# Pressure cookers - Kuhn Rikon Duromatic or WMF Perfect Plus?



## typhooncamel (May 9, 2013)

Hello,

I am thinking of getting a pressure cooker, for home use. My research so far has lead me to two options, which are quite expensive. However, given they hopefully last a long time I'd be willing to invest. The options are:

- Kuhn Rikon Duromatic
[product="26947"]Kuhn Rikon Duromatic Inox Pressure Cooker With Side Grips 22cm 4 0 Litre [/product]
Review: http://www.hippressurecooking.com/pressure-cooker-review-kuhn-rikon-duromatic-excellent/

- WMF Perfect Plus
[product="8376"]Wmf Perfect Plus 4 1 2 Quart Pressure Cooker [/product]
Review: http://www.hippressurecooking.com/pressure-cooker-review-wmf-perfect-plus-rating/

Now, I am sure both will be fine, and that's the starting point. Are they worth that much, or would I be better off with cheaper options (e.g., some cheaper Tefal pressure cookers I have seen)? The pros and cons from these two, that I understand, are:

Kuhn Rikon ~~~

Pros:
- Nicely made.
- Well thought out.
- Short handles (so it can be stored easily, this is a nice bonus...).
- Mostly metal parts (so hopefully durable too).
- Very efficient (apparently).
- 10 years warranty.

Cons:
- It's a little more fiddly to remove the valve, and it separates into two parts.
- It's difficult to find the 'sweet spot' of temperature (although it's a question of figuring it out with a few trials, after which it should not be a problem).
- Release pressure by pressing the button on the valve itself (so closer to the steam and less comfortable than the WMF - see below).

WMF ~~~

Pros:
- Fancy.
- Release steam from the big handle (so you never get close to the steam itself).
- The handle is easily removable.
- Still well made.

Cons:
- The big handle means it's more of a pain to store (the bit on the lid can be removed, but not the one of the pot).
- Marginally lower maximum pressure.
- Sometimes the handles gets stuck together, so can be difficult to open.
- 3 years warranty.

Does anyone have any thoughts and experience in using either or both of these in day-to-day life? I'd appreciate any help in deciding which to go for!

Many thanks.


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Both of these are a little small imho. You can cook smaller items in a larger pot, but it doesn't work the other way around. 8 quarts/liters is preferable and is the more common size recommendation in my US experience.

Also, these cookers don't hit the 10/15 pounds pressure used in most US recipes, just 8 and 12 pounds. This is a common disconnect between European and US pressure cookers.  Certainly not an issue if you're using European sources for recipes and directions. And there are conversion ratios for converting a recipe as well.

Fagor makes good equipment and is a brand I'd consider in your situation. Cook's Illustrated gave the Fagor Duo their best buy for pressure cookers. I have an 8 quart Fagor Duo myself and am quite happy with it.

I've never heard anything bad about Kuhn Ricons except their price. If your budget can swing it, I think you'd be happy with one.

My last comment is that I'd want one that was compatible with induction cooktops. I like cooking with induction. Great speed  heat and doesn't heat up the kitchen so much.


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## typhooncamel (May 9, 2013)

Thanks for the comments. You do give food for thought on size. That would make the decision for me, given that the Kuhn Rikon 8 litre pot costs the same as the 6 litre, unlike the WMF (almost twice the price).

As to the pressures, I live in Europe, so I guess there's not all that much I can do about it (or at least I'm not sure it's worth going all out and getting a US pressure cooker).

Interestingly, Amazon doesn't have the Fagor Duo (except for a set). From the stuff I've read, the reviews tend to be more variable with regards to Fagor, so I find it difficult to assess. I'll have a better look.

I think both pressure cookers should work on induction cooktops (being stainless steel), but perhaps it's worth verifying.

Thanks!


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## mikelm (Dec 23, 2000)

It depends - what do you plan to do with it?

Cooking or making a bomb?

Mike /img/vbsmilies/smilies/eek.gif


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Not funny.


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## chefgcarves (May 14, 2013)

I used to have an 8 qt Presto pressure cooker with the old "rocker" pressure valve. Recently I have purchased the Fagor 10 qt pressure cooker/canner with the newer "spring" pressure valve. I am pretty happy with its performance overall in the dishes that I typically pressure cook, and the extra size means I can cook larger batches easily. It is compatible with induction cook tops as well. The only issue I have is that it has a non stick interior, which is nice in cleanup, but not as good if I am searing meat in it for a pressure cooked stew. 

The handles do make for a little difficulty in storing, but it just took the place of the old PC under my stove top.


