I WOULDN'T BE WITHOUT IT
WHERE TO START?
I don't write many reviews. Most online reviews I read: either the reviewer loves it and gives 5*; or hates it and gives none. Usually the comments are pretty basic. Balanced online reviews are uncommon. This is my real review!
I have used traditional stove-top pressure cookers for over 40 years, and consider myself an experienced user. However, after moving house and getting a new hob, I have struggled. Four weeks ago I all but ruined a pot roast and thought it's time to change.
Suspicious of the market I read the reports and also researched other online reviews (see my comments above about online reviews!), looking for a budget electric model. Quite confusing, but I narrowed it down to 3-4 around the £60 mark. My brother has an earlier Bertelin and swears by it, so finding this large one at a great price made my mind up.
USING THE COOKER:
It came quickly, and was well packed. First reaction... it's big!! It won't fit my pan cupboard, but looks great on the side by my hob. I read the instruction booklet cover to cover, especially all the safety stuff. Its a very short booklet! I then ran the 'before first use' steam and clean cycle.
I adapted their 'sticky pork ribs' sample recipe, using chicken legs in place of the pork. I included some potatoes over the top, using the steam rack. Wow. 10 minutes prep time, 20 minutes cooking time once up to pressure, and a fantastic meal for 3. I watched it all the time, but didn't need to. The cooker looks after itself. Since then I have done a rich bolognaise, a chicken curry, chilli con carne, asparagus soup, a pan of (over) steamed vegetables, and finally today another pot roast. Every use has been straightforward, and the meals delicious. It's now used several times a week.
I've never pressure cooked a cake, but the Bertelin has a cake setting. So I tried one of my standard oven cake recipes. A disaster, horrible. However I found a 99p pack of a famous cake mix in the shop. (The Bertelin sample recipe uses packet cake mix.) It made a lovely light moist vanilla cake, but it looked anaemic and unappetising. Easily solved with a vanilla frosting, delicious!
THE GOOD POINTS:
1. Compared to my old stove top pressure cooker, it's very quiet. No hissing and dripping when heating up, and no constant hiss of escaping steam when cooking. No need to cool pan under running tap at end of cooking. 2. The main body is insulated and remains cool enough to touch, keeping the heat in and running more economically. 3. Only 1000 watts, yet it heats up quickly, and maintains a steady cooking temperature. 4. It's straightforward to use, easy to clean, and once programmed can be left to get on with it. 5. It won't overheat or boil dry, and is packed with safety features. 6. Cooking is quick, really moist and tasty, and you can serve in the pot!
THE BAD POINTS:
Niggles really, nothing bad. 1. The instruction booklet is rubbish, just the very basics and a couple of sample recipes. Not a problem for me, but an inexperienced user might be flummoxed. 2. The control screen requires you to cycle through either six 'function' programs, or eight separate 'menu' programs, total fourteen programs from two buttons. If you miss you have to go through again. It would be very much better if touching the icon for the function or menu selected that program. Extra picks for low and high heat and pressure, and timer settings, are also not intuitive. 3. The double lid traps really hot water. When being removed it needs to be tipped to drain whilst over the cooking pot, or risk dripping hot water everywhere.
THE VERDICT:
I wouldn't be without it now, and rue the years of 'old fashioned' stovetop pressure cooking.
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