What Pressure Cooker Size Should I Get? (Complete Guide)

If you are looking to upgrade your kitchen with a modern pressure cooker, one of the first things you are going to notice is that all models, regardless of what brand you look at, come in numerous sizes.

Now, while you can cook smaller amounts of food in larger pressure cookers, you simply cannot cook large amounts in a small-sized pressure cooker, as there is a safety risk with doing so. You are going to find that models will range anywhere from two quarts to ten plus quarts.

In order to choose the best size for your kitchen, family, and lifestyle, there are a few things you need to consider as one size does not fit all when it comes to this convenient kitchen appliance.

So, what pressure cooker size should I get? This is completely dependent on the size of your family and whether you like to cook larger meals to have leftovers for meal preparation purposes. Please see the following chart for a better reference.

2-4 Quart	Perfect for 1 individual who eats alone.
5 Quarts or Less	Perfect for 1-2 people or a very small family.
5-7 Quarts	Perfect for 3-5 people & provides flexibility.
7-10 Quarts	Great for 6+ people or a large family.
10+ Quarts	Great for 8-15 people. This size is often used for canning purposes.

Please do keep in mind that while these are the recommended values, other factors may require you to purchase a larger pressure cooker.

For instance, if you want to can food, want to attend a lot of potlucks, or regularly cook for large groups of people, you would be better off with a larger pressure cooker. However, if you are looking to purchase a pressure cooker as a practical gift for a college student or first apartment; a smaller one will do just fine

Does a Pressure Cooker’s Size Really Matter?

When we are talking about a pressure cooker’s size, we are strictly talking about the volume amount or how much food it can hold. What we are not talking about is the casing of the appliance, the weight of the appliance, or the aesthetics of the appliance. When it comes to pressure cookers, size definitely matters because it directly impacts the amount of food you can cook in one sitting.

In addition to this, size matters because if you put too much into the pressure cooker, you can run into some serious issues and if the pressure cooker is too large for what you need it for, you are going to expend a lot of excess energy.

However, the key rule here is that a larger pressure cooker is never going to be the better option; you want to go for the smallest size that fits your needs.

The Issues With Buying a Pressure Cooker That Is Too Large

You will lose a lot of efficiency when it comes to the amount of energy and heat you are expending. If you regularly find that you are only filling your pressure cooker to a third or half, you are heating up a lot of unused space which skyrockets your electricity bills.

You may end up limiting the available cooking techniques. Why? A larger pressure cooker is going to need a higher minimum water level. This means you may not be able to braise meat if you have too much liquid. This would force you into boiling or pre-cooking your food.

The larger the pressure cooker, the more cleaning up you will have to do. There’s no point in putting yourself through this if you don’t have to.

The rule of thumb with pressure cookers is to calculate out a ratio. Generally, this is one quart/one liter to one person in the home. If you have a family of two, anything that is four quarts and below is going to work just fine. Six quarts will work well for three to five people and eight quarts is great for six-plus people.

What’s the Standard Size Pressure Cooker?

When it comes to pressure cookers, the standard size is between five and seven quarts. Why? You are able to cook for a regular sized family while still maintaining flexibility in the types of meals that you can cook. You can definitely do small meal prep with this size and serve anywhere between three to five people in a single use.

What’s the Best Size For a Pressure Cooker?

The best size for a pressure cooker is the standardized six to eight-quart model. It is the most realistic size for a family of four, provides flexibility for all types of cooks, and is perfect for making a giant pot of chili or a few cups of brown rice.

In addition to this, it is perfect for those who love to have leftovers or want to make extra for meal prepping purposes. If you are an individual or a couple, getting a four-quart pressure cooker would be perfect.

What Is the Largest Size Pressure Cooker? Electric & Stove Top

When it comes to size, a stovetop pressure cooker is always going to operate on a larger scale since they have an 8-15 PSI (pounds per square inch) while electric pressure cookers have a 10-11PSI range. This means that if you go the stovetop route, you are able to purchase a pressure cooker that is anywhere between four and twenty-five quarts.

However, if you are looking into a pressure cooker/canner combination, there is a forty-one-quart aluminum stovetop option from All American Canner. Here is a breakdown of the largest electric and stovetop pressure cooker we could find.

Electric Option. GoWise USA GW22637 4^th-Generation, 14 Quart.

The GoWise USA GW22637 is the largest electric, programmable, pressure cooker currently on the market.

It comes with a steam rack, a rice scooper, measuring cup, and steam basket.

It is considered a 10-in-1 electric pressure cooker/slow cooker combination and even has a heating plate included.

The pre-sets include an auto keep warm, slow cook, timer for twenty hours and a twenty-four-hour delay function.

The display is digital, LCD and is very easy to read. You can purchase it in six, eight, and twelve quarts as well.

Stovetop Option. All American 941 Pressure Cooker/Canner, 41 Quart.

While this pressure cooker/canner combination is intended for home-use application, it cannot be used on glass top or flat ranges as the weight of it may cause the ceramic or glass to break.

It is made out of a duty cast aluminum for fast and even heating has a stay-cool bakelite top handle and a geared steam gauge.

It comes equipped with two automatic venting features – a safety control valve and an overpressure plug, and it also comes with a pressure regulator for five, ten, and fifteen PSI.

