SO MUCH better than a multi-cooker!
Anonymous
21-05-19
Like a lot of people of my generation, my first exposure to a pressure cooking was through a multi-cooker. But, where I'd already used a slow cooker for years, the only function that ever saw any use was the pressure cooking function. It was a game-changer for me, as any large-batch cooking I do is usually vegan, and my preferred choice of lean protein is beans and legumes. I was able to cook beans perfectly and flavorfully in a fraction of the time and with minimal fuss. I couldn't always get predictable results with smaller, more delicate beans, but over the five years I had that multi-cooker, I was able to work around its quirks for the most part.
When it finally bit the dust, I just couldn't see the point of getting another multi-cooker They never properly sear, and all the extra hardware surrounding the cook pot adds considerable time to the natural release method. On top of that, my slow cooker was still going strong, and I'd recently added a sous vide to my equipment family, so all the extra settings of a multi-cooker would have been wasted on me. It was time to graduate to a stove top pressure cooker. And, make no mistake, a Fissler Vitavit is the summa cum laude of upgrades.
The improved level of control I have over the cook time with the Fissler Vitavit means that I can easily and accurately get consistently perfect results every time. Using any of the widely available charts as-is without having to compensate for a longer natural release means I can spend less time thinking about the mechanics of cooking, and more time on the art of refining my recipes. You wouldn't think something as unimpressive as the humble bean and its accompanying broth can blossom into such an absolute showstopper, but that is exactly what has happened. If a multi-cooker improved my cooking game, the Fissler Vitavit utterly perfected it.
Not just great for beans, by the way. While I have definitely cooked a variety of beans flawlessly in it, it has also handled roasted vegetable broth, chicken broth, grains and meat dishes exquisitely. Even a boring old one-pot quick meal of seared then braised chicken breast with steamed mixed vegetables nested atop in the steamer insert reached heights of flavor and juiciness I'd never imagined.
I couldn't be happier with this purchase, and look forward to exploring the limitless options this sturdy, reliable gem affords me for years to come.
Very Satisfied!
Anonymous
03-02-20
I am very satisfied with my purchase of the 8.5 qt. cooker--after hours of research. I am glad that I chose the stovetop pressure cooker over the electric. I have an electric stove and I was able to learn the optimum burner settings for operating this cooker with my first time of using it--now all I do is wait for the yellow line to show and then I immediately turn my stove dial to 2-1/2--and then walk away until my timer goes off. So far, none of my recipes that I have tried have caused any hard cleanup--of course I use Bartenders Friend nearly every time I clean the cooker--makes cleanup much easier. I do recommend ensuring that the handle thumbscrew is tight before using the cooker the first time and then, check it during the cleanup to ensure no pressure seepage. I have decided that the 8.5 is much larger than I really needed so I plan to buy a smaller one in the near future.
