Electric pressure cooker?

Anyone use one of these?

The topic of pressure cookers came up on CF, but all the sailors over there ignored my question. I assume they couldn't get their minds about the concept of wasting precious electricity for something as trivial as cooking.

I've read all the recommendations favoring traditional pressure cookers over electric ones.

But my reasoning goes like this: my stove is electric anyway, so the advantage of a gas range isn't there. If I'm going to run the noisemaker anyway, what difference does it make whether the heating element is internal or external to the pot? Or, underway, I would be able to run the electric cooker off the 2KW inverter all day, and have a hot meal ready when we arrive at the anchorage. The smaller size is not an issue either, since it's mostly just the two of us. The stove isn't gimbaled, so in theory the cooker could be safer somewhere else where it can be secured better.

Plus, we know people who swear by their electric pressure cookers for home use.

So I'll ask again here: Why not?

CaptTom said:

Or, underway, I would be able to run the electric cooker off the 2KW inverter all day, and have a hot meal ready when we arrive at the anchorage.

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There is no denying pure logic when it slaps you in the face!

CapTom, we started using a crock pot this year while cruising. Its an awesome way to cook and make use of alternator power underway. Its nice to anchor at the end of the day and have a meal ready without firing up then genset. We also have an electric stove, which I am shifting to propane this winter. We searched for a crock pot that fit in the galley sink. That way it was safe in heavy seas. I believe ours is around 400 watts because it uses less than 30 DC amps through the 2KW inverter. I was surprise by the power consumption. I would have thought it would have been 1000 watts or more.

Given an electric galley, I think an electric pressure cooker can make sense. You'd be losing some efficiency with a non-electric on top of an electric cooktop...

Although I'm not sure that applies to induction cooktops if a stovetop pressure cooker can be induction-compatible.

-Chris

Electric and non-electric pressure cookers are popular among cruisers.

Plus, we know people who swear by their electric pressure cookers for home use.

YOU Bet!

Another addition might be one of those induction hot plates.

For a quick bowl of soup or ,,,the speed of magnetic cooking might be worth while.

For short use it Might?? work on a quality inverter.

I have read it wont work on a cheapo 15ooW square wave inverter.

In general the reviews for the electric pressure cookes look favorable. The ones I saw were between 600 and 1000 watts not too bad either. We don't have one, we use the crockpot often and like it, but may look at the pressure cooker.

I assume you mean a crock pot, not a pressure cooker that runs all day. Leave a pressure cooker going all day and you'll end up w/ a lump of coal. Pressure cookers work pretty fast, maybe 30+ minutes and it's done.

I have a crockpot and a pressure cooker, the crockpot is great for preparing a meal while cruising using the inverter. The pressure cooker shines when you want to cook fast, mine is a stove top type and I have to run the gen to power the electric stove. If anchored out I need to run the gen to charge the batteries so either style of cooking provides a delicious dinner. I would go with the stove top type because even with a meal in the pressure cooker I normally have something else cooking or baking.

Gulf Comanche said:

I assume you mean a crock pot, not a pressure cooker that runs all day. Leave a pressure cooker going all day and you'll end up w/ a lump of coal. Pressure cookers work pretty fast, maybe 30+ minutes and it's done.

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Oh, yeah, good point. The electric pressure cookers we were looking at had the option to slow-cook, too.

Have you considered a Nu-Wave? A friend has one and likes it. He did say I needed to buy the type with the dial rather than the newer electronic ones. Those fail when power fluctuates.

If I had a place for one I'd consider it, though I'd want the mini version as there's just me. Takes juice but the guy I know with one swears it cut his electric bill versus using the electric oven in his house.

CaptTom;The electric pressure cookers we were looking at had the option to slow-cook, too.

That seems to be the go.

I have both a pressure cooker and Crock Pot on board. I tend to use them for batch cooking, portion up and freeze. Great to have good slow cooked food for friends who decide to stay for dinner(as long as they bring some decent wine).

I have found that the Crock Pot does boeuf bourguignon and lamb curries wonderfully, chicken does not seem to hold up quite as well to the freezing component.It seems to get a little stringy, that may be my style of cooking though.

A Nu-Wave is a type of oven that rapidly cooks food. The large version is 14" across. The website is

http://http://www.nuwaveoven.com/

Remember you want the old style (Classic head) versus newer digital. And they run $60 for the small and $100 for the larger on eBay. Like New condition. Of course Amazon has them too, brand new.

Amazon.com: NuWave White Infrared Oven: Countertop Ovens: Kitchen & Dining

Some folks have griped that the plastic ring cracks. The way to resolve that is to not lean it in the specialty rack -- too much weight from the heating element in the top probably adds stress that eventually causes it to crack.

Just put the thing down flat on the counter and you'd be good.

The mini- (that I like) isn't for sale in classic version on AZ. It is on eBay. I'd looked at them more than one time. It's easy to "one more thing" and I simply don't have the space.

Your pretty much right on. They are great, particularly for meals that would otherwise require long cooking times, such as stew or beans, etc..

I like to use mine underway on free inverter power, though with a short cook time even on the inverter on batteries is not as unreasonable as you might think.

The advantage I see with an electric unit is that they usually have some kind of timer, so unlike a stovetop unit you don't need to babysit it. Stovetop is a bit more easy to store, but I love not babysitting and worth finding space for the not so huge base.

One other major advantage you might consider is that a pressure cooker lid is so secure that if you have one of those heavy weather days when everything winds up on the floor over in the corner, once you dig everything out, you still get to eat. Nothing like a guaranteed hot meal after one of those events. Good chance it will float too. Worst case scenario, I guarantee you if there are two people in the water and only one extra space on the lifeboat, the one clinging to a pot full of goodness is going to make the cut.

Pressure cookers and boats go along with each other very well.