AROMA APC-816SB Pressure Cooker Instruction Manual

AROMA APC-816SB Pressure Cooker

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IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

Basic safety precautions should always be followed when using electrical appliances, including the following:

1. Important: Read all instructions carefully before first use.
2. Do not touch hot surfaces. Use the handles or knobs.
3. Use only on a level, dry and heat-resistant surface.
4. To protect against fire, electric shock and injury to persons, do not immerse cord, plug or the appliance in water or any other liquid. See instructions for cleaning.
5. Close supervision is necessary when the appliance is used by or near children.
6. Unplug from outlet when not in use and before cleaning. Allow unit to cool before removing or replacing parts and before cleaning the appliance.
7. Do not operate any appliance with a damaged cord or plug or after the appliance malfunctions or has been damaged in any manner. Contact Aroma® customer service for examination, repair or adjustment.
8. The use of accessory attachments not recommended by Aroma® Housewares may result in fire, electrical shock or injury.
9. Do not use outdoors.
10. Do not let cord touch hot surfaces or hang over the edge of a counter or table.
11. Never attempt to open lid while the unit is pressure cooking. Do not open the pressure cooker until the unit has cooled and all internal pressure has been released.
12. If lid is difficult to turn, this indicates that the cooker is still pressurized.  not force it to open. Any pressure in the cooker can be hazardous.
13. Do not place on or near a hot gas or electric burner or in a heated oven.
14. Do not use the appliance for other than its intended use.
15. Always check the pressure release devices for clogging before use.
16. Do not touch, cover or obstruct the steam vent on the top of the pressure cooker as it is extremely hot and may cause scalding.
17. Use only with a 120V AC power outlet.
18. Always unplug from the plug gripping area. Never pull on the cord.
19. The pressure cooker should be operated on a separate electrical circuit from other operating appliances. If the electrical circuit is overloaded with other appliances, the pressure cooker may not operate properly.
20. Always make sure the outside of the inner pot is dry prior to use. If the inner pot is returned to the cooker when wet, it may damage or cause the product to malfunction.
21. Food should not be left in the inner pot with the “Keep Warm” function on for more than 12 hours.
22. To disconnect, turn control to “OFF,” then remove the plug from the wall outlet.
23. To reduce the risk of electrical shock, cook only in the removable inner cooking pot provided.
24. Extreme caution must be used when moving a pressure cooker containing hot food or liquids.
25. For household use only.
26. This appliance cooks under pressure.Improper use may result in scalding injury. Make certain unit is properly closed before operating. Follow the instructions in “Pressure cooking” on page 7.
27. Do not fill the unit over 2/3 full when cooking foods that expand during cooking such as rice or dried vegetables, do not fill the unit over 1/2 full. (…continued on next page)
28. Overfilling may cause a risk of clogging the vent pipe and developing excess pressure. Follow the instructions in “Pressure cooking” on page 7.
29. Be aware that certain foods, such as applesauce, cranberries, pearl barley, oatmeal or other cereals, split peas, noodles, macaroni, rhubarb, or spaghetti can foam, froth, sputter, and clog the pressure-release device (steam vent).
30. These foods should not be cooked in a pressure cooker.
31. Do not use this pressure cooker for pressure frying with oil.
32. To avoid spills and burns, do not carry a pressure cooker by the lid handle.
33. Do not wrap or tie cord around the appliance.
34. Intended for countertop use only.
35. WARNING: Spilled food can cause serious burns. Keep appliance and cord away from children. Never drape cord over edge of the counter, never use outlet below the counter and never use with an extension cord.
36. Do not use for deep frying.

Short Cord Instructions
A short power-supply cord is used to reduce the risk resulting from if being grabbed by children, becoming entangled in, or tripping over a longer cord.

Polarized Plug
Tols wie ince cion oldrized plug (one blade is wider than the other); To reduce the risk of electric shock, this plug is intended to fit into a polarized outlet only one way. If the plug does not fit fully into the outlet, reverse the plug. If it still does not fit, contact a qualified electrician. Do not attempt to modify the plug in any way. If the supply cord is damaged, it must be replaced by the manufacturer, its service agent or a similarly qualified person to avoid a hazard.

Parts Identification

Digital Controls

White Rice
Cooks fluffy, delicious rice automatically.

