Pressure cookers have seen a huge surge in popularity over the last few years, in particular, electric pressure cookers. Whereas the Instant Pot is the name that initially springs to mind, there are a growing number of quality alternatives to consider. High Street TV have released a number of pressure cooker models which have got a lot of people talking.
Today I’m going to take a look at each model to see what features each one offers.
Like the Instant Pot, the Pressure King Pro models all have much more to them than just a pressure cooker. Of course the pressure cooker itself is the main reason most people purchase a multi-cooker, but the extra features are a real bonus, making your every day cooking experience much easier.
Currently Pressure King Pro have 3 different sizes of pressure cooker available, each with varying levels of features. I’ll go into more details later on in this review about the exact differences, but essentially which size you buy will likely depend on your needs;
- Pressure King Pro 3L (8 in 1) – best suited for those cooking for 1 or 2 people.
- Pressure King Pro 5L (12 in 1) – perfect for 2 or more people, or for those wanting to fit whole joints in the pot, cook in bulk and freeze.
- Pressure King Pro 6L (20 in 1) – great choice for families or those who like to cook in bulk. Also for those who want more features (see rest of review for more details).
Pressure King Pro 3L
The 3 litre is the smallest of the Pressure King Pro range and is popular with small families or those only cooking for 1 or 2 people. It is a great compact size and comes with 8 pre-set functions;
- Pasta
- Browning
- Soup/Stew
- Fish
- Rice
- Slow Cook
- Keep Warm
- Fast Reheat
Main Features
- 8 pre-set cooking functions (as per above)
- 700 watt power
- 24 hour delay timer
- Cooks from frozen
- Measuring cup
- Cooking spoon
- User manual
- Recipe book (30 recipes)
- Choice of 3 colours (red, black or chrome)
The 3 litre version is one of the best small electric pressure cookers on the market at the moment, in terms of features and value for money, you can’t go far wrong with this one. The pre set functions are great for just pressing a button and letting the machine do it’s thing. However, there is the ability to override this and manually change the times if you need to.
Pressure King Pro 5L
The next size up in the range is the 5L model, which packs in all the features of the 3L model, plus 4 more pre-set functions, as well of course the extra capacity.
The extra room that the 5L provides makes it the ideal size for cooking more portions, especially useful for larger families, or if you like to double up and cook in bulk to store and reheat at a later date.
The 12 pre-set functions are;
- Meat
- Fish
- Rice
- Pasta
- Soup
- Stew
- Steam
- Browning
- Fast Reheat
- Keep Warm
- Slow Cooker
- Delay Timer
Main Features
- 12 pre-set features (as per above)
- 900 watt power
- 24 hour delay timer
- Inner pot (5L)
- Steam tray/inner tray
- Measuring cup
- Condensation cup
- Cooking spoon
- Recipe book (50 recipes)
- 3 year extended warranty
- 3 piece utensil set (depending where you buy from)
- Choice of 3 colours (black, red and chrome)
If you are comparing the 3L with the 5L model the main reason for getting the latter would be size. Although there are less pre-set functions on the 3L model, they are only the actual buttons on the front. When I use my pressure cooker I usually manually set the time I want to pressure cook for.
Pressure King Pro 6L
The latest model in the Pressure King Pro range is the large 6L capacity with 20 pre-set functions. It is the most versatile out of the range and has the space to cook for any family or dinner party.
The 20 in 1 features are;
Cooking Methods
- Pressure Cook
- Slow Cooker
- Steam
- Fry
- Multi-Cook
Pre-set Functions
- Meat
- Fish
- Stew/Soup
- Veg
- Cereals
- Pasta
- Rice
- Cake
- Bake
- Crispy
- Pizza
- Egg
- Yoghurt
- Jam
Main Features
- 20 functions (as per above)
- 1000 watt power
- 24 hour delay timer
- Inner Pot (6L Capacity)
- Steam Tray/Inner Tray
- Measuring Cup
- Cooking Spoon
- Recipe Book (80 recipes)
The extra size, power and features of the 6L version make it a great choice for families. As with all the models, the option to have a 24 hour delay timer is great for making sure your food doesn’t go cold before you have a chance to serve it up. The extra recipes in this model is a nice bonus – so many appliances come without enough recipes to get the user familiar with how things work, but Power King Pro have thought this one through.
