Customer Reviews

Kuhn Rikon 3916 Duromatic Top Pressure Cooker, 5-Quart

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There's a good reason why the New York times reviewed this product and tagged it "The Mercedes of Pressure Cookers". This efficient piece of cookware is precision engineered and made in a modern Swiss factory where the best cookers have been made since the safe Durotherm was first developed here. On a visit to the factory we saw a clean, efficient facility which employs re-settled Tibetan refugees and uses robotics to shape these precision pots. The Duromatic factory adheres to high standards of European green manufacturing methods while producing a product as precision made as a Swiss watch.
The proof is in the cooking. We love our Duromatics, and have several in our home. For one thing it is quiet compared to older versions of pressure cookers, and safer due to several safety-release valves. When we cook things like split pea soup and roasted chicken we get perfect results with much less energy, heat, and cooking time than any other method of cookery. Once you cook artichokes this way you will never go back to your old method.
This particular size is ideal for most households and produces a family size meal in minutes. At the end it is all dishwasher safe.

WOW! have been using our Kuhn Rikon for about 5 years & can't imagine life without being able to make bean dishes anytime I want after work. Goodbye soaking, goodbye planning ahead. Hello spontaneous & speedy black-eyed peas, split pea soup & hummous from scratch.

Had been scared of pressure cookers. Lived in France in high school & remember ours exploding every couple of months - spewing soup everywhere. Heard they'd "modernized" the cookers & then researched the heck out of all the ones on the market. Took the leap w/ this one because of the redundant safety features. Was terrified to try it the first time, but have never ever ever had it explode - even when I've forgotten to turn it down after it got up to pressure (thanks to the automatic safety pressure-release).

And when you first taste how deeply spices penetrate curry dishes, soups and beans -- you'll be hooked. Not one ounce of regret for spending the extra $$ for this ultra-safe "BMW-quality" cooker.

We have three Kuhn Rikon pressure cookers that we use almost every time we cook - this is the main cookware we use. It's fast, easy, and it save energy because it takes less time to cook. And the food's great - I like eating at home better than any restaurant.

So, I've never used a pressure cooker (PC) and was a bit afraid. I read about the electric PC's and decided the stovetop model was better because 1) gas is cheaper than electricity 2) no circuit board to break one week out of warranty and 3) I can brown meats in this monster before sealing the top. This is the Rolls Royce of pressure cookers from everything I read so I splurged and spent the money. Over 10+ years, what does $80 mean in all honesty?

Regarding the electric PC's. I read all the reviews and continually found people complaining about sealing problems, faulty buttons, the machine switching from pressure to warming mode, etc. Kuhn Ricon (KR) models have consistently received the most positive reviews, which sealed my decision. I've got enough electric appliances anyway.

As for safety, there is no way this thing is going to blow up unless you are clueless and don't follow simple instructions. If the pressure builds up too much, it automatically releases some steam through the spring-valve, the top of the line technology for PC's. Further, if it gets REALLY high, the rubber gasket is designed to bow outward and allow steam to escape through the side of the lid. In all, KR has five (5) safety features to protect you. Plus, you can't open it when even the slightest pressure remains. I tried to open it early, and no matter how hard I turned the lid, it wouldn't budge. This made me feel safe.

I prepared my first meal last night, lamb, and it turned out perfectly in just 12 minutes. Of course, you have to include 1) prep time (which is true no matter what method you use to cook a meal); 2) time to get to 15psi (about 5 minutes with 1/2 cup of water) and 3) natural depressurization (take it off the heat and let the pressure fall naturally) (this recipe warned against quick or even slow release) which took about 10 minutes. Still, given all this, it still was quicker than a slow cooker, range top, or regular oven (which I don't think would have worked for this recipe anyway).

Once I had the ingredients prepared, I browned the veal on the bottom with a little oil, dumped in the rest of the ingredients, added 1/2 cup of water (mandatory to build up the steam) and sealed it. Sealing is EASY, just line up the arrows, twist, and you're done. Now, I know KR makes models without the long handle and replaces it with two smaller grab handles at either side (model 3403 for example), but the long handle (it has a small grab handle on the other side) provides leverage to help in closing the top. This long handle also helps lift the cooker, as it is quite heavy (this is one solid sucker to be sure) and lifting it takes some effort, especially when full of food. It takes a little extra space to store, but believe me, it's well worth it. I've got plenty of pots with small grab handles, and they always get very hot and provide no leverage for lifting or closing.

This model (3916) has the Duromatic twist top vs. the pop-up type (model 3342 for example). I chose the 3916 because it is designed for people like me, who know nothing and want a little more flexibility in pressure release and pressure monitoring. It is super easy to see when one, then two, lines appear, even from across the kitchen. One line is 8 psi, two lines 15 psi, and if it goes over that, you can easily see that, too, and you know it's time to turn down the heat or remove it altogether until the two lines are exactly even with the top of the lid. Then, place it back. I'm sure with experience I'll learn exactly how low to turn my flame so I don't have to fuss with it. Until then, it's fun experimenting.

