I've been a fan of pressure cooking since I first tried this method in the early 1990's. My first PC was a Cuisinart, then made in Belgium by Demeyere. I loved this model, but after many years of use, the long handle detached from the pan base. I replaced it with a Kuhn Rikon PC, which has also been great.
I'm now at the point where I need to replace several parts for the Kuhn Rikon, and am wondering if I should just invest in a new unit. I've hard great things about Fissler and plan to look into their models.
Over Thanksgiving weekend, it was impossible not to notice the extreme popularity of the Instant Pot.
My question is that, since I've been very happy with stovetop PC's, and I already own a slow cooker and a rice cooker, would the Instant Pot still be a better choice than a stovetop PC? Are there any limitations to cooking in an Instant Pot? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.
One of the big perks of an IP is that you can donate your duplicative counter-top appliances. Being electric, the pressure in the IP is a bit lower than a stovetop PC's high/low. This may add a few minutes to cooking time, depending.
I have a stovetop version, too. Though an IP is tempting, it doesn't out-perform what I have because it will also sauté, steam, slow-cook, pressure cook, and the capacity can fit 4 quart jars. Saying that, if you're replacing anyway...go for it. You'll find several threads by googling "chowhound instant pot".
I have a Kuhn Rikon PC I used quite a bit until I bought the IP. The KR was faster and produced a great product, but the convenience of the IP and versatility is irresistible. If it was me, I'd get the replacement parts for the KR to have as a back up if ever needed if not too expensive, and also purchase an IP. The ability to set it and walk away, not hover over the stove while cooking is its greatest feature. It takes longer to come to pressure, but if you can leave the kitchen and throw in a load of laundry, who cares. There is no fussing to get the pressure just right, or watching the pin to adjust the heat once it comes to pressure. There are so many useful features, like keep warm, the Duo has a 3 setting slow cook, it has automatic hi/lo pressure, adjustable saute (to mimic a stovetop cooker). My IP sits on my counter and I use it multiple times a week. My KR - I maybe used a couple times a month and I think I've only used it twice since purchasing the IP almost 2 years ago because I needed more capacity. That's how handy the IP is.
I have never hovered over the stove while pressure cooking, or even pressure canning. Yes I have to pay attention to when it comes up to pressure so I can start timing. But after that I don't. I also don't have to fiddle with the stove to keep it perfect, once it's up to pressure I know I can turn it down and exactly how far. It's also a lot quicker to release pressure and get the pot open, if I need it to.
I think it just depends on your cooking preferences and your space limitations (or needs). For example: I have a very small kitchen with little counter space; I happily cook rice on the stovetop; and I've given away more slow cookers than I can count because they just don't seem to fit my lifestyle. So for me, the best thing is a stovetop PC that doubles as a large pot and can be stored in a cabinet or drawer with the rest of the pots and pans. Also, my apartment isn't all that large, so I don't feel the need to be in the kitchen continuously while using the PC; I can easily check in on it from time to time. But for those who have enough counter space, can make good use of rice cookers and slow cookers, and/or can't easily monitor the PC from other parts of the house, the IP seems like a great thing.
One other vote for stovetop pressure cookers is that the electric ones have a fairly short lifespan, say 6 months to 3 years, because the electronics die. Hip Pressure is very matter of fact about this when talking about the electrics. Warranty support can be an exercise in frustration, so if failure occurs at 6 months it may or may not lead to warranty repair satisfaction.
Of course, I just bought a stovetop cooker at Value Village that proved to me that even stovetops have a shelf life. (It doesn't work properly and I can't get parts). However, and the shelf life is longer. And once the valve no longer works and can't be replaced, at least the stovetops can be used as a pot.
And I should mention that on lazy Saturdays, sometimes tending the stove is my only exercise, so I'm thankful for my stove-top and its stove-hovering needs.
That it true about the electronic components however, my Zojirushi rice cooker has been going over 10 years and there is no reason that an electric pressure cooker can't be as well made and reliable. The question is, are they though? My stovetop pressure cooker has been going over 20 years and still has the same gasket. I'm sure I can't get parts for it anymore but I'm happy with it's longevity.
