I'd used my old pressure cooker for over 20 years. The Teflon coating was chipping off, and because of safety concerns, I was happy to receive another pressure cooker as a gift. That cooker (the Casa Essentials 5-quart model) only lasted for a few uses. The silicone seal ring lost its ability to form a seal, and the part cost almost as much as the cooker. I decided to upgrade and bought the Presto 4-quart cooker.