T-fal is well known in Europe as the kitchen appliance company that first invented the non-stick frying pan. Since the 1950s, they’ve gone on to manufacture every form of non-stick cookware. They’ve used their expertise in making affordable and useful cookware to make other popular cooking devices like the P45007 Clipso pressure cooker. Pressure cookers are popular in Europe, but are less well-known in North America. They all work on the same principle. Heat applied to a closed container that holds water raises the boiling point significantly, and superheated steam cooks ingredients much faster then simply boiling them in a pot. Since it’s steam that’s doing the work, not boiling, it’s not necessary to submerge food in water in order to cook it fully.
Pressure cookers use one of two methods to guard against too much pressure building up inside the enclosed metal vessel. Older models used a weighted metal disc that sat atop a vent pipe on the lid of the device. These weighted discs were calibrated to lift off the vent pipe slightly when a certain pressure was reached inside the pot, and this led to them being nicknamed jiggle top cookers, as the metal disc would dance around a little on top of the spout. More modern versions like the T-fal P45007 Clipso pressure cooker rely on calibrated spring valves in order to regulate the pressure inside the sealed vessel.
T-fal P45007 Clipso Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker
Specifications
- Stainless steel pressure cooking device
- 6.3 quart capacity
- One-hand opening and closing
- Variable steam release valve
- 14.5 x 11.4 x 8.9 inches
- Achieves 12 PSI of interior pressure
- Comes with removable steam basket
- Weighs 7.7 pounds
- Shipping weight 9 pounds
Features and Benefits
Pressure cookers bring two main benefits to bear on cooking many types of foods. First, the increase in pressure and temperature of cooking with superheated steam shortens cooking times considerably, making it possible to prepare recipes that once required all day cooking times in an hour or less. The second benefit of using superheated steam instead of boiling water to cook your food is that it’s not necessary to immerse the ingredients in water like you’d have to when simply boiling them. In addition to much faster cooking times, pressure cookers like the T-fal P45007 Clipso have less of a tendency to make foods mushy and watery.
Another ancillary benefit of using pressure cookers like the T-fal P45007 is the preservation of more vitamins and minerals in the ingredients you cook in it. When you boil ingredients, some nutrients can be transferred entirely to the cooking water, and many of them are wasted when the water is discarded. The T-fal keeps more of the flavor and the valuable nutritional benefits in the food.
Pros
- Safe for use with any type of cooktop, including induction heaters
- Pressure cooker will not open when under pressure for added safety
- One handed opening and closing makes using the device easier
- 6.3-quart capacity is great for preparing meals for a whole family
- Lid doesn’t require any particular alignment in order to seal, making it easier to operate than competing brands
- Encapsulated aluminum heat distribution disc in the base of the stainless steel pot helps avoid hot spots inside the sealed vessel
- Cooking foods faster saves on energy costs as well as time
- Everything but the locking gasket and safety steam vent is dishwasher safe for easier cleaning
- Plastic handles are sturdy, and don’t get hot
- Releasing the steam before opening the pot is easy and safe
- Inserting optional steaming basket keeps softer vegetables entirely out of water in the bottom of the pot
- Enclosed instructions are detailed and easy to read and understand
Cons
- Unit is smaller than older models that held up to 8 quarts
- Stainless steel construction is very durable but heavier than aluminum
Final Verdict
Reviewers of the T-fal are unanimous in giving high marks to the unit. A remarkable one hundred percent of users give the P45007 Clipso four stars or better. Some users take off one star for the size of the Clipso. Older models were slightly larger, and cooks became accustomed to having up to eight-quart capacity when preparing one-pot meals for a large family, and wish T-fal made this model in a larger size. Others actually prefer the smaller size. Everyone likes the ability to operate the locking lid mechanism with one hand. In the past, most pressure cookers (wiki) required the user to align the lid and base in a very particular alignment, and then twist the top to lock. The P45007 Clipso has a new, improved design that allows you to place the lid on the pot in any direction and clamp it in place with one hand.
Some older models of pressure cookers let out a prodigious amount of steam when they were opened, so many users of the T-fal were pleasantly surprised at the ease and safety of the P45007 Clipso relief valve in letting the steam out without a big blast all at once. The T-fal P4500734 Clipso is designed and built to last for decades, and is priced right.