In my view, you can’t compare electric pressure cookers to the stovetop versions. Whilst an electric pressure cooker can be more expensive than a stovetop version, it’s really the only way to go for busy families. The best size pressure cooker for the average Australian family would be around 6-8 litres. Jump to What size pressure cooker should I buy? - The size of the pressure cooker you'll need. The ideal pressure cooker size for large families with.

1. Ideal Size Pressure Cooker Reviews

The most common appliance you find in every Indian Kitchen is the Pressure cooker. What makes the pressure cooker such a sought-after item in the home? This buying guide will explain it in detail.

The pressure cooker works on similar lines. The only difference is that the sealing of the utensil is perfect thereby ensuring better performance.

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• Best Pressure Cooker in India
• How do you buy the right pressure cooker?

Best Pressure Cooker in India

Some of the best pressure cookers brands in India are Prestige, Hawkins, Butterfly, Pigeon, and so on.

1. Hawkins Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker

Hawkins Stainless Steel pressure cookers come in sizes ranging from 2 litres to 10 litres. This 5-litre cooker is compatible with the induction stove. It has a flat base and an inner lid. This cooker works on gas as well. It is a durable pressure cooker with a manufacturer warranty of 5 years.

• Flat base, does not bulge
• Induction stove compatibility
• High degree of safety because of the internal lid locking system

• Stainless steel base hence consumes more fuel than the copper-based or high anodized pressure cookers.

2. Prestige Popular Aluminium Pressure Cooker

This cooker, manufactured from high-quality high-grade aluminium, is available in a range of sizes from 2 litres to 20 litres. It has an excellent grip because of the presence of comfortable handles. It works on the gas stoves but is not induction compatible. This pressure cooker offers a high degree of safety because of the metallic safety plug and the gasket release system

• Made from aluminium, hence economical
• The aluminium body makes it light to handle
• Availability in various sizes

• Aluminium reacts with food acids, therefore not so healthy
• Aluminium cookers are not as durable as the stainless steel ones.

3. Hawkins Hevibase Aluminium Induction Model Pressure Cooker

The double thickness base allows the pressure cooker to stay flat thereby ensure even spreading of heat. This 5-litre pressure cooker is suitable for gas and induction stoves. The hard anodized base increases the heat absorption efficiency. This cooker comes with an improved pressure regulator whereby it saves fuel. The inside-fitting lid enhances the safety quotient.

• Brand name advantage
• Induction stove compatibility
• Highly safe because of the inside-fitting safety lid
• Anodized base makes it an efficient cooker

• Made from aluminium, hence chances of reacting with food ingredients are high

4. Pigeon by Stovekraft Deluxe Aluminium Pressure Cooker

This cooker, made from high-grade aluminium, is exceptionally light in spite of its capacity. This 12-litre pressure cooker is compatible with the gas stoves but not the induction ones. Handling this pressure cooker is easy because of the injection-moulded and user-friendly handles. The Pigeon pressure cooker comes equipped with superior quality, food-grade nitrile rubber gaskets.

• Made from aluminium, hence lightweight and economical
• The 12-litre capacity is sufficient for a large Indian family
• The cooker comes with a 5-year warranty

5. Pigeon by Stovekraft, Favourite Induction Base Aluminium Pressure Cooker

This 3-litres pressure cooker is ideal for small Indian families. As it is made from high-grade aluminium, the Pigeon pressure cooker is compatible with both gas stoves and induction cooktops. The cooker comes with an outer lid thereby ensuring that it has a higher capacity. The neatly-moulded handles make it comfortable to carry the cooker around.

• Warranty is available for 5 years
• It is an extremely light pressure cooker
• The food-grade rubber gaskets enhance the safety feature

• Durability is an issue, especially in areas having hard water.

6. Hawkins Contura Hard Anodized Pressure Cooker

The Hawkins Contura is a durable pressure cooker having an anodized body with a stainless steel lid. This best 3-litre pressure cooker comes with a flat base having a thickness of 3.25 mm. The anodized body ensures that the material does not react with the food acids thereby ensuring good health. Almost all Hawkins models come with inside-fitting lids. It is an additional safety feature as the cover does not open unless the pressure inside the cooker reduces considerably.

• Ideal pressure cooker for small families
• The flat base allows the cooker to rest on the gas stoves comfortably

7. Pigeon Favourite Outer Lid Non-Induction Aluminium Pressure Cooker

The Pigeon brand is a reputed local brand manufacturing pressure cookers of high-quality virgin aluminium. The ergonomic Bakelite handle makes it easy to use. This 3-litre pressure cooker comes with four levels of safety. As the cooker is a strong and durable one, it comes with a manufacturer warranty of 5 years.

• Made from aluminium, hence economic and light in weight
• Highly safe because of enhanced levels of safety
• Ideal for small Indian families of 3 to 4 persons

8. Prestige Deluxe plus Mini Induction Base Hard Anodized Pressure Handis

This Prestige 3.3-litre pressure cooker is compatible with the induction cooktops. The aluminium hard anodized Handi has a flat, heavy base thereby ensuring even distribution of heat. This cooker comes with a pressure indicator to enable convenient cooking. As it is made anodized materials, it is an extremely durable cooker.

