Everyone--I mean everyone--thought we were nuts when we researching pressure cookers.  "It'll explode and you'll end up with pea soup on your ceiling!", etc.  Even with this simple, "jiggle-top" model, it has several valves and safety features in place to make sure that doesn't happen.  The only disaster here would be human error.  Most important is, just like microwave popcorn, don't leave the area--there are audio and visual cues you need to listen to so you know when to turn off the fire.  Certainly we enjoy using this cooker--easy, fast meals in half the time--with a simple cooking method.