My trusty old pressure cooker gave out mid-stew last Tuesday

I was making a big batch of beef stew to freeze, the kind that saves you a ton on takeout. I've had this cooker for maybe eight years, a basic store brand one. I heard a weird hiss from the kitchen and found steam shooting from the side seal, not the valve. Dinner was ruined and the kitchen smelled like burnt meat for two days. I looked at new ones, but even the simple models are over $60 now, which feels steep for a pot. For now, I'm back to using my big stockpot on the stove, which takes forever. Has anyone had luck fixing an old cooker like this, or is it just time to bite the bullet and buy new?

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3 Comments

miakelly5mo ago

Okay but steam from the side seal sounds like a bad gasket, not a dead cooker. Those rubber rings get hard and crack after a few years. Did you check if you can just order a new seal? Mine did that and a $12 part from Amazon fixed it. Way cheaper than a whole new pot.

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henry_martinez5mo ago

Remember when my buddy's cooker did that, @miakelly?

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nelson.nancy5mo ago

@miakelly Actually those gaskets fail way more often, not the metal parts like your buddy thinks.

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