I bought this as a present for my mom -- she likes the quality, but found it too big -- she said it would have been fine if all of my 8 siblings and I were still at home! But she had me exchange it for a smaller size.

The pot is really great. It's a perfect size for our family of 7and easy to use.
I've never used a pressure cooker before. My mom never had one, so this was completely new to me. I followed the directions in the book and it worked fine. A 2-lb roast took only one hour. Usually it takes me 3-4 hours to cook on the stovetop.
I love the fact that you can open it in the middle of cooking to check (from what I understand - you can't do that with a regular pressure cooker or your must be extra careful not to point the opening towards you so that you don't get hurt).

Be careful, but not afraid

I looked around at many brands before I bought this one. It is incredibly well-crafted and seems very safe. It is expensive, but it's sturdy and I expect it to last for many years. This is the first pressure cooker I've ever used, and I never knew how tender the meats prepared in it could be in such a short amount of time. It's really everything you imagine -- a lentil/ham hock soup I usually braise for 3 hours is delicious in 1 hour. Who doesn't like that? It does take some experimentation and humor to find the exact amount of time for your ingredients; it's not forgiving for vegetables, for instance. A minute or two too long and you've got mush. But It just takes a few tries.
This size is perfect for our family of two. I like to be able to seek out new recipes, and most are written for a minimum 6-quart pressure cooker. We like leftovers, too, particularly in this economy.
You can't leave this cooking by itself (stay within earshot), and there are a couple safety checks I perform each time. But after I got used to it, I haven't been afraid about it exploding at all.

Easy to Use Even for Beginners

My total lack of experience cooking with a pressure cooker has not prevented surprising success. The mechanics, including cleanup, are as easy as any piece of cookiing ware. Food prepared under pressure are practically fool-proof, always moist and tender. The WMF 6.5 quart cooker has worked terrifically. Two small problems: if you cook for company or a large family, the 8.5 quart would be advisable; and unlike some pressure cookers, the WMF requires no less than one cup of liquid. Some recipes allow only for a half cup, so adjustments need to be made. A great buy and so far a great cooking experience.

The World's BEST

Easy to use, easy to control, reduces amount of energy used.