# Scared of and anxious around pressure cooker **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 13, 2018, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-of-and-anxious-around-pressure-cooker/814098 "2018-05-13T19:34:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-of-and-anxious-around-pressure-cooker/814098/21 "2018-05-14T16:48:31Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > My mother used a pressure cooker without incident for decades. One thing that was necessary was occasional replacement of the rubber gasket. That should not be a problem for the OP and a brand-new pressure cooker. > > Just to add a old rubber seal just won’t seal, meaning it won’t get to pressure. That may be how my mother decided that she needed a new gasket. And the OP was already given a new pressure cooker, so this won’t help him/her, but if one were starting from scratch, one might want to buy an Instant Pot instead, as it combines a pressure cooker and a slow cooker in one gizmo. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-of-and-anxious-around-pressure-cooker/814098/22 "2018-05-14T16:53:35Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I assume the one you blew up most have been somewhat older. All the ones I’ve seen can’t be opened until the pressure is lowered. There’s typically a pin locking the lid to the pot that’s controlled by pressure. > IME, if you want to get it open sooner, put the entire thing in the sink and run cold water over it. > The Instant Pot also has a quick release. A valve that can be opened and let out the steam in a fast, but controlled way. No it was fairly modern and yes it did have a locking pin to prevent this. I just figured out how to bypass the interlocks. And yes running it under cold water works wonders. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-of-and-anxious-around-pressure-cooker/814098/23 "2018-05-14T17:12:45Z")
The keyword is “new/modern”. Rubber deteriorates (shrinks, cracks) with age and as stated new cookers have additional safety features that weren’t available before. There’s pride and nostalgia in using Grandma’s cookware, but her pressure cooker should be left on the shelf unless the gasket has been changed, thoroughly checked for dents or cracks and cleaned. I suspect a high percentage of the 600 deaths by toasters mentioned are those who used Grandma’s toaster whose heating elements or electric cord have become worn out and unsafe. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-of-and-anxious-around-pressure-cooker/814098/24 "2018-05-14T17:14:41Z")
You do have options. I once saw Superman turn a lump of coal into a diamond by using heat and pressure from his bare hands - and in about 15 seconds! I figure if you hand your veggies to him they’ll be done before you can blink. Just be sure to wash them first in case the farmer used [this](https://www.gardensupplyguys.com/products/xtreme-gardening-krypto-mite-16-oz-mite-mildew-wash?variant=36111492493). ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-of-and-anxious-around-pressure-cooker/814098/25 "2018-05-14T19:12:23Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > … > The key to preventing this particular problem is to keep an ear on the hissing sound–as long as it is hissing normally then everything is fine. If the hissing suddenly stops then it would be wise to immediately turn off the heat. Keep in mind that there is a substantial margin of error, and it would take gross inattention to allow the pressure to build to the point of exploding. Is this an electric pressure cooker or a stovetop one? If the latter, that may well be true, but we have an Instant Pot (electric) and we don’t hear the hissing once it comes to pressure. There are some basic safety precautions with any such device, stovetop or electric. When cooking something like beans, my device’s manual says not to fill it more than 2/3 full to avoid just the scenario others have mentioned. An electric one should have some safety precautions that will shut it off if it gets too high-pressured. And I think any of them (electric or stovetop) have interlocks in place that will keep you from opening it accidentally if the pressure is too high. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-of-and-anxious-around-pressure-cooker/814098/26 "2018-05-14T20:08:41Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > Keep in mind that there is a substantial margin of error, and it would take gross inattention to allow the pressure to build to the point of exploding. It won’t explode. The worst that will happen is the safety relief valve will activate, sending up a narrow jet of steam and atomized food - but you will never have a situation in which the pressure vessel itself ruptures and sends metal fragments in all directions. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-of-and-anxious-around-pressure-cooker/814098/27 "2018-05-14T20:09:59Z")
I’d like the OP to know that I, too, am paranoid about pressure cookiers. I had a fancy new electronic one and never used it, because it freaked me out. Pillsbury biscuits require a few minutes of working up my courage, too. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-of-and-anxious-around-pressure-cooker/814098/28 "2018-05-14T22:56:12Z")
Do you have cats? When my mother released the pressure on her cooker, it made the same sound as the flea spray can, so the cats shot off and hid themselves. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-of-and-anxious-around-pressure-cooker/814098.md?page=1)