Caring for Your Pressure Cooker Valves or Weights Back to Library Menu   What's On This Page? New, Modern Spring Valves The Old-Style Pressure Regulator or Jiggle Tops Fixed Weight Pressure Regulators Related Articles New, Modern Spring Valves Make sure the valve moves freely before each use. Occasionally the valve may seem sticky or hard to move and you may need to dismantle the valve assembly to thoroughly clean all the inside pieces. If this doesn't solve the problem then the entire valve unit should be replaced. Be sure to check the nut that secures the valve assembly to the inside of the lid and tighten it if needed. The holes in many valves may by too small to clean with a pipe cleaner. The Old-Style Pressure Regulator or Jiggle Tops The rocking, jiggling, hissing and spitting type of pressure regulator dates from the dawn of pressure cookery. The same type of design has been in use for 100 years, and its still in widespread use even now. In the US, this is the type of pressure cooker that most. Americans are familiar with, but we're very far behind the rest of the world when it comes to the more modern versions available today. This design is still being made today. Check your pressure regulator, or jiggle top weight regularly, and if you need to replace it, do so with one from an authorised dealer only that is made for your make and model. Pressure regulator weights are not interchangeable. All pressure cooker manufacturing firms supply spare parts for the models they make. Check to make sure that replacement weights or valves are still available for your particular brand and model. Often times models are discontinued and less well established companies go out of business and there are no more parts. Some pressure cookers, especially canners, come with an assortment of weights, make sure you are using the correct weight for the type of food you are cooking. Remove the pressure regulator weight from your pressure cooker to clean the inside using a small brush (a toothbrush works well for this). To clean the inside hole, use cotton swabs or a bent pipe cleaner (the can be found under other names in crafting stores). Fixed Weight Pressure Regulators This type of pressure regulator looks similar to the more familiar jiggling type models, but they don't move at all. In some cases these weights are permanently attached to the vent pipe, they just rise up a little bit when the cooker is fully pressurized. Other versions have a removable weight which making for easier cleaning, but it still functions by lifting up as the pressure builds. This type of regulator is very noisy with rolling clouds of steam vapors being vented constantly. No wonder people who have never seen the sleek, quiet and hassle-free modern units, think pressure cookers are dangerous. This style of pressure cooker is more difficult I've used because there is no way to determine the correct pressure other than by monitoring the noise of venting steam. It also requires a much higher heat setting ro maintain that state, and foods tend to be overcooked. Suitable for the toughest meats and possibly some braises or tagine style recipes, it also works well for PIP recipes. Related Articles Try the Troubleshooting Chart to identify problems and find solutions. Find out how to clean the spring valve assembly on a modern pressure cooker. Find out how to clean and care for the pressure cooker lid. Find out how to clean and care for the pressure cooker. Find out how to clean and care for the pressure cooker valves. Find out how to clean and care for the gasket. Find out more about the care and cleaning of all kinds of cookware.     Questions or comments on this article? Click here.