Brown Rice
Ideal for cooking brown rice and other tough-to-cook whole grains to perfection.

Beans
Allows optimal results for tough-to-cook beans at the touch of a button.

Beef
Prepares tender results for stewing vegetables and meats.

Keep Warm/O
Keep Warm is perfect for keeping food warm and ready to serve. Press once to cancel and to manually set to Keep Warm.

Pressure Setting
Changes cooking time settings quickly according to 3 taste preferences.

Delay Timer
Allows for rice to be ready right when it’s needed.

Poultry
Cook tasty chicken with ease.

Slow Cook
Sets to Slow Cook from 2 to 10 hours and is great for homemade roasts and stews.

Saute-Then- Simmer STS
Patented technology Sauté-then-Simmer STS® will sauté foods at a high heat and automatically switch over to simmer mode once liquid is added.

Soup
Great for preparing all kinds of savoury or creamy soups.

Before First Use

1. Read all instructions and important safeguards.
2. Remove all packaging materials and check that all items have been received in good condition.
3. Tear up all plastic bags and dispose of properly as they can pose a risk to children.
4. Wash lid, pressure release valve and all other accessories in warm, soapy water. Rinse and dry thoroughly.
5. Remove the inner pot from cooker and clean with warm, soapy water. Rinse and dry thoroughly before returning to the cooker.
6. Wipe cooker body clean with a damp cloth.

Note

• Do not use harsh abrasive cleaners, scouring pads or products that are not considered safe to use on nonstick coatings.
• If washing in the dishwasher, a slight discolouration to the inner pot and accessories may occur. This is cosmetic only and will not affect performance.
• Any other servicing should be performed by Aroma® Housewares.

Condensation Collector

Assembly

TO ENSURE PROPER OPENING/CLOSING, MATCH MARKERS WITH APPROPRIATE DESCRIPTIONS LOCATED ON THE LID

Condensation Collector

1. Read all instructions and important safeguards.
2. Remove all packaging materials and check that all items have been received in good condition.
3. Tear up all plastic bags and dispose of properly as they can pose a risk to children.
4. Wash lid, pressure release valve and all other accessories in warm, soapy water. Rinse and dry thoroughly.
5. Remove the inner pot from cooker and clean with warm, soapy water. Rinse and dry thoroughly before returning to cooker.
6. Wipe cooker body clean with a damp cloth.
7. Hand-wash the inner pot and all accessories or wash them in the top rack of the dishwasher.
8. Wipe cooker body clean with a damp cloth.
9. Thoroughly dry cooker body and all accessories.
10. Reassemble for next use.

Using /Keep Warm

1. Add food to be pressure-cooked to the inner pot.
2. Place the inner pot into the cooker.
3. Plug the power cord into an available 120V AC wall outlet. There will be an audible beep.
4. Press /Keep Warm to turn on the pressure cooker. The LED display will show “—-“.
5. Place the lid on the cooker. The display shows “OPEN”.
6. Close the lid securely onto the cooker, turning it clockwise so that it locks into place. There will be an audible sound when the lid locks closed.
7. Move the pressure release valve on the top of the lid to the Airtight position.
8. Press /Keep Warm again and “0H” will be in the display. The cooker will remain in Keep Warm. Press it a third time and it will power off the cooker.
9. Press the desired pressure cooking function (refer to the “Pressure Settings” table below).
10. Press the Pressure Setting to quickly change the cooking time, or the same pressure cooking mode to increase in 5-minute increments or one-minute increments for rice.
11. After 10 seconds the display will stop flashing, a chasing pattern will be displayed and 3 beeps will sound. The cooker will begin heating.
12. When optimum pressure is achieved, the countdown will begin starting from the time set in step 8.
13. Once the selected time has elapsed, the pressure cooker will beep 5 times and automatically switch to Keep Warm.
14.  Allow the pressure cooker to cool, the floating valve to drop and release all excess pressure to be released before attempting to open the lid. To speed up this process, manually move the pressure release valve to the “Exhaust” position.
15. Open the lid by turning it counterclockwise to unlock it. Remove the lid.
16. Check food for doneness. If cooking is complete, remove food for serving.
17. Once serving is complete, press /Keep Warm to turn the cooker off. Unplug from the power outlet when not in use.

Caution
Exercise caution when moving the steam vent to the “Exhaust” position. A large amount of hot steam will quickly escape once the vent is opened.

