Electric Pressure Cooker

Overview

An electric pressure cooker is a sealed, self-regulating pot that cooks food in superheated steam at above-atmospheric pressure, raising the boiling point of water to roughly 115 °C so dishes finish far faster than in an open pan. The body is the moulded Outer Housing, which holds the heater and electronics; a removable inner pot drops in, and the sealing Lid Assembly locks over the top.

How it works

A program selected on the Control Board energises the Heating Plate, an element-backed plate that the inner pot rests on. As the contents boil, steam fills the sealed vessel and pressure climbs. The Lid Locking Ring holds the lid bayonet-locked against that force, and a silicone gasket seals the joint.

Pressure is regulated and made safe by several interlocking devices. The Float Valve / Safety Pin is a small weighted pin that rises as pressure builds, both sealing a vent and lifting a switch that tells the controller the pot is pressurised; while it is up, a rotation lock prevents the lid from being opened. The Pressure Release / Steam Valve sets the operating pressure and is turned by the user to vent steam at the end of a cook. Backing these up, the Pressure & Safety System adds an overpressure release plug that blows out if the regulating valve ever clogs.

The microcontroller reads a bottom temperature sensor and a lid sensor, modulating the heater to hold pressure and time the program, then switching to a keep-warm stage. Condensate is caught in a small cup at the rear, accessories such as a trivet ship in the Accessories set, and mains current enters through a detachable Power Cord.