Hi,
I have been using stovetop pressure cooker all my life. Where I come from 'good' meat was expensive, so my mom used pressure cooker to make tougher cuts of meat better. I picked up that habit and improved on it with experience and techniques picked up from restaurants, mostly focusing on stews. Few weeks ago I got invited to a friend's place to cook dinner. He just got a new Insta pot, I don't remember the model, so I cooked my stew there. I can't say I was disappointed, but I am definitely not a believer. I tend to brown my beef and lamb for stews, and in order to do that I needed another pan, after browning the meat I like to saute my mirepoix in that mess that's left over from the meat, so I had to that in a separate pan and then transfer all to the Insta pot to cook it down to my desired toughness. It did a job well enough, but it definitely didn't speed up my process. I would recommend this to people that are learning to cook, and are just dabbling into understanding what different cooking processes do to ingredients. If you understand that part, and want your ingredients to be processed in the best way you know how (that's how I cook), I would go for a solid Fagor stove top pressure cooker without looking back.
There are models of the Instant Pot that allow you to saute/brown your foods in pot before starting pressure cooking. That would have saved you a lot of work and your initial impression may have improved. Used my IP 3 times last Sunday.
Morning, to make a soup for a family member, while I was in the shower. Didn't need to be there to remove it from the stove when done. 2nd, I made dog food for one of my pups with eating probs. Rice and chicken. Later in the day we steamed potatoes for mashed potatoes to accompany dinner in just a few minutes. I don't make the main meal in the IP as often as I use it for quick tasks, chicken broth, steamed veggies, rice, rice pudding, poached eggs or hard boiled. I just saw a video of IP polenta I want to try. It's become an invaluable part of our kitchen.
I agree, but what IP boils down is a heat source and a vessel. I'm arguing that my Induction stovetop is a better heat source since I have full control and it goes as high or as low as I need it. My stovetop also has a timer, so I can set it to turn of whenever I need it to. On the other hand, my stainless steel pressure cooker is a more manageable, higher quality vessel for cooking. Just like most '2-in-ones', yes there is probably some convenience involved, but for me control and quality are more important.
Although you've only got 3 choices when it comes to sauté temp, you can set the sauté timer up to 30 minutes. All the other modes have much longer timers, up to 99 hours.
The IP Ultra does have discrete temperature settings which makes it more like a stovetop model.
I'm not saying it's better than or equal, as I've only ever used the Instant Pot and can't compare. I leave that to those who've got experience with both. I do think it's better than your very limited experience led you to believe.
I am a big fan of Kuhn Rikon stove top pressure cookers. My wife thinks that 4 of them in various sizes is extreme, but she doesn't complain about the results.
I don't find that it takes much time babysitting my pressure cookers, as I have worked out what stove setting I need on my induction cooktop for each of them to simply maintain a stable pressure. So often when cooking a beef stock (2-3 hours), I simply get my 12 litre pot to pressure, set my power level to 4.5, and then I don't have to touch it again until the end.
In the long term, I'm 100% confident that I will still have my Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker in 20 years time, but I can not say that about any electronic unit. Additionally I can get a really high temperature sear in my KR pressure cooker that wouldn't be possible with the IP.
In the end you have to go with what works for you, but I would never be without my KR pressure cooker.
I am relatively new to pressure cooking (outside of canning experience), but I decided to dive in, head first last year, and got both a giant stove-top Fissler and the next to best of the line Instant Pot (not the bluetooth).
After lots of experiments I have to say I *love* the Fissler, and find the IP - um, useful.
I love that I can brown a large quantity of meat in the Fissler, and then throw in the other ingredients and the fond becomes part of the stew; with the IP there just isn't enough room to do it right. It's OK if you are cooking for a smaller crowd, i suppose.
I love that i can cook three big crabs in the Fissler, and not only does it go faster and use half the gas, but the smells are contained, so it doesn't stink up the whole house.
I love that I can pre-cook a rack of ribs intact in the Fissler, and then finish them on the barbecue, and no one is the wiser. Very tender, very quickly...
One thing I really appreciate about the stove-top pot is the ability to run the pot up to pressure, and the pull it off to free up a burner, and it keeps on cooking for a long time.
Of course, I could also have something going in the IP to free up that burner, but i just don't seem to employ it that way.
I use the IP more like i used to use a Crockpot. It doesn't excite me, but i won't get rid of it.
Is Instant Pot the best? ATK reviews multicookers. Fagor Lux LCD Multicooker - the winner!
Instant Pot is a cult. Like most multi-function devices it doesn't do anything well. Fix your KR PC.
I don't own one. I have used them on numerous occasions. Perhaps 20 times? Mostly for pressure cooking and slow cooking. A few times as a rice cooker. It's a cult. Compared to my 5l Kuhn-Rikon pressure cooker it is a poor pressure cooker. Compared to a Rival Crock Pot it isn't much of a slow cooker. Compared to either a sauce pot or a purpose-made rice cooker it isn't much good at those either.
