For years and years, almost every time I mention how much I love my pressure cooker, someone will ask what I think about an electric pressure cooker. My answer has always been the same . . NO! I can’t see why anyone would want one! The ones you use on the stove are safe. Always in the back of my head is . . what if I had to cook when there is no electricity? Pressure cookers are so good because they’re quick. They can make the toughest piece of meat tender in no time at all. Unsoaked dry red beans cook in about 10 minutes. If ever I was having to cook and the electricity was off, I would love the shorter cook times. Of course, I have a propane stove and several backup methods of cooking. If the power was off and all I have to cook is an electric stove, even a pressure cooker isn’t going to do me much good.
Til yesterday . . my opinion and my “anti-electric pressure cooker” attitude was changed. My friend, Sheryl, is to blame. You knew it had to be someone. Sheryl is such a sweetheart. I’m sure she truly just wanted my opinion and had no idea she was about to cause me to buy something else. She simply said “What do you think of an electric pressure cooker?” She is not comfortable using a stovetop version that could explode . . though I think it would take more effort than Sheryl could muster to get one to explode. And, she sent me a link.
I began writing my email with all my well thought out reasons as to why she should NOT buy an electric pressure cooker, and telling her the virtues of today’s stovetop version and then . . I clicked on the link.
Cuisinart Electric Pressure Canner
And then I read about them. And then I thought . . I might need this! Here’s what convinced me:
- They have good ratings and they’re Cuisinart. Since I’m still using my old Cuisinart food processor that I got in about 1979, anything Cuisinart is a good choice in my book.
- Since it’s electric and during the day, I have free electricity . . why not?
- Even though I feel the stovetop pressure cookers are completely safe, I never want to leave the house when mine is in use. A couple of times recently, I’ve been using it, walked outside either with a dog or to get something out of the garden, go sidetracked and almost forgot about it. Not good!
- Even with the long burner in the middle of my stove, there are many times when I don’t have enough burners on the stove. With a really larger skillet on one of the burners, it’s hard to use even a smaller pot on that same side of the stove so anything I can use electric frees up the stove.
I went to Amazon to see if they had them and they do. Here’s the link. I did a little reading and the $99 version that ends in AMZ is apparently the same thing but just comes with Amazon packaging . . makes no sense to me but that’s what I read. And the Amazon model has free shipping with Prime.
Chad does most of their cooking and with his crazy hours, he’s often short on time so I called them to see if they wanted one. I know they would use it but didn’t know if they wanted to mess with having another gadget to store in their small apartment. Yes, they wanted one. I should have known. Anything mom is buying . . Chad will gladly accept. They seemed excited to try it. When I placed the order, it said it wouldn’t be available til the end of January so I had to call them back and tell them not to be looking for it right away. Then, this morning, I got a note that they were shipped already. Weird!
When I thought they weren’t going to be shipped until January, I began looking other places for them and they must be a hot item this Christmas as most places were sold out. Bed, Bath & Beyond is supposed to have them in stock at their stores but of course, we don’t have one of those here. I’m so glad Amazon is shipping them promptly . . mine should be here tomorrow.
This past weekend, we met friends from near Austin and she always brings me cajun sausage from a meat market near them so I think we will have red beans, sausage and rice to try out our new pressure cooker.
As soon as I’ve used the new pressure cooker, I’ll report back.
Diana in RR,TX says
Will be interested is what you have to say about it. I have looked at them from time to time. Many years ago, I was quite young, my Mother did manage to get tomato juice all over the kitchen ceiling while canning it. But only once. We both used pressure canners a lot when canning and she did use it for meals as well. In the ’40’s and early ’50’s you would buy the cheapest cut of meat available. Cooked in a pressure cooker, you wouldn’t know the difference!
JudyL says
Yes! And with the venison and wild game we eat, and that Chad and Nicole use for almost all their meat, it makes it really easy to get a tender piece of meat in the pressure cooker.
Marilyn Smith says
Judy, I have had my Cuisinart electric for 2 years and I love it. Had an old Presto (stove top) that finally gave up the ghost after 40+ years of service. I can plug this in on the patio and just let it do its thing. Keeps the house cooler. I am sure that you will enjoy having it!
Joyce says
My father wasn’t paying attention to the pressure cooker once, and we ended up with green beans on the ceiling…that didn’t happen when my mother did the canning… 🙂 (My father was banned from canning for quite a while.)
Teresa says
I just bought the Insta Pot version and love it. I used it so much in the first week that I bought one for my son. Amazon had it on one of their Cyber-Monday flash sales for $109. I think the Insta Pot version has a few more bells and whistles than the Cuisinart one. I use it for making yogurt, rice, bone broth, soup, as a slow cooker, etc., etc., etc.!! I love it!
I was going to ask you if you had thought about one, but decided not to, because I knew you had used the stove top one for so long and like you said “why would you want an electric one?”.
Kathy (Quilt Monkey) says
We got one a couple of years ago and loved it. The thing I liked most was that I didn’t have to tend to it – it would change temps and turn off by itself. This year has been crazy and we ended up moving to a new house. Not sure where it is now, but now that you’ve reminded me about it, I think I’ll go looking for it! My favorite thing to make was pulled pork (in a fraction of the time it usually takes)!
Joan says
Recipes! Once you have used it and decide that you like it, please post some of your favorite recipes. My Mom used a stove top pressure cooker all the time when I was growing up, but I have never tried one myself and no longer have her guidance on how and what to cook.
Julie in WA says
Oh my, I did not know there was an electric one!! I use my big pressure cooker for canning, but when I was a vegetarian, I used a smaller one all the time. I did not like babysitting the thing sitting on the stove. Eventually my husband sold it on Craigslist. But an electric model that does all the adjusting, now THAT I would use! Can’t wait for your review…
Mama Spark says
WE have an electric one and we love it! It is not a Cuisinart but a brand that had the highest rating. I have to say we cook in it then pressure cook, we just straight up use the pressure side of it, and we use it to slow cook in too, like the crock pot. We use it almost every day! Steel cut oatmeal? 7 minutes!! I cant say enough about the one we have! I hope you end up loving yours too.
Mama Spark says
Yes, I remembered, it is the Insta Pot. LOVE IT!!
Linda Steller says
I’ve had an electric one for years and I absolutely love it. Of course, I can only cook on my propane grill on the back deck if the electricity goes out. One of these days, I need to get a line extension put in, and I need a nice gas range.
Kathleen says
Silly question: Is there such a thing as an electric pressure canner? (I didn’t see one when I googled, but if anyone knows, it would be you!) When we moved, our house came with a glass top stove and my old water bath canner won’t work on it. I plan to buy the right canner, but sure would love to free up stove top space!
SueAnn W says
A web group of ladies and I found this pressure cooker on line and nick named it R2D2 as in Star Wars. Everyone of us loves this machine and I’m sure you will too!!!!