I have a Mirro and a Preso pressure cooker at least 50 years old and use
them often. There have been comments on this board that indicate that new
cookers are superior to the old. Please explain. I cannot understand how
anything can be easier that the cookers I use. Thank you.

On 2003-10-02, CaptCook > wrote:
> I have a Mirro and a Preso pressure cooker at least 50 years old and use
> them often. There have been comments on this board that indicate that new
> cookers are superior to the old. Please explain. I cannot understand how
> anything can be easier that the cookers I use. Thank you.

Well, they damn sure cost more! I'd never have paid the insane $150+
price for my new cooker, but fortunately it was half price in a close
out sale. But, to your original post.

Most newer pressure cookers are made of better materials and include
extra safety features. Mine is stainless steel with an aluminum
sandwich bottom giving me the best of both worlds. Most of the better
cookers have a least one safety valve to prevent overpressure blowups.
Some have two. This makes some of these newer safety cookers capable
of cooking longtime pressure cooker no-no's like beans and rice.
Also, some of the newer cookers can be used for both pressure cooking
and pressure frying.

If you have learned to use your cookers safely and they still give you
good service, that's all that counts.

nb

In article >, "CaptCook" >
wrote:

> There have been comments on this board that indicate that new
> cookers are superior to the old. Please explain. I cannot understand how
> anything can be easier that the cookers I use.

notbob covered most of the high points, but I will add that my Fagor is
easier to clean than my mom's old Presto (yes, I've gotten to clean both
of them). The Fagor also allows one to cook at different pressures. The
Mirro/Presto model doesn't offer that.

sd

sd > wrote:

>In article >, "CaptCook" >
>wrote:
>
>> There have been comments on this board that indicate that new
>> cookers are superior to the old. Please explain. I cannot understand how
>> anything can be easier that the cookers I use.
>
>notbob covered most of the high points, but I will add that my Fagor is
>easier to clean than my mom's old Presto (yes, I've gotten to clean both
>of them). The Fagor also allows one to cook at different pressures. The
>Mirro/Presto model doesn't offer that.
>
>sd

While I'd love to have a nice shiny new stainless steel Fagor, at this
point in my life, I just couldn't justify the price. Also, I must take
exception to the one pressure statement. I have a Mirro pressure
canner and two Presto pressure cookers that have given yeoman service
for over 25 years. All three of these canner/cookers allow me to
can/cook at 5, 10 or 15 pounds pressure.

Ross.

Thank you for the responses. My units clean easily and the Presto has the 3
pressure settings. It *might* be a task to get new gaskets when needed.
Actually I use mine for pinto beans quite often, 3 cups in the 6 quart unit.
KOC

"notbob" > wrote in message
. net...
> On 2003-10-02, CaptCook > wrote:
> > I have a Mirro and a Preso pressure cooker at least 50 years old and use
> > them often. There have been comments on this board that indicate that
new
> > cookers are superior to the old. Please explain. I cannot understand
how
> > anything can be easier that the cookers I use. Thank you.
>
> Well, they damn sure cost more! I'd never have paid the insane $150+
> price for my new cooker, but fortunately it was half price in a close
> out sale. But, to your original post.

I paid $40, $45, and $69 for mine, all of them stainless pressure cookers
with thick alum cores, purchased new on sale from major dept. stores.

>
> Most newer pressure cookers are made of better materials and include
> extra safety features. Mine is stainless steel with an aluminum
> sandwich bottom giving me the best of both worlds. Most of the better
> cookers have a least one safety valve to prevent overpressure blowups.
> Some have two. This makes some of these newer safety cookers capable
> of cooking longtime pressure cooker no-no's like beans and rice.
> Also, some of the newer cookers can be used for both pressure cooking
> and pressure frying.
>
> If you have learned to use your cookers safely and they still give you
> good service, that's all that counts.
>

I agree on every point.

In article m>,
Ross Reid > wrote:

> I must take
> exception to the one pressure statement. I have a Mirro pressure
> canner and two Presto pressure cookers that have given yeoman service
> for over 25 years. All three of these canner/cookers allow me to
> can/cook at 5, 10 or 15 pounds pressure.

Well, then, I stand corrected. My mom's old Presto allowed "cooking" or
"not cooking." Must not have been one of the better ones ...

sd

On Sat, 04 Oct 2003 09:14:45 -0500, sd > wrote:

>In article m>,
> Ross Reid > wrote:
>
>> I must take
>> exception to the one pressure statement. I have a Mirro pressure
>> canner and two Presto pressure cookers that have given yeoman service
>> for over 25 years. All three of these canner/cookers allow me to
>> can/cook at 5, 10 or 15 pounds pressure.
>
>Well, then, I stand corrected. My mom's old Presto allowed "cooking" or
>"not cooking." Must not have been one of the better ones ...
>
>sd

Like most appliances there are different models. The old Presto that
I had did have 3 pressure levels. The new (inexpensive) Mirro that I
have does not.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

In article >, sd
> wrote:

> In article >, "CaptCook"
> > wrote:
>
> > There have been comments on this board that indicate that new
> > cookers are superior to the old. Please explain. I cannot
> > understand how anything can be easier that the cookers I use.
>
> notbob covered most of the high points, but I will add that my Fagor
> is easier to clean than my mom's old Presto (yes, I've gotten to
> clean both of them). The Fagor also allows one to cook at different
> pressures. The Mirro/Presto model doesn't offer that.

> sd

Hmm, maybe the new ones don't but my old Mirro cooker had an adjustable
pressure weight (5-10-15psi), same as my Mirro canner. My Presto
cooker has a single-pressure (15psi) weighted gauge.
--
-Barb

Melba's Jammin' > wrote:

>In article >, sd
> wrote:
>
>> In article >, "CaptCook"
>> > wrote:
>>
>> > There have been comments on this board that indicate that new
>> > cookers are superior to the old. Please explain. I cannot
>> > understand how anything can be easier that the cookers I use.
>>
>> notbob covered most of the high points, but I will add that my Fagor
>> is easier to clean than my mom's old Presto (yes, I've gotten to
>> clean both of them). The Fagor also allows one to cook at different
>> pressures. The Mirro/Presto model doesn't offer that.
>
>> sd
>
>Hmm, maybe the new ones don't but my old Mirro cooker had an adjustable
>pressure weight (5-10-15psi), same as my Mirro canner. My Presto
>cooker has a single-pressure (15psi) weighted gauge.

Barb,

Presto does have an adjustable pressure weight. I have a couple of
them. Actually, it is in three pieces, small center piece gives 5 psi,
add additional pieces for 10 or 15 psi. If you need/want one, Presto's
Part No. is 50332. I did a quick Google and came up with 37 hits,
first one being http://www.pressurecooker-outlet.com/02-CAA16H.htm and
they have them.

Ross.