Buying a slow cooker (which? & why?)

newlywed

Hi all, think I am finally getting OH to come round to the idea of getting a slow cooker

So usual questions:

I'm looking at the 3.5 ltr MR one on offer in Argos. How much chilli or casserole am I likely to fit in this?

Would the Anthony whatsit Thompson 4 ltr one be better (£8 more).

Is it safe to leave it on for 10 hours while I'm at work or do I need to get a timer? Will 10 hours be too long for most recipes?

There are 2 of us in the week and then an extra 2 for weekends (step kids). I think it's most likely it will be used more in the week as those are most busy. Plus there isn't a huge amount of worktop room in the kitchen for another gadget - so don't really want a huge 6.5 ltr one yet!

Pink.

Hi newlywed,

I don't think that the difference between a 3.5 and 4ltr one will warrant the £8 difference.

For chilli it will probably make three meals for both of you...a casserole (including potatoes etc) it should stretch to two meals for you both. When the step kids are there it should feed you all. This is only an estimation as I don't know the ages of the children or their appetites.

I just recently bought a MR 6.5ltr one and I love it...they have the extra bonus of excellent customer service and an automatic two year guarantee. If you are mainly going to use it just for the two of you, the 6.5 one would probably be too big anyway (it's enormous!), unless you like to do a lot of batch cooking.

Pink

newlywed

Pink-winged wrote: »

Hi newlywed,

I don't think that the difference between a 3.5 and 4ltr one will warrant the £8 difference.

For chilli it will probably make three meals for both of you...a casserole (including potatoes etc) it should stretch to two meals for you both. When the step kids are there it should feed you all. This is only an estimation as I don't know the ages of the children or their appetites.

I just recently bought a MR 6.5ltr one and I love it...they have the extra bonus of excellent customer service and an automatic two year guarantee. If you are mainly going to use it just for the two of you, the 6.5 one would probably be too big anyway (it's enormous!), unless you like to do a lot of batch cooking.

Pink

Thanks Pink, that's a great answer - just what I needed.

The kids are 9 and 12 and eat a fair size meal. We don't have a huge freezer so I usually only cook double for the two of us, rather than cooking huge batches.

Have been very impressed with Morphy Richards last month when our vacuum broke within the 2 year guarantee and the replaced it with the newer version free of charge - not even delivery or collection costs. So am drawn more toward them anyway because of that.

Just need to convince OH it's safe now

newlywed

Oh yeah and do I need a timer too? Will 8 am to 6pm on low be too long for most recipes?

Pink.

Hi newlywed,

It will be absolutely fine...I've been slow cooking for over 20 years and never had a problem with leaving it on while I go out. The MR has a higher wattage and is therefore faster than my old machine so I'm still getting used to it, but I don't think that 10 hours will be a problem as long as you add plenty of liquid (which you can thicken when you get home) and cook it on low.

Pink

lbt_2

newlywed wrote: »

Hi all, think I am finally getting OH to come round to the idea of getting a slow cooker

So usual questions:

I'm looking at the 3.5 ltr MR one on offer in Argos. How much chilli or casserole am I likely to fit in this?

Would the Anthony whatsit Thompson 4 ltr one be better (£8 more).

Is it safe to leave it on for 10 hours while I'm at work or do I need to get a timer? Will 10 hours be too long for most recipes?

There are 2 of us in the week and then an extra 2 for weekends (step kids). I think it's most likely it will be used more in the week as those are most busy. Plus there isn't a huge amount of worktop room in the kitchen for another gadget - so don't really want a huge 6.5 ltr one yet!

Hiya

Steer clear of the AWT one. I had that until recently when I took it back and changed it. It didn't get hot enough - everyone else's SC bubbles slightly but the AWT one never did. Also when I used it, it gave off a horrible smell and on reading earlier posts I know other people have found the same thing. It was horrible and put you off the food you were cooking.

I am with Pink - I have just bought the MR 6.5 and I absolutely love it. There are only four of us, but I cook bigger batches. It is recommended that you use it at least half full, but I have cooked with it less than half full and it was lovely - didn't seem to make any difference to me.

Also, earlier in this thread someone suggested cooking smaller quantities in a pyrex dish inside the crock pot, and pouring boiling water around the smaller dish. This way you cook a smaller quantity but you can also cook something else too, such as boiled potatoes.

Personally I find the big one more flexible because I have cooked small quantities, but today I have a huge 2.5kg chicken in it, and later I will make a huge batch of stock.

Hope this helps

newlywed

Thanks lbt. Think it'll be the MR one for sure then

Wouldn't mind a 6 ltr one but I think OH would have a fit about finding space for one that big so will aim for the 3.5ltr and then if we use it enough may be able to bargain to get a bigger one later on

annie-c

Just a quick note to say that my local T J Hughes had the MR 3.5l for £20 and the 6.5 l for £25 this week!

newlywed

annie-c wrote: »

Just a quick note to say that my local T J Hughes had the MR 3.5l for £20 and the 6.5 l for £25 this week!

Thanks - nearest one is 40 minutes drive away though

freyasmum

Luis wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies so far.

One question - are they safe? As in, is it safe to leave it on all day whilst I am out?


(Horrible visions of coming home to find house a smouldering ruin)

can I just add. I was a bit paranoid, too. But since baking before bed and leaving the oven on overnight :eek: (obviously by accident) - the energy! the danger! the waste! - and still being alive to get up the next day and switch it off, I am happier to go out and leave it on I do that all the time. I put sausage casserole in on saturday and went out shopping for a few hours and came home to a still standing and lovely smelling house

Btw, I've prattled on about the safety and said nothing about my model. It is just the tesco one - a 3.5ltr and it works perfectly fine for us - it did 2 meals for three (well, two and a half really) but it now does three meals for one and a half.

Lx