Just make sure you take your time and follow all the instructions. If you have a spill (which some do and blame the extractor forever damning them forward), learn from the mistake. I opened mine after reading the instructions and never spilled a drop. Be careful if you have one that holds less than 8 quarts, as you have to empty some out mid-extraction (that would be quite the spill, I hear). Mine is the 'less than 8 quarts' model, easy peasy and NO SPILL! Once you do it successfully, you'll wonder why it took you so long to get one. I love mine since the body isn't as young as it used to be!