I haven't had to clean the pressure cooker the way you describe (the seal and valve) until my wife used the cooker and didn't know that you can't fill it up too much or it will spew hot liquid through the vent when you turn it from "sealed" to "vent". I had used the cooker for over a year with only popping the pot in the washer (and because it doesn't have handles, it fits in the washer).

My oven and range do not have a timer. It's beautifully simple. Also, I buy grated cheese to avoid cleanup. That's one of my extragavances.