Pressure Cooker for soap?

[Flicker]

Serious question. We make HP in a crock pot. Could you use an electric pressure cooker to speed the process????? I am seriously debating attempting this venture as I have a soap idea that would be better HP vs CP in terms of appearance and I hate waiting for HP.......

[lsg]

I would not attempt using a pressure cooker to make soap. You can use the microwave to make HP soap. I made one batch this way.

http://www.greatcakessoapworks.com/handmade-soap-blog/index.php/how-to-make-hot-process-soap-in-the-microwave/

[Flicker]

Micro is still too slow and too much hands on work. That is why I am thinking pressure cooker. It should allow me to be hands off the entire process. I may test it out this weekend. The worst that can happen is it doesn't work. I've tried so many unconventional things that people said years ago couldn't be done.... I may just be my own guinea pig once again. lol

[SueH]

I would love to hear how it turns out but worry about lye water hissing out of the top. Be careful!!

[Kitn]

I wouldn't try it..I make HP in about 10 mins, I stir until it doesn't zap and pour it in the mold.. It doesn't over cook this way.

[nursenancy]

This sounds very dangerous.

[beekeeper_sd]

Micro is still too slow and too much hands on work. That is why I am thinking pressure cooker. It should allow me to be hands off the entire process. l

Not trying to be rude or anything but why do you want to make soap "hands off"? That's the best part about making soap! I love watching the process and knowing that I can make wonderful hand made soaps with my own little hands! lol

[Chefmom]

I do recall when I was a child and the pressure canner blew, filled with my Grandma's Secret Pickled Beets.

New carpet, new counter and three coats of primer and paint cleaned up the mess.

Lye heats up with water etc, I would be scared of the pressure being TOO much for a common kitchen pressure cooker.

Plus, when you cook with a pressure cooker you have to get the temperature down before you can open it. Some people speed this process by running cold water over the cooker until the pressure equalizes. With a pressure canner you leave it sit until the pressure comes down, it can take a good hour before you can open it. That may cancel out the time saved not waiting for the soap to cook in a crock pot.

I love my crock pot soap, and it's pretty hands off in my opinion. Melt fat, lye and water on the front porch, fat in the pot, lye in the pot, whirl with the hand stick blender. Lid on and walk away for an hour. Come back, stir, add things, into the mold. I like HP because it's easy and I can walk away for a time.

[cmzaha]

I absolutely would not even come close to considering such, just sounds like an accident waiting to happen. Plus the fact it would have to be a stainless steel pressure cooker, and I just cannot see any point to cooking soap under pressure. Do remember the escaping steam is going to contain lye. I would not even consider it in my large canner that has very heavy duty lockdowns for the lid. The average pressure cooker is just not completely reliable either. Not sure why it takes you so long and I do not do a lot of hp, not my favorite type of soap, but it only takes me about 20 min max