• High anodized material makes it long-lasting
• It is a healthy appliance because food acids do not react with the material
• Compatible with induction stoves

• Odd shape restricts the type of utensil you keep inside for cooking

9. Hawkins Hevibase Aluminium Induction Model Pressure Cooker

This pressure cooker is similar to the 5-litre pressure cooker discussed earlier in this review. The Hevibase with double thickness is the highlight of this pressure cooker. The hard anodized base enables uniform heat absorption. The exterior mirror polish figure makes it look attractive. The improved pressure regulator saves considerable fuel

• The inside-fitting lid enhances the safety of the appliance
• Induction cooktop compatible
• Thick base allows for better performance

• The aluminium body makes it less durable, especially in areas having hard water

How do you buy the right pressure cooker?

Indians are intelligent enough to know how to use the pressure cooker. They do not require any guidance in this matter. However, this buying guide will help them choose the perfect pressure cooker for the home.

Keep these points in mind when you intend to purchase your pressure cooker.

Size is critical

The size of the cooker depends on the size of the family. Pressure cookers come in various sizes ranging from 2 litres to even 10 litres. You have smaller cookers for cooking baby food. Such cookers have a capacity of 1 litre to 1.5 litres.

A standard Indian family of three to four persons would need a pressure cooker in the range of 3 to 5 litres. A bigger family or a joint family requires a cooker in the range of 5 to 8 litres.

The capacity of the cooker is vital because a smaller size will force you to cook multiple times resulting in wastage of time and fuel. On the other hand, a larger pressure cooker needs more fuel and cleaning effort. Therefore, be careful with the size of the pressure cooker.

Different types of pressure cookers

You can classify pressure cookers into two basic categories, the stove-top pressure cookers, and the electric pressure cookers. The electric pressure cookers are also known as rice cookers. It is because people use these electric cookers for cooking rice alone.

We shall concentrate on the stove-top pressure cookers as they are most common cooking appliances you find in any Indian kitchen.

We shall classify these pressure cookers depending on the materials used in the manufacture of these cookers.

Here are the characteristics of these cookers.

• They are light in weight and are excellent conductors of heat.
• These cookers are durable and look new and shiny for many years.
• The highlight of these cookers is that they do not react to acidic ingredients. Hence, they are safe and healthy.
• Made from corrosion-resistant materials, they are stain-free.
• Remember not to use metal scrubs for cleaning these cookers as they could end up with scratches.
• They are the most expensive of all the pressure cookers available on the market.

The characteristics of these cookers are as follows.

• As compared to the hard anodized cookers, the stainless steel cookers are not as good in conducting heat. These cookers are on the heavier side as well.
• Looks wise, they are shiny, and hence, durable.
• Stainless Steel does not react to acidic ingredients. Therefore, these cookers are also healthy and safe.
• Even though they are corrosion-resistant, these cookers can develop stains when you use hard water for cooking.
• You can use metal scrubs for cleaning these appliances.
• Compared to the hard anodized pressure cookers, these appliances are less expensive.

These cookers were the earliest ones in the market. Today, not many people prefer to buy aluminium cookers. However, let us look at their characteristics for your benefit.

• Aluminium is a light metal and is an excellent conductor of heat as well.
• The drawback of these cookers is that their appearance wears away with time, and hence they are not durable.
• Aluminium reacts to acidic ingredients. Indian cooking methods involve the use of acidic material like citric acid, turmeric, and so on. Therefore, they do not score high on the health quotient.
• These cookers are not corrosion-resistant. The use of hard water affects these cookers as there can be deposits of salts on the surface.
• It is safe to use metal scrubs for cleaning these cookers.
• These pressure cookers are the most economical of the lot.

Durability

You do not buy pressure cookers every year. Once you buy them, you expect them to last long. Therefore, durability is a vital aspect. The hard anodized and stainless steel pressure cookers are durable appliances. They do not lose the shine and are made from corrosion-resistant materials.

Heath factor

Indians use a lot of acidic content and salt in their cooking. Your cooker should be such that the materials used in the manufacture should not react to these acids. Aluminium pressure cookers are vulnerable in this regard as they respond to various acidic ingredients. The stainless steel and anodized pressure cookers are better in this regard.

Compatibility with the Induction Stove

Nowadays, people use induction stoves instead of the LPG gas stoves. Therefore, you should choose the pressure cooker that is compatible for use on the induction stove. The standard pressure cookers available on the market are not compatible for use with the induction stoves.

The manufacturers of the best pressure cookers for induction cooktops should mention the fact that the cooker is compatible with the induction stove. Usually, you find words like ‘With Induction Bottom’ in the product description.

Dishwasher compatibility

Similarly, they should mention that the pressure cooker is safe for use in a dishwasher machine. The hard anodized pressure cookers are not dishwasher safe, but the stainless steel and aluminium cookers are. Hence, look out for the words, ‘Dishwasher safe’ in the product descriptions.

Inner Lid Cookers and Outer Lid Cookers

Pressure cookers come in two models, one with an inner lid, and the other with the outer cover. In the internal lid models, the top of the lid goes inside the pressure cooker. The smaller size pressure cookers usually come with the inner lids whereas the larger ones have their covers on the outside.

The inner lid-pressure cookers are safer as compared to the outer lid types because of the additional locking mechanism to hold the building up of extra pressure.

Warranty

Usually, the top pressure cooker brands in India offer extended warranties on their products. Select the pressure cooker brand that provides the maximum warranty.

This buying guide and the accompanying reviews should make your job of buying the best pressure cooker easy.

Ideal Size Pressure Cooker Reviews

Shiva Kumar is a 25-year-old Blogger from India. He is a Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert. Constantly funny – Randomly Serious!