Hawkins Pressure Cooker Reviews

Hawkins pressure cooker is a great option if you need a small pot so you can make rice or quinoa while waiting for the main dish to be ready.

In fact I have reviewed all of the Hawkins pressure cookers right here on this page the small pressure cookers and the large.

What's great about Hawkins' brand is that most of their cookers are made with either hard anodized aluminum or 18/10 stainless steel and are made to a high standard. They are not low end entry level units although they do have a few entry level aluminum models for sale too.

They don't really make the cut for my list of best stovetop pressure cookers but they are not bad at all. I recommend them throughout this site to value oriented customers because they are priced to sell and are usually affordable for most families.

You can stay within the Hawkins family and get pressure cookers ranging in size from 1.5 quarts all the way up to 22 quarts with everything in between.

They also have a variety of pressure cookers that are designed with both the outside lid locking system and the inner lid system which many people prefer.

If you are thinking about getting a Hawkins pressure cooker though there are a lot of units to choose from so take a look at my Hawkins reviews down below - I think it will help.

To start off with lets first take a look at this summary video to the Hawkins line.

A Quick Summary of the Hawkins Stovetop Pressure Cookers

Here is a good demonstartion of the Hawkins line of pressure cookers. If you want to get right to the reviews just scroll down the page to the next section.

My Reviews of Hawkins Stovetop Pressure Cookers

Here I've listed and provided mini reviews of all the major models sold by Hawkins today. If you look at any one model you can easily click through to see my full product review of that pressure cooker. I've also provided links to let you easily find product specs and pricing on Amazon.

 

Hawkins Contura Black Hard Anodised Pressure Cooker

Available in 1.5, 2, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, and 6.5 liter sizes.

The Contura line from Hawkins is a collection of inner lid pressure cookers. These take a little getting used to taking the lid off and on but they are very safe. The Hard Anodized version of the Contura is basically an upgraded aluminum body that absorbs heat faster and more efficiently than standard aluminum. These pots are more energy efficient and should be faster to cook with. They are also curved for ease of scooping and stirring, perfect little touches for every day use. Make sure to click above to see pricing and through the following link for my full review of this model.

Hawkins Contura Pressure Cooker

Available in 1.5, 2, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, and 6.5 liter sizes.

This model is basically the same as the Contura Hard Anodized pressure cooker featured above. It is however mad eof only "regular" aluminum and hence costs a little bit less. I should note that the curved bottom is important for every day use because the inner lid can make it challenging to get food out of the pot without it. It's a really nice touch. Check above for pricing, it should cost less than the hard anodized version but from time to time price fluctuations may be a bit off from what you'd expect.

Hawkins Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker

Available in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10-liter sizes. This is the best selling Hawkins stovetop pressure cooker. It's made with stainless steel for strength and durability and employs a thick laminated base for better heat distribution. It's a great pot and although it's more pricey than their aluminum models it's still cheaper than alternatives like Fagor. If you plan on buying this please note it's a whistling pressure cooker by design. Don't buy this if you want a silent pressure cooker. 🙂

Hawkins Classic Aluminum Pressure Cooker

Product Description and mini review. Available in 1.5, 2, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 6.5, 8, 10, and 12-Liter sizes.

This aluminum pressure cooker is almost exactly the same as the stainless steel version revoewed above. The only exception is the body is aluminum and it won't work on induction stoves. To compensate for these differences the price is lower as you might expect making this an excellent entry level pressure cooker and one that is well reviewed. Click above the see current pricing or check Presto pressure cookers for more entry level alternatives.

HAWKINS Classic New Improved Aluminum Pressure Cooker

Available in 1.5, 2, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 6.5, 8, 10, and 12-Liter sizes. There is also a 3-Liter wide mouth version and a 8-Liter wide body version available.

This model is the most current version of Hawkins' entry level aluminum pressure cookers. It does cost slightly more than other entry level aluminum pressure cookers because it has the safer inner lid design and improved features over the classic Hawkins aluminum cooker.

