I bought this item several months ago, and so far it has been worth the money. Most cookers follow a basic design, and though there are no frills here, this cooker preforms as it should. Being aluminum it has stained some what on the inside, but that was my fault as I burnt a block of corned beef in it once after I fell asleep after a hard days work and failed to hear my timer go off, but it cleaned up pretty well. I use it for making stews mostly but also for sterilizing caning jars. The rubber seal is still good, and is expected to be the only part to wear out over time. The handle is a high temperature hard plastic and the locking lid has a simple pressure relief valve. The steam pressure regulating weight doesn't make that nice slow n' gentle "ssshh ssshh ssshh" sound like the one my grandmother's cooker did when I was a kid - I love that sound, this one is much more rapid, higher pitched, and louder so when I'm watching TV I have to turn up the sound a bit to drown it out. Other than that its perfect and with good care this cooker can last several years.