Note

• Do not fill above the 2/3 line in the inner pot.
• The amount of water and food should not exceed 2/3 of the height of the inner pot. For food that will expand in water, the level should not exceed 1/2 of the inner pot.
• The minimum allowable level is 1/5 of the inner pot.
• The programmed cook time can be set up to 90 min.

Helpful
Hints:

Pressure Settings
Time Settings

Caution

• If contents cooked under pressure contain a lot of liquid, it is recommended to allow the unit to cool and release pressure naturally to prevent spattering.

Helpful
Hints:

Note

• You can set the pressure cooker to delay cooking up to 15 hours.
• A Delay Timer is available for White Rice, Brown
• Rice and Beans only.

Quick Release (Fig. A)
To release steam, turn the pressure regulator knob to Exhaust. The floating valve will drop down and the lid may be opened.
CAUTION: Keep hands and face away from the pressure release valve when using Quick Release. Quick Release is not suitable for food with large liquid volumes or with high starch content (porridge, congee, sticky liquids, soups, stews, etc). Food contents may splatter out with steam. Natural Release is to be used instead.

Natural Release (Fig. B)
When the cooker timer has elapsed, power off the cooker. The pressure regulator knob must remain in sealing and allow the cooker to cool down naturally until the float valve has dropped down. This may take 10-15 minutes for the cooker to cool down.

White Rice/ Brown Rice/Beans

The Pressure Release Valve should be set to Airtight when cooking Rice or Beans

1. Using the provided measuring cup, add rice or beans to the inner pot.

2. Rinse rice or beans to remove excess starch if desired. Drain.

3. When cooking rice, fill the inner pot with water to the line that matches the number of uncooked cups. When cooking beans or legumes add 2.5 cups of water to each cup of beans or legumes.

4. Place the inner pot into the cooker.

5. Close the lid securely onto the cooker, turning it clockwise so that it locks into place. Turn the Pressure Release Valve to the “Airtight” position.

6. Press /Keep Warm to turn on the pressure cooker. Press either White Rice, Brown Rice or Beans. The LED display will indicate the default cooking minutes.

7. After 10 seconds the cooker will stop flashing and begin heating with a chasing pattern.

8. The pressure cooker will automatically start building pressure. Once pressure is achieved, the programmed time will begin to count down until reaching zero.

9. When cooking is complete, the pressure cooker will beep 5 times and automatically switch to Keep Warm. The digital display will read “0H” indicating zero hours of Keep Warm.

10. Turn the pressure release valve to “Exhaust” to release pressure. Open the lid.
    CAUTION : Hot steam will be released when the valve is opened.

11. Check food for doneness. If cooking is complete, remove food for serving.

12.  Once the serving is complete, press /Keep Warm to turn the pressure cooker off. Unplug from the power outlet when not in use.

Caution
Exercise caution when moving the steam vent to the ‘Exhaust” position. A large amount of hot steam will quickly escape once the vent is opened.

Note

• Before placing the inner pot into the pressure cooker, check that it is dry and free of debris. Adding the inner pot when wet may damage the pressure cooker.
• The amount of water and food shall not exceed 2/3 of the inner pot. The minimum allowable level is 1/5 of the inner pot.

Helpful
Hints: If you misplace the measuring cup, a 3/4 of The standard U.S. cup is an exact replacement To add more flavour to rice, try substituting a favourite meat or vegetable broth or stock The ratio of broth/stock to rice will be the same as water to rice.

Rice & Water
Measurement Table

 | UNCOOKED WHITE RICE| WHITE RICE WATER LINE

(inside pot)

| APPROX. COOKED RICE YIELD| WHITE RICE COOKING TIMES
---|---|---|---|---
2 Cup| Line 2| 4 Cups| White Rice: 22-27 Min.
3 Cups| Line 3| 6 Cups| White Rice: 25-30 Min.
4 Cups| Line 4| 8 Cups| White Rice: 28-33 Min.
5 Cups| Line 5| 10 Cups| White Rice: 30-35 Min.
6 Cups*| Line 6| 12 Cups| White Rice: 32-37 Min.

