If you want to speed up your time in the kitchen and expand your culinary repertoire, you’re going to need a good pressure cooker in your kitchen. And if you’ve started looking at new pressure cookers, you’ve probably come across the Power Pressure Cooker XL.
Whether you’re replacing your old pressure or cooker or buying your first one, I know how stressful and confusing it can be to buy a new product. We want to take some of that stress away by helping you find out whether or not the Power Pressure Cooker XL is a worthwhile addition to your kitchen.
By the time you finish this Power Pressure Cooker XL review, you’ll know everything you need to know about this popular pressure cooker, and you’ll either be on your way to purchasing the Power Pressure Cooker XL or another pressure cooker that’s more suited for your tastes.
What’s So Good about the Power Pressure Cooker XL?
Replace Image below with Amazon SiteStripe Image
Pressure cookers are a fantastic addition to anyone’s kitchen and cooking habits. They’re simple and easy to use, they’re fast, and they preserve a lot of nutrients and give you a healthier meal than some other cooking methods. The Power Pressure Cooker XL is not as well-known as some other pressure cookers like the Ninja Foodi or the Instant Pot Duo Crisp, but it holds up just the same, making it something of a hidden gem. And, of course, opting for a less famous product will save you a couple of bucks, so sometimes it pays to go against the crowd. Here are three of the big selling points of the Power Pressure Cooker XL so that you can decide if this is the pressure cooker for you.
Important Feature #1: An Intuitive Display
For a lot of people, cooking can be a daunting task. I know I’ve definitely had more than my fair share of microwave meals and instant ramen because I was too nervous to try out a new recipe. That’s what makes the intuitive and simple control panel of the Power Pressure Cooker XL so great. Beginner cooks will feel ready to jump in right away, as everything is labeled clearly and easy to understand.
The center of the display features three LED lights that indicate how your food is cooked, with the first light on the left indicating “quick,” the second light reading “medium,” and the third light showing “well.” The same set of lights features a different set of labels, “white,” “brown,” and “wild” which are specifically intended for rice. You don’t need to be an expert to use the Power Pressure Cooker XL, but you’ll be able to convince your friends that you’re a 5-star chef in no time.
Important Feature #2: Preset Cooking Options
On top of the simple display, another feature that makes the Power Pressure Cooker XL so great for beginners is the preset options. With a total of 7 options, you’ll always have a suitable preset for whatever you’re cooking, so you’ll almost never have to worry about the details with his pressure cooker.
In addition to the 7 presets, you also have a delayed timer and “keep warm” option. And for anyone who is a little more experienced, don’t worry, you can still opt to have full manual control of the specifics such as time and temperature. You have enough to worry about. Let the Power Pressure Cooker XL figure out the details while you relax a bit when cooking a nice dinner.
Important Feature #3: High Capacity
The somewhat standard size of pressure cookers has become 8 quarts. This is largely due to the two leading products on the market, the aforementioned Ninja Foodi and the Instant Pot Duo Crisp, both being 8 quarts by default. (The Ninja Foodi comes in other sizes, but we’ll discuss that more later.)
By comparison, the Power Pressure Cooker XL features a 10-quart model that will make you the star host of the neighborhood dinner parties. The age of social distancing will hopefully soon be a distant memory, and if you have a big family or plan on hosting a lot of guests in the future, it will definitely be worthwhile to buy a larger pressure cooker. If that’s what you’re looking for, then the Power Pressure Cooker XL is the only pressure cooker for you, as it’s one of the biggest on the market and one of the only ones ready to help you prepare an industrial-sized meal.
The Pros and Cons
I’m not here to pretend that the Power Pressure Cooker XL is perfect. That’s why, after showing you the big selling points of our pressure cooker, I’m going to take some time to point out the flaws of this product that may make you decide to spend your money elsewhere. Here’s a quick and simple pros-and-cons breakdown of the Power Pressure Cooker XL.
Pros
- LED lights help you keep track of your food.
- The preset options help less experienced cooks feel at home.
- This product is cheaper than most of the competition.
- The larger size is great for big gatherings.
Cons
- The lid does not have hinges, so you’ll have to find room for it while preparing your meal.
- The larger size could be seen as a flaw if you have a smaller kitchen or less space.
How Do You Use It?
Luckily, pressure cleaners are known for being easy to use, so I won’t have to spend too much time here. For the most part, you should be able to quickly chop or cut your food, throw it into the Power Pressure Cooker XL, pick your preset or your settings, and then just sit back and wait. The Power Pressure Cooker XL even comes with a 3-level tiered tray that will help you maximize space and cook a full course meal all at once. It’s a piece of cake.
What Do the Reviews Say?
We don’t want you to just take our word for everything, so we’re going to talk about what the other reviewers think about the Power Pressure Cooker XL. This way, you can be sure you have all of the information you need to make your final decision.
First, we’ll start with the paying customers. The Power Pressure Cooker XL has over 4,000 reviews on Amazon, with 77% of them being 5 stars, as of this writing. So right away, you can see that reception of this pressure cooker is pretty positive. The biggest complaint on Amazon was that the material of the washable inner pot tends to peel away after a few uses, so this is definitely something worth considering.
