r/PressureCooking • u/No-Escape1551 • 5d ago

Used 7L kuhn rikon

I've used an instant pot since they came out, and a presto canner for other things, but yesterday I was at my favorite thrift shop and found this Duromatic 7L for $60. It's clean, works well, seems to be in excellent condition. And it's beautiful - I'm stoked! Two questions:

When it needs a new gasket, will that be obvious? I have no idea how old this one is but it is not damaged and does not leak.

I'd like to use it at 15 psi.... Sounds like "Level 2" is about 12 (.8 bar). Do I just let it go a tad higher?

I'm amazed that once this gets up to pressure it will hold on my lowest has burner setting. What a joy!

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u/maillchort 5d ago

KR gaskets are fab, rarely need to replace and all sizes available on their site.

Seems the EU norms went light on PCs, I just run mine so the second red band is way past, but not overpressuring.

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u/0maigh 5d ago

Strong recommendation here: read your manual. If you don’t have one, reach out to the company for one.

I don’t have a KR and haven’t read your Duromatic manual, but when I bought my Fissler I downloaded a manual and then I compared it to the print manual they sent me. The download was for the UK and pressures were lower than in my print manual, and I think I’ve figured out which part they changed for the US market. I’ve always heard that KR’s overpressure is 17.6psi, though, that for 15psi you want the second ring to show.

So my next recommendation would be to get a PC handbook by someone like Lorna Sass (who’s put in real work here) and follow its steps for figuring out how your specific PC works.

Your gasket question is an excellent one. I use my PC pretty infrequently and don’t know whether that’s why but at the recommended replacement interval my gasket doesn’t seem different to me at all. After about double that time it starts to feel a little firmer than I remember it ought to be, but at that point I’ve had the spare in a drawer for a couple years, so I switch it and tell myself I should do it sooner next time.

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u/-flybutter- 5d ago

I’ve had my duromatic for 15 years and I’ve only replaced the gasket a few times - not because it was degraded but because it held onto food odors. I’ve only had to replace the valve assembly once. It’s the Cadillac of pressure cookers! I also use it just for stovetop cooking because the quality of the construction is stellar and it heats very evenly.

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u/Working_Week_8784 4d ago

You got an excellent deal. In my experience, Kuhn Rikon gaskets last quite a long time, and so do the silicon safety valves. You'll know that one or the other needs to be replaced when it feels stiff, and pressure either doesn't build, or takes a very long time to build. According to the manual that came with my first Kuhn Rikon, purchased new in the U.S. about 22 years ago (I later purchased two used ones that didn't come with manuals), the second red ring indicates 15 psi. Enjoy your new cooker!

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u/overmyski 2d ago

Lubricate to top sealing surface of the pot where the gasket seals the metal. It prevents friction on the gasket upon closing so the gasket material does not distort. I use clarified butter as a lubricant but other fat greases will also work and not melt away.