Triply Tope vs Pressure Cooker – Which One to Choose?

When it comes to Indian kitchens, two essential cookware pieces often compete for attention: the triply stainless steel tope and the pressure cooker. Both are highly versatile, but their functionality, cooking style, and suitability for different dishes make them distinct. If you’re wondering which one deserves a permanent spot in your kitchen, let’s dive into a detailed comparison to help you make the right choice.

What is a Triply Tope?

A Triply Tope is a deep, wide cooking pot crafted with three-layered construction:

1.  Inner layer of food-grade stainless steel (safe and non-reactive)
2.  Middle layer of aluminum (for even heat distribution)
3.  Outer layer of stainless steel (for durability and induction compatibility)

Available in sizes from 14 cm to 26 cm, a Meyer Triply Tope is ideal for boiling milk, making tea, cooking dals, simmering curries, or preparing festive dishes like biryani and kheer. It’s known for versatility, durability, and ease of maintenance.

What is a Pressure Cooker?

A Pressure Cooker is a sealed pot that cooks food using steam pressure. It reduces cooking time significantly and is especially handy for recipes like rice, dals, rajma, and tough meats. Modern pressure cookers come in stainless steel, aluminum, and even induction-friendly models. They’re best known for fast cooking and convenience.

Cooking Style and Versatility

1. Triply Tope: Known for its open-vessel design, a triply tope is perfect for slow cooking, boiling milk, making curries, preparing pulao, simmering gravies, and even deep cooking festive dishes. Its wide shape allows easy stirring, making it excellent for dishes that need frequent attention and layering, like biryani.
2. Pressure Cooker: Best suited for fast cooking, a pressure cooker uses steam pressure to cook lentils, rice, beans, and meats in a fraction of the time. It’s ideal for people who want convenience and speed, especially on busy weekdays.

Meyer Trivantage 26cm Stainless Steel Tope With Lid

Flavor and Texture of Food

1. Triply Tope: Because food is cooked slowly and evenly in a triply stainless steel tope, the flavors are richer and more pronounced. The slow cooking helps retain texture, making dishes like kheer, curries, and dal more wholesome and authentic.
2. Pressure Cooker: While faster, pressure cooking can sometimes slightly alter the texture of delicate foods, as the high pressure softens ingredients quickly. However, it is unbeatable for tenderizing meats or cooking hard legumes like chana and rajma.

Heat Distribution and Cooking Control

1. Triply Tope: With three-layered stainless steel and aluminum construction, a triply tope ensures uniform heat distribution. You get complete control over the flame and cooking pace, making it perfect for dishes that require precision.

2. Pressure Cooker: Heat distribution depends largely on the base thickness. Once the lid is sealed, you have less control over the cooking process, as everything happens under pressure.

Quantity and Occasion

1. Triply Tope: Excellent for bulk cooking, especially in larger sizes like 22 cm or 26 cm. Perfect for festive occasions like Dussehra and Diwali, when families come together, and meals are prepared in generous portions.
2. Pressure Cooker: While it can handle medium to large batches, it’s not as convenient for festive-style cooking where stirring, garnishing, and serving directly from the cookware are preferred.

Cleaning and Maintenance

1. Triply Tope: Easy to clean due to its wide design and smooth stainless steel surface. It does not retain odors or flavors and is dishwasher-safe.
2. Pressure Cooker: Requires a bit more care, especially the gasket, valve, and lid parts, which need regular maintenance to ensure safe operation.

Safety and Convenience

1. Triply Tope: No moving parts or mechanisms—just simple, safe, and versatile cookware.
2. Pressure Cooker: Safe when used correctly, but it requires attention to sealing, pressure release, and handling.

Which One Should You Choose?

·   Choose a Triply Tope if you:

1. Love slow-cooked Indian curries and festive dishes.

2. Want versatile cookware for milk, tea, soups, rice, dal, or desserts.

3.  Prefer cookware that is easy to maintain and lasts for years.

4. Often cook in larger batches for family meals or festivals like Diwali and Dussehra.

·   Choose a Pressure Cooker if you:

1.  Need to save time with quick cooking.

2. Regularly cook dals, beans, or meats that take long otherwise.

3. Prefer speed over the traditional slow-cooked flavor.

Conclusion – Which One Should You Choose?

If you want flavorful, authentic, and versatile cooking, a triply stainless steel tope is your best friend. But if you prioritize speed and convenience, a pressure cooker will save you time. The truth is, both have their rightful place in an Indian kitchen—complementing each other rather than competing.

The best part? Meyer offers both high-quality stainless steel topes and premium pressure cookers, ensuring you always have the right cookware for every cooking style.