Well if you're not gay - do you want a GF? I know lots of girls who'd love a guy who can cook LOL

I just researched pressure cookers and purchased a Fagor from Macy's on their sale. I used it once and am ashamed to say I returned it. It was not easy to tell when it had reached pressure and you have to be careful about pouring water on the lid.

I ended up going with my second choice (wasn't my first choice 'cause of $$$) and I must say I LOVE my new WMF cooker which I bought from amazon.com. It is easy to use, has a thick enough bottom that nothing burns and is fast.

As for cookbooks, try the local library and see what they have from Lorna Sass before you buy. There are also lots of recipes on line.

Good luck

Here is a link that might be useful: WMF PC at Amazon

This Fagor Duo Combi is a good buy and would be very versatile, IMO.

Pressure Perfect by Lorna Sass is an excellent book I can recommend. Any of her books on pressure cooking would be good. Research all of them.

Teresa

Here is a link that might be useful: Fagor Duo Combi at Amazon

I would advise against the Kuhn Rikon. I have used Presto, Aeternum (Italian), Lagostina (also Italian), and Kuhn Rikon, and the KR was the worst. It ALWAYS dripped condensation from the lip of the lid onto the stovetop, no matter how many times I adjusted the lid or the rubber ring, or replaced the rings. Even oiling the ring would not give me the perfect seal. I even sent it back to the factory and they said nothing was wrong and returned it. Perhaps others will have a different opinion of KR, but after paying about $150 for a piece of equipment, I would hate to see your introduction to pressure cooking be marred by the kind of frustration I've had. Presto is reliable and easy to use.

Amazon has a 6-qt. stainless pressure cooker on sale right now. I have this cooker in the 4-qt. size and really like it, in fact I used it today to make chicken and rice.

Check it out!

Here is a link that might be useful: Presto cooker on sale

I have a Fagor 6 quart, Splendid model. I use it frequently. Just yesterday I made pork chili verde in it; today I cooked some really large whole beets and later some broccoli in it; and last week I used it to cook some stuffed grape leaves for our Christmas dinner. I haven't had any trouble with knowing when it has reached pressure or with running cold tap water over the lid for a quick release.

The pressure cooker came with a manual that gives some basic cooking directions and also a book of recipes. I also bought the cookbook recommended by many forum members, Lorna Sass' "Pressure Perfect." However, once you get the hang of it, you don't have to follow a recipe completely.

I think a pressure cooker is a good investment. It's really great for foods that normally require long, slow cooking -- like beans, pot roasts, stews, etc. It's also good for many vegetables. One of the nice features is that it doesn't heat up the kitchen, so it's particularly welcome on hot, summer days. You can make stew or boil potatoes for potato salad without steaming up your kitchen. And most of the cooking odors are contained in the pressure cooker, so you don't have cooking smells wafting throughout your house.

I have the Kuhn Rikon six quart stockpot, and I just recently got a Fagor Splendid Multi set with a 8 quart stockpot, a 4 qt frypan and a pressure lid and glass lid to fit them both.

I like them all. The 'fit and finish' is slightly better on the KR, but I can't tell any difference yet in the performance of it versus the Fagor. One annoying thing about the KR is the replacement parts are high. A gasket is about $18, and since I had to order it, with shipping it was about $25. If the KR is the Mercedes of pressure cookers, the Fagor is at least a Lincoln Town Car.

I'd recommend getting the Fagor set like mine; sometimes you're gonna want an 8 quart pot for a big batch of chili or stock or a pot roast, and sometimes you'll want the frypan for braising chops. I use it a lot for taking a cheap cut of beef, browning it then adding some broth or other liquid, and pressure cooking it into submission.

But if you're only going to get one PC, get an 8 quart one if you have the room to store it.

Whatever you get, IMHO you don't need a PC with two pressure settings. The vast majority of your pressure cooking is gonna be at high pressure. My KR has an indicator ring to indicate a low pressure setting; I haven't used that setting in the entire time I've had it. So I wouldn't make a big deal of having two settings.

I think the Fagor Multi set is a great value for the dollars spent. My set cost around $105 at my local Dillards. Then if you want to get some specialized KR pressure cookers, go ahead. I've been lusting after their 5 quart brasier but I can't really justify spending $300 for another pressure cooker.

Ditto on the Lorna Sass recommendation. I've never had any of the recipes out of her cookbooks that weren't very good, and some were outstanding. (Favorites include Osso Buco, and Curry in a Hurry.)

What you're gonna like, I think, is that this tool allows you to do some stuff in a fraction of the time so you end up doing stuff you wouldn't ordinarily do. Steamed artichokes in 12-14 minutes instead of 45. A pot roast in an hour, or corned beef & cabbage in about that time. I didn't get a PC until I was in my fifties; I wish I had gotten one sooner.

One thing, though: it ain't safe to 'pressure fry' like Colonel Sanders. These items are not made to do that. The frypan allows you to brown something then add liquid, but you can't fry stuff under pressure.

Here is a link that might be useful: fagor multi set

Golly there is a lot of advise, which is really good. A 6 qt would be fine for me! I know that I definitely want stainless steel with a clad bottom. I have already bought an ice cream maker, Zirushi bread machine, Oster coffee machine, Chef Emeril cooking set, Wok and utensils, Ostertoaster, Oster mini oven for counter top, etc,. I am very close to running out of space, so I bought a kitchen island to start storing things (haven't put together yet).

