Further to the safety test on conventional pressure cookers reported in the June issue of CHOICE magazine, the Consumer Council conducted another safety test on electric pressure cookers.
The latest test, making reference to the European standards on pressure cookers (EN 12778) and international safety standards on related home appliances (IEC60335-2-15), covered a total of 6 models of electric pressure cookers with retail prices ranging from around HK$500 to HK$3,000.
The operation of an electric pressure cooker is similar to that of the conventional pressure cooker; both are making use of the high air pressure developed inside the cooker which increases the water temperature and speeds up the cooking. However, an electric pressure cooker does not only rely on the pressure control device to control its pressure and temperature; it is fitted with other temperature sensing devices which offer more safety protection.
Among the tested models, 2 samples are equipped with safety valves while the rest of the samples use rubber seals to release extra high pressure.
The test revealed that the cheapest tested model achieved higher energy efficiency. Cooking congee, red bean soup or beef brisket usually take a long time in traditional cooking methods, and it is more economical to use electric pressure cookers for such prolonged cooking. Due to high pressure cooking and use of an insulated inner pot to minimize heat loss, the whole cooking process normally uses less than one unit (one kilowatt-hour) of electrical energy and costs less than one HK dollar.
The cost of operating an electric pressure cooker and a conventional pressure cooker was compared. Taking an example of bringing 2 litres of water to 90℃, the average cost for using an electric pressure cooker was HK$0.28 while it costs HK$0.35 when using a conventional pressure cooker on a town gas cooktop. However, when an induction hob is used, the average cost of the conventional cooker drops to HK$0.25, roughly the same as that of the electric pressure cooker.
The latest issue of CHOICE Magazine offers the following important safety tips for using electric pressure cookers:
- Follow the instructions closely when cooking.
- Make sure the pressure valve is free of obstruction, or the rubber seal is in good shape before cooking.
- Ensure the electric pressure cooker is filled with food and water according to the instructions or a recipe when cooking. Do not overfill the pressure cooker.
- When cooking with the food that will expand, such as rice and beans, the amount of food put insider the cooker has to be reduced according to the type.
- When cooking liquid food such as congee and soup, or food that will expand during cooking, do not depressurize the pressure cooker by opening the steam vent to quickly release the steam. Otherwise the liquid food inside the pressure cooker may be jetted out suddenly together with the steam and the steam vent may be blocked by the expanded food.
- At the end of cooking, reduce the pressure inside the cooker before opening the lid.
- Do not run water over or immerse the cooker into water. Rub off the dirt on the cooker with a damp cloth.
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