White Rice Measurement Table

Brown Rice Measurement Table

UNCOOKED BROWN RICE| BROWN RICE WATER LINE

(inside pot)

| APPROX. COOKED RICE YIELD| BROWN RICE COOKING TIMES
---|---|---|---
2 Cup| Line 2| 4 Cups| Brown Rice: 35-40 Min.
3 Cups| Line 3| 6 Cups| Brown Rice: 38-43 Min.
4 Cups| Line 4| 8 Cups| Brown Rice: 41-46 Min.
5 Cups| Line 5| 10 Cups| Brown Rice: 44-49 Min.
6 Cups*| Line 6| 12 Cups| Brown Rice: 46-51 Min.

Note

• Altitude, humidity and outside temperature will affect cooking times.
• These charts are for reference only. Actual cooking times may vary.
• Because rice varieties may vary in their make-up, results may differ.

Using Delay Timer

1. Add food to be pressure-cooked to the inner pot.
2. Place the inner pot into the cooker.
3. Plug the power cord into an available 120V AC wall outlet. There will be an audible beep.
4. Press /Keep Warm to turn on the pressure cooker. The LED display will show “—-“.
5. Place the lid on the cooker. The display shows “OPEN”.
6. Close the lid securely onto the cooker, turning it clockwise so that it locks into place. There will be an audible sound when the lid locks closed.
7. Within 10 seconds after pressing White Rice, Brown Rice or Beans, select Delay Timer. The delayed cooking time will be on the digital display with a flashing “00:30”
8. To adjust the time, press Delay Timer repeatedly to cycle in 30-minute increments up to 15 hours.
9. After the flashing time in the digital display stops, the cooker will beep 3 times and begin counting down the delay timer.
10. Once the delay timer reaches zero, the cooker Will begin the cooking cycle and switch to keep warm automatically when completed. The digital display will read “0H” indicating zero hours.
11. Allow the pressure cooker to cool and release all excess pressure before attempting to open the lid. To speed up this process, manually move the pressure release valve to the Exhaust position.
12. Open the lid by turning it counterclockwise to unlock it. Remove the lid.
13. Check food for doneness. If cooking is complete, remove food for serving.
14. Once serving is complete, press /Keep Warm to turn the cooker off. Unplug from the power outlet when not in use.

Caution
Only use utensils safe for use on nonstick coatings. Metal utensils will damage the inner pot’s nonstick coating.

Note

• Delay timer can be set between 30 minutes to 15 hours.
• To keep food warm in pressure cooker switch function to Keep Warm.

Soup

1. Add ingredients to the inner pot.
2. Place the inner pot into the cooker.
3. Close the lid securely and set the pressure release valve to “Airtight”.
4. Plug into an available 120V AC outlet.
5. Press /Keep Warm to turn the cooker on.
6. Press Soup. The indicator light will confirm which function is selected. The digital display should read “PP15”.
7. Press Soup to adjust cooking time in 5-minute increments between 10 and 90 minutes for Soup.
8. Once the selected time has passed, the cooker will beep and switch to Keep Warm. The digital display will show the number of hours the cooker has been on Keep Warm beginning with “0H”.
9. Allow the pressure cooker to cool and release all excess pressure before attempting to open the lid.
10. Open the lid by turning it counterclockwise to unlock it. Remove the lid.
11. Check food for doneness. If cooking is complete, remove food for serving.
12. Once serving is complete, press /Keep Warm to turn the cooker off. Unplug from the power outlet when not in use. Press Beef or Poultry. The LED display will light up with each function’s default time.
13. Press Beef or Poultry to adjust cooking time in 5-minute increments between 10 and 90 minutes.
14.  After 10 seconds the display will stop flashing, and a chasing pattern will be displayed. The cooker will begin heating.
15. The pressure cooker will automatically start building pressure. Once pressure is achieved, the programmed time will begin to count down to zero.
16. When cooking is complete, the pressure cooker will beep 5 times and automatically switch to Keep Warm. The display will read “0H”.
17. Allow the pressure cooker to cool and release all excess pressure before attempting to open the lid.
18. To speed up this process, manually move the steam vent to the “Exhaust” position. Open the lid by turning it counterclockwise to unlock it. Remove the lid.
19.  Check food for doneness. If cooking is complete, remove food for serving.
20. Once the serving is complete, press /Keep Warm to turn the pressure cooker off. Unplug from the power outlet when not in use.

Caution
If contents cooked under pressure contain a lat of liquid, it is recommended to allow the unit to cool and release pressure naturally to prevent spattering.