In regard to liking to cook. When I was a teen my mother (6 of us) made all of us spend some time with her in the kitchen to learn to cook. She said something that has always stuck with me, " You have to eat, so it might as well taste great", didn't mean much to me then but it does now. In fact it's impossible to find fault with that wisdom!!

Well I think I will start with the Fagor PC, but I only want the 1 pot (6qt). I have all the pans I think I will ever need and space is becoming a premium consideration.

I'll never be a great cook, I know that, but I just want to do the best I can. Some things I cook very well but some things are just plain impossible for me to make really good!!
My goal is to be able to walk into my kitchen or anybody for that matter and cook anything in the world without needing anything.
However I didn't realize just how much room all these things took, unbelievable!!

I really appreciate the help, thanks to everyone, Changeling.

I have the Fagor. My husband uses it more than I do (just never got into using one that much) and he really likes it.

Your mom was right. Ya' gotta eat, and it may as well be something good. Also, there is no reason for anyone not being able to feed him/her self a decent meal. My husband is the best cook in our family and enjoys it. Both my dad and brother were good cooks (but didn't enjoy it so much.)

Honestly, though? You don't need a bunch of gadgets. The best cooks I know are able to turn out great meals with basic but versitile equipment. Space often becomes the most precious "tool" in any kitchen.

I really hate to drag this out but I still have questions.

The advise you guys gave is undoubtedly, but I just want the basic pressure cooking unit. I went to the links on Fagor and am a little confused!
I want to buy the following, not a whole kit:

The Fagor Duo model or the Splended model, other than ghe handle difference I have no idea what the difference between the two are, I am leaning towards the Duo but I really cant tell you why! They don't have a chart to tell you the differences between the two, I would appreciate some knowledgeable help!

I've just read about both models and I can't see that there is a lot of difference (other than the handles) between the two. Both are 18/10 stainless, both have 8 qt. and 4 qt. pots, both pots can be used with the pressure cooker lid and the glass lid, both have a steamer/pasta insert for the large pot and glass lid to use for steaming veggies or cooking pasta.

The safety mechanisms and and pressure indicators are the same. I have a problem with the upturn of the handles on the Duo Combi model, but that's just me.

Maybe you should list the descriptions of one model and compare it to the other one just to assure yourself of the differences if any.

Teresa

The Duo has a high and low pressure setting, while the Splendid only has a high setting. IMHO you don't need the lower setting. Otherwise they seem similar.

I agree with arley - there is no need to use a low pressure setting when cooking under pressure.

I have the Duo combi and the above posters are correct. I have never used the low setting. I find the big pot great for soups etc and the small one for long cooking veggies.

Thanks guys, I didn't mean to drag this out but I was just unsure. I am going to get the splendid 6 qt. If it is as handy for me as it has for a lot of you and I find I need more, I'll just go bigger! However for me (1 Person) this should be sufficient. Thanks a lot for the advice !

Okay, I just posted on the cookware site about my new Kuhn Rikon pc, and now I find this discussion. Where are you all finding this Lorna Sass cookbook? I haven't found more than one or two cookbooks on pressure cooking anywhere, not even the library or Sur la Table.

My mom cooks all the time with a pressure cooker, but I don't think of using it that often. I'm trying to get more in the habit, though. It makes wonderful, perfect risotto in 6 minutes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pressure Perfect

Do a Google search for Lorna Sass and you will turn up all you need. Amazon.com is probably as cheap as anyone.

I bought the Fagor Splendid model and Lorna Sass's book Pressure Perfect yesterday at Amazon.com for $86.42 delivered in case any one is interested. This was the best price for the 2 I could find.

You know, I have a pressure cooker that I bought from QVC it's electric and supposed to be a good one. I've used it once or twice. I bought Lorna Sass's book too.

I need to play around with mine more often so I'll get used to it.

Thanks for posting your questions, it'll get me motivated to use mine more.

Shaun, you're quite welcome. When I herd some of these ladies talk about cooking things well in a unbelievably short time I knew there was another item I needed to add to the kitchen.

Thanks for this thread. I've been thinking about getting a pressure cooker -- even after the childhood trauma of my mother's warnings not to blow up the kitchen while cooking corn on the cob in the Presto pressure cooker.

I've read that beans cook very well in a pressure cooker, so I'm very tempted. I'm going to print these comments and go from here.

Thanks again!

I can't imagine cooking corn on the cob in a pressure cooker? I only cook fresh corn on the cob for 5 minutes in boiling water. By the time the pressure was reached wouldn't the corn be overcooked?

You will love using a PC if you cook any amount at all, Nancy.

Nancy, the nice thing about a PC is that you can cook stuff quickly that you ordinarily wouldn't bother to do. I love steamed fresh artichokes, but who has the hour it takes to prep and steam them? A PC has them ready for you in 12-14 minutes after you trim them.

Likewise, healthy stuff can be cooked quickly--beans and grains in about a third of the time. If you want to pursue healthy veggie stuff, Lorna Sass has written an excellent book along those lines--see the link. And Lorna has also just released a new book on Whole Grain cooking which I may just have to add to my collection.

But it's not just health food. You can make incredibly rich artery-clogging pot roasts and corned beef & cabbage, meat-fallling-off-the-bone ribs, veal shanks...yum.

Here is a link that might be useful: vegetarian PC cooking

Thanks, teresa and arley. I do prepare a lot of legumes, and it's not something I relish in the summer so we tend to eat lots of salads. I'd love to add beans to those salads and not have to depend on the varieties available in cans.

You're talking about steamed fresh artichokes right before our lunch hour? Now you're seriously tempting me!