Buying a slow cooker (which? & why?)

Bargain_Rzl

I've had a promotion and pay rise this month. :j Promotion took effect part way through the month, so I wasn't sure exactly what to expect in the way of take home wages on this occasion. SO I promised myself that this month, whatever I got on top of what I used to get would be spent on some much-needed kitchen supplies. Turned out to be just under £60.

So I went to the sale in Robert Dyas. New wok - £12.99 with various accessories, on special offer. Casserole - £14.99, will do for casseroles (obviously), stock, and large quantities of pasta. (Also got knife block - £19.99 but housemate agreed to pay for it so it cost me nothing). Which leaves me just over £30 for...

:dance: :dance:my much longed for slow cooker! :dance: :dance:

It's just as well - the new job is taking up rather a large amount of what used to be cooking time...:(

I'm thinking of getting the Breville/Anthony Worrall Thompson one, available from Argos or Amazon and within my budget, as I think the much-discussed Morphy Richards one would be a bit big for my needs, let alone our tiny kitchen!!! 4.5 litres seems like a good size to allow cooking for self and the freezer, and the oval crockpot looks like it could take a smallish chicken.

Anybody got any views on this model?

Ticklemouse

Can't comment on this particular model, but my mum bought herself a 4.5L one (that green goddess woman from breakfast tv - can't remember her name) It's still large enough to get a decent sized chicken or medium sized jointand is plenty big enough for the 2 of them but would still cope with feeding a family of 4 or 5 ........ unless you're like me and you fill up whatever space you have, then nothing will be big enough

Sarahsaver

any one but it's GOTTA BE BIG;)

don't be fooled by fancy branded (AWT, rosemary conley...) ones, they are made by the same companies as the cheapies.

ET03

Sarahsaver wrote:

it's GOTTA BE BIG;)

:eek: :eek:

Curry_Queen

Ticklemouse wrote:

... unless you're like me and you fill up whatever space you have, then nothing will be big enough

Heh, yet another similarity

I've just shoved a **kilo of stewing steak plus a mountain of veggies in mine and it's almost filled it up!!! ... and there's only me and little'un eating :rolleyes:



**t'was two 500g packs I got from Iceland that needed using up today as there's no room in the freezer ... so guess what we're gonna be eating all week, plus I still have a pack of 5 chicken legs in the fridge to be used by the 28th :eek:

filigree_2

Bargain_Rzl wrote:

I'm thinking of getting the Breville/Anthony Worrall Thompson one, available from Argos or Amazon and within my budget, as I think the much-discussed Morphy Richards one would be a bit big for my needs, let alone our tiny kitchen!!! 4.5 litres seems like a good size to allow cooking for self and the freezer, and the oval crockpot looks like it could take a smallish chicken.

Anybody got any views on this model?

I've got this model and so far I've been happy with it. Like you I've got a tiny kitchen and only 2-3 mouths to feed so I decided against the biggest models.

The internal measurements are: 17cm wide (22cm at the top) by 23 cm long (28cm at the top) - it tapers slightly towards the bottom.

I haven't cooked a whole chicken in it yet, but I did fit a 3.5kg joint of beef in there! I suppose you could take a tape measure to the shops when choosing a chicken to buy

filigree_2

MATH wrote:

If you have a large cooker and want to cook smaller portions remember that you can use a smaller pyrex dish and submerge this into the crock and then fill the crock with boiling water so the dish cooks baine marie style. This method can also be used to cook two things at once ie spuds in a dish submerged into a stew. HTH

I've successfully cooked a meat loaf in this way, putting the tin in the slowcooker and adding boiling water. Haven't tried the pyrex dish suggestion yet, will give that a whirl next time I'm cooking something smallish.

Bargain_Rzl

Sarahsaver wrote:

(AWT, rosemary conley...) ones, they are made by the same companies as the cheapies.

Point taken, but my leanings towards the AWT one are mainly for reasons of size and shape above anything else.

Cheers

Addy

Amazon are showing stock of the 6.5ltr Morphy Richard slow cooker again now for £24.51, as it's over £19 there won't be any carriage charge as long as you select the slower delivery method (it'll default to the quicker chargable one).

It's the 48715 model, with knobs not digital - older but preferred by a previous poster over the newer version

I had £25 worth of vouchers accumulated which I used to order it for my favourite price

Link is HERE

Can't wait to get going with me new toy :j

furrypig

Hey Addy I have just ordered this one from Amazon too!!
Was really pleased when I saw they were back in touch and ordered a cook book too!!
My kitchen is being ripped out next week to get to the floor to dry it out after major leak so hope the slow cooker will be useful then!!