It is not Teflon, which is not a big deal to me because 1) Teflon always wears off and 2) it seems to flake when suffering at the higher pressure/temps a PC thrives on. So, it's probably better that it NOT be present. Read reviews of the electric PC's and you'll read a lot of "...the Teflon flakes and is worthless..." comments. Well, as stated, that's because at the temp/pressures achieved, Teflon seems not to hold up very well.

I just soaked mine overnight with soapy water and it cleaned up with a plain sponge.

The instruction manual is very good, with cooking times (general), how to use, and contact information. It has a cookbook with limited recipes, so if you're in this for the long haul, I would suggest Lorna Sass' books, or Miss Vickie's, although something about her irritates me (personal opinion obviously). But strangely, MV did recommend the KR or Fagor brands, so maybe I'll learn to love her.

In summary, this is a quality PC that is easy to use, that you can start cooking/browning/sautéing in (can't do that with an electric model, no matter which brand you get), and that is so safe NASA could take a lesson from KR.

Is it more expensive? Yes, it is. Is my health and safety worth the extra cost? Yes, they are. When you get right down to it, KR makes the best PC in the world (not me speaking, that's the NY Times, Miss Vickie, two independent websites, and even cookware stores I called to discuss different brands). If you want a quality piece of cookware, this is it. If you want to worry about buttons breaking, plugs to trip on, warming cycles when you should be in cooking mode, then spend $100 less and get the Cuisinart 600 series (lousy customer service from personal experience). The choice is yours.

Tonight it's lentil soup. Why not join me?

I am still a little intimidated by this wonderful device, but I have purchased a couple of pressure-cooking specific recipe books and I am studying the books that came with the cooker. It is a completely different approach, and it takes a some work, but on my first attempt, we had a wonderful, tender, tasty roast with tender (not mushy) potatoes, carrots, celery and gravy. I made mistakes, but it is a forgiving appliance. Spend the money for the quality and safety features - you will save it long-term by cooking good food quickly at home.

I have always been leery of pressure cookers, but my brother in law showed my his Rikon, and now that i have one, i have to agree. This is incredible. Quiet, and it does just what it says. I have used it for potatoes, roasts, and beans all perfect. The cook book that comes with it is excellent, and takes all the fear of using a pressure cooker away.

While more expensive them most, it is worth the extra, a good value.

I use this 4-5 times a week...excellent product...great time saver...fail-safe recipes included with it, too.

This pressure cooker is a wonderful help in the kitchen. I don't know how I'd manage without it now. With it, I can have brown rice or beans cooked in the 10-20 minutes it takes to prepare the rest of the meal. Once the pressure is built up, I generally need to turn my electric burner down midway to off from the first marking, so it's an incredible energy saver. Compare that to simmering a pot of brown rice on medium high for 40 minutes!

The pots are very well constructed and top quality, and also double nicely as regular soup pots if you have the right-size lid. They are also easy to clean. The Kuhn-Rikon piston mechanism makes for an amazingly quiet and reliable cooker, but I find it best to let the pressure build up as smoothly as possible. Once the water is boiling, I generally turn the heat right down and take the pot off the burner to fit the lid. Then I put the pot back on, so that the pressure build-up is slow and steady. Sometimes, I find it also helps to nudge the little piston up by hand until the pressure kicks in (but maybe this means I need to clean the piston a bit...).

I have to admit to being just a beans and rice pressure-cooker user, but I think a pressure cooker is indispensible to a busy vegetarian for those alone. The Kuhn-Rikon is not cheap to buy, but I have had no reason to regret the choice. I wouldn't part with it. Ever since I got it, I have been eating much more healthily with lots of whole grains and beans. Moreover, these come out meltingly tender and delicious, as I've never had them before. The brown rice is far better than any I've had from a conventional rice cooker, and freshly cooked beans are incomparable to canned.

My Mother used a "jiggler" top style pressure cooker when I was a child. It was noisy, and I'm not really sure how she managed to figure out when food was cooked properly - a lot of trial and error that I can't remember. I was not sure what to expect when my pressure cooker arrived, but I have been amazed since I've been using it. Firstly, it makes virtually no noise at all - a huge change from my Mom's pressure cooker. Secondly, I can tell when I've reached the pressure that I want to use (there are two red marks - first one is low pressure, second one is high pressure) easily, and start my cooking time with great accuracy. I also really like just how quickly food gets cooked - using much less energy in the process! I'm also amazed at the taste - I really love potatoes, and this produces the best tasting potatoes I think I've ever had (or made!!!). It's a real pleasure to use such a well made and thought out cooking tool.
Overall, in terms of accuracy, taste, time and energy savings, I feel I've made a purchase worth my money!!

I've been using this at least once a week for years and the gasket is still good. It makes excellent steel-cut (irish) oatmeal in just a few minutes without having to watch it (usually takes 30 minutes on the stove).