P is for Pressure

You’ve probably seen your mum or grandma preparing a meal using a pressure cooker at some point, but you may not have used one yourself. Every home seemed to have one in the kitchen a few decades ago – an old one may still be hanging around, in fact – but nowadays many people are missing out on all the great benefits they offer.

Pressure cookers are definitely making a comeback, though, with homes across the UK starting to see how great they can be, as well as professional chefs using them to whip up Michelin-starred dishes.

This may not be enough to convince you to start using a pressure cooker when you’re preparing food for your family, though, so here are a few reasons you should definitely invest in this reasonably simple gadget:

Because your pressure cooker cooks food so quickly, you use less energy creating meals. You don’t need your oven and a couple of hobs on for extended periods of time because you can simply cook everything in the pressure cooker, reducing your gas or electricity bills.

You can create delicious beef stews in around 20 minutes or roasts in half an hour, which is much quicker than your standard oven. On top of this, you can save even more money by using cheaper cuts of meat as the pressure cooker will make them deliciously tender.

No, your pressure cooker won’t have you speeding around the world in a cape, but it will have you dishing up meals in a flash. Using a pressure cooker to cook food means it will be ready 70 per cent faster than more conventional cooking techniques – almost as fast as Superman flies.

Even cooking things like potatoes for mash can be made quicker, saving you a lot of time and keeping your family happy.

If you’re someone who seems to manage to mess up no matter how simple the technique or gadget is, you don’t need to worry when it comes to using pressure cookers. They are totally safe and totally you-proof, so you’ll always get a great meal.

Nowadays, new technology means that pressure cookers are safer than ever to prevent accidents – even for the most accident prone. The valve and vent systems allow excess pressure to be released so you don’t need to do anything at all except dish up and enjoy your food when it’s cooked.

Probably one of the best things about pressure cookers is how versatile they are. They don’t just boil and roast food, you can use them to create a whole host of recipes. From steaming to baking, your pressure cooker is a one-stop shop when it comes to your kitchen, allowing you to make any meal simple.

No one likes loads of washing up, especially if you’re the one who did all the food prep and cooking. Save yourself the hassle – or the needing to nag others to wash up – by using your pressure cooker.

You can cook whole meals in one pressure cooker, which effectively means you only have one thing to wash up! On top of this, the stainless steel finish means that pressure cookers are simple to clean, while the fact that their lids stay securely in place ensures you don’t need to wipe up any splatters or drips.

What are you waiting for? Grab yourself a pressure cooker and make cooking for your family that much easier!