Conclusion to the Pressure King Pro Review
They are a great range of pressure cookers, and I like that they have the 3L model for those wanting to cook smaller sized portions. The pre-set functions on each of the models make cooking quicker, whilst still allowing the user to pop in their own time if they prefer.
If you are in the market for an electric pressure cooker the Pressure King Pro option is a worthy contender to the Instant Pot.
But something to consider before you buy – and this applies to ALL kinds of electric pressure cookers – the time quoted in the marketing/recipes is usually the actual cook time, that is, not including the time it takes to reach pressure, the actual cook time and then the release time. You do need to factor in the ‘getting to pressure’ time, as well as the pressure release time (assuming you allow for a natural release), for a more realistic cooking time.
Yes, a whole chicken will cook in around 30 minutes in an electric pressure cooker, but remember that the cooker has to reach pressure (usually in around 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how much liquid is in the pot), then it needs to do it’s cooking time, and then it has to release pressure before you can open the lid – if you leave it to naturally release it’ll be anywhere between 10 to 25 minutes. So you are still looking at a minimum of around 1 hour from start to finish in the electric pressure cooker for a whole chicken joint. Still quicker than in a conventional oven, and if I’m honest, much more tasty. A pressure cooker will retain so much more moisture and flavour, you really can notice the difference.
Jayne
Monday 6th of December 2021
Please can anyone tell me the dimensions of the pressure king pro 3L. 8in 1 Pressure cooker and the 5L 12 in 1 Thanks
Andrew Ewens
Monday 13th of September 2021
We are having to scrap our Pressure King Pro after near five years because the readout LED's have been failing one by one over the years, apart from that it works well.
Tom
Thursday 21st of October 2021
@Andrew Ewens,
We have the same problem
Advice from the manufacturer
Buy a new one!!
shereen singh
Thursday 5th of November 2020
hi my friend is in the UK , and I am in South Africa. she wants to get me the PRESSURE KING PRO 6L.
will I be able to use the pressure cooker in South Africa, without any disasters
Liana Green
Thursday 5th of November 2020
Hi Shereen - thanks for your comment. I'm not sure what the voltage is in South Africa compared to the UK, or what type of plugs are used there? That is the only thing I could think of that you should double check first. I would contact the manufacturers to double check first - https://www.highstreettv.com/contact-us
I hope that helps.
Elizabeth Brown
Tuesday 2nd of June 2020
I wonder if can answer my question. Have just invested in a Pressure King Pro 6 Ltr. As there is only two of us. I cut the Spaghetti Bolonasie recipe by half ....set on fry , why! Because the day before the Chicken korma I made burned to the bottom of the pot...my spaghetti bolonaise also started to burn...but I did retrieve it in time. What am I doing wrong? I followed the instructions implicitly. I’m beginning to regret my purchase. Help
Liana Green
Wednesday 3rd of June 2020
Hi Elizabeth - what recipes are you following? If you could send me a link to them I'll see if I can work out why they might be burning.
Pauline Bunting
Monday 23rd of March 2020
I have the king pro 5L there is no manual setting or pressure cook setting, so when a recipe asks for thus what do l use, this is the first time l've had a pressure cooker
Alice
Sunday 9th of August 2020
When you press your meat function for example, you can then up or down the time according to the recipe you’re using .
Liana Green
Monday 23rd of March 2020
Hi Pauline - I have a Pressure king Pro too, but the larger version. What setting you choose will depend on what you are cooking - so for example if you are cooking meat, I would press the pressure cook button, switch to meat setting and add the time according to the time on the recipe. It does take a while to get used to pressure cooking, especially as each model is different. Let me know a recipe you would like to make and I'll see if I can guide you some more :)