vitaquick seems nice but many units have shipped with defective valves (easy to replace though). By contrast, the rocker-type pressure cookers seem bulletproof. Considering the price difference and that I wasn’t really sure what size to get, this Presto seemed like an economically risk-free introduction to pressure cooking.Most of the negative comments seem to be focused on the screws rusting. I can’t tell if Presto has switched them to stainless but after one water test and one beef stew, I haven’t seen anything yet. The screws that hold the handles on aren’t exposed to the inside at all, so I think they’ll be fine. there’s only two screws on the inside (pre-installed) that attach the lid handle. If I do notice rust, I’ll replace them with stainless versions (specs helpfully pointed out in another review). It seems people have also gotten replacement stainless versions from Presto when they complained about the originals.It comes with a trivet. I don’t think I’ll use it because I never needed one for normal braising. It’s made of aluminum which seems to bother some people. The health risks af aluminum cookware have long been debunked by Cooks Illustrated and others. Most restaurants use aluminum for everything because it’s cheap and performs better than stainless. Aluminum will tarnish and pit over time but I don’t fuss over how my pots and pans look. However I believe the Presto 6 quart aluminum version doesn’t have a very thick (or flat) bottom so for $12 dollars more, this seems like a better value.My first attempt at using it (beef stew) left me quite impressed. I used a pound of beef, a bunch of peppers and onions, and 1.5 cups of beef stock. Since the rocker-style loses steam faster (needing a higher neat setting), I was worried about running out of liquid and having food burn and stick to the bottom. Nothing stuck and it used up a lot less liquid than expected. It might have actually gained liquid from the beef and vegetables. I was amazed it was able to tenderize the meat after only 20 minutes (plus 10 to depressurize).I still believe you get what you pay for and I might eventually end up with a Kuhn Rikon or Fissler, but my first impressions are that this is a great product for the price.
47 people found this helpful
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Read instructions, talk to experienced users and then enjoy this very good piece of equipment.
I bought this for my own birthday present a couple of years ago and just started to use it, in the 6 or so times I’ve used it–it works well. Vegetables are a breeze, potatoes cook in a reasonable amount of time, and if you time it right you will be able to cook different portions of your meal that will all end up in the pot at the end–leaving clean up to be one big pot (with a few pieces).I was unnecessarily hesitant to use it–wish Grandma had been around for me to ask how–that would have relieved some of my internal pressure! Recommend you read the book, and reread the section on the specific food you are about to cook. That will save unnecessary worry.Overall quality is good for a $75 kitchen appliance–you can pay quite a bit more in the store. If you are unfamiliar with pressure cookers take your time and talk to someone who has used them. I forgot to follow one of the warnings, and while the consequences were not dire, the food did not cook as quickly as expected. The direction was to put the rice or beans in a separate metal bowl in the pot to avoid bubbling up the starchy food and clogging the valves.Another way to deal with the frothing when you want the stew to cook together is cook your rice or beans first in the bowl, then pour the starch into the pot, and put your meat and vegetables on top being careful not to exceed the fill lines. That will keep the frothing down and cook everything.Given it is stainless steel you don’t have to worry about it exploding, it feels sturdy and looks great.My one concern, and it is a foreseeable one rather than of immediate nature, is the handle–it is held to the pot by one screw, and if overtightened it will strip. A more solid stainless screw or even two would hold the handle more tightly without the concern for stripping.In short, I like the capability of making stews without using a crockpot running all day while I tend the vessels in the harbor, but the handle could be better. I would certainly buy this for a young couple’s house warming present especially if you take the time to show the cook how to use it a couple of times. Looking forward to making a lentil stew with salt pork and beets next.
21 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars
great value, sturdy cooker
I bought this cooker 6 months ago from amazon for $35, and frankly, although the reviews I read on this product all said that it’s great, I was very skeptical about the $35 price tag and was not expecting much. On top of that, both my mother and my mother-in-law warned me that cheap pressure cookers are dangerous, and I *must* buy something more expensive for safety reasons. I am just very glad that they were both wrong!This is definitely one of the best purchases I have made on amazon. I still cannot believe they sell this for $35! The pot does not feel cheap at all. It has very sturdy handles, and a thick, heavy bottom, which holds in heat well. I like this pan so much that sometimes I use it instead of my skillet to sautee meat, because of the deeper pot + the cover, less cleaning up for me :-)I love making soup and stock, but it usually takes up so much of my time when the stock is simmering. With this pressure cooker, I can make a meat-fall-off-the-bone soup in an hour!Some might find this pot to be a little on the small side, but this pot works great for my wife and I. Although we have guests over regularly, I find the capacity of the pot to be very good. I would guess that this pot would work well for up to a 4-person family.Pros:=====- Cheap, at $35, it’s hard to beat- Sturdy, I was afraid that the plastic handles would break easily, but they are in fact quite strong- Stainless steel makes it great for browning meat pieces for stew or stock, and it heats up fast and holds heat well.- Safe, you cannot open it when it’s pressurized.- Dish washer safe, though I prefer to wash it by hand.Cons:=====- The handle can be tricky to hold with one hand. My hands are small, and when you’ve closed the top, the handle is kind of big. Luckily, I don’t need to do this very often, and when I need to move it around, I just use both handles.- The top cap can be tricky to clean. I usually soak it in hot soapy water, and then clean it thoroughly with Q-tip.Watch outs:===========- The handle curves in a way that it catches any dripping liquid, I’ve hurt myself once when I wasn’t careful at opening the cover.- Do *NOT* remove the cap while it’s blowing! The steam from inside is extremely hot and as soon as you remove the cap, the hot steam will shoot up faster than you can move your hand(s) away.Tips:=====- I keep some water bottles in my freezer, and when I need to cool this off in a hurry, I can make a bath of cold water in my sink, put the hot pot inside, and throw the froze water bottles in. This usually cools it down very fast, great when I want to refrigerate it overnight to skim off the fat, and didn’t want to wait too long for it to cool down.
753 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
Works well on my electric glass top and my gas stove. Haven’t tried it on coil electric.This will last many years and perform well if:1. Clean and dry thoroughly before storing2. Inspect parts/screws etc before cooking.3. Once weight starts dancing turn heat down to med low so as to not over-pressure. Too much will risk blowing out the small rubber stopper.This is true for ANY pressure cooker, not just Presto.Not for canning.
2 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Well Made Pressure Cooker for Home Use.
If you need a relatively small pressure cooker that doesn’t sit on the countertop when not in use, this is what you need. The design and construction is tried and true with over twenty years of experience in household cooking. It’s utilitarian and not fancy, but it does the job well. Cooker comes with a small recipe book that is actually useful.
One person found this helpful
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