Add electronic controls that reset on any electrical bump (ELCI/GFCI pop, a circuit breaker, power outage) and it just is not reliable, repeatable, or robust.
Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to load up my slow cooker for dinner and prep for risotto in my pressure cooker.
@Auspicious: While I am personally a fan of stove top pressure cookers, I would argue that the one thing that the Insta Pot (or any electric pressure cooker really) does well, is to not require much cooking skill or effort to get to a semi-decent dish. There is single cooking task that it is the best at, but it does a passable job on a number of them. For people without a wish to learn to cook (heathen!); people without much space in their kitchen; or people who want something that they don't have to babysit; it's a fair choice.
For me, I'll stick to my Fissler and Kuhn Rikon pressure cookers, but each to their own.
It's the hand's free aspect that I like. I no longer enjoy standing at the stove for an hour or more, and if I can get 90% of the flavor with a lot less work and back strain, I'm in.
Hi, Duffy: "It's the hand's free aspect that I like."
You and 300,000 other people, on Prime Day alone. https://globalnews.ca/news/4339333/in... It was the highest-selling non-Bezos product last year, too.
Aloha,
Kaleo
Hey, Kaleo,
You'd think they'd be approaching critical mass, but IP has decided to adopt the smartphone model and introduce new lines every year. This seems to keep people coming back to upgrade or buy a 2nd or 3rd one.
One smart thing they've done is keep the older lines like LUX and DUO around, but upgrading them to fix little annoyances, while dropping the price to keep them below the newer models. But still, they've got to reach peak sales someday soon, right?
D
Hi, Duffy:
I know nothing about their IP, but it seems to me this would be easy for anyone to knock off. It'll take awhile to polish up some serious competition, but it'll happen. Maybe they're branded like the Breville Smart Oven and will survive.
Aloha,
Kaleo
I think you're likely right about the branding. Most electric pressure cookers (including IP) are manufactured by the same company in China, with largely similar features and interfaces. Some are better than others, but all of them from this one maker have more in common than not. Yet the IP DUO line has more than 4 times as many Amazon reviews as all the other brands combined. Add in the next 3 most popular IP lines and it jumps to a factor of 5. That's good marketing! We may be well on the way to seeing Instant Pot used as shorthand for electric pressure cooker the way Kleenex is shorthand for facial tissue.
I think the needless complexity of all those near-identical electric PCs contributes a great deal to the popularity of the IP, as well -- not because it's less complex, but because it's reached critical mass.
Looking at the amount of confusion in the FB groups when IP changed the button from "manual" to "pressure cook" makes me realize that 99% of IP owners really don't understand how the damn thing works; they just follow recipes that tell them which buttons to push. That's a huge barrier to entry for other manufacturers.
I've noticed that confusion, but never understood it, likely because I've never used a preset pressure button. It always seemed easier to deal with one button for each function. I suppose a lot of it can be blamed on the joke of a document that passes itself off as a user's manual.
OTOH, some people seem to think the presets are perfect for everything and the adjustment buttons are a waste of space. I once suggested to a lady who was using the Poultry button to cook boneless chicken breasts that she might enjoy them more if she backed down a bit on the timing, and was told to pound sand. She went completely off the rails when I followed up on her "Who the hell are you to lecture me" comment with "Someone who owns an instant read thermometer". Snarky of me, I know, but she had it coming. That level of pigheaded ignorance is a big part of the reason I killed my FB account.
Ran across this article today. The founder of IP was a developer of the Blackberry phone that was also very successful. It's interesting he reads all the reviews. A genius at product development and marketing.
Thanks for the link, Cam. The article made me feel that the Max is maybe not hideously overpriced, merely unexpected and likely not worth the price difference.
I don't know whether the idea of launching the product by sending it out to food bloggers (and doing the same with new models) should be credited to Qin or Robert Wang, but whoever came up with it, it's brilliant. They don't do a lick of advertising, and yet it's the most popular pressure cooker on the market.
The "Max" is supposed to be easier? Looks like a black hole of complexity to me. And wireless steam release that you can control with your smart phone. Wow, how do you do it if the bluetooth gets nuked by your dishwasher? (which they claim it can withstand)
Love my stovetop! YMMV.
