****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
I own several Hawkins cookers, love them all. My largest is the 22 litre Big Boy, big enough to do two whole chickens for, for me, a great amount of chili. I've already owned the 1.5 litre 'Classic'. The advantage for some to the 'Contura' is that it is shaped differently, with a larger bottom surface making it easier to saute/brown some ingredients. It's not life-or-death difference, but if I were going to choose one or the other buying new, I'd buy this one. I bought it out of curiosity.This size may seem almost toy-like, but it's not. It can be perfect for one or two! There's actually an excellent little YouTube channel run by a lady who does dozens of recipes in this size Hawkins.Biggest drawback for these cookers is that, in their natural way of working, they periodically vent rather noisily during the cooking process. That's no problem, I like knowing things are going well. No, the problem is that when these vent steam every minute or so, they also lose liquid. One must be careful to include more liquid than, say, my Instant Pot or my more modern-designed Presto stainless pot. This is less an issue with a pot 4 quarts or more, but it can be important in this little cooker. I've ruined beans, for instance, by not including an extra measure of liquid and the beans cooked dry.
