If there is anything that we never get to have enough of, it is the time! Life gets tough for people who are complete foodies but have an overly exhaustive work life or other commitments. A simple reason why takeaway meals are the orders for the day, while delicious and hearty meals are only saved for special occasions or Sundays.
But thankfully, with cookers, things are now easy! A cooker is quite like a time machine in the kitchen. It can speed up meal prep and help you with healthy outcomes all the time. However, multiple brands are selling different sizes of pressure cooking utensils. Moreover, they differ from each other in terms of features! Isn’t that confusing? Well, with the right guide, things will look easy. To continue with your reading task grasp the essentials regarding the same.
1.Types Of Cookers
Before getting into the size part, let’s introduce you to the various cooker types:
- A Rice Cooker: Unlike the conventional pressure cooking utensil, which you must put on the gas stove and heat up, a rice cooker runs on electricity. It comes with a heat source, a thermostat and a cooking bowl. The thermostat monitors the temperature of the cooking bowl, controlling the heat. Get one with a keep warm feature. This will help you with warm meals for as long as you like.
- A Pressure Cooker: A pressure cooker is simply a pot with a lockable lid! Heat and pressure build up in the same, creating higher temperatures for the food to cook completely. Ensure your utensil has a safety valve under the handlebar, enabling greater protection. Also, the pot has to have a pressure lock safety lid feature., eliminating all chances of accidents.
2.Things To Consider Before You Buy A Pressure Cooker
You simply cannot rely on any pressure cooker available in the market. There are certain characteristics which require special attention. Here is a thorough list of the same:
- A Comprehensive Base: A cooker with a unique extra thick base is what you need for uniform and faster cooking. Also, those with a capsule base are naturally more durable and will help you by lasting longer.
- The Handles: In the kitchen, safety comes first when you decide to cook meals. And pressure cooking is all about extra heat and pressure building up in the pot. So you need a steady handle which stays cool the whole time. Get one with an easy-grip Bakelite handle for the ultimate support.
- Cooking Ease: A modern kitchen requires modern utensils! So, if you have an induction oven in the kitchen rather than the traditional gas oven, choose cooking utensils accordingly. Opt for pressure cookers with an induction-friendly bottom that can be used on a conventional oven.
- Price: With all the features you get, it is important to keep a tab on the price, compare among multiple cookers and then finalise one. Get one that comes under warranty – a minimum of 5 years.
3.Things To Consider Before You Buy A Rice Cooker
Here is what you need to consider before buying the perfect rice cooker:
- Auto Cooking Function: Get a rice cooker with an auto cooking function for your busy days. Check whether you can use it to prepare soups and gravies and then buy one.
- Stainless Steel Body: A rice cooker with a stainless steel body will serve you with enhanced durability besides being corrosion-resistant. Also, this one will be easier to clean than other cooker types.
- Do Not MissOut On Important Functionalities: Check for functionalities like automatic thermal cutoff and a spillover prevention vent. The former will help you save electricity, while the latter will present you with a mess-free kitchen.
4.Choose The Right Cooker Size
People with the right guide always find it easy to compare and contrast multiple pressure cooking utensils in the market. However, when it comes to selecting one that is of the right size, things often get messed up! Don’t worry! The following points will help you thoroughly.
- The size of a cooker does not depend on what you plan to cook. Rather, it is about the number of people you serve at home.
- Opt for 1-1.5 litres when you want to use the vessel for cooking your baby’s food or, as an adult, you are staying alone.
- For joint families or groups with more than 5 members, you need a cooker in the 5 to 9 litres capacity.
- Finally, a standard Indian family of 3 to 4 members can easily cook and serve on a cooker labelled between 3 to 5 litres.
Conclusion
With every food item, cookers behave differently! So before you start the cooking process, have a thorough plan ready. Also, when you are planning to buy cooker for your home kitchen, consider the features explained and the number of people you will be feeding. For rice cookers, take special care and do not use it to pressure fry or deep fry using oil.