In terms of more formal reviews, Instapot.Life featured a blog post about the Power Pressure Cooker XL which was strongly positive. Instapot complimented this large pressure cooker for its easy-to-read control panel, the simple presets, the keep-warm function, and the larger size. However, it pointed out the Amazon complaints that the Teflon-coated inner pot starts to fail quickly, and mentioned that the Instant Pot products tend to have more preset options.
So if you don’t want to risk your pressure cooker getting worn out, or if you want all of the preset options you can get, then it might be better to look elsewhere. If you want a large pressure cooker that’s easy to use, then the Power Pressure Cooker XL is perfect for you.
How Does It Compare?
Nothing exists in a vacuum, and even if you’ve pretty much formed your opinion on the Power Pressure Cooker XL, it’s important to look at the other top products on the market. In this upcoming section, we’re going to quickly compare Power Pressure Cooker XL to some of the other popular pressure cookers on the market so that you can see what else is out there before making your purchase.
Power Pressure Cooker XL vs Ninja Foodi
If you’ve been looking for new Kitchenware, it’s almost impossible that haven’t come across the name “Ninja.” Largely due to their intuitive designs, Ninja has become just about the most popular brand out there when it comes to cooking and food-prep equipment, so right away we see them challenging what the Power Pressure Cooker XL has to offer.
Another tally in the win column for the Ninja is that its Foodi pressure cooker comes in smaller options, offering a 5-quart model, a 6.5-quart model, and an 8-quart model, so you can keep things smaller if you’re more pressed for space. This is compared to the 6-quart, 8-quart, and 10-quart options of the Power Pressure Cooker XL. Of course, if you do want a family-sized pressure cooker, you’ll have to go with the Power Pressure Cooker XL.
The biggest drawback of the Ninja Foodi is that it’s very expensive, and even the smallest option is about the same price as the Power Pressure Cooker XL, so it can feel like you’re paying more for less, so to speak. Of course, they’re the most popular brand out there for a reason, and if you prefer to trust the crowd and get a pressure cooker that will impress the neighbors, then the Ninja Foodi is perfect for you.
If you have the space for a bigger pressure cooker, and if you want to save money, or just don’t see what all the fuss is about, then I’d stick with the Power Pressure Cooker XL.
Power Pressure Cooker XL vs Instant Pot Duo Crisp
In terms of price, Instant Pot can be viewed as the Goldilocks option of our three pressure cookers. It’s cheaper than the Ninja product but more expensive than the Power Pressure Cooker XL. Of course, it also offers a little more in terms of brand recognition, so if that puts you at ease a little then the Instant Pot Duo Crisp is a great affordable option for you.
I personally am not a fan of the control panel of this pressure cooker, as I think it’s a little more cluttered than with the Ninja Foodi or the Power Pressure Cooker XL, but it’s definitely still simple enough that you shouldn’t have any problems.
The biggest problem with the Instant Pot Duo Crisp pressure cooker is probably that it only comes in one size, but if you’re on the lookout for an 8-quart pressure cooker, then that won’t be a problem. If you need something either bigger or smaller, then the Power Pressure Cooker XL will have you covered.
I definitely prefer the Power Pressure Cooker XL, mainly because it’s cheaper and because I prefer its layout. But if you’re hesitant because of the complaints of peeling, then Instant Pot’s Duo Crisp is probably a better option for you, and it’s still plenty affordable.
Will the Power Pressure Cooker XL Be Annoying to Clean?
The short answer is an encouraging “no.” Because everything is dishwasher safe, you won’t have to go to any trouble at all to clean the Power Pressure Cooker XL. Even if you don’t have a dishwasher, most of the parts of this pressure cooker are removable, and it only weighs about 8 pounds all together. That means you’ll be able to divide and conquer while you clean, and you won’t have to do any heavy lifting. Cleaning the Power Pressure Cooker XL will be just as easy as cooking with it.
Verdict: Is the Power Pressure Cooker XL Worth It?
In a word – yes. The Power Pressure Cooker XL is definitely a worthwhile purchase to be the new centerpiece of your kitchen and speed up your cooking time, especially if you’re just starting out with pressure cookers. Its price makes it one of the most appealing options out there for beginners, and it’s really the only way to go if you’re looking forward to hosting a big family meal or some post-pandemic dinner parties.
Of course, the big common complaint was that the material lining the inner pot may start to peel, so if you’re more experienced or you just know for a fact you’ll get a lot of mileage out of your pressure cooker, then it might be better to go with a different choice. The Ninja is expensive, but perfect if you want something smaller and something you know has the crowd’s approval, while the Instant Pot Duo Crisp is a great option in a more medium price range.
Remember that there’s a whole world out there of pressure cookers, so if you’ve decided that the Power Pressure Cooker XL isn’t for you and you’re not too interested in the pressure cookers from Ninja or Instant Pot either, it’s time to search the web and see what else is out there. Good luck, and enjoy the new fast and healthy cooking!