Hi TeresaWA,
Compared to the DUO line (18 buttons, yikes!) the Max is a model of simplicity. Most of what's shown on the interface is lights to show what mode you're in, whether it's heating, cooking, keeping food warm, etc...
And no, you don't need Bluetooth to release pressure on the Max.
I do love the set-and-forget appeal of an electric PC, but the biggest boon to me is the ability to avoid using my stovetop in warmer months, which is at least half the year here. I wouldn't want to cook a pot roast in a stovetop model in Oct. when it's 80º outside.
Duffy
I doubt I could afford them.
I researched Instant Pot, learned via HipPressureCooking that the electronics are built to last for about 2-3 years and was inspired by my research to get two Fagor Stovertops! I started with a 6-quart Fagor Elite (Macy's brand) and stepped up to an 8-quart Fagor Duo when it went on a can't-pass-up sale. The difference in the pressure handle was night and day between the two I bought. The Duo was relatively industrial strength. I was quite surprised, because I thought the two were essentially the same.
One piece of evidence that the Instant Pot hasn't quite reached saturation is that Costco now sells their exclusive model, the 6-quart Instant Pot Nova Plus. I found it in one of my local Costco's but not at the other, so it hasn't reached all of the warehouses yet. But it's only sold at Costco, so I'm thinking IP is trying to grab up those like me who worry about reliability and want a good return policy. I'm told that it's essentially a Duo Plus? but I don't know the models well enough to know. Here's a link: https://instantpot.com/portfolio-item.... I came really close to getting one, but at $109, I'll wait for the almost certain black Friday sale.
The Instant Pot Nova hasn't arrived at our Costco yet either. I did find a video that says it's a 9 program model. I thought it had Sterilize and Eggs programs that is not on the original Duo but Laura Pazzaglia at Hip pressure cooking says it doesn't. It does say it's Smart in that it remembers your last settings on a cooking program and it mentions an app. Apparently it is different than the Duo Plus.
I think the app they mention is just a recipe app. I don't think it's Bluetooth compatible or anything like that. Somewhere I read that the "egg" option was silly because it's just the same as something else, so it's really 8 in 1. I have no idea.
I'm not a fan of functions like Egg (everyone uses different timing), Meat (30 min default, same as Manual/Pressure Cook), and so on. Yogurt, yeah, I can see that, people make yogurt, ricotta and creme fraiche with it, and I've got some bread recipes that use it to proof dough, that's handy. So what's the point of these buttons?
I get that they're supposed to alleviate fears for timid souls, the kind of people that would be confused by all the timing adjustments that go with using one button to pressure cook, but still. It really clutters up the interface, which IMO is a major cause of their confusion. "Which button do I push to pressure cook X?" Well, if there was only 1, it would be that one, usually along with plus or minus to set the time you want. Simple! Instead we have 7 extra ones.
The newer revisions of the Duo also remember your last setting on a given cooking program.
Frankly, all of the current models are just fine, unless you're doing something very specific. I have the original revision of the Duo; it works flawlessly despite 3 years of heavy use, and I've never felt like I was missing out on the newer features.
If you're really worried about the reliability, you can buy a "SquareTrade 4-Year Small Appliance Protection Plan" on Amazon for $9-16, depending on the price of the Instant Pot. (Or buy from SquareTrade directly if you're not buying from Amazon.)
I didn't know the newer versions remember your last setting. Like you I'm happy with my older Duo and haven't really been following the newer models. I have been a little tempted with the 3 quart for the RV, but haven't jumped on it yet. Thanks for the info.
I'm with you, dtremit, happy as a clam with my DUOs. The detachable cord and memory on my Mini are value-adds, for sure, but not reason enough to make me trade up to a newer model in the 6Q. My Gen1 DUO 6 is like yours, still going strong after more than 3 years.
Today I bought and broke down a Costco rotisserie chicken, made stock for gravy in the big pot, then followed it up with mashed potatoes and steamed carrots in the same IP, because it was already out on the counter. All told I spent less than 30 minutes time standing in the kitchen, and only 5 minutes of it was at the stove making gravy. It's a workhorse, for sure.
FYI Square Trade is actually not very well received by people who've had to use it. I wouldn't waste my hard earned money....
Hi Cam,
I think the Gen3 DUO may have timing memory across the line, my Mini does. Aside from a removable power cord (a Gen2 improvement IIRC) and the memory it's identical to my Gen1 DUO. Did that make sense?
D
Costco has their new custom IP online now, with an extra 5 bucks or so added for shipping: https://www.costco.com/Instant-Pot-6-...
