How is the DUROMATIC pressure cooker different from my Grandmother's?

The spring-valve of the DUROMATIC pressure cooker makes pressure cooking much easier and less frightening than Grandma's cooker, because the loud hiss of steam escaping has been completely eliminated. In addition, the DUROMATIC valve allows the user to determine the exact time at which the interior of the pan comes to pressure and, thereby, affords much greater accuracy in the cooking.

How it works: Two red rings are visible on the stem of the valve during cooking. When the first red ring appears, the internal pressure has been raised 8 pounds per square inch above the external pressure (medium pressure). When the second red ring appears, the internal pressure has been raised 15 pounds per square inch above the external pressure (high pressure).

The weight-valve system on Grandma's pressure cooker (and on some contemporary pressure cookers) gives no clear indication of when full pressure is achieved. The cook must guess by the amount of noise and steam escaping how much pressure is building up. Obviously, this leaves a lot of room for over-cooking or undercooking the dish. Pressure cookers have long been associated with bland, tasteless, overcooked food. The precision of the DUROMATIC valve means no more mushy food.

There is also a safety difference between the two systems. A weight-valve system allows a great deal of steam to escape through a very tiny pin-hole. When a large amount of steam is escaping, there is a constant hissing noise, and an increased likelihood that food in the steam will clog the valve. The spring-valve system of the DUROMATIC pressure cooker is self-cleaning and very difficult to clog. In addition, because no steam escapes during the cooking, the cook can use less cooking liquid (thereby retaining more of the vitamins, minerals and natural taste of the food).