PrestigePDSSPC5.5 Pressure Cooker, 5.5 L

3.5 L is just the right size for one or two people. at first the whistle was off putting, but if you know how to use it, it's like having a timer that you can hear from the other room...or outside down the block. It's not really that loud, but you might wear a diaper the first time you use it. Don't put the weight on until there is a steady jet of steam coming out of the top. then, don't start timing until you hear the first whistle. I heat mine up on high or medium high and then turn it down to 4 or 5 after the first whistle. At that level, at least on my stove, the whistles come between 3 and 4 minutes apart. I use this almost exclusively for beans. If you soak beans over night, it only takes 6 minutes (or two whistles) for them to be cooked. If you don't soak them (and you don't have to) it'll take between 7 and 10 whistles depending on the bean. It fits perfectly on my small burners, so I can have this and a larger pressure cooker going at the same time.As for quality, it's pretty solid. I have no complaints. It's a nice cooker.10/15/2015 - I decided to buy a 2L version and it's just as great as the 3.5L. Last night I browned a stuffed chicken breast in it, then put in a 1/2 cup of water and put the lid on. After 7 minutes, I released the pressure, removed the chicken and threw in a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of flour. I wisked it with the cooking liquid and made a great pan gravy. Clean up was very easy.

The pictorial representation is incorrect. The item I received is - 'Prestige PDA-2L Alpha Deluxe Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker, 2.0-Liter, Silver'. Prestige Customer Service informed me that there is no Prestige PDA-2L Alpha Deluxe Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker, 2.0-Liter, Silver and both are one and the same.2. Buyers beware - The real capacity is 1.5 liters max, though the advertisement says 2 liters. It is excellent for me, as a bachelor/ single person, cooking food for myself. The item does not have separators. It can be used for only single cooking of one item, at a time. I cook either half a cup rice or one third cup dhal only each occasion. The cooking time is about 5 minutes on a gas stove, while the pressure cooker can be opened after 5 to 6 minutes from taking out of gas stove. The time extends if one uses electric coil. The time extends based on the quantity. The maximum capacity of raw rice is 1.25 cup, since it makes about 1 lit cooked rice. The cooker can be used to the maximum 75% as per brochure.3. I note that many are attempting to cook dried beans and mushrooms, after soaking in water. This small pressure cooker may not be good for those tasks. In my experience, the pressure cooker is excellent for cooking rice, all kinds of lentils and dals, hard vegetables, etc. I also used the base to make sambar gravy on occasional times. I also used the base as frying pan/ tawa to make upma for large quantity.4. I am happy with the product and recommend to anyone who is looking for baby cooking or single cooking and also wants to cook in stainless steel pressure cooker for health and hygienic reasons.

UPDATE : I took off a star because I soon found that with 2 regular mason jars even though the lid closes the gasket does not quite seal properly and the cooker does not build more than a few pounds of pressure and the gasket leaks steam and a small drop of water drips about every 3 seconds . My application was to cook yellow split peas, which foam up too much to be cooked in pressure cooker unless you add unhealthy oil , by putting them in jars and I di do a couple of batches and it did work but Im concerned about damaging the gasket so now I just do 3 pints instead of 2 quarts and yes its very good .I also learnt that the gasket will not seat properly if the lid is closed when hot water is in the cooker AND the weight is on the valve . So either close the lid only when the water is cold or take the weight off before closing it if the water is hot .I don't know if the lid will close with wide mouth quarts which are 1/2" shorter than regular quarts .If it does I may go back to 5 starsA wide mouth mason jar is about 6 5/8" tall generally 1/2" shorter than a regular mouth mason jar whcih si about 7" tall . The 5.5L Deluxe comes with a false bottom insert that holds jars off the bottom so water can get under then so they dont heat directly from the steel bottom which could cause cracking .This insert can be flipped to hold jars off bottom by 1/8" or 1/2" depending on ho it is flippedA wide mouth with lid quart (6 5/8"tall) jar placed in the center of the 5.5"Deluxe with the insert flipped to the 1/2" position had room to spare when the lid was closed . A regular mouth quart jar ( 7" tall) placed in the center of the 5.5"Deluxe with the insert flipped to the 1/2" position was too tall to close the lid but I could close the lid on a 7" jar when the insert was flipped to the 1/2" position .I could get both jars in the 5.5L Deluxe at the same time and close the lid when the insert was flipped to the 1/8" position.Since i got the 5.5L Deluxe to do sous vide cooking using mason jars this made me very happy .HINT FOR CLOSING THE LID :When you close it put the handle to your right and press the opposite side of the lid with your left .It is not difficult to align .The secret is to get the whole lid level so none of the locking tabs hit each other when rotating closed .Once you learn to press on the opposite side of the lid from the handle to balance the downward pressure you are putting on the handle it will slide closed with no problem

I like the prestig cooker

Awesome product. Very effective, Size is good enough for a family of 3. The safety plug and ring is very effective

The pressure cooker served my purpose and is easy to handle

For one person it is perfect, quick succulent casserole in 40 minutes! Things too tough to eat with normal cooking are suddenly smooth and silky, wish I had got this years ago.

A good buy especially if you have to cook multiple things like dal, veggies, rice etc in the morning rush to office/school, etc. I use it everyday. Do use only good water, as hard water leaves stains in the cooker which are hard to get rid of. If you have only hard water, add a lemon slice while cooking to prevent staining the cooker