What is the Difference Between an Autoclave and a Pressure Cooker?

The canning season for winter is picking up steam, and housewives are using various methods of food sterilization, from a regular pot on the stove to pressure cookers and autoclaves specifically designed for this process.

In this article, we will examine the differences between autoclaves and pressure cookers and discuss which device is better for canning certain products.

What is an Autoclave?

An autoclave is a device designed for food canning. The main advantage of autoclaves is the ability to reach temperatures higher than the boiling point of water (100°C under normal conditions), killing all bacteria and harmful organisms that can spoil the product while preserving all nutrients.

Canning in an autoclave is the most popular and safest method of food preservation. Today, there is a wide variety of autoclaves from different manufacturers on the market, each with its features: gas or electric, water or steam, cassette types, household models of various capacities, and industrial versions for large-scale production.

Autoclaves are also frequently used in the medical field. Due to their properties, these devices are employed for sterilizing medical instruments and for thermal processing.

Differences in Cooking Methods

Home pressure cookers are most often used in household settings for quick meal preparation. This is achieved through steam under pressure, which accelerates the process. The maximum temperature that can be reached in a pressure cooker is 120°C.

The principle of a pressure cooker is as follows: a necessary amount of water is poured into the bottom of the chamber; under the influence of temperature exceeding the boiling point and high pressure, steam is generated, which facilitates the cooking or sterilization of canned products.

There are also multi-cookers that perform dual functions. They can be used to prepare everyday meals. However, the advantage of such devices lies in their preparation of products for canning that require preliminary thermal processing, such as vegetable caviar or adjika.

What is the Difference Between an Autoclave and a Pressure Cooker?

A household autoclave operates on a similar principle — temperature and pressure play a key role. However, in "Ukrpromtech" autoclaves, water is filled in such a way that the top row of jars is completely covered. During the boiling of water, sterilization occurs, and bacteria are destroyed.

Another advantage of the autoclave is quick and safe canning. By turning on the autoclave and setting the necessary time and temperature, you can attend to other tasks without the risk of something going wrong. Autoclaves are equipped with a safety valve that prevents accidents and damage to the unit in emergency situations. After turning off the autoclave, it is necessary to wait for it to cool down to 30°C, which also prevents burns when handling canned goods.

What is Better to Choose?

After analyzing all of the above, we have reached the following conclusions:

Safety — thanks to the quality of materials and production control, autoclaves are safe devices for canning. In electric models, a control block is provided that fully automates the sterilization process without constant human oversight;
Capacity — modern household autoclaves come in various sizes and capacities, starting from 8 half-liter jars to 40, making the sterilization process faster, as more products can be canned in one load. At the same time, pressure cookers are compact in size and can, accordingly, can fewer jars at once;
Price — pressure cookers are cheaper compared to autoclaves, but with the price increases the functionality, which directly depends on the advantages described above.

The company "Ukrpromtech" manufactures modern autoclaves of various configurations and capacities for home use, as well as a range of industrial models and budget autoclaves. Leading metal processing technologies and quality materials are used in their production.

You can buy an autoclave on our website avtoclav.com.ua. Call us at: (050) 376-60-86 and (067) 370-27-22, and our managers will help you choose a model that meets your needs.

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