We received our first pressure cookers as wedding presents — in fact, two of them — but I was intimidated by them. Growing up, my mother was a devoted pressure-cooker user and she only ever let me stand in charge for a minute or two. That left me wary: I convinced myself pressure cookers were risky and avoided using them. As a result, those wedding gifts went straight back to my mum.
Recently we were sent a Pressure King Pro to review, and it’s changed my view. With a busy family and hungry children to feed after school, I’ve often wished for a faster way to get hot, nutritious meals on the table. Potatoes in particular have always taken too long on weeknights. The Pressure King Pro brings real convenience and speed to everyday cooking.
The big difference between the Pressure King Pro and traditional stovetop cookers is the digital controls. Instead of guessing time and pressure, the electronic settings tell you how long each dish needs and count down for you. There’s no need to watch and turn knobs when the cooker reaches pressure — the unit manages that for you.
Using the Pressure King Pro
The Pressure King Pro offers plenty of preset programs — you can even cook a whole chicken, which we plan to try soon. One of the features we appreciate is true one-pot cooking: you can brown meat and soften onions in the same insert before sealing and pressure-cooking. It saves time, reduces washing up, and concentrates flavours.
Should the Release Valve be so wobbly?
Yes — the release valve does feel a little loose at first, which made us wonder if it had been fitted correctly. A couple of times we thought the cooker hadn’t come up to pressure, but the solution was simple: ensure the valve is set to the closed position before locking the lid. Once that’s done, the unit performs reliably.
Cleaning the Pressure King Pro
Cleaning is straightforward. After several weeks of use the inner pot still looks like new; warm soapy water removes food residue easily. The steam tray and included measuring spoon are equally simple to wash, and nothing needs special treatment beyond routine care.
Storing the Pressure King Pro
We store our Pressure King Pro in a kitchen cupboard. I like that the removable parts fit inside the pot and the lid sits neatly on top, making storage compact and tidy.
What have we cooked?
Plenty. We’ve made numerous soups and stews — recipes that benefit from long-simmered flavours but without the long cooking time. The Pressure King Pro comes with a recipe booklet containing more than 50 meal ideas covering rice, pasta, curries, dumplings, stews, casseroles and joints of meat. The time savings for larger cuts of meat are impressive: a pulled pork that traditionally takes eight hours can be ready in about an hour in this cooker.
With an athlete in the household who is also a picky teenager, I’m always trying to balance nutritious, filling meals that everyone will eat. Casseroles and stews are ideal: they stretch well with carbohydrates while packing in vegetables for everyone’s needs. One of our favourites so far is a simple beef stew that’s family-friendly and straightforward to prepare.
Has anything not worked?
Not much has gone wrong, but one combo we wouldn’t repeat is cooking sausages and mash together under pressure. The mashed potatoes were outstanding — I don’t think I’ll steam them any other way now — but the sausages cooked in foil in their own juices weren’t as appealing as we expected. We ended up browning them afterwards and will likely grill sausages separately in future for better texture and colour.
Should I buy one?
We recommend the Pressure King Pro for anyone who wants a versatile, time-saving kitchen appliance. It functions as a pressure cooker and multi-cooker, and its Keep Warm feature can hold food at serving temperature for up to 24 hours — a handy option for busy days. Overall it’s a practical addition to a family kitchen, offering faster cooking without sacrificing flavour.
We received the Pressure King Pro for review courtesy of a retailer who stocks the model; price and availability vary by seller.