The finish is satin, and it comes with double thick edges.

The capacity is forty-one quarts, nineteen-quart jars, or thirty-two-pint jars.

Presto Pressure Canner and Cooker

If you are looking for a pressure cooker/canner combination that is on the smaller size, the Presto Pressure Canner and Cooker sits at twenty-three-quarts.

It is constructed out of warp-resistant heavy-gauge aluminum and works on regular and smooth-top ranges.

It has a twelve-year limited warranty on it and a deluxe pressure dial gauge that measures in precise increments.

It comes with a canning/cooking rack and a 75-page instruction/recipe manual.

Should I Get An Electric or Stovetop Pressure Cooker?

This is completely dependent on what features you are looking for. If you want convenience, ease, and durability, the electric is the way to go. If you are looking for swiftness and sturdiness with precise cooking measurements, the stovetop is the correct path. Here is what each type is best for.

Electric Pressure Cookers Are:

Perfect for those who do not want to fiddle with heat settings as it will automatically set the correct temperature,
Can replace other appliances like a rice cooker and slow cooker,
Are perfect for extremely busy families who have limited time windows for meals.
Students or couples with limited kitchens,
Disabled or elderly who have trouble with cooking on conventional stoves.

Stovetop Pressure Cookers Are:

Perfect for those who want speed and power without sacrificing durability,
Perfect for those who want to get into food preservation,
For those who want to try advanced pressure-cooking techniques,
Perfect for those who are cooking massive meals.

Can You Cook Small Meals In a Large Pressure Cooker?

If you happen to have a larger pressure cooker or buy one that is a bit too large for your needs, you can still choose to cook smaller meals in it. Since pressure cookers are designed to cook all types of food, a recipe that calls for a smaller batch of ingredients can still be done in a pressure cooker if conventional methods are not an option for you.

The main thing to keep in mind though is that a larger pressure cooker is going to take more time to cook a smaller amount of food.

Why?

The pressure cooker has more surface area, which means more time required to heat up and attain the right pressure.

Something to keep in mind when cooking a small amount of food in a larger pressure cooker is the amount of liquid you are using. A pressure cooker cannot do its job properly if it is not filled with the correct amount of liquid, as too much or too little liquid can completely spoil the integrity of the ingredients.

The maximum amount of liquid allowed in a pressure cooker is 2/3rds or ½ if you are cooking items like grains, beans, and rice.

With a smaller meal, you may run into some problems, like the food being too bland or too runny because you’ve had to use more water than what is recommended in the recipe, simply because that’s what your pressure cooker’s minimum liquid requirement is.

What Size Pressure Cooker Do I Need For Canning?

If you are planning on engaging in a lot of food preservation, you are going to need a larger pressure cooker. While the smallest pressure cooker size that can be considered for canning purposes is ten quarts, it is not uncommon to see anything ranging from twelve quarts to twenty-five quarts.

Any pressure cooker that cannot hold at least four-quart sized jars of food is not considered a safe option by the USDA as not enough heat may be delivered during the pressurizing and cool-down process.

As with pressure cooking, size does matter with pressure canning and it is possible to go too big. If you have an extremely large canner, you are going to end up expending a lot of energy, causing a massive loss in efficiency.

This will increase your energy cost per jar, and it will increase your carbon footprint. Now, if you want to have some flexibility, and the pressure canning bug has taken you completely smitten, you can purchase two different sizes.

For home use, a ten or sixteen quart is excellent for smaller loads while a twenty-five quart or higher is perfect for powering through large loads.

What Size Pressure Cooker Do I Need To Cook a Whole Chicken?

While the answer to this question completely depends on the size of the chicken you are buying, it is generally recommended that you use a ten-quart pressure cooker for the job. Now, some individuals have been able to get away with cooking a whole chicken in a six-quart Instant Pot pressure cooker, with the size being between two and five pounds.

As for cooking times, the rule of thumb is to cook the chicken at six minutes per pound with a natural release method of twenty minutes.

Here is what this looks like based on the weight of the chicken.

At three pounds, you are looking at about eighteen minutes on high pressure.
At four pounds, you are looking at about twenty-four minutes on high pressure.
At five pounds, you are looking at about thirty minutes on high pressure.

For every half pound, add an additional three minutes to the total cooking time for the whole chicken. Now, this is for a chicken that has already had its gizzards removed and has no ties on it. If you have a whole chicken that has its gizzards in, you will need to increase the time by an additional five minutes per pound, meaning eleven minutes per pound.

Here is what this looks like based on the weight of the chicken.

At three pounds, you are looking at about thirty-three minutes on high pressure.
At four pounds, you are looking at about forty-five minutes on high pressure.
At five pounds, you are looking at about fifty-five minutes on high pressure.

For every half pound, add an additional six minutes to the total cooking time for the whole chicken.

What Size Pressure Cooker Do I Need For a Family of 1-5?

A family that has one or two people in it will be able to use a pressure cooker that is between two and five quarts. Generally, the larger the pressure cooker, the more versatility you will have with single dishes. For a family that has three to five people, you are going to want a six or seven-quart pressure cooker.

You will be able to cook full meals with a six or seven-quart pressure cooker, have flexibility in the types of cooking methods used, and still be able to store the pressure cooker with relative ease.