This model is improved in that it regulates pressure to a tighter range resulting is a more predictable cooking environment and a more constant temperature range. If you cook with frothy foods you will also find that this cooker helps reduce the froth and foam making it easier to maintain and clean between uses. Overall this is a budget pressure cooker that will make cooking safer and easier for you.

Hawkins Contura Hard Anodized Induction Compatible Extra Thick Base Pressure Cooker

Available in both 3-quart and 5-quart sizes.

This model is basically an upgraded version of the hard anodized Contura featured above. The main differences is the limited sizes available and the extra thick base which is magnetic stainless steel. Although the body is a top of the line aluminum the base is induction compatible and thick enough to cook your foods evenly every time. Although it costs a bit more than the other Contura models you always get what you pay for when you trade up to a model with an extra thick base.

Futura by Hawkins Hard Anodized Pressure Cooker

Available in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9 liter sizes.

The Futura anodized pressure cooker is pretty slick. It's made from anodized aluminum meaning the cost is lower, the cooking temperature is better regulated, and the anodizing process means the aluminum doesn't react to the food like regular aluminum does. The pot also feels a lot like a non-stick pressure cooker even though teflon non-stick coatings are not used.

This is a nice benefit. Although the regular Futura model doesn't work on an induction range there is also an induction compatible Futura model made that includes an altered base for induction cooking surfaces. Click above for pricing - this is a very popular pressure cooker!

HAWKINS Hevibase Induction Compatible Aluminum Pressure Cooker

Available in 2, 3, 3.5, 5, 6.5, and 8-liter sizes.

If you have a tighter budget and looking for a cheaper pressure cooker than you should always stock to aluminum construction but that doesn't mean you should settle for poor cooking. The disks on the bottom of your pressure cookers should always be thick and heavy. This always results in better heat distribution, even cooking, and less scorching of foods and pans.

This model is Hawkins Classic aluminum pressure cooker with a simple upgrade to the cook bottom. It is twice as thick and heavy making this a much better pressure cooker. It is still not induction compatible however so the price is a bit lower.

Hawkins Bigboy Aluminium Pressure Cooker

Product Description and mini review. Available in 14, 18, and 22 liter sizes.

The Hawkins Bigboy pressure cooker and canner is one of my favorite smaller canners on the market because it has the inner lid design. You basically thread the lid into the pot and then seal it up into the lower rim of the pot. This is probably the safest lid design of all pressure cookers. Although some people do use this pressure cooker for every day cooking it's probably best for just canning.

It is made from aluminum like most pressure canners so the metallic reaction with some foods can alter the way foods taste but only certain foods and only a little bit - the pot is safe for everyday pressure cooking so that is not an issue. If you do want to use this for cooking your dinner the smallest 14-quart model will probably be good for a family or group of 10-15. The price for this is mid-range making this a good value for your money.

The Best Alternatives to Hawkins Pressure Cookers

Because Hawkins makes pressure cookers for both the entry level buyer and the mid-range buyer - and because they make tiny pressure cookers and big canners this company has consumers that cover the spectrum as a whole.

Good alternatives for Hawkins cookers include Presto for the entry level models and Fagor for the average size pots in the mid-range.

For people looking to buy smaller stovetop pressure cookers Vinod and Prestige have some good alternatives that are similarly priced while T-fal makes some really good alternatives to their larger model pressure cookers while being priced only slightly higher on average.

For people looking to do some light canning at home you can never go wrong with All American. The All American line is mostly for canning only but their smaller 10 ½ quart model will do double duty as a canner and a day-to-day pressure cooker just like The Hawkins Bigboy pictured above and to the right.

As you can see Hawkins line of pressure cookers is quite robust. They have a lot of different options and their price point is always competitive compared to the best competitors. This is why I recommend them a lot. As I've said before they don't make the best pressure cookers but their models usually provide a great value to the buyer.