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Is it worth buying a slow cooker?

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  • rosie383
    rosie383 Posts: 4,981 Forumite
    Keep an eye out at the car boot sales or flea bay for one especially if you’re not too sure.
    My last two were each bought for £2. First one gave me about ten years’ service before it gave up the ghost. Replaced it with a better one for £2 again.
    I’ve just filled it with blitzed carrot, onion, celery and garlic along with chicken mince, chopped tomatoes and lots of herbs and spices. By tomorrow evening it will be perfectly rich and tasty with enough extra bolog to freeze.
    Chicken curry going in tomorrow evening for dinner next day as I’m working. I love it almost as much as my pressure cooker.
    I think they are both essentials for a busy household.
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  • I’ve had mine for about 7 years... use it at least twice a week. Very handy! Cook cheap cuts and stews really well :)
    Family of 4 and a cat, trying to reduce outgoings GC JAN £225.94/£250 GC FEB £93.20/£250
  • RedFraggle
    RedFraggle Posts: 1,309
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    I've had 2. The first one was rubbish and didn't cook hot enough. Veg was hard (after 8 hours!) and everything runny.I bought a small morphy richards one in Morrisons forr about £20 and it's fab, cooks the best lamb curry ever amongst other things.
    I tend to prep the night before whilst I'm cooking dinner and just pop it in the fridge until the next day.
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  • elsien
    elsien Posts: 32,522
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    Citygirl1 wrote: »
    Thanks for this. Just wondering how many servings of soup, casserole, chicken pieces does the small SC do, just wondering if its better to get that rather than a larger one. Do vegetables cook OK if you put them in before you go to work or do they come out mushy?

    Mine does two portions. I used to put potatoes in as well so it was ready to eat, but am not keen on the texture so I do them separately now. Or don't bother, and have crusty bread/naan bread as the carbs instead. Veg can go too soft if you get the timings wrong, so I use a timer switch rather than have it on all day.
    I don't find the meals quite as good as cooking fresh, but when you're falling in from work and want something hot and ready to eat, it does the job.
    All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.

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  • Citygirl1 wrote: »
    Thanks for this. Just wondering how many servings of soup, casserole, chicken pieces does the small SC do, just wondering if its better to get that rather than a larger one. Do vegetables cook OK if you put them in before you go to work or do they come out mushy?

    2 good portions, maybe more depending upon how much you eat, about 4 chicken thighs plus veg. I would cram as much as possible in the small one and it would cook down over the hours - the more vegetables (peppers, onions, leek, fresh tomatoes, pumpkin, courgette, etc) went in, the more it cooked down and the less liquid was needed in the first place, as they contain a lot of water.

    Veggies like carrots go very soft - if you put them in with boiling water/stock - they don't get hot enough to cook through if you put it straight on low with cold water, in my experience. But that's something you want for a traditional casserole, I think. Potatoes in a casserole/stew need to be about 1.5cm thick to cook and retain their shape (floury ones go more mushy/act as a thickening agent rather than a vegetable than waxy, new type potatoes do). And Swede/Yellow Turnip is so tough, it needs to be cut very small.

    If you get one, give it a try at the weekend when you're not at work at first.
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  • Glad
    Glad Posts: 18,858
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    my local @ldi had some SCs instore today 6.5litre for £16.99
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  • Mr_Singleton
    Mr_Singleton Posts: 1,891 Forumite
    Used to use one years ago but got sick of the sloppy baby food texture of everything that came out of it. Basically it’s fine for your no teeth granny or if you wanted an oxtail & chunky vegetable stew but could only eat through a straw then a slow cooker would be idea.

    Have got a beef cheek stew in the oven at the moment which was started on a timer delay and very low temp. Am wondering if the slow cooker fans are more interested in the energy cost saving over a traditional oven rather than the slop it produces??
  • Pollycat
    Pollycat Posts: 34,580
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    2 good portions, maybe more depending upon how much you eat, about 4 chicken thighs plus veg. I would cram as much as possible in the small one and it would cook down over the hours - the more vegetables (peppers, onions, leek, fresh tomatoes, pumpkin, courgette, etc) went in, the more it cooked down and the less liquid was needed in the first place, as they contain a lot of water.

    Veggies like carrots go very soft - if you put them in with boiling water/stock - they don't get hot enough to cook through if you put it straight on low with cold water, in my experience. But that's something you want for a traditional casserole, I think. Potatoes in a casserole/stew need to be about 1.5cm thick to cook and retain their shape (floury ones go more mushy/act as a thickening agent rather than a vegetable than waxy, new type potatoes do). And Swede/Yellow Turnip is so tough, it needs to be cut very small.

    If you get one, give it a try at the weekend when you're not at work at first.
    Used to use one years ago but got sick of the sloppy baby food texture of everything that came out of it. Basically it’s fine for your no teeth granny or if you wanted an oxtail & chunky vegetable stew but could only eat through a straw then a slow cooker would be idea.

    Have got a beef cheek stew in the oven at the moment which was started on a timer delay and very low temp. Am wondering if the slow cooker fans are more interested in the energy cost saving over a traditional oven rather than the slop it produces??
    I really think you must be doing something wrong.
    Or have a different slow-cooker to other people.

    And in answer to Mr_Singleton - no, it's not the cost saving that makes me use my slow cooker.
  • dingdongsaving
    dingdongsaving Posts: 596
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    edited 29 October 2017 at 9:19PM
    Lots have said but I also adore mine. Have even used it today to make soup while we washed the cars and went on a dog walk earlier.

    Prep in the evening, pop in the fridge and just add to 'cooker' part int he morning and leave on all day.

    Some of our family favourites are slow cooked:
    Turkey meat loaf, chicken or lamb curry, orange glazed gammon, lasagne, bolognese, chilli, pulled pork, pot roast of any sort... I love just coming home and throwing on some pasta/rice/spuds to go with whatever's cooked whilst we're at work.
  • BrassicWoman
    BrassicWoman Posts: 3,201
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    wilko multicooker. Slow cooker + makes yogurt, jam, and bakes stuff.
    2021 GC £1365.71/ £2400
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