Maybe you've seen this - in any case, HPC has a nice comparison page that spells out the differences among the models, including the Nova Plus: https://www.hippressurecooking.com/wh...
Thanks, medlar. I hadn't seen that before, and the mention of no-pressure steaming in the Ultra and Max is enticing to me. I didn't know it would do that!
We're tender-crisp veggie fans, and too often I forget to set a timer when steaming on the stovetop and end up with soft veggies. This is what comes of trying to multi-task (also why I make someone else solely responsible for garlic bread).
Duffy
@DuffyH - couldn't you use the Saute mode timer on the Duo (with an open valve / glass lid) to do the same thing?
My Duo happens to fit nicely under my bamboo steamer set so I've used it that way before.
Huh. Never thought of that (slapping self upside the head). Thanks for the tip!
I'm making Jacques Pépin's garlic chicken breasts with rice pilaf and green beans next Monday, and wasn't looking forward to standing at the stovetop with a pot of water steaming up the vicinity. I'm using one IP for the rice, so I'll stick the green beans in the other, far away from the stove. No sweat!
I have a Kuhn Rikon stove top, 7.4 qt, and then bought an Instant Pot, 6 qt about two years ago.
The one thing that the IP does better is to make congee and steamed rice, so I've been able to give away my rice cooker. That earns it a place in my kitchen. And I put the stainless steel inner pot in the dishwasher, whereas I always handwash the KR, so that's a little time-saving. I was never a slow-cooker user, so IP has not replaced that for me.
The larger size and higher pressure of the KR make it superior for stock-making, which is the main reason that I bought it initially. I still use it more for other things, pulling it out of the cabinet, even though the IP sits on my counter.
I am relatively new to pressure cooking. I started using a stovetop Fagor pressure cooker in my kitchen earlier this year, about 3 times a week for 2 months. Then I used an electric pressure cooker almost every day in July while away from home. When I came back, I was very curious to see what I would think about my stovetop PC. Ultimately, for the way I cook and take things to the sink, the stovetop PC wins. Where the electric cooker excelled, however, was when I was working with known quantities. I just set it and forget it. But if I just take, e.g., a bag of meat out my freezer, defrost it, and then put it in the PC, I'm not sure exactly how long I need to cook it, so the number one advantage of the electric PC is lost for me. Maybe it's scientifically supposed to be the same time under pressure no matter the amount of ingredients, but it has never worked for me that way. I actually go by smell, so I have to be around the PC anyway if I'm not using an exact-ish recipe. Also, I take advantage of the stovetop PC's large 10 qt size often. I can even fit a large bamboo steaming basket in there and pressure steam food in it. I haven't tried canning yet.
@Melanie, does your Kuhn Rikon have a low pressure setting? I find the low pressure setting on my stove top Fagor is better for congee and rice. I made lots of congee and rice in the electric pressure cooker last month, and the low pressure setting helped me get similar results on my stovetop Fagor.
I'm confused. How does smell tell you if a slab of meat is cooked properly? Roasts can smell wonderful long before they're fully cooked and continue to smell great when they're woefully overcooked.
IME, how long an item takes to cook is more a matter of thickness than weight. A 3-lb pork butt cut into 2" pieces takes the same amount of time as a 4-lb butt cut into 2" pieces. Still, if food weight is your sticking point, you might consider investing in a kitchen scale. If you do have one, why aren't you using it?
I'm not advocating for the IP over the Fagor, I believe that stovetop v. electric is a matter of personal preference. Electric made sense for me because moving a loaded stainless steel pot to the sink is difficult. For you, it's convenient. I'm simply confused by the way you're choosing which to use.
I am very sensitive to smells. Thankfully it's gotten a little "better" with age, but, for example, even though I love eating cilantro, the smell will give me headaches.
Some things are easy. If I'm cooking rice in an InstantPot -- and I was lazy and didn't measure -- I will know pretty much a few seconds after it's overcooked and start rinsing/soaking another batch right away.
As for other things: Yes, I have a scale, and, yes, the first 5 times I make something I will follow the recipe to the letter. (Some modern cookbooks even give you the weight for minced garlic or diced onions, carrots, etc. which for me is so much easier than 2TBSP of minced garlic or 2 cloves minced garlic.) But once I have a feel for it, I absolutely can cook in a PC by smell. For something precise, like biryani, I will never do it, but for a braise-like or stew-like dish, I do it all the time. For some dishes I prefer to leave the protein whole instead of cut it up. I feel like even when cut up to equal sizes, larger amounts of food take more time to cook. I am admittedly a new PC user, so I will pay more attention next time.