Helpful Hints
To ensure meat tastes its best, and to prevent possible illness, check hat meat is completely cooked prior to serving. If it is not, simply place more water in the inner pot and repeat the cooking process until the meat is adequately cooked

Caution
Do not use the provided serving spatula to sauté. It is not intended to be used in contact with high temperatures. Use a long-handled wooden or heat-safe spoon to stir food while sautéing

Note
Before placing the inner pot into the cooker, check that the cooking pot is dry and free of debris. Adding the inner pot when wet may damage the cooker.

SAUTÉ-THEN-SIMMER STS
The pressure release valve should be in “Airtight” when using SAUTE-THEN- SIMMER ST

1. Place the cooking pot into the cooker and close the lid
2. Plug the power cord into an available 120V AC oulet.
3. Press U/ Keep Warm to turn on the cooker. displayed.
4. Allow the cooker to preheat for 5 minutes.
5. Open the lid and add ingredients to be sautéed/ browned to the inner pot.
6. Using a long-handled wooden spoon, stir ingredients until sautéed/browned to the desired level.
7. Add other called-for ingredients and liquid to the inner pot.
8. Close the lid securely. Set the Pressure Release Valve at the “Airtight” position. After a few minutes, the cooker will automatically switch to Simmer.
9. Once the meal has cooked, the cooker will beep and automatically switch over to Keep Warm. Allow the pressure cooker to cool and release all excess pressure before attempting to open the lid.
10. When finished serving, turn the cooker off by pressing /Keep Warm and unplug the power cord

Slow Cook

1. Add ingredients to the inner pot.
2. Place the inner pot into the cooker.
3. Close the lid securely.
4. Plug into an available 120V AC outlet.
5. Press /Keep Warm to turn the cooker on.
6. Press Slow Cook. The LED display will show a flashing “2:00”.
7. Adjust the slow cook time to the desired cooking time by pressing Slow Cook. Cooking time can be adjusted from 2 hours to 10 hours in 30-minute increments. After 3 beeps, the cooker will begin to slow cook.
8. Programmed time will begin to count down by minutes until reaching zero.
9. When cooking is complete, the pressure cooker will beep 3 times and automatically switch to Keep Warm. The digital display will read “0H”.
10. Check food for doneness. If cooking is complete, remove food for serving.
11. Once the serving is complete, press /Keep Warm to turn the pressure cooker off. Unplug from the wall power outlet when not in use.

Limited Warranty

Aroma Housewares Company warrants its products against defects in material and workmanship for two years from the provable date of purchase in the United States. Within this warranty period, Aroma Housewares Company will repair or replace, at its discretion, defective parts at no charge, provided the product is returned, freight prepaid with proof of purchase and U.S. $20.00 for shipping and handling charges payable to Aroma Housewares Company. Before returning an item, please call the toll-free number below for a return authorization number.

Allow 2-4 weeks for return shipping. This warranty does not apply to any non- electric accessories and disposable parts including measuring cup, spoon and inner pot; the warranty period expired; the product has been modified by any unauthorized service centre or personnel; the defect was subject to abuse, improper use not conforming to product manual instructions, or environment conditions more severe than those specified in the manual and specification, neglect of the owner or improper installation; the defect was subject to Force Majeure such as flood, lightning, earthquake, other natural calamities, war, vandalism, theft, brownouts or sags (damage due to low voltage disturbances). This warranty gives you specific legal rights, which may vary from state to state and does not cover areas outside the United States.

Service & Support
In the event of a warranty claim, or if service is required for this product, please contact Aroma® customer service toll-free at:
1-800-276-6286
M-F, 8:30 am-4:30 pm, Pacific Time
Or we can be reached online at:
CustomerService@AromaCo.com
For your records, we recommend stapling your sales receipt to this page along with a written record of the following:
Date of Purchase:
Place of Purchase:

Aroma Housewares Company
6469 Flanders Drive, San Diego, CA 92121, U.S.A.
1-800-276-6286 | www.AromaCo.com
M-F, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, Pacific Time

References

• Kitchen Countertop Cooking Products - Aroma Housewares
• FAQs - Kitchen Appliance FAQs - Aroma Housewares
• Kitchen Countertop Cooking Products - Aroma Housewares
• Manual-Hub.com – Free PDF manuals!

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