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Bettesworth Construction
Food Safety

Tips for Cooking Safely With a Pressure Cooker

Follow your pressure cooker’s model-specific instructions, never force the lid open, verify food temperatures when needed, and keep pressure cooking separate from pressure canning.

By Bettesworth Construction Team 2 min read
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Use your pressure cooker’s own manual, keep within its fill limits, and never force the lid open. Wait for pressure to release and check the appliance’s indicator as its manufacturer directs. For foods that need a verified safe temperature, use a food thermometer; pressure-cooking time alone is not a doneness check.

Before you cook: know your model and its limits

Pressure-release methods, minimum liquid amounts, fill limits, and lid operation vary by cooker. Read the manual for your exact model before use; do not assume another cooker’s controls or markings apply to yours.

  • Use the manual’s instructions for the minimum liquid and maximum fill. Do not rely on a marking unless the manual identifies it as the correct limit for your cooking task.
  • Find the pressure indicator and learn what its safe-to-open state looks like on your model.
  • Check the appliance’s exact model number against current safety notices before buying or continuing to use it.

Check model-specific warnings

On February 24, 2026, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned consumers to stop using the Gourmia GPC625. The agency reported five incidents involving hot contents expelled under pressure, with four reports of severe burn injuries. CPSC said the lid could open while pressurized, the float valve was difficult to see, and the inner pot had incorrect volume markings. These reports concern that model only; they are not an industry-wide injury statistic. Read the CPSC warning for Gourmia GPC625 and follow its instructions if you own that cooker.

During cooking: keep the cooker set up as instructed

Use the appliance only as its manual describes, including its liquid requirements, fill guidance, lid position, and pressure settings. If a valve, indicator, lid, or seal does not appear to function as described, stop and consult the manual or manufacturer rather than improvising. If a sealing ring needs replacement, use only a part specified as compatible with your exact model and follow the manufacturer’s replacement instructions.

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Opening the lid: wait for the safe state

  1. Follow your model’s manual for the required pressure-release method and timing.
  2. Wait until the pressure indicator shows the safe state described in that manual.
  3. Open the lid only as directed. Never force, pry, or defeat a lid lock or other safety feature.

If the indicator does not reach the safe state or the lid resists opening, do not force it. Refer to the manufacturer’s troubleshooting instructions for that model.

Check doneness with a thermometer when needed

Cooking under pressure does not remove the need to verify food safety where a temperature check is appropriate. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service guidance gives 165°F as the minimum internal temperature for poultry. Check with a food thermometer, following USDA guidance on where and how to measure; elapsed time or a pressure setting is not a substitute for a temperature check when one is needed. See USDA FSIS guidance on doneness versus safety.

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Pressure cooking is not pressure canning

An electric multi-cooker or pressure cooker should not be used to pressure-can low-acid foods. Home canning requires tested equipment, tested processes, and reliable recipes. Improperly canned low-acid foods can pose a botulism hazard; consult the CDC’s home-canned food guidance and USDA FSIS information on Clostridium botulinum and botulism. Oregon State University Extension also explains distinctions among pressure canners, pressure cookers, and electric pressure cookers in its safe-canning guide.

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