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

chefgcarves said:


> The only issue I have is that it has a non stick interior, which is nice in cleanup, but not as good if I am searing meat in it for a pressure cooked stew.


 Isn't that just a wive's tale, I mean I find nothing better than a non-stick surface for searing stew-meat, I can use much higher temps with no fear of burning the fond.

Rick


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Non stick produces very little fond compared to a metal surface. And high heat on non-stick releases toxic gases.


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

phatch said:


> Non stick produces very little fond compared to a metal surface. And high heat on non-stick releases toxic gases.


All I can say is that this has not been my experience, most of the fond actually winds up rubbing off on and sticking to the meat, instead of the pan. Try some carefull observation here and I believe you will see the same. And Teflon coatings are stable to 600degF, significantly higher than surface temperatures ever get, and for all practical purposes the newer ceramic coatings of don't have that problem at all.

Rick


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## chefgcarves (May 14, 2013)

Rick Alan said:


> All I can say is that this has not been my experience, most of the fond actually winds up rubbing off on and sticking to the meat, instead of the pan. Try some carefull observation here and I believe you will see the same. And Teflon coatings are stable to 600degF, significantly higher than surface temperatures ever get, and for all practical purposes the newer ceramic coatings of don't have that problem at all.
> 
> Rick


True, so the fond does not stick to the pan, which makes for less flavor available to deglaze for the sauce. I find that the flavor of the stew liquid is not as deep as when it was when I use my old stainless steel PC.


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

Well it would seem the flavor is either [temporarily] in the pan or on the meat, but in cooking there is no intelligence in arguing individual subjective experience because, of course, that is what must be satisfied.

Rick


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## michaelga (Jan 30, 2012)

Cheap presto stainless PC's rock... got my 6qt for a mighty 17$ on sale on amazon... has a disk-bottom that is compatible with induction.

Great stuff.


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## chefgcarves (May 14, 2013)

Rick Alan said:


> Well it would seem the flavor is either [temporarily] in the pan or on the meat, but in cooking there is no intelligence in arguing individual subjective experience because, of course, that is what must be satisfied.
> 
> Rick


You would think they would be equivalent, however there is a scientific basis for the difference. When I sear the meat in a stainless steel (SS) pot, the browned bits that stick to the pot surface continue to undergo the Mailliard reactions even after the meat is removed, and more flavor is developing as subsequent batches of the meat are browned.

If the browned bits stay attached to the pieces of meat (as you say happens with non-stick surfaces) the Maillard reactions cease once they are removed from the pan.

So the continued browning reactions create a much deeper flavor that are brought into the stew liquid when the pot is deglazed, before the browned meat is reintroduced to the cooking liquid.


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

chefgcarves said:


> You would think they would be equivalent, however there is a scientific basis for the difference. When I sear the meat in a stainless steel (SS) pot, the browned bits that stick to the pot surface continue to undergo the Mailliard reactions even after the meat is removed, and more flavor is developing as subsequent batches of the meat are browned.
> 
> If the browned bits stay attached to the pieces of meat (as you say happens with non-stick surfaces) the Maillard reactions cease once they are removed from the pan.
> 
> So the continued browning reactions create a much deeper flavor that are brought into the stew liquid when the pot is deglazed, before the browned meat is reintroduced to the cooking liquid.


Thing is there with browning meat there is some point where Milliard reactions end and burning begins, especially when doing 4 pounds in a typical 10-11" bottom pan/\Dutch oven. this was my early experience and the reason to go non-stick. Still, it occurs to me I could do a bit more experimentation, ie lower heat, I still have good stainless pans, if no cast iron or enamel. BTW, I cook on a glasstop if any where thinking there may have been a problem with uneven heat.

Rick

Rick


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## sanjeevksh (Jan 9, 2014)

Hello typhooncamel,

What choice did you make or are planning to make? We are exactly in the similar dilemma as you. Our usage will only be restricted to vegetarian dishes.

Regards,

Sanjeev


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## andybbq (Jan 12, 2014)

i too am a Fagor fan.  They should be easy to find in Europe as Fagor is based in Spain.  i believe that the working pressure on the dual pressure units in Europe are 1 bar and .75 bar but I may be mistaken. 1 bar is 14.5psi


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## typhooncamel (May 9, 2013)

Hello,

I ended up opting for Kuhn Rikon. There wasn't much in it. I liked the simplicity of the design, the fact that there was the option to get one with two handles (rather than one large one) making storage easier, and that I found it a bit cheaper than the WMF. My experience so far has been great. It is really very very easy to use. Good luck with your choice!


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