Pressure cookers

I'd always been one for gadgets and must have cupboards full of just about everyone you can think of, gathering dust now I might add. I have a pressure cooker which is about 10yrs old now but only used it a couple of times and used the base as a pan to make chutney.

My actual cooking aids now are:

1 Samsung Hotblast combi microwave (roasts, slim fry (like air fry), microwave, steams, grills, convection oven, hotblast (hot air blown down onto food when roasting or baking) and lots more. (roasts a large chicken in 30mins)
1 Samsung combi microwave
1 Ninja Air Fryer
1 Large Slow Cooker I use this for stews and casseroles
1 Small Slow Cooker (I use this for spaghetti bolognese and other bulky sauces)
1 Halogen Cooker (not used this for some time though)

I use the hob on my main cooker about two or three time a year and the top oven is never used. The bottom fan oven I use very rarely.

Yes I did spend money on the appliances but they have all paid for themselves in energy savings now either individually or using one or two at the same time when making a meal.

The most frequently used aids are the slow cookers and the air fryer. If I buy a joint of meat I usually cook that in the large slow cooker as it cooks meat perfectly and if you leave the joint in a bit longer it's ideal for pulled pork or beef.

If I had to cut down to just 2 aids then it would have to be those two I think.

My mother used to use an old fashioned Prestige pressure cooker, very successfully. Many years ago I bought a more modern one - stainless steel and without the weights on top. I bought 2 new seals about a year ago because I wanted to get it back into operation but when I put one on, I found the lid wouldn't lock - something has gone wrong with the mechanism. It's a shame because it's still in excellent condition but totally useless as a pressure cooker and I have loads of other steel pans anyway. I would buy a new one because they are great time and money savers, but I can't afford it, so I continue to waste money on fuel but try not to use slow cooking methods to save electricity. There are ramifications to that of course - cheap meat can be slow cooked but fast cooking needs more expensive meat. Can't win!