Pressure cookers have been around for a long time and are one of the most essential kitchen appliances, especially in Indian kitchens. Cookers help retain nutrients in foods while saving time and energy. They also need very little maintenance and can be used for different techniques other than pressure cooking, such as steaming, boiling, baking, etc. If you’re on a quest to finding the right size of pressure cooker, you are at the right place. Here, you’ll find all your answers to choosing the right size of pressure cooker for your needs.
Why Does Size Matter?
Whether you are a home cook or someone who goes on a culinary adventure once in a while, bigger is not always better when it comes to cookers. There are many factors to consider when choosing the size, and it is recommended that you choose the right one that fits your purpose. Here are some reasons why:
- More Material: A large pressure cooker means more metal, and that means more time to heat up and build the pressure. This will increase your cooking time drastically, especially if yours is a small or a medium-sized family.
- More Liquid: When the pressure cooker size is larger, you’ll need more liquid to build steam. A piece of meat that can be braised in a small cooker will need to be boiled in a larger one. A large cooker thus limits cooking techniques and thus affect the outcome of the recipe.
- More Work: A larger-than-necessary pressure cooker is bulky and not easy to use. If you have a small sink and a tap, washing becomes a hassle. Even if you use a dishwasher-safe cooker, it can slip into the bottom rack and may not get cleaned easily.
While the above are some drawbacks of buying a larger-than-needed pressure cooker, the opposite holds if you need a large cooker and buy a small one. So, picking the right size becomes extremely essential when buying a pressure cooker.
What is the Best Pressure Cooker size?
The size of pressure cooker depends on how you want to use it. Do you want to pressure cook as well as saute? Do you cook with inserts? What is the function you want the pressure cooker to perform? Answers to these questions help in deciding the size and shape of the pressure cooker.
- A 1- to 2-litre pressure cooker is ideal for a single person or if you are a new mother starting solid foods.
- A 3.5-litre pressure cooker is a great choice when you want to cook for a small family of 3. It is a good size for sauteing too.
- A 4-litre pressure cooker is good enough for cooking meat or vegetables for a family of four.
- A 6-litre pressure cooker with a broad base is suited for a larger family of more than 6 people.
Choosing the pressure cooker size mostly depends on the type of cooking you do. Remember, the easier it is to clean and use, the more likely it is to be used!
