Viking Stovetop Pressure Cooker Review

All these years, I’ve been afraid to purchase a stovetop pressure cooker, mainly from reading articles decades ago of exploding stew or beans. It wasn’t until last year that I found out my Mom relies on her stovetop pressure cooker for making Chinese soups and beef & daikon stews. Even after gifting her an electric pressure cooker, she wouldn’t let her stovetop pressure cooker go. “It’s faster!” she would say.

After testing out the Viking Stovetop Pressure Cooker, I have to admit she’s right. It’s not only faster, but I found that I enjoyed cooking with more control (by adjusting my heat manually) and better pressure, resulting in more tender meats, more flavorful soups and more evenly cooked beans.

What I liked about the Viking Pressure Cooker

• Easy lid that works in any position. With my other electric pressure cooker (and also my Mom’s), the lid has to be in the exact perfect position before the lid can lock. Lining up the lid can take several tries. The Viking model clamps on with a big knob. It’s simple to close and simple to open.
• Surgical grade stainless steel – I’ve never liked nonstick pressure cookers.
• 3-Ply base – heavy duty stainless steel base means I can sear meats at high heat. This is probably my favorite feature – I like to sear meats on all sides before cooking with pressure. With the electric pressure cooker, even with a “sear” or “saute” function, the heat never got high enough for a good, quick sear.
• Handles stay cool.
• Large, 8-quart capacity. Most pressure cookers are 6 quart – which isn’t big enough for feeding more than 4 people. I like having room in my pot, especially for making soups. By the time I add in all the bones, vegetables and herbs for soup, there’s very little room left for water! The 8-qt pot is perfect size.
• Sturdy, I know this will last a lifetime. As with all Viking products, this is top-quality and will last many, many years. My electric pressure cooker has been replaced twice already.
• Comes with a steamer basket (which I used to cook 2 whole artichokes yesterday)

What I think could be improved

• I would love a wider, shorter pot. Some of the roasts and chickens that I like to pressure cook would be better in a wider pot. Plus, it would make searing so much easier. The Viking pot is pretty tall, I have to stand on my tiptoes when using tongs or ladle to get to the bottom of the pot without burning my arm.
• It’s pricey. At $249 price point, it’s a 2-3x more expensive than most stove top pressure cookers. But you get what you pay for – a cheap $60 pressure cooker won’t last you long and won’t perform as well. You’re buying the Viking quality, and most importantly, their warranty and customer service.

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Viking Pressure Cooker Giveaway

Viking provided product for honest review and for giveaway.