Buying a slow cooker (which? & why?)

silly_moo

Hi all, hope you can help.

I normally cook from scratch and am very sceptical about the quality of slow cooked food. However, my first baby is due next week and I expect in the next few months I won't have much time to do the cooking. So I started thinking that a slow cooker is maybe not such a bad idea.

Can you please tell me if the slow cooker is really such a time saver and whether the food still has any nutritional value after being cooked for such a long time?

Also, I wouldn't like to buy an expensive slow cooker as I don't know if I'm going to like it. I was thinking about this one http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-sc356-slow-cooker-brushed-steel/100-2168.prd

Do you know if it's any good? I mean, I saw the good reviews but I wonder whether anyone on this forum has one. Also, is it going to be big enough to make 2 days worth of food for 2 people (i.e. 4 portions)?

Popperwell

I have that one Silly Moo but have yet to use it and I think I have lost the instructions but hopefully there will be plenty of help and websites for receipes. I thiknk it's big enough, if anything perhaps too big for me as a single person? There are threads on MSE about slow cookers...

You could also consider a combi microwave or...type this into Amazon...

Andrew James 12 LTR Premium Halogen Oven Cooker, they are all supposed to be good and use less power than an ordinary oven. A slow cooker I have been told costs about the same as a light bulb. A microwave is said to be something like 40% less. And similar with a halogen oven if the cost of energy is a consideration.

samsil

Hi there silly moo, I bought a slow cooker when my little girl was one, I wished I'd got one sooner as it would have been great for making food for all the family and just blending it for her when weaning. The beauty of it, for me, is that you can cook when is convenient for you (baby's nap time) then just go back to it later and switch to 'keep warm' when it's cooked. You can take a portion for baby, then just leave the rest in sc for when you want to eat later etc...it takes a bit of the stress away, I find, instead of watching something on the hob.... Slow cooking is v laid back you can't really burn it. Also a lot of the recipes are the kind of things that are suitable, casseroles, slag Bol, pasta sauces.

Swan_2

guess they're convenient, but everything (bar soup) tastes like ready meals, or overdone mush

I gave mine away to my ex husband :A :rotfl:

fuddle

silly_moo wrote: »

Hi all, hope you can help.

I normally cook from scratch and am very sceptical about the quality of slow cooked food. However, my first baby is due next week and I expect in the next few months I won't have much time to do the cooking. So I started thinking that a slow cooker is maybe not such a bad idea.

Can you please tell me if the slow cooker is really such a time saver and whether the food still has any nutritional value after being cooked for such a long time?

Also, I wouldn't like to buy an expensive slow cooker as I don't know if I'm going to like it. I was thinking about this one http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-sc356-slow-cooker-brushed-steel/100-2168.prd

Do you know if it's any good? I mean, I saw the good reviews but I wonder whether anyone on this forum has one. Also, is it going to be big enough to make 2 days worth of food for 2 people (i.e. 4 portions)?

That is a 3.3l and will be big enough for what you need it. I was using a 1.2l and was far too small. Currently have a 2.6l and is absolutely fine for a family of four. You can cook a full chicken in it, I steam puddings in mine, make broth and soups, rice puddings for the kids as well as stews and casseroles. It's cooked very low for the length of time so I tend to think it's no worse than an hour at high heat in the oven. It is such a time saver because I find I can throw everything in at lunch time when I have a minute. Where I find it's value is if DH is going to be late home and tea is delayed... it doesn't get burned, it doesn't need reheating, I just serve up when needed.

I'm a big fan of my slowcooker. It helps me stay organised and on top of things. Go for it. Yes, when I started out things were watery and bland but I know how much liquid now and I do brown my meat stuff off in the pan with a bit pepper before hand

Missli

I have a 6.5 litre Argos Cookworks one. A great size for doing whole birds, joints of meat, and batch cooking. I much prefer to the little one.

silly_moo

Thanks all for the answers. I think I will go for it and see how it goes. I'd better get one now and start practising before my LO arrives!

Popperwell

I don't know if its big enough...Wilkinsons have a slow cooker in stock at present for...£5!

mrs_motivated

My slow cooker is on its last legs, it's very old and suddenly seems to have become be a very very slow cooker if you know what I mean!

Anyway, it's time to invest in a new one and I was wondering if anyone could recommend a model. There is only there is only three of us at home now, put a pile of visiting kids most weekends, so I would like a really large model (either to feed theweekend masses or to cook extra in the week and freeze.

Thanks

Popperwell

Tesco's own seems a pretty good buy from what I remember sizewise and price too. I think I saw one in Sainsbury's too. These days you seem to need well known brands less and often own brands are high on quality and reliability.