How Safe is an Old Pressure Cooker? (Kitchen - Canning)

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I just bought an old 17-quart Montgomery Wards aluminum pressure cooker/canner at an antique sale. I got it for $15. It is from the early 1940's, and weighs a good 10 pounds.

It includes all of its original equipment (racks, etc...) and the instruction manual.

It needs considerable cleaning, but otherwise seems in good shape. The valve holes need to be cleaned, etc...

My question is, given the age of the appliance, would it be safe to use after it is cleaned up? The manual says if the appliance is cared for, it should last a lifetime.

I'd appreciate comments from anyone who has had experience with older pressure cookers or using other antique appliances.

-- Richard Green (r.green.60@worldnet.att.net), October 07, 2001

Answers

Response to How Safe is an Old Pressure Cooker?

I bought an old one(mid 1940's)through a classified ad. I called the company and ordered a new gasket ring. When I was talking to them on the phone, I asked if there were many of the old ones still in use. They told me there must be, since they sure sold a lot of rings still. Then I took it to my county extension office where they pressure tested it for me for free. When it got a clean bill of health from them, I brought it home and it has worked great for me ever since. The only caution the company mentioned was to be careful with the wire basket inside because they don't make them anymore.

-- Lori in SE Ohio (klnprice@yahoo.com), October 07, 2001.

Response to How Safe is an Old Pressure Cooker?

Call your extension office and tell them you want to bring your pressure cooker top in to be tested. They have to heat the machine up and will really appreciate you calling ahead and making an appointment!! If it tests out okay, there is no reason you can't use it. Might check the gasket.

-- Ivy in NW AR (balch84@cox-internet.com), October 07, 2001.

Response to How Safe is an Old Pressure Cooker?

I once bought an old pressure canner at a flea market with the old dial gauge. I wa sso proud of my find. Well, I got it home, cleane dit and then set out to use it to can tomatoes. I ended up with the surprise of my life. that old canner, I tested it to make sure I had it figured out. I was used to the newer Mirro canners with the gauge. Well put the canner on the stove and then watched the dial. It blew off and the lid blasted a hole in my newly painted kitchen ceiling, not to mention it scared the heck out of me. funny thing was that lid came back down and landed upside down right on the canner. The pressure was 6 pounds. so, I got out the ole charge card and ordered a brand new Mirro which i have to this day. Thats my experience with used old canners. Hopefully you will ahve better luck.

Bernice

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), October 07, 2001.


Response to How Safe is an Old Pressure Cooker?

Yikes..Bernice!! Everyones nightmare... I would call the Home extension office and have it tested like was suggested above before you use it for sure. I used my grandmas old one for years...after having it tested. I do use a newer (well, 10 years old probably now) one now though. Good luck!!

-- Jenny (auntjenny6@aol.com), October 07, 2001.

I have an old canner too, and it needed a new gasket, and new blow off plug, and a weight. When I ordered the gasket and the weight, I found that alone with the gasket came a vented plug. How ingenious! Hubby still thinks I am crazy for using the thing, but not when he's eating the fruits of my labor!

-- Bear (Barelyknow@aol.com), October 08, 2001.


Here's a suggestion: Put some water in it, set up an old camping stove out back somewhere where missiles can't hurt anything, set the pressure cooker on it, stand back and watch and see whether it explodes or not. (Not the most scientific approach, but if you don't have a local extension office handy, it might work.)

Seriously, though, do make sure that the thing is safe. When I first got married, my EX-husband, who had a fixation with pressure cookers, insisted that I cook some pea soup in one of those contraptions. Now, anyone here that knows about pressure cookers KNOWS that you don't put foods in there that foam up and clog the relief valve. Sure enough, the pot got up to steam, and the rocker stopped rocking. Fortunately I was distracted by a good movie on t.v. and didn't go in and start fiddling with it. There was a bang and a hiss, and pea soup all over that kitchen. It was dripping EVERYWHERE. Then my ex sits there and innocently comments "Oh...by the way....you shouldn't put anything in a pressure cooker that foams up." No s***, Sherlock!! I spent about 3 hours cleaning up that mess (he, of course, sitting on his butt and watching t.v.). I should have whacked him upside o'the head with it!

-Chelsea

-- Chelsea (rmbehr@istar.ca), October 08, 2001.


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