4 Litre Speedcooker II

One item of cookware that is always popular and very handy in the kitchen is a pressure cooker. We have just launched our new pressure cooker, the AMC 4 Litre Speedcooker® II. It's ideal for smaller families, getting your cooking done in a third of time. Before using for the first time it is essential that you read the instructions carefully. This will explain the use and care of your unit, and provide tips for use as well as precautions.

Safety features of the Speedcooker® II

The AMC Speedcooker® II is perfectly safe to use in your home, and has 3 safety features:

1. Pressure Setting Valve: Releases pressure rapidly through the steam outlet if there is excessive pressure build-up.
2. Red Pressure Valve on the short handle: Is visible when the lid is closed properly. While it is building pressure, a small amount of steam may escape from this valve. This steam will stop releasing once the unit is under pressure. If the pressure becomes too high, steam will begin releasing again.
3. Sealing Ring and Safety Cut Out: If an excessive amount of pressure should build up in the unit and excess steam is already being released at the Pressure Setting Valve and Red Pressure Valve, the Sealing Ring will pop through this safety hole to release the excess pressure.

Cooking Instructions

Filling the Speedcooker® II
Never fill the Speedcooker® II more than ⅔ of its capacity - a max line inside the unit indicates this. The minimum amount of liquid necessary for the Speedcooker® II to build and maintain an adequate pressure is 250 ml (1 Cup).
Important: Do not fill the Speedcooker® II more than ¼ of its capacity when cooking dried fruit, pasta, beans and other foods that tend to foam. This will avoid blockage of the safety valves.

Cooking with the correct temperature and pressure:
It is recommended to start cooking at a medium temperature. Set the Pressure Setting Valve to either High or Low, depending on the food being cooked. Use the Low setting to prepare vegetables, rice, or poultry. Use the High setting to prepare red meat, legumes, beans or pulses. As the Speedcooker® II starts heating up, a slight amount of steam might be released from the Red Pressure Valve. As soon as the unit starts building pressure, this valve will seal and rise slightly more. Steam will now not escape from here. Once the correct pressure has been reached, steam will be released from the Pressure Setting Valve. Reduce the heat slightly to maintain this pressure and to stop the release of steam – ideally you do not want to be releasing pressure while cooking. Your cooking time begins now, once the correct pressure has been reached.

Cleaning the Speedcooker® II
After each use, clean the Speedcooker® II with dishwashing liquid or Classic Cleaner. Never put the Speedcooker® II lid in the dishwasher. When washing the lid, ensure that the Red Pressure Valve and Pressure Setting Valve are clean – run hot water through the valves. Remove and wash the Sealing Ring and clean the lid thoroughly. Dry the Speedcooker® II with a clean dish towel.

How to store the Speedcooker® II

It is best to store the Speedcooker® II without sealing it. To prolong the life of the Sealing Ring, do not put the lid on when not in use. This will prevent the Sealing Ring from becoming too compressed. If the Sealing Ring becomes brittle or perishes, the Speedcooker® II will not seal properly and could be unsafe to use. The Sealing Ring should be replaced once a year. A new Sealing Ring is available for purchase at an AMC Sales Centre or on the AMC website. Do not store food in the Speedcooker® II.

Safety precautions & tips

1. Make sure that the lid fits properly, with the lid handle directly above the bottom handle. If not fitted properly, the Speedcooker® II will not build pressure.
2. Never try to open the Speedcooker® II by force, especially if it is still hot. Wait until it has cooled sufficiently and the Red Pressure Valve has dropped completely before attempting to open it.
3. Never pour water over the hot sealed Speedcooker® II – this is dangerous.
4. If steam escapes or water drips from underneath the lid, the Sealing Ring may be poorly positioned, dirty or damaged. In each case you must clean and reposition the Sealing Ring once the unit has cooled down, or it may need to be replaced.
5. Do not store the Speedcooker® II with the lid on. Limited ventilation will cause musty smells and the Sealing Ring may become over compressed and unable to perform its function.
6. For best results, it is recommended to change the Sealing Ring once a year. You can purchase a new Sealing Ring at an AMC Sales Centre or on our website.
7. Never fill the Speedcooker® II more than the Max line indicated on the inside of the unit.
8. Do not fill the Speedcooker® II more than a ¼ of its capacity when preparing food that tends to foam i.e dried fruit, pasta, beans or pulses.
9. The minimum amount of liquid necessary for the Speedcooker® II to build and maintain adequate pressure is 250ml (1 cup).
10. Always test that the Red Pressure Valve is functioning correctly before use. To do so push the locking pin back to release the Red Pressure Valve and press the valve below it two or three times with your fingertip, it should drop with ease.
11. If too much steam escapes from the Pressure Setting Valve during the cooking process or escapes in violent bursts, reduce the heat. If too much steam still escapes, check that there is not too much liquid in the Speedcooker® II or check the condition of the Sealing Ring.
12. If the Red Pressure Valve does not reach pressure, turn the heat up. If it still does not reach pressure, remove the unit from the heat source and allow to cool before removing the lid. Check that the Red Pressure Valve and locking pin is clean, and check the condition of the Sealing Ring. If there is no obstruction, you may have too little liquid in the Speedcooker® II. At least 250ml is necessary to build and maintain pressure.
13. It is important to remember that different heat sources and stoves will give you different reactions. After the first few uses, you will get to know how long your Speedcooker® II takes to reach pressure according to your heat source i.e solid plate, spiral, glass top, gas or induction stove.
14. When cooking on gas, never let the flame pass the diameter of the base of the Speedcooker® II. If using an electric stove, the plate should be smaller than the base of the Speedcooker® II.
15. Too high temperatures will cause the pressure inside the unit to become too much. This will result in excessive steam escaping from the unit, water leaking, and you could burn your food.
16. Food particles and frothy food can cause build up in the Red Pressure Valve and Pressure Setting Valve. The residue may become hard and sticky after a while and may interfere with the operation of the Speedcooker® II. It is important to rinse the Red Safety Valve and Pressure Setting Valve on a regular basis. To do this, run hot water through the opening of each valve. When cleaning the Red Pressure Valve, push the locking pin back to expose the Red Pressure Valve.

By following these steps you will be guaranteed proper functioning of your Speedcooker® II.