Product Description

Heavy Cast Aluminum Pressure Cooker/Canner

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22653 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Brand: All American
• Model: 915
• Released on: 2008-05-22
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 14.00" h x 15.00" w x 16.00" l, 18.00 pounds

Features

• 15-1/2-quart pressure cooker/canner holds 10 pint jars or 7 quart jars
• Made of durable, hand-cast aluminum with attractive satin finish
• Exclusive "metal-to-metal" sealing system for a steam-tight seal; no gaskets
• Geared steam gauge, automatic overpressure release; settings of 5 psi, 10 psi, and 15 psi
• 12-1/2 inches high with 7-1/2-inch inside diameter; made in USA

Amazon.com Review
This heavy-duty pressure cooker's large capacity is probably best utilized for canning (though it would also be great for a number of cooking tasks). A pressure cooker is generally recommended when canning vegetables and nonacid fruit, since the high heat that can be generated will kill more bacteria than a regular hot water bath. Made from cast aluminum, with sturdy screws to seal the lid to the pot, this pressure cooker requires no rubber or plastic gaskets or rings. Its 15-1/2-quart capacity holds 10 pint jars or 7 quart jars. A three-setting pressure regulator valve is included, and the pressure gauge gives a clear reading. Made in Wisconsin, this is an American classic. --Julija Gelazis

Amazon.com Product Description
The high heat generated by a pressure cooker can kill more bacteria than a regular hot water bath, making this pressure cooker the ideal tool for canning vegetables and non-acid fruit. All-American's 15-1/2-quart pressure cooker/canner holds up to 10 pint jars or seven quart jars. Only All-American pressure cookers/canners feature an exclusive, precision-machined "metal-to-metal" sealing system. Clamping locks align the cover to the base, forming a steam-tight seal. This means no gaskets to crack, burn, replace, and clean. At the same time, the metal-to-metal seal permits venting under unusual pressure conditions, making the seal safer than conventional rubber or composition gasket cookers.

Crafted of the finest hand-cast aluminum, this durable cooker/canner features a stay-cool Bakelite top handle, geared steam gauge, automatic overpressure release, and pressure regulator weight with settings of 5 psi, 10 psi, and 15 psi. The attractive satin finish is smooth and easy to clean. Double thick edges provide added protection on points of heaviest wear. The total measurements are 12-1/2 inches high with a 7-1/2-inch inside diameter. All-American pressure cookers are made in the USA. This cooker/canner is not suitable for glass or flat top ranges.

Customer Reviews

Perfect!
When I first ordered this canner, I wasn't sure if I would be able to maintain a steady pressure with my "pulsating" flat-top stove. With the thick aluminum walls, I have no problems at all. In fact, with such thick walls, I can put the burner on "high" and it will slowly build up pressure so I don't have to stand over the stove and constantly monitor as the pressure increases. Once at pressure, it is very easy to maintain the required pressure without having to constantly vent off excess pressure. The owner's manual recommends one to four jiggles per minute. It takes longer for this canner to cool down than others due to the thick walls. I factor this in to my processing time. It will maintain it's pressure (15 psi) for almost another 10 minutes with the burner off. This canner is designed to fit 7 quart jars perfectly. If your looking for a canner, this is it!

Pressure canner is rock solid
I purchased this pressure cooker to do home canning. I am truly impressed with the product. It is build rock solid. A feature that I particularly enjoy is the lack of rubber seal required to use the cooker. The only problem I had with this item was the steamer plate that is used to elevate the canning jars above the bottom of the pot. It pitted easily and is not made of the same high quality aluminum that the pot is. Otherwise, the canner is built like a tank and weighs as much too.

This thing bombed head to head...
I purchased this canner for a big canning job - 300 lbs. of pumpkin. While it is impressively crafted and heavy (it is built like a nuclear containment vessel), my Mom's 30 year old Presto Deluxe canner kicked this thing's can (no pun intended). The metal on this canner is unbelievably thick and it is quite heavy. Because of this it takes forever to come up to pressure, (with all that heavy metal it acts like a big radiator) and it takes longer to cool down - hours, literally. This also means it is much less efficient (more gas/electricity required to can). I could cycle almost four times in the old canner to two cycles of this one. The gasketless metal-to-metal seal was fussy, very easy to seat incorrectly, and despite greasing the seat with vaseline every cycle it managed to stick every time making it difficult to open. This canner is probably adequate if you don't can much and you don't care about time or energy (gas/electric). While my Mom ooh'ed and aw'ed initially, in the end she deemed it unworthy of her kitchen. Mom has great instincts; I sent it back.