Pressure cookers were the prized possessions of housewives just after the Second World War. They became available then for domestic use after having been invented towards the end of the seventeenth century. They were the top cooking "gadget" prior to the now common infra red and microwave oven. Cooking at high temperature and under pressure allows the cheaper but tougher although tasty cuts of meat to be enjoyed. Pressure cookers are energy efficient and economical. They were one of the first "green" appliances before that term was in general use. They have enabled good cooks to produce a whole new series of recipes which were previously impossible. They remain prized possessions in kitchens in which the cooks recognized their value and utility.