All in one cookers vs standalone?

B0bbyEwing

Any of you experienced these all in one things and can comment on how they stack up vs standalone cookers? 

We use our slow cooker a lot but are looking at replacing it. Not sure what the insert is made out of but it's terribly chipped & we only use plastic/silicone utensils in there. 

We have a small air fryer as OH wanted to try one out. Same with the rice cooker & I'm sure there was something else too.

Personally I just think how can these all in one things be better than a dedicated [whatever]. 

After having a look around it seems quite difficult/costly to get a slow cooker with stainless steel insert so was looking at ceramic.

Then not to rule out these things I thought I'd at least ask about them first before buying anything. 

maman

Personall I'm happy with my stand alone slow cooker. I've just replaced it as, although still working, it was very scruffy with bits of rust on the outside. My main reason was that although not chipped the ceramic pot was starting to lose its glaze and and some lentil soup started to 'catch' and stick last week. 

I considered one with a metal insert but the ones I looked at weren't suitable for my induction hob and anyway I'm a lazy cook and rarely brown anything. If I must I'm happy to use a frying pan for searing. 

I wouldn't bother to get the SC out to cook rice. I usually batch cook in my largest saucepan and freeze in portions. 

I replaced my old Crockpot with another, same brand, same size. 

joedenise

I don't use my slow cooker very often but happy with it.  It's the same one that @maman had and has just renewed.  There are a few things I use the SC for but actually prefer to make stews in a pressure cooker.

I just cook rice as and when we need it, certainly wouldn't bother with a rice cooker.

I can't see how something which is designed for 9 - 13 things can do any of them particularly well! so think separate things that you will use is a better option.  For me that is a pressure cooker (not electric); slow cooker and an air fryer (although I'm not that impressed with it and certainly won't bother replacing it when it stops working).

flaneurs_lobster

Was going to splash out on a rice cooker when someone told me to give a microwave version a go.

https://www.currys.co.uk/products/sistema-round-2.6litre-rice-steamer-21921879.html

Now use nothing else. Doesn't really save much time but easier IMO to cook small portions. Been going for several years, used at least once a week, just gets chucked in the dishwasher.

My crockpot (8 yrs old) is also suffering from glaze rot, and the rest is very scruffy. I'll probably replace with the same, They're pretty cheap and can't justify the cost of an all-in-one for the use it would get (still use a pressure cooker).

pinkdon

I have an Instant Pot multi cooker which has a metal inset bowl, it can pressure cook, slow cook and air fry.  Same lid so no messing around apart from removing the air fryer bit from the pot to pressure/slow cook.  There are other features which I don’t tend to use, apart from sauté.  I bought it refurbished from eBay for about £40 and I love it, it replaced a lot of kitchen gadgets so it’s great when kitchen space is short. To be honest it’s mostly pressure cooking I use it for but I’d recommend it. Probably my most used kitchen purchase apart from kettle and hob.

bouicca21

I’ve got a ninja Speedi multi cooker. I got rid of my slow cooker and the toaster.  The toaster was on its last legs anyway. My slow cooker was rather faster than I thought a slow cooker should be, and I was glad to save the space.  

User's reviews of the ninja slow cooker function are somewhat mixed but I’ve found it perfectly ok.

flaneurs_lobster

bouicca21 said:

I’ve got a ninja Speedi multi cooker. I got rid of my slow cooker and the toaster.  

It makes toast?

bouicca21

flaneurs_lobster said:

bouicca21 said:

I’ve got a ninja Speedi multi cooker. I got rid of my slow cooker and the toaster.  

It makes toast?

Yep.  It has a grill function.

B0bbyEwing

maman said:

Personall I'm happy with my stand alone slow cooker. I've just replaced it as, although still working, it was very scruffy with bits of rust on the outside. My main reason was that although not chipped the ceramic pot was starting to lose its glaze and and some lentil soup started to 'catch' and stick last week. 

I considered one with a metal insert but the ones I looked at weren't suitable for my induction hob and anyway I'm a lazy cook and rarely brown anything. If I must I'm happy to use a frying pan for searing. 

I wouldn't bother to get the SC out to cook rice. I usually batch cook in my largest saucepan and freeze in portions. 

I replaced my old Crockpot with another, same brand, same size. 

How long did your ceramic slow cooker last?

I don't know how much of what I'm seeing in the media at the moment about these non-stick particles is scaremongering & how much truth there is behind it all. I totally get that it's certainly not going to be good for you to be munching on all this pan coating but I just wonder how bad.

So sense would dictate that if an insert chips less then it must be better for you & so that's the reason behind me looking for one.

As for rice in a slow cooker - I must've phrased my OP badly. What I was saying was that my wife was buying this, that & the other to try things out. She bought a small air fryer to 'see how it goes' and then a cheapy rice cooker to 'see how it goes'. There's flipping appliances everywhere.

And that's the reason behind me considering an all-in-one.

Although I just don't believe an A-I-O can be as good at [things] as dedicated units. I don't base this on anything in particular other than my belief - hence why I'm here asking questions.

flaneurs_lobster said:

Was going to splash out on a rice cooker when someone told me to give a microwave version a go.

https://www.currys.co.uk/products/sistema-round-2.6litre-rice-steamer-21921879.html

Now use nothing else. Doesn't really save much time but easier IMO to cook small portions. Been going for several years, used at least once a week, just gets chucked in the dishwasher.

My crockpot (8 yrs old) is also suffering from glaze rot, and the rest is very scruffy. I'll probably replace with the same, They're pretty cheap and can't justify the cost of an all-in-one for the use it would get (still use a pressure cooker).

Interesting. Thanks as wasn't aware of these.

We have rice/pasta (but especially rice) a LOT. We were doing microwave rice. 'Only' 60p a bag but 10 bags is £6.00 and so on. It was just down to laziness really. Easy to chuck a bag in the microwave, 2mins & done vs chuck some rice in a pan & water, stir, check, test, wait etc. Not hard tasks I know - which is why I said it was just laziness on our part. What I've actually been doing this week is setting the rice cooker off in the morning as I'm doing my breakfast. Container it up & then it's already cooked & just needs heating when I get home from work.

But that link of yours looks like something to check out.

flaneurs_lobster said:

bouicca21 said:

I’ve got a ninja Speedi multi cooker. I got rid of my slow cooker and the toaster.  

It makes toast?

I second this surprise. Didn't know these things did toast.  

Farway

B0bbyEwing said:

We use our slow cooker a lot but are looking at replacing it. Not sure what the insert is made out of but it's terribly chipped & we only use plastic/silicone utensils in there. 

After having a look around it seems quite difficult/costly to get a slow cooker with stainless steel insert so was looking at ceramic.

Have you considered using chuck away, single use liners?

I have a ceramic SC, but use a liner every time, then just bin the liner on completion. 

Mine are like large plastic bags, not robust for heavy-duty stirring with metal spoons or bashing about, but fine for chuck it in & leave it alone style.

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/310158345

maman

I've had my previous Crockpot for more years than I care to remember @BobbyEwing, it could be 20. I suppose it's no different to using mugs that lose their glaze over time, certainly not a non-stick coating like Teflon.