PrestigePopular Aluminum Pressure Cooker, 5 L, Silver

Great size when cooking items that expand like beans or for items that require a lot of liquid. The first things I cooked when I received it was precisely beans and pot roast. The beans where so soft and it handled to perfection all the liquid (3/4 filled) that I wanted. The meat came out so perfect and soft to chew.I get mad at reviews that mention that the lid does not close or does not close properly. To begin, the gasket is brand new, so it will require you to press a bit the lid. You must adjust the lid and pot correctly so it closes. If you do not know how, check videos online that show you how to close the lid.Some reviews also mention how scary it is the noises that come from it. This is to be expected. I have been using pressure cookers for decades and yes, they are noisy. If you use gas, it will be noisier and you will hear it as if you were hearing an old steam train. If you use electric stoves, the will be like hissing. Either way, they make noises. The most important thing here is that you keep it in low-medium on your stove. This is a pressure cooker. If you put in high heat, the pressure will be extreme, and yes, it will explode. Read your instructions.The last thing I see in the reviews is about the discoloration or change of color. This item is raw aluminum. It will change in color. It is not going to poison your food and it is not going to the change the effectiveness of the product. If you cannot tolerate the change in color, I suggest you to spend a bit more in buying a stainless steel one.Again, I have been using pressure cookers for decades and I do not see how I can live without one. This is a great item. They are lighter than the ones I used to buy 20 or 30 years ago, but they even though they come lighter now, they are still a great item to have to speed the cooking process and preserve the taste, color, and nutrients of the food you are cooking.I bought the really small one of 2 litters too because sometimes I just want to cook for example a couple of beets that everyone in my family hates, and I do not make them because they take too damn long in a regular pot. It works perfectly too.I recommend this product. I have always bought Presto which are great, but I cannot longer afford. They are very expensive, so this item came on sale, and I am not disappointed at all. Excellent buy.

Very useful accelerates the cooking process of food and grains

The pressure rubber easily blown off.

I am a European American vegetarian who does a lot of Indian cooking. I had heard about the "whistling pressure cookers" of India and was intrigued. I liked the idea that instead of watching a clock, keeping track of the progress of your recipe was a more informal system of counting whistles - a great thing for we tired, harried multitask-ers. I didn't want to spend a whole lot of money to find out if I liked them, so I tried this dear little Prestige 4 liter aluminum cooker at an economical Amazon reseller price. I love it! It makes even complex recipes very simple and fast, and for we vegetarians, the cooking of beans and pulses is now effortless and quick. I load it, seal the lid, and let the dear little thing hiss at intervals, which I can keep track of while I am doing something else. Well, I had been expecting a whistle, but mine lets go with this wonderful "Old Faithful" style HISS! No waiting: releasing the pressure is so easy, because all you have to do is put a spoon under the weight that fits on the spout, and it is safely gone in seconds and you can open the lid. Opening and closing it is very easy. I have full confidence in its safety. If the food is not cooked to your expectations, you put the lid back on, fire it up again, and let it go a few more whistles/hisses. I do find that my meals tend to require a couple more hisses than the recipes call for, so I wonder if the pressure is not as intense as in some other models, but that it is a minor issue. It is easy to clean and maintain as well. Excellent design - simplicity itself! It's up there with my Cuisinart as beloved kitchen tools. No matter how tired I am, I can toss a few things in, and have a delicious, nutritious fresh meal in less time than a microwave. Having fallen in love with Prestige Indian pressure cookers, which I use for all kinds of recipes now, I will be investing in a larger Prestige stainless steel one for when I cook for guests too. In the time it took me to write this review, my dear little Prestige 4 liter aluminum pressure cooker prepared me a restaurant quality dinner. Enthusiastically recommended. Thank you, India, for your wonderful whistling/hissing pressure cookers!