Pressure cookers, airtight utensils for cooking or preserving food through high-temperature steam under pressure, have for long been among the new trends in hospitality.
Thus an electric smart pot is similar to the conventional pressure cooker but it uses electricity as its name denotes.
A debate ensued online in recent weeks on how the electric pots save on electricity and costs, especially with the inflation and rising cost of living witnessed in the country.
“If you are keen on cost saving, you should get yourself these electric smart pots. They cook most of the things that would normally consume a lot of "gas and their electric consumption is minimal,” a tweep by the pseudonym Mjengo girl stated, igniting discussion on the viability of the pots.
“There are those with a time delay feature. You can set time you’d want your food cooked. Uko job hivi na tumbukiza yako imeanza kuiva pole pole unaipata iaachana kwa mfupa (You can rush home after work to find your meal already cooked),” she added.
A follower responded by noting that she cooked githeri for nearly 20 minutes or less.
“Such an investment,” she wrote.
“Boiling cereals does not even consume a kilowatt (kW). You can even pasteurize milk and make yoghurt with them. I think it's the best kitchen gadget I ever invested in,” another added.
“Been preaching this gadget to everyone I can. Literally saves. You boil your cereals, and beef, then fry your food and cook accompaniments. Easy to clean and zero pollution,” one response read.
Some questioned their durability, warranty, prices and whether they can be accessed online or at certain dealers.
Features
An electric pressure cooker consists of the lid, inner pot and body.
The inner pot is a removable cooking pot made from aluminium or stainless steel.
They are also designed with safety valves and smart control boxes have sensors that monitor the temperature and pressure of the inner pot with the sensors.
Microprocessors control heating, timing and the cooking process.
An alarm sounds off in case of an emergency, hence cutting off the power supply to the cooker.
The cookers come with 6 varying cooking modes, including boiling and simmering,
“You can also cook individual ingredients in addition to your pre-programmed recipes, for added flexibility and practical use.
“You can save time as the pot manages your cooking for you with no need for monitoring, releases the pressure automatically and even keeps your meals warm,” one of the brands states.
Prices
Prices at dealers, supermarkets and online range from around Ksh7,000 to over Ksh 20,000.
In June 2022, Kenya Power advised that it is cheaper to cook with electricity as compared to gas.
“Using approved electric-powered appliances such as pressure cookers is ideal as they are efficient and also come with minimal to no side effects to the users.
“Boiling half a kilogram of yellow beans would cost Ksh5 which is seven times cheaper than using charcoal or gas,” Kenya Power stated.
The state power firm added that you can also save on gas by boiling heavy foods like githeri, beans, matumbo (intestines), njahi (black beans), by electricity.
"Boiling half a kg of yellow beans could take Ksh5, which is 7 times cheaper than charcoal or even LPG and 5 times cheaper than kerosene.”
Kenya is determined and on course to achieve a full transition to clean energy by the year 2030.
"Renewable energy in Kenya currently accounts for 73 per cent of the installed power generation capacity, while 90 per cent of the electricity in use is from clean sources.
“We are on course to achieve our target of 100 per cent use of clean energy by 2030 and to achieve 100 per cent access to clean cooking by 2028," President Uhuru Kenyatta stated in November 2021.
