Presto Pressure Cookers and Canners
A Buyers Guide For Presto Pressure Cookers and Canners
There are two types of Presto presssure cookers and canners. We have the Presto stainless steel pressure cookers and the popular Presto aluminum pressure cooker/canner option. Which one you decide to buy really does come down to your needs in the home kitchen.
There are a number of different sizes for both models and we will look at each one in turn. Each cooker/canner has its own page with much more information as well as pricing and we recommend that you look through a number of them to ensure that you buy exactly what is going to be suitable for you.
Presto Aluminum vs Stainless Steel Pressure Cookers
The choice you make is basically down to exactly how you are going to use your pressure cooker. If you want only to use as a pressure cooker and canning is not really that important then the stainless steel Presto pressure cooker is going to be the very best option.
Presto Pressure Cookers Stainless Steel
Please pick from the options below, click an image for much more detailed information and for pricing and customer reviews:
4 Quart 6 Quart 8 Quart
The larger 8 quart model is the most popular and allows for the most versatility. Remember that you can always put less in a large pressure cooker but you can never put more in a small one!
Presto Aluminum Pressure Cookers/Canners
Cheap Presto pressure cookers begin with the small aluminum models more suited to pressure cooking. The larger sizes are what home canners choose for the most versatile option.
4 Quart 6 Quart 8 Quart 16 Quart 23 Quart
The 23 quart aluminum Presto pressure cooker/canner is by far the most popular option for the home canner. It is large enough for most canning needs, well under $100, the cheapest large pressure canner on the market and has hundreds of positive reviews. See our buying guide for this and all other options by clicking on the image for each pressure cooker/canner.
Presto Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker Benefits
The stainless steel cookers are easier to clean thanks to the smoothness of the steel. They will not stain, are slightly more durable in its choice of material and should be used mainly for pressure cooking. Although, of course the larger models are perfectly suitable for canning purposes as well. The base has an aluminum core sandwiched between stainless steel so the base temperature is raised very quickly.
Drawbacks
Unlike aluminum stainless steel does not heat as evenly and at the same time. But once hot they are perfect for fast pressure cooking and the ease of cleaning far outweighs the slight delay in the temperature reaching optimum levels.
Presto Aluminum Pressure Canner/Cooker Benefits
Aluminum is lighter, heats up quickly, and carries a uniform temperature. It delivers very fast results and is perfect for the home canner.
Drawbacks
It is not advised to use aluminum for cooking any acidic foods. This includes tomatoes, cabbage etc. There is a slight risk of staining of the inside of the canner which means that foods can leach into one another when you use again.
Although cleaning is simple it is not as easy or as quick as with the stainless steel models. Aluminum is also slightly less robust so for lots of use stainless steel may be the better option, to avoid dents.
But traditional canners are always aluminum as they offer the best overall even temperatures and the slight extra cleaning involved to ensure that acidic foods do not stain is often a small price to pay. The main thing is to ensure that you do not leave acidic foods standing in the aluminum models and then staining is really not going to be an issue.
That being said, please take a look at the various models that you can choose from. We have a dedicated page for each option so please pick what you think will be most suitable to your needs, Presto pressure cookers and canners are suitable for so many uses that it is best to think carefully about the size and material before you make a final decision..