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Hawkins 2 Litre Classic Pressure Cooker

Hawkins 2 Litre Classic Pressure Cooker

By Hawkins · Pressure Cookers · Kitchen & Cooking

  • 2 litre capacity (code CL20)
  • Base flat diameter 134 mm
  • Base thickness 3.25 mm
  • Carton dimensions 335 x 185 x 145 mm
  • Weight in carton 1.50 kg

Price not listed

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Used, refurbished, open-box

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Problems, parts and running costs

Summary

A small, inexpensive aluminium stovetop pressure cooker with an inside-fitting, pressure-locked lid and a whistle regulator. It is not induction compatible, and US buyers should check that they can source genuine Hawkins gaskets and safety valves before ordering.

Strengths

  • The whistle regulator and pressure-locked lid make the cooking cycle simple and hard to get wrong.
  • The inside-fitting lid wedges in securely; owners describe it as feeling solid.
  • The rubber gasket sees little steam and is easy to replace yourself.
  • It cooks at about 15 psi, so beans and stews finish quickly on a small flame.
  • The official distributor page gives a 5-year guarantee.
  • Spare parts are cheap and individually listed, at least in India.

Weaknesses

  • It is not induction compatible; the induction 2L Classic is a different, taller model (ICL2T).
  • No instrumented independent test of the CL20 was found, and neither Wirecutter nor America’s Test Kitchen recommends it.
  • It is a mass-market Indian product, so US availability, pricing and service support are unconfirmed.
  • The Hawkins repair kit (KIT5L) does not cover the 2L, so the gasket and safety valve are bought separately.
  • The manual expects a new safety valve after a year of everyday use, so it is not maintenance-free.
  • Aluminium needs care: no dishwasher, and no long acidic cooking or storage, or it can pit.

Verified specifications

Model and codeHawkins Classic 2 Litre, code CL20.
Capacity2 litre.
Body and lidpure virgin aluminium, exterior mirror polished.
Base134 mm flat diameter, 3.25 mm thick.
Lidinside-fitting safety lid, pressure-locked so it cannot open until the pressure falls.
Pressure regulatorimproved whistle-type regulator, introduced in 2005.
Cooking pressure121°C at 1 kgf/cm² (about 15 psi), maintained automatically by the vent weight.
Safety valvemounted under the lid handle bar so steam deflects downwards.
Gasketrubber, with minimum steam exposure.
Handlesstay-cool, on a fixed sturdy pivot.
Cooktopgas, electric, ceramic and halogen; not induction compatible.
Recommended heatgas, on a small burner or no more than medium for the 1.5, 2 and 3 litre sizes.
Ideal for2–3 people in India; the UK site says 1–2 people.
Dimensionscarton 335 × 185 × 145 mm (W × D × H), cooker 331 × 175 × 159 mm (L × W × H).
Weightabout 1.5 kg in carton.
Guarantee5 years on the official distributor page; normal replacement parts are excluded.
CertificationHawkins states its pressure cookers are UL or ISI certified.
Full research notes and sources

Which model this is

CL20 is the 2 litre Classic: a straight-body aluminium cooker with a mirror-polished exterior and an inside-fitting lid. Don’t confuse it with the look-alike Hawkins 2L models: the Contura (HC20) has a rounded body, while the stainless steel (HSS20), hard-anodised and induction Classic (ICL2T, taller, with a 4.06 mm base) are separate products. The US listing this page covers is ASIN B00SX2YZMG.

Cooking and pressure

The Hawkins Classic manual gives the working numbers: 121°C at 1 kgf/cm², about 15 psi, held by the vent weight. Full pressure arrives about 1–3 minutes after the weight goes on, signalled by the first whistle, and more than 4 whistles a minute means the heat is still too high. Fill limits matter at this size: never more than 2/3 full, rice and dried vegetables no more than 1/2 full, and sprouting dal or pulses no more than 1/3 full. Hawkins does not recommend cooking moong dal or urad dal in cookers of 3 litre and smaller, and foaming foods such as oatmeal, pasta and cranberries should not go in a pressure cooker at all.

Fuel and cooktop compatibility

The Classic is built for gas, and Hawkins recommends a small burner or no more than medium heat for the 1.5, 2 and 3 litre sizes. Electric, ceramic and halogen hobs are listed as compatible but not recommended by the manufacturer. It is not induction compatible: the induction 2L Classic is the separate tall-bodied code ICL2T, with a 4.06 mm base instead of 3.25 mm.

Parts, upkeep and running costs

Expect to replace the gasket when it hardens or cracks, and the manual says to fit a new safety valve after a year of everyday use; a fused valve must be replaced with a genuine Hawkins part. The 2L Classic is not covered by the Hawkins repair kit (KIT5L), which is sized for 3.5 litre and larger cookers, so owners buy the Baby Gasket (BG) and safety valve (SV) separately. Upkeep is simple but specific: never dry-heat, add a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to stop discolouring, do not wash it in a dishwasher, and do not leave acidic or salted food in the aluminium for more than an hour.

Availability and support for US buyers

The aluminium CL20 is not a mainstream US big-box product. The closest US listings are a Hawkins Classic 2L on Walmart and Hawkins stainless and hard-anodised 2L models at Target and Gandhi Appliances, all different products. No US service centre network for Hawkins was identified, and no US retail price for the exact CL20 could be confirmed. Hawkins’ UK store lists the 2L Classic at £17.95, and the India distributor lists an MRP of ₹1,425 with an offer price of ₹1,280, but these are not US prices. If you buy the CL20 in the US, plan on sourcing genuine gaskets and valves from an importer.

Is it worth it?

If you specifically want a small, whistling Indian-style pressure cooker and can get genuine gaskets and valves, the CL20 is a simple, cheap tool with a five-year guarantee. If you want independently tested heat performance and local US support, a mainstream stovetop cooker is the safer buy, because no independent test covers the exact CL20.

Sources

Manufacturer:

Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

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