Now, I grew up in Pakistani household, and only eat halal meats. Additionally, I have been unable to find real-life food hobbyist friends where I live, so I don't have any reference points. All I can do is check with my Thermapen and see if I think the taste and texture are correct. My neighbors and friends will always say "it was great", even when I give them things I know were far less than great. So I appreciate you raising en eyebrow and letting me know I may not be where I think I am with these dishes, that my spidey sense could be leading me astray.
Also wanted to add I am talking about the time it takes after coming to pressure.
(I am sitting, thinking about PCs, at my kid's swimming class and the chlorine smell is driving me insane.)
I get that sensitivity, I suffer from it as well. My smell sense was normal until after a long surgery back in '99. Afterwards, it was heightened to such a degree I was uncomfortable with it. My surgeon explained that prolonged anesthesia affects some people this way. I love the smell of roasted coffee beans, but the smell of brewed coffee is nauseating. Cumin used to smell fine to me, but now I have to make sure it doesn't get on my skin, or I smell stale sweat. And being in a crowd can be awful, with cologne and body odor sometimes overpowering me. The upside is that it's very easy for me to tell if meat or milk has gone off, well before it's apparent to others. So there's that.
One thing to bear in mind as you gain experience with pressure cooking is that thickness is a far better measure of cooking time than weight, as is true for all cooking methods. Think of an 8oz chicken breast, left intact versus pounded into a big cutlet for schnitzel or Milanesa. Same weight, drastically different cooking times.
Thank you for your explanation, and also for sharing about your sensitivity. I will definitely re-evaluate my intuitions.
I have been using ATK/CI's Pressure Cooking book as my guide thus far. I see they just released a version for electric pressure cookers and I hope to try it out. The Kindle version is only $2. Although, I wish they used the InstantPot as their primary cooker instead of the Fagor electric; I don't know anyone with the Fagor.
There's a strong argument to be made in using the PC that you're used to, and has given you excellent results. If I'd started with a stovetop model, I might never have embraced the IP.
I have and use the first book, but passed on the new one. Too many reviewers complained of cooking times that were way off. I think we've got to face the fact the ATK really doesn't like electric PCs in general, and they flat out hate the IP.
Pressure Cooker Perfection has some good recipes, and with your stovetop Fagor the timing should work pretty well. I do think their recommended 90 minutes for pot roast is way too long, but since the recipes generally work well in my IP, I forgive them. I think their Bolognese is ridiculous and after trying it once, decided to just stick with Marcella's stovetop recipe, since it is less expensive to make, has a shorter prep time, and then it's mostly hand's free.
Good suggestion to try lower pressure. I think that will help. There are two marks on the indicator, but most times I fail to stop at the lower mark because I'm not paying attention and the pot goes straight to high and stays there.
I don’t have an opinion for the IP. Never tried one. I do however have the Fissler and it’s pretty amazing. Super easy to use, and that gasket is so easy to maneuver on and off.
Can you pressure-can with an Instant pot? I think I can do small batches with my stove top version.
Sort of. AFAIK, low acid pressure canning isn't recommended in either stovetop or electric PCs because they don't have the regulator to ensure pressure remains at 15psi or better during the entire canning session. I think you need a pressure canner to safely can low acid foods like meat. High acid foods, like tomato sauce, can be canned in any PC or a water bath.
I have both Kuhn Rikon and Fissler pressure cookers, and I've used an electric pressure cooker. For me the difference is primarily in volume; power output and even heating when braising; and higher pressure.
The largest electric pressure cooker I've seen is an 8 litre, but for stocks, I find it more useful to cook large batches at a time. For that I typically use the biggest Kuhn Rikon which is 12 litres. The effective volume is close to double for that.
For braising meat prior to pressure cooking in the same vessel, the even heating of the Fissler is in a different league to any electric pressure cooker. In addition, the braising from the heating power (stovetop depending) of the Fissler or Kuhn Rikon is on par (or better) than a big cast iron pot.
Then pressure difference is debatable, but for tough meats or bones for stock, I notice a large difference.
If you're primarily using a pressure cooker for convenient family sized meals, the an electric is probably the better route. It's easier, but it doesn't have the performance of a good stove top pressure cooker. Also, I'm fairly certain that my Kuhn Rikon will still be working well in 50 years time, which is definitely not the